Re: Solidarity with France
Posted:
Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:58 pm
by Shona
What a depressing discussion thread. Why should any mosque have to be illuminated to demonstrate disgust of the barbaric atrocities in Paris?
However, with regard to the lighting up of mosques, I recall that the illumination of buildings in solidarity with the French were secular – in London, there was the National Gallery, Wembley Stadium, Tower Bridge and the London Eye. Don’t think any churches flooded themselves in red, white and blue. I have also seen photos of San Francisco City Hall, Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, Calgary Tower, CN Tower, Shanghai Pearl TV Tower, the Mexican Senate, One World Trade Building, the Brandenburg Gate, Giza Pyramid, Tokyo Skytree and Burg Khalifa lit up. All secular. The only picture I saw which of a religious structure lit up was the statute of Christ in Rio.
As I said, I find the posts in this thread depressing. Here is one:
‘In opening this thread I was hoping for an informed discussion to ensue as to why after the most recent atrocities, there appears to be a reluctance from decent, law-abiding Muslims in the UK, to voice their condemnation, or offer a show of unity, is it part of their Islamic culture’
Really? What evidence is there for reluctance? I can see none. There was outrage following the September 11th attacks in the USA and the London bombings from the Muslim community in the UK. Widely reported. More rarely reported in mainstream UK media, is Muslim condemnation of Daesh (aka, ISIS) terrorist attacks in, for example, Lebanon.
Certainly, in the main mosque in my area, the attacks were condemned and prayers were said for those who had lost their lives, prayers were said wishing those who were injured a speedy recovery and prayers were said to give families strength at this difficult time. Other mosques did the same.
The MCB on behalf of hundreds of mosques in the UK placed an advert in the Daily Telegraph and Mail Online unreservedly condemning the terrorist attacks in Paris. The placing of the advert and its wording was widely reported in other newspapers. As some seem to have missed it, here is the text of the statement:
Terror in Paris
With one voice, British Muslims condemn the Paris attacks unreservedly. We offer our condolences to the victims and their families.
The barbaric acts of Daesh (or ISIS , as they are sometimes known) have no sanction in the religion of Islam, which forbids terrorism and the targeting of innocents.
Muslims have held vigils and donated blood for the victims. It is not the terrorists who represent our faith but brave individuals like the Stade de France security guard Zouheir who risked his life to stop the attackers.
We reaffirm our commitment to the values of pluralism and tolerance as the best defence against those who seek to create division and fear.
The aim of attacks like those inflicted on Paris and other cities across the world is to turn communities against each other.
As Muslims, Britons and Europeans, we must stand together to make sure they do not succeed.
However you read those words, it is a total condemnation of the action of Daesh.
In commenting on the advert, the Secretary General of the MCB, Dr Shuja Shafi, said: “The advert aims to highlight how Muslims everywhere have consistently and without reservation spoken out against terror. It is important that our fellow Britons hear this message loudly and clearly.” Harun Khan, deputy secretary general of the MCB, said: “The reaction has been hugely positive. Others have picked up on the hard copy and have re-circulated it. People say that Muslims are not really saying enough or that they cannot hear or see what is being said, so this advert gives us some good coverage.”
There have been other touching displays of solidarity. The teenage Muslim lad in Nottingham who blindfolded himself and asked people to give him a hug to demonstrate he was no threat. Hundreds did.
Attacks on Muslims have increased. That should worry us all because that is what Daesh want – to create fear and discord. To me, it seems that the European Muslim community has replaced the European Jewish community as the ‘bogeyman’. ‘the other’, ‘the outsider’ – the community to blame.
Of course, there have been some, largely young men, who have been seduced by Daesh’s call to arms – not dissimilar to the young men who were seduced by the nationalist and loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. I hope we are sharing the knowledge we have gleaned from our experienced in Northern Ireland to help others.
As with Northern Ireland, where you can’t tell who is Protestant or Catholic simply by looking at someone, you don’t know if someone is a Muslim simply by looking at them. You can’t tell the difference between Shia and Sunni simply by looking at someone. Let’s remember Daesh want to wipe out all Shia Muslims.
Daesh are despicable. They are a threat to all who do not adhere to their perverted interpretation of Islam – Muslims included.
Lighting up some non-secular landmark structures was an interesting demonstration of solidarity with France. However, it does nothing to tackle the threat posed by Daesh. The world community needs to come together and act as one.
Re: Solidarity with France
Posted:
Wed Nov 25, 2015 4:08 pm
by Shona
Yes, Marian, I find the discussion thread depressing. Why should any mosque have to light itself up to demonstrate outrage about the murder of people in terrorist attacks? Secular buildings in Muslim countries were, however, illuminated, eg, the pyramids, Burg Khalifa, Burg al-Arab.
