On the fateful night when MPs voted to extend airstrikes over Syria, Shabana Mahmood, the Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood, reflected the views of many British Muslims in her passionate address to the House of Commons. “I do not simply want to see Daesh defeated. I want them eradicated,” she said. “But I believe that the action proposed will not work.”
If a military solution were to be effective in destroying the Islamic State death cult ravaging Syria and Iraq, the response from Muslim communities across the UK would be unequivocal – we would all support it. Why wouldn’t we, given the actions of this terror group and the horrific barbarity it has enacted, primarily on Muslims across the world? But the consensus across Sunni and Shia communities borne out from the Muslim Council of Britain’s consultation prior to the vote was almost unanimous opposition to British airstrikes in Syria.
.... The alternative to military action is not inaction – but the right action. This involves us not to be distracted by claims by the prime minister: that those who oppose military action are “terrorist sympathisers” and that British Muslims are somehow in need of “reclaim[ing]” the faith from Isis (as if they ever had it in the first place.)
British Muslims, together with the wider society, should work hard to ensure that our government puts more effort into peaceful efforts to tackle Isis than it does into the war. [Miqdaad Versi, Muslim Council of Britain, 670 comments]
[TOP RATED COMMENT 361 votes] There are many 'Muslim communities' who sympathize with Jihadi groups, as Tony Blair has commented. The bombings by Saudi Airforce in Yemen hitting Shia rebels and killings thousands of civillians seems to be ignored by Muslims campaigners.
It seems that if the West is hitting Sunni Militants then, Muslims unite and are vocal in their condemnation, however, when a Muslim country/groups are killing fellow Muslims, then they usually remain silent, why?
[2ND 345] When Muslims kill fellow Muslim innocents on purpose, silence.
When non-muslims kill innocents accidentally...howls of outrage.
[3RD 243] "British Muslims oppose airstrikes in Syria "
All of them? There's been a vote?
[4TH 202] ANOTHER COMMENT SAID: "The term "Islamic" in "Islamic State" is a misnomer, since IS is not a pan-Islamic state, but a barbaric sectarian organisation that abnegates another major branch of Islam."
They are Muslim and no amount of your saying they are not changes that. They draw on the same religious texts as all other Muslims, and they choose to act on those texts, particularly the Koran as befits their beliefs - as all other Muslims do. The font of the teaching is the same, just the cherry-picking alters. They have established an Islamic state based upon their understanding of Islam and that makes it no less an Islamic state than say Malaysia.
As for your distinction : that Islam and violence are incompatible QED anyone who is violent cannot be Muslim. That is historically and contemporaneously wrong and has never been so.
[5TH 190] Frankly I don't trust any self appointed spokespeople for a religion.
And I'd be lying if I didn't find the blatant double standards concerning the Umma to be very worrying and I have no time for this particular religion.
[6TH 175] "British Muslims, together with the wider society, should work hard to ensure that our government puts more effort into peaceful efforts to tackle Isis than it does into the war."
What?? No, they should be destroyed. What peaceful means are there of dealing with a rabid dog / Islamic extremist? You are just confirming what Tony Blair (amazingly correct for once) said about the level of support they have among the Islamic community. [Guardian Cif] Read more
