Imams call on David Cameron and others to stop using phrase which they say gives credibility to a terrorist organisation.
The prime minister and media should stop legitimising the terror group rampaging through Syria and Iraq by describing it as Islamic State, according to a coalition of imams and organisations representing British Muslims. Use of the jihadis' preferred title, they argue, gives credibility to the Sunni militants and slurs the Islamic faith.
Signatories to a letter to David Cameron, including Sughra Ahmed, president of the Islamic Society of Britain, admit that UK Muslims need to do more to dissuade their young men from being misled into taking part in the group's "hatred and poison". "We shall take every opportunity to continue to say clearly and loudly 'not in our name' and 'not for our faith,' " they write.
[TOP RATED COMMENT 310 votes] So get on the streets and protest against the Daesh (IS) like you all did with the Salman Rushdie affair or the Danish cartoons controversy.
[SECOND 302v] So, finally, the Faith's alleged opinion-formers get upset enough to come together and publicly condemn evil members of their Faith! Even now it's because their Religious name is being subverted!
Where were their collective voices of outrage until 'ISIS' got the publicity? After all, the Sunni, Shi'a bloody slaughter across the Mid East, Africa and Europe and with it the ever rising threat to liberal-Democratic values has been going on for over a decade!
Such a pity these eminent Imams and community leaders were stunningly silent for the best part of the last 12+ years - - far too little too late.
[THIRD 243v] I think this presents a particular challenge to the Muslim community. How can it be that a cartoon about the prophet can draw outrage and bring thousands onto the streets, while mass murder in name of Allah gets a letter about the semantic implications of the use of the word 'Islamic'?
The problem is not with the misappropriation of Islamic identity through the misuse of a label, but the perversion of Islam and basic humanity by these psychopaths.
Muslims may be angry, but they not angry enough and should direct their anger and irritation towards those who are truly responsible for this misrepresentation.
[FOURTH 241v] Protest in the streets in their millions about cartoons. No response to beheadings of peaceful people other than more demands.
[FIFTH 227v] Ask a Muslim what he thinks of the 10-year slaughter in Iraq and no doubt he'll blame the West. Muslims killing Muslims backed by Muslims in other states is somehow entirely the West's fault.
This country will continue to have a problem with Islam for as long as such perverse thinking is regarded. [The Guardian] Read more