There were plenty of statements issued by the Muslim community in the UK (and Muslim countries around the world)condemning the Paris attacks on the day of the attacks and the days that followed. I certainly heard those statements on the radio and TV. Newspapers reported the condemnation, as well.
The advertisement in the Daily Telegraph and Mail Online which was widely reported in other newspapers was not the first statement of condemnation. I mentioned it and reproduced the words as the advertisement was mentioned up-thread and it appeared to me that people may not have seen the advertisement or read the words. The words in the advertisement expressed clear condemnation.
As I said, there were statements issued by the Muslim community in this country on the day of the attacks and the days that followed. So for completeness, here is the statement issued by the head of the Muslim Council of Britain on the day of the attacks in Paris:
“The attacks in Paris are horrific and abhorrent, and we condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms. My thoughts and prayers for the families of those killed and injured and for the people of France, our neighbours. This attack is being claimed by the group calling themselves ‘Islamic State’. There is nothing Islamic about such people and their actions are evil, and outside the boundaries set by our faith.This week we have once again witnessed outrageous attacks be that in Beirut earlier in the week or Paris today – there is no justification for such carnage whatsoever. We hope the remaining people responsible are brought to justice and face the full force of the law.”
The day after the attacks, the MCB released the following statement:
A Statement of Solidarity from British Muslim communities
"We are profoundly saddened by the loss of innocent lives in Paris, and our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the victims, and the French nation. Britons of all backgrounds, of every faith, every denomination, and none, are horrified by what we have learned, and are determined that those who seek to divide our diverse and peaceful communities in Europe will not succeed. There is no justification for murder, and all British faith communities agree that those who commit acts of violence cannot do so in the name of any faith. Any such claim is illegitimate. British Muslim communities are equally appalled by the violence, and angered by those who commit abhorrent acts in the name of religion. The perpetrators do not represent us; their views are perverse and self-serving. We urge all communities in Britain and France to stand firm with compassion and solidarity. We must not let these terrorists divide us, otherwise the terrorists will win. Let us not play into their divisive narrative, and instead show them that people of all faiths and none can live peacefully, together. Like the terrorists who want to divide communities, there will be some in the days ahead who will try to use this atrocity to attack innocent people. We equally reject their intentions. It is evil people who do evil things; such acts will only increase our resolve to remain united."
Signed:
Aamer Anwar, Human Rights Lawyer, Scotland
Aamer Naeem, Editor in Chief, British Muslim TV
Abdul Buhari, 2012 GB Olympic Athlete
Adam Deen, Quilliam Foundation
Adbul-Azim Ahmed, Muslim Council of Wales
Adeem Younis, Director, Penny Appeal, & Founder, singlemuslim.com
Adil Mohammed Javed (British Muslim Actor), CEO & Artistic Director, Alchemy Arts
Afzal Khan MEP, Vice-Chair, Security & Defence, Member of European Parliament
Ahsan Gulabkhan, Association of Muslim Lawyers
Akeela Ahmed, Equalities Campaigner
Alnoor Samji
Arif Zaman
Asif Sadiq, Chair, Association of Muslim Police
Ayatullah Sayed Fazel Milani, Al-Khoei Foundation
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Co-Chair, APPG on Islamophobia
Bharath Ganesh, Tell MAMA UK
Caroline Lucas MP, Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion
Chaudhary Shafique, Chairman, Council For Christian Muslim Relations, High Wycombe
Cllr. Hashim Bhatti, Windsor, Executive Member of Conservative Muslim Forum, & Three Faiths Forum Alumni Board
Cllr. M Aslam Choudry, London Borough of Brent
Commander Mak Chishty, Metropolitan Police
