Republican frontrunner Donald Trump's "extremist and racist" call to bar Muslims from entering the United States could fuel hate and tensions in American society, Egypt's official religious body warned Tuesday. Trump's proposal for a "total and complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the United States came after last week's mass shooting in California by a Muslim couple believed to have been radicalized by extremists. Egypt's Dar Al-Iftaa, which each year issues tens of thousands of edicts that carry influence but not the force of law, denounced Trump's latest statement. "This hostile vision towards Islam and Muslims will increase the tension within American society," Dar Al-Iftaa said in a statement. "It is unfair to sanction all Muslims because of a group of extremists... we can't accuse one religion or one country of being a source of extremism and terrorism." Urging Americans to reject Trump's call, Dar Al-Iftaa said his proposal "will lead to conflict... and increase hate, which will be a threat to social peace in the United States. "This will give a chance to extremists from all parties to realize their criminals aims," it said. Trump did not clarify if his proposal would affect both tourists and immigrants, and did not say either if it would target American Muslims currently abroad. Muslims in Asia denounce Trump's ‘US ban' call Some Muslims in Pakistan on Tuesday denounced Donald Trump's call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, dismissing the US Republican presidential front-runner as a bigot who promoted violence. "It's so absurd a statement that I don't even wish to react to it," said Asma Jahangir, one of Pakistan's most prominent human rights lawyers. "This is the worst kind of bigotry mixed with ignorance. I would imagine that someone who is hoping to become president of the US doesn't want to compete with an ignorant criminal-minded mullah of Pakistan who denounces people of other religions ... Although we are not as advanced as the US, we have never elected such people to power in Pakistan." Tahir Ashrafi, the head of the Ulema Council, Pakistan's biggest council of Muslim clerics, said Trump's comments promoted violence. "If some Muslim leader says there is a war between Christians and Muslims, we condemn him. So why should we not condemn an American if he says that? "(Daesh) Islamic State is a problem of Syria, not religion. If you solve the Syria issue, 75 percent of the IS problem will be solved." Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Armanatha Nasir said his government would not comment on election campaigns in other countries, while adding that his country had made know its position on terrorism. "As the country with the biggest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia affirms that Islam teaches peace and tolerance," he told Reuters. "Acts of terror do not have any relation with any religion or country or race."
