The horrendous attack on a British soldier that took place in Woolwich was a brutal act that British Muslims, including myself, completely condemn.
Many British Muslims now have to face the repercussions for the evil act that a deviant individual chose to inflict on an innocent member of society. Our solidarity rests with the victim and his family members and it is hoped that the community can unite to take a stand against this form of violent and immoral behaviour, that has nothing to do with the tenets of Islam.
Sadly, many Muslims are left to face the repercussions from the acts of zealous and deviant individuals who refuse to pattern their conducts and behaviours after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Their behaviour did not originate from the teaching of true Islam. Rather, they are the result of human failure and shortcomings of their own personality or mental illness.
Why is religion brought up and linked to such terrible atrocities? If the attacker really knew about what true religion means they wouldn't even harm a tree. For those who truly follow Islam it teaches us to be respectful of other religions and taking the life of another is strictly prohibited.
People who say they are acting in the name of religion to justify immoral actions are not truly following their religion and are practicing it wrongly. For this reason, it is a mistake to form any idea of that religion from the activities of these people. The best way to understand Islam is through its holy source.
'Those who do not call on any other deity together with God and do not kill anyone God has made inviolate, and do not fornicate; anyone who does that will receive an evil punishment'. (Quran- Surat al-Furqan: 68)
As we can see in the verses above, those who kill innocent human beings are threatened with evil punishment. In Islam Muslims believe that God has revealed that killing one person is as great a sin as killing all mankind.
The Qur'an states that " Whoever so kills a soul it as if he has slain the whole of mankind. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely (Qur'an Surat al Maidah 5:52)
Anyone who respected the prerogatives of God would not do harm to even one individual, let alone carry out a brutal murder. The words 'Islamic terrorism' 'Islamist extremist' is commonly used within the media and this has to stop. Islam has nothing to do with acts of terror and should be respected enough not to be used when describing terror suspects. There have been other extremists groups belonging to other religions but we do not hear their religions being brought up on the news do we?
In Britain today we live in a multicultural society with people from various religions and backgrounds. Terrorism is antithesis to Islam. Let us be united and stand against these evil acts as one community without divisions.