Council of Mosques and Muslim Organisations of Newport (COMMON)
Dawood Masood, Quba Trust
Dilwar Hussain, Director, New Horizons
Dr. Abul Kalam, Khatib, Docklands Community Organisation Mosque
Dr. Akber Mohamedali, President, The Council of European Jamaats
Dr. Anas Altikriti, CEO, The Cordoba Foundation
Dr. Asgar Moledina, President, The World Federation of KSIMC
Dr. Chris Allen, University of Birmingham
Dr. Hussain Alsaffar, Alderhey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool
Dr. Imran Awan, Birmingham City University
Dr. Javed Gill (Convener), Muslim Council of Scotland
Dr. Masood Yousef, Wales Institute for Muslim Affairs/Sefydliad Materion Mwslemaidd Cymru
Dr. Mohammad Mozaffari, Co-Founder & Trustee, Leeds Muslim Youth Group
Dr. Omar Hamdoon, President, Muslim Association of Britain
Dr. Shuja Shafi, Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Dr. Waqar Azmi OBE, Chairman, Remembering Srebrenica
Esmat Jeraj, Hyderi Islamic Centre
Esmond Rosen, Chair, Barnet Multi-Faith Forum
Fadel Soliman, Director, Bridges Global
Fahim Mazhary, Consultant, Al Manaar, Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre
Farhad Mawani, Vice-President, Ismaili Council for the UK
Farooq Murad, Director General, The Islamic Foundation, & former Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Fayyaz Haji, President, Muslim Shia ithnathery Jamaat, Essex
Fiyaz Mughal OBE, Founder & Director, Faith Matters & Tell MAMA UK
Hafiz Saeed Makki, Finance Secretary, Jamaat Ahle Sunnat
Haroon Bhabha, Family Support Worker
Harris Iqbal, Head of Operations, Khadeejah Welfare Foundation
Hayyan Ayaz Bhabha, Secretary, APPG on Islamophobia
Henna Rai, Director of Counter Extremism, Association of British Muslims (AOBM), Kaleidoscope Arts Faith & Culture, & Women Against Radicalisation
Ifath Nawaz, Vice President, Association of Muslim Lawyers
Iftikhar Awan, Chair, Independent Members, Cross-Government Working Group on Tackling Anti-Muslim Hatred
-Imam Abdullah Hasan, Imams Against Domestic Abuse (IADA)
Imam Ajmal Masroor, Broadcaster, Alchemiya
-Imam Ghulam Rasool, Director, Dome and HSBT Sandwell, Tipton
Imam Hashmi, Sunni ‘Ulema Council
Imam Irfan Chishti, Manchester Central Mosque
Imam Tahir Mahmood Kiani, Knowledge Initiative Academy
Imam Umar Hayat Qadri, Senior Imam, Ghousia Mosque Huddersfield
Imran & Aina Khan, Head of Islamic Department, Duncan Lewis Solicitors
Imtiyaz Damiel, Abu Hanifah Foundation
Iqbal Bhana OBE, DL
Jagjit Singh Khambe, Sant Nirankari Mission UK
Jahan Mahmood, Military Historian
Jalal Fairooz, Secretary General, Bahrain Campaign, & Former Member of Parliament (Bahrain)
Jawad Fairooz, Salam for Democracy & Human Rights
Jawad Kadhum Alkhalisi, Muslim Youth Association
Julie Siddiqi & Laura Marks, Co-Chairs, Nisa-Nashim Jewish and Muslim Women’s Network
Julie Siddiqi, Founder, Sadaqa Day
Karim Sacoor, Community Activist & Independent Member, Cross-Government Working Group on Tackling Anti-Muslim Hatred
Khalid Mahmood MP, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Perry Barr
Khurshid Ahmed CBE, CEO, Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust
Khurshid Drabu CBE, Judge, Upper Tier Tribunal, Immigration & Asylum Chamber, London
Laura Marks, Founder, Mitzvah Day
Makhdoom Amjad Shah, TV Anchor, Journalist & CEO, Overseas Pakistan Community
Matthew Bolton, Deputy Director, Citizens UK
Maulana Ahmed Nessar Beg, British Muslim Forum
Maulana Bustan Qadri, Secretary, Sunni Confederation of Mosques
Mohammad Al-Musawi, World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League (WABIL)
Mohammad Ehsan Rangiha, Chairman, Islamic Unity Society
Mohammed Khaled Noor, Muslim Professionals Forum
Mohammed Kozbar, Finsbury Park Mosque
Mohammed Mojibul Hoque, Redcar Cleveland Islamic & Cultural Organisation
Mohammed Shafiq, Chief Executive, Ramadhan Foundation
Moulana Abdul Wahhab, Markaz ud Da’wah wal Irshad, London
Moulana Shahid Raza OBE, Head Imam, Leicester Central Mosque, & Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB)
Mubarak Ali, Secretary, Islamic Society of Wales
Muddassar Ahmed, Patron, Faiths Forum for London
Muhammad Muneeb Noorani, Imam, South Indian Sunni, Shafi’i Community, London
Muhammad Mustaqeem Shah, Bradford Imams Forum
Muhbeen Hussain, Founder & Director, British Muslim Youth
