zangi
10-12-2006, 10:20 AM
GOVERNMENT-BACKED Islamic organisation is teaching young Muslims that
dying while fighting for the British armed forces is an act of
martyrdom.
The British Muslim Forum (BMF) explains to young people that even if a
Muslim soldier dies in combat while fighting in an Islamic country such
as
Afghanistan, he will still be regarded as a martyr and a hero for this
country.
The BMF is holding talks across Britain to persuade young people not to
follow the teachings of Muslim extremists who instruct their followers
that
joining the British military is a “traitorous act”.
Its aim is to counter radicals’ misuse of the term “martyr”, which has
become associated with terrorist suicide operations. The BMF was a
leading
member in a taskforce set up by Tony Blair after the July 7 bombings to
combat extremism among Muslims.
In its forums its case workers and imams cite Lance-Corporal Jabron
Hashmi,
24, a British Pakistani from Birmingham who was killed in combat in
July in
Afghanistan.
Islamic extremists have called him a “salaried traitor” as he died
fighting
Taliban Muslims at the command of non-Muslim generals. They argue he
should
not have received an Islamic burial as he died an “infidel”.
However, BMF case workers counter that he died a martyr. “We are
calling him
a martyr because he died fighting for his country. Islam teaches us to
be
loyal and abide by the laws of the land. We believe fighting for
Britain is
not being a traitor. And young people are getting the message,” said
Khurshid Ahmed, the BMF’s chairman.
The BMF, a body representing 600 mosques, is one of Britain’s largest
Muslim
organisations. It is the government’s main working partner in the
Muslim
community.
dying while fighting for the British armed forces is an act of
martyrdom.
The British Muslim Forum (BMF) explains to young people that even if a
Muslim soldier dies in combat while fighting in an Islamic country such
as
Afghanistan, he will still be regarded as a martyr and a hero for this
country.
The BMF is holding talks across Britain to persuade young people not to
follow the teachings of Muslim extremists who instruct their followers
that
joining the British military is a “traitorous act”.
Its aim is to counter radicals’ misuse of the term “martyr”, which has
become associated with terrorist suicide operations. The BMF was a
leading
member in a taskforce set up by Tony Blair after the July 7 bombings to
combat extremism among Muslims.
In its forums its case workers and imams cite Lance-Corporal Jabron
Hashmi,
24, a British Pakistani from Birmingham who was killed in combat in
July in
Afghanistan.
Islamic extremists have called him a “salaried traitor” as he died
fighting
Taliban Muslims at the command of non-Muslim generals. They argue he
should
not have received an Islamic burial as he died an “infidel”.
However, BMF case workers counter that he died a martyr. “We are
calling him
a martyr because he died fighting for his country. Islam teaches us to
be
loyal and abide by the laws of the land. We believe fighting for
Britain is
not being a traitor. And young people are getting the message,” said
Khurshid Ahmed, the BMF’s chairman.
The BMF, a body representing 600 mosques, is one of Britain’s largest
Muslim
organisations. It is the government’s main working partner in the
Muslim
community.