Don’t let extremists mislead you: most Muslim states are tolerant

JC Wilcox describes Thailand as “a civilised little country”. One of the reasons Thailand is a civilised country is that it has a long and noble tradition of religious tolerance, to the extent that some other civilised countries cannot match. This concept of tolerance is one that Wilcox would do well to emulate, as his latest anti-Islam outburst demonstrates.

It is true that many Islamic countries have wholly or partially incorporated Sharia Law into their legal systems, and some punishments under Sharia do seem harsh and inhumane to many non-Moslems, and I daresay to many Moslems too. 

However, Wilcox allows what seems to be a bigoted outlook to exaggerate his claims, for example by giving the impression that stoning for adultery, amputations and female genital mutilation are standard procedures throughout Islam.

In fact, how many adulterers have been stoned to death in, for example, Indonesia, the world’s most populous Islamic country, or in Malaysia, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan? None. I could name many more such countries. 

Apart from a few cases in Iran and Saudi Arabia, it seems that almost all stonings occur in areas occupied by fanatical and extremist groups such as the Taleban or IS. Amputations are also rare in most Islamic countries, and, as far as I am aware, female genital mutilation is not obligatory under Islam.

The world, including the Islamic world, certainly faces a serious threat from extremist and terrorist Moslem groups, but using intemperate language and flawed arguments to demonise an entire religion solves nothing. Hate begets hate.

Robin Grant

Bangkok