Vancouver Muslim leader denies comments about Jews were anti-Semitic.

“We must remind ourselves of that which Allah has reminded us of so often in the Qur’an, that we are dealing with a people as we said, the brothers of the monkeys and the swines, a people whose treachery is well known,” Kathrada says.

Later he speaks of an ancient enmity between Muslims and Jews and cites writings that predict a final apocalyptic battle between them.

“The Prophet said the final hour will not be established until such time as the Muslims will battle and will fight against the Jews,” he says in the lecture.

“Listen to the good news after that. The Prophet says that the stone and the tree will say ‘oh Muslim, oh slave of Allah, that verily behind me is a Jew. Then come and kill him.’”

But in his weekend statement, Kathrada says his words were taken out of context to create a sensational news story.

“Neither the Prophet nor I have said that we should indiscriminately kill Jews (or anyone else for that matter),” the statement says.

“So what was being related is a religious text, a prophecy. Muslims are not the only ones to have prophecies.”

Islam considers bigotry, including anti-Semitism, unacceptable, Kathrada says.

“Therefore, I as a Muslim, also deem such a matter to be absolutely repulsive and have no tolerance towards it,” says Kathrada.

Another recorded lecture talked about the concept of offensive jihad - Muslims using force to spread Islam.

That, too, was misunderstood, Kathrada says.