Mustafa Field MBE, Faiths Forum for London
Nasar Iqbal, Founder & Operations Director, Innovate Walsall
Naz Shah MP, Co-Chair, APPG on Islamophobia, & Member of Parliament for Bradford West
Nick Lowles, Hope Not Hate
Peter Herbert, Chair, Society of Black Lawyers
Qari Muhammad Asim, Senior Imam, Makkah Mosque Leeds, & Independent Member, Cross Government Working Group Tackling Anti Muslim Hatred
Ragih Muflihi, CEO, Inclusive Muslim Action Network
Raheed Salam, Director, All Faiths and None (AFAN)
Rameez Kaleem, Chair & Trustee, City Circle
Rasheeda Begum, Interfaith Activist
Rashid Brora, Chairman, Medina Mosque, Southampton
Rasool Bhamani, Baab-Ul-Ilm Centre Leeds
Rimla Akhtar MBE, Equality Activist
Rubab Mehdi, Chairwoman, International Imam Hussain Council
Saleha Islam, Director Al Manaar, Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre
Salim Janmohamed, Ismaili Council for the UK
Sarah Ager, Interfaith Activist
Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi, Director General, Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society
Sayed Ali Reza Rizvi, Markaz Ahlul Bayt Islamic Centre
Sayed Qassim Al Jalali, Huda Surrey Islamic Centre
Sayed Yousif Al-Khoei, Centre for Academic Shia Studies
Sayyed Zafrullah Shah, Chair, Care and Relief Foundation
Shaukat Warraich, CEO, Faith Associates, & Chief Editor, Imamsonline.com
Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri, Chair, Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, & Imam, Islamic Centre Ireland
Shaykh Haytham Tamim, Chairman, Utrujj Foundation
Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, Office of British Imams
Shaykh Imran Abdali, Chair, Ahle Sunnah wal Suffiya Foundation
Shaykh Khalil ibn Elyas Laher, Quwwat-ul-Islam, London
Shaykh M Shabbir Sialvi, Executive Imam, Golden Mosque, Rochdale
Shaykh Michael Mumisa, University of Cambridge
Shaykh Muhammad Umar ibn Ramadhan, Chairman, Ramadhan Foundation
Shaykh Talat, MCEC, Palmers Green Mosque
Shaz Manir, CEO, Amirah Foundation
Sheikh Bahri Boja, UK Albanian Muslim Community & Cultural Centre, London
Sheikh Mohammad Al-Hilli, Noor Trust, London
Sheikh Nazim, Sufi Centre London UK
Sheikh Zymer Salihi
Sir Iqbal Sacrani OBE, Balham Mosque & Tooting Islamic Centre
Stuart Andrew MP, Chair, APPG on Islamophobia, & Member of Parliament for Pudsey
Sughra Ahmed, President, Islamic Society of Britain
Sultan Niaz ul Hasan-Jade, Chair, Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust UK
Sunder Katwala, Director, British Future
Syed Faruq Shah, Chair, Qamar UK Islam
Tamina Mir, Women Buzz Network
Ufuk Secgin, Chairman, Hasene Humanitarian Aid UK
Usama Hasan, Quilliam Foundation
Waqar Ahmed MBE
Yasmin Choudhury, Founder, Lovedesh & Amcariza Foundation
Yasmin Qureshi MP, Member of Parliament for Bolton South East
Yousef Dar, Chair, Community Safety Forum
Yunus Dudhwala, Head of Chaplaincy, Barts Health NHS Trust
Yusuf Rios, Shaukani Institute, USA
Zafar Khan, Chairman, Luton Council of Faiths
Zaqir Shaikh, Darul Arqam Educational Trust Leicester, Wayfarers Trust Nottingham, & Imam Masjid al-Mustapha, Leicester
Zulfikar Hasham, Community Activist
On Saturday evening, faith communities, including the Christian-Muslim Forum and the Muslim Council of Britain, organised a silent vigil at Trafalgar Square to remember those who have were killed in Paris. Attendees took with them tea lights and blue, white and red flowers.
Commenting, Dr. Shuja from the MCB said: “The attacks once again in Paris are horrific and abhorrent, and we condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms. My thoughts and prayers for the families of those killed and injured and for the people of France, our neighbours. This attack is being claimed by the group calling themselves ‘Islamic State’. There is nothing Islamic about such people and their actions are evil, and outside the boundaries set by our faith.”
I hope, Marian, that by reproducing these comments - made on the day of the barbaric attacks and the day after - shows you that the Muslim community in this country was far from silent and voiced its total rejection of the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Rather than be critical about whether or not mosques were illuminated, we should unite as one to fight the hideous threat posed by Daesh.