Members of the terrorist group that attacked the Nabawi mosque and City of Qatif in Jeddah last night are truly “cruel and heartless”, Parti Amanah Negara vice-president Mujahid Yusof Rawa said today.

In the same breath, Mujahid condemned the recent attacks by similar groups in Turkey, Bangladesh and closer to home, Puchong in Selangor.

“Such attacks have reinforced the need for global citizens to fight the war against terrorists with all their might,” Mujahid said in a statement to Malaysiakini.

“No matter the excuse, violence is anti-humanity, and is usually applied to those who are innocent,” added the Parit Buntar MP.

“The whole world, especially the Muslims, must condemn the attacks against the place considered second holiest by Muslims after the Masjidil Haram in Mecca,” he added.

Mujahid said the peace that greets Syawal, the first day of the Aidilfitri celebrations, has now been marred by “hatred and violence”.

He added that the whole world feels as if its citizens have been “murdered”, with the latest attacks by those claiming to be members of the militant Islamic State.

He stressed that Islam prohibits such killings and that it is compulsory for Muslims to preserve life.

“Islam considers killing a life like killing the whole world and preserving a life as preserving the whole of humanity (Al-Maidah 32),” Mujahid said.

“Violence is not part of any religion as violence is without religion and it does not represent Islam,” he added.

Mujahid said that fighting to end violence must start with eradicating the notion that the group is “pure”and that the war must be against racism and narrow religious dogmatism that result in religious and racial hatred.

He added that the way forward was for the world to unite and fight against such violent ideology by spreading the message of freedom with responsibility and respect for humanity.