Clarifying a few points on Islam

Let me enlighten JC Wilcox as to the following:

Islam is a religion of divine revelation, just like other major religions, not a political ideology.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations in the US has never proposed imposing sharia law in the US and is not affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood (this correspondence has been forwarded to them).  

Muslim mobs are not threatening people in London. Those responsible were a particular group in the Muslim-dominated area of east London and their actions were not condoned by the Muslims of London.

Islamists did not take control of a school in England: teachers there were overzealous in controlling the activities of the Muslim students only.

It cannot be reasonably said that Israel is fighting for its existence when it is bombing children and women, schools and hospitals on the pretext that they are being used to store bombs and missiles (the same can be said of Hamas as well).

ISIS, Boko Haram, al-Qaeda and others do not represent Islamic teachings and God knows well who is behind their activities.

As Mr Wilcox correctly points out, “Countries around the world [are] suffering appalling atrocities perpetrated in the name of Islam.” But he then errs in blaming Islam for these issues. It is clear that the author and those who think like him have never studied Islam’s holy book. The Koran proscribes even replying rudely to parents with an “uh”, so the killing of innocent people by these so-called “Muslim groups” is a far greater sin.

Correspondents like Mr Wilcox would be wise to be careful in writing about religious beliefs practised by a big section of the population here in Thailand and by 1.5 billion people around the world – such public expressions can be considered slander and libel in the courts of many countries. If Islam is that bad, why is it the fastest-growing religion in the world, counting famous personalities and athletes among new converts? 

If you want to make a point about Islam, be clear, and avoid slandering a major world religion that has contributed so much to humanity in many fields, including science and the arts.

Ahmad Niyom

Bangkok