Islam21c Articulating Islam in the 21st Century
ACTION ALERT: INCITEMENT OF RELIGIOUS HATRED AND INFLAMMATORY REMARKS BY RICHARD LITTLEJOHN IN THE DAILY MAIL
The image above was publish in an article today (18th February) in the Daily Mail and has caused outrage in the Muslim community. The article is replete with inaccuracies and seeks to stereotype Muslims as, extremist, terrorists and repeats the Islamophobic stereotypes of the likes of the EDL and other bigots. It incites hatred and in an atmosphere of growing hostility to Muslims and the rise of Islamophobia, such articles serve to deliberately stoke hatred and instigate violence against minorities.
An extract of the article refers to the author’s account of what will take place with children on the day at a theme park:
“4.30pm All girls to report to the Kingdom of the Pharaohs for full FGM inspection. All boys to report to the Al-Aqsa recruiting tent outside the Land of the Vikings for onward transportation to Syria.”
SEE THE ARTICLE HERE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2561686/LITTLEJOHN-Jolly-Jihadi-Boys-Outing-Legoland.html
What is the author known for?
A short web search will give you hundreds of examples, but here are 2:
In December 2010, Littlejohn “satirised” an incident in which a 20-year-old man with cerebral palsy was thrown out of his wheelchair by police at a protest. Littlejohn argued that the young man involved should not have attended the protest, and compared him to Andy Pipkin from Little Britain.
In December 2012 the Daily Mail published an apology following a piece written by Littlejohn which insinuated that ethnic minority staff had got their jobs through discrimination and had threatened to sue the EHRC.
We all, Muslims as well as non-Muslims, need to take stand against this vile article and demand an immediate retraction and apology from the author and the Daily Mail for making such degrading and disgusting comments.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
1. EMAIL/CALL THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY MAIL COMPLAINING OF INSULTING AND INCITEFUL ARTICLE – DEMAND A RETRACTION OF THE ARTICLE AND A PUBLISHED APOLOGY.
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- CALL – 020 7938 6000 Ask for Paul Dacre or Alex Bannister
2. FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE PRESS COMPLAINTS COMMISSION STATING THE SAME. IT BREACHES CLAUSE 12, DISCRIMINATION OF THE PCC’S EDITORS CODE OF PRACTICE.
- http://www.pcc.org.uk/complaints/form.html
Source: www.islam21c.com
Notes:
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it starts of with demonstration and then leads to violence and murder. So what plans and strategies do the Muslims have in place when things get bloody. Don’t expect the politicians and the police to intervene immediately.
Assalam aleikum
It really isn’t a valid point to say, this is so ridiculous that we should not respond, as one sister stated. It is this kind of journalism which incites the average bigot in this country to think that Muslim bashing is ok. We have rights as a community in this country and respect for ones religion is a basic right. Likewise with our ulema, how many have to be slandered and imprisoned before we act as a community? We are not living in the times of Mecca, because if we were, well lets us drink alcholol etc. It was no prohibited in Mecca. We take the deen as a whole, we do not stop at Mecca. This analogy has no legitimate basis. We have 13yrs of revelation after Mecca, so what do we do with those verses.
This article is an outrage and we only have to look at the increased amount of attacks upons Mulsims to know that this garbage journalism actually incites people. Because it is giving a green light to every bigot out there. Authoobillah
Asalaam Alaykum,
Reading the article yesterday made me feel physically sick, so I took it upon myself to organise a protest outside the daily mail HQ on the 2nd march 11am. Everyone is welcome. We will be protesting to the mail to get an public and published apology and to ask for Richard Littlejohn to be sacked. He is a disgrace to the journalist world.
As for what he said in the article, we all know that what he said was inaccurate and not at all true, but it’s the fact that his article was approved and published.
Islam is a religion of peace, not suicide bombers and terrorists, and this stereotype is harming the kids of this world to think that speaking like that is ok, and it encourages bullying. Which is so sad.
I myself have my tickets to legoland for my kids and family to have a great day and I won’t let Littlejohn ruin it!
May Allah bless us with fantastic weather, InshaAllah and keep the hatred away!
Allahu Akbar
Thanks Abbas for documenting these sentiments.
Thank you Daily Mail. Thank You Littlejohn.
I was never an ardent follower of Haitem al Haddad nor did I share the views of MRDF. The article made me ponder; you weren’t really attacking Mr Haithem nor were you attacking his organisation but you were attacking Islam. I feel more inclined to Haithem al Haddad now and believe he acts in the best interests of the Muslims.
I guess Daily Mail and Littlejohn intended to incite hatred and hostility but what they don’t realise is attack such as this is making the Muslims united. Even though we have differences and disagree on a few issues were happy to put them aside and stand as one.
Once again Thank you Daily Mail, Thank You Littlejohn.
‘And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too planned, and the best of planners is Allah.’ Surah Al Imran: Verse 54
As for the MRDF team keep up the good work. May Allah keep you steadfast and sincere in your actions.
Your brother in Islam
Abbas
Thanks Abbas for documenting these sentiments.
Tabloids had to pay out hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation for the misreporting in the Madeleine McCann missing persons case. They do struggle to get their facts right don’t they.
You’re right, and it’s important that complaints are brought. The Mail’s more outrageous and offensive articles are the thin end of the wedge; they routinely make up stories completely. It doesn’t cost them enough in the long run to not be worth them doing it in the short term, because for most the cost of taking action against them is just too high.
In the name of God, the source of all mercy, the merciful.
“Those who believe and do good works are the best of created beings. Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of eden underneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide for ever. God is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with him. This is (in store) for the one who is in awe of his Lord.” Quran(98:7-8)
“So have perseverance on what they say/ allege (tolerate their nonsense), and glorify God by praising him before the rising of the sun & before its setting. Also during periods of the night, as well as at the two ends of the day, so that perhaps you might find solace” Quran(20:130)
I testify there is no god except God and Muhammad is his messenger
I testify there is no god except God and Jesus is his messenger
I testify there is no god except God and Moses is his messenger
“We (God) sent Noah to his people, and he said: O my people! Serve God, you don’t have any other god except Him. Lo! I fear for you the retribution of an awful day. The leaders of his people said: Lo! we see you are surely in plain error. He said: O my people! There is no error in me, in fact I am a messenger from the lord of all spheres of creation. I convey to you the messages of my Lord and give you good advice, and know from God that which you don’t know. Are you amazed that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord by means of a man from among you, that he may warn you so that you might have regard for God and his limits, and thereby perhaps find mercy. Yet they denied him, so we saved him and those with him in the ship, and we drowned those who denied Our signs. Lo! they were blind folk.” Quran(7:59-64)
“Those who believe and do good works are the best of created beings. Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of eden underneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide for ever. God is well pleasured with them and they are well pleased with him. This is (in store) for the one who is in awe of his Lord.” Quran(98:7-8)
Congratulations to that portion of the British society which has chosen to draw on the timeless wisdom of great personalities such as Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus & Muhammad. On this occasion their values have led them to organise a fun day out for the kids (beats being stuck at home glued to the PS3). Obviously this does not fit in with the stereotypical image that some narrow minded/ hearted bigots would like to portray their neighbours in. No doubt the innuendo and heckling emanating from the sidelines from a few out of touch individuals will be accompanied by a fit of biting finger tips in rage/ frustration at seeing believers in God going about their day to day lives.
Salam ‘Alaykom brothers and sisters,
When making a complaint to the PCC at
http://www.pcc.org.uk/complaints/form.html
you can quote these specific clauses of the code:
1i, 1ii, 1iii, 1iv, 2i, 3i, 3ii, 4i, 4iii, 12i, 12ii
in shaa Allah. In case I made a mistake check yourself the code at
http://www.pcc.org.uk/assets/696/Code_of_Practice_2012_A4.pdf
All praise is due to Allah for the ‘nietma’ of Islam. Islam is enough of a ‘neitma’ for us. Allah is sufficient for us. Jazak Allah khairun.
Your brother in Islam.
Thanks for this breakdown. I exhort myself and fellow believers in God to steadfastness on the path (of truth & justice)
Malcom the non Muslims of Britain should be the last ones talking about getting bombed.
A sample letter you may want to use below. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE dont copy/paste without some change. At least the content in the parentheses .
Mr Dacre
I am writing to complain about the racist, hate-filled and defamatory article by Richard Littlejohn, published in the Daily Mail (printed and online formats) on Tuesday 18th February 2014, entitled ‘Jolly Jihadi Boys Outing Legoland’.
I must insist that a front-page apology be printed and punitive action taken against the author.
The article is replete with inaccuracies and seeks to stereotype Muslims as, extremist, terrorists and repeats the Islamophobic stereotypes of the likes of the EDL and other bigots. It incites hatred and in an atmosphere of growing hostility to Muslims and the rise of Islamophobia, such articles serve to deliberately stoke hatred and instigate violence against minorities. This is in direct contravention of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 and therefore in breach of the law.
Take as an example the following extract from the article, which refers to the author’s account of what will take place with children on the day at a theme park: “4.30pm All girls to report to the Kingdom of the Pharaohs for full FGM inspection. All boys to report to the Al-Aqsa recruiting tent outside the Land of the Vikings for onward transportation to Syria.”.
Do you consider this to be factual, accurate reporting of how muslim children behave and should be viewed by others? I expect not, yet this is the racist caricature being painted of a whole section, of upstanding citizens of this country.
. This is a direct result of this extremely poor and sensationalist attempt at journalism.
I believe it is now incumbent on you as editor, to take steps to minimise the harm caused by this vile article, by issuing an immediate retraction and apology from the author and the Daily Mail, for making such degrading and disgusting comments. I hope that genuine and sincere lessons are learned to prevent a repeat occurrence.
Yours faithfully
Taking offence again, heavens above, we should have taken offence when followers of your religion bombed and murdered the people of London. It is a cartoon and a columnists opinion, he is not baying for the burning of the Koran. Every time you run one of your “Islam is offended” actions, you set yourself and your religion back another decade. Comment of approval emailed to Paul Dacre and the Daily Mail news desk.
Malcolm, your comment clearly illustrates the power of the media in creating stereotypes about groups of people. Despite this article highlighting the fact that the article in the Daily Mail incites hatred in an already Islamaphobic time, you instead dismiss what is actually being said and reduce it to merely being an issue of Muslims always taking ‘offence’- something the media is constantly trying to portray. No doubt this is exactly how the media will describe Muslims reaction to the Daily Mail article- that we are overly sensitive and have unnecessarily taken ‘offence’ rather than looking at the true negative impact that these hateful and deceitful articles have on the daily lives of Muslims.
I agree J.U but I would add that this attack has been specifically forwarded by a small number of newspapers that are all linked (part of the same corp). The instigators of the attack have mentioned on their forums that they tried to push it out through all newspapers but every single one of them dismissed it as ‘not news’
So on that basis, you will be advising all the Jewish activist groups who challenge anything they find untoward to disband then.
Does the world really have excess forests, for valuable paper to be wasted with such dross?
One minute the gutter press is on its knees begging to be given another chance at self regulation – please, please, give us another chance we will be good little boys this time – then the next they show again that they have no standards to speak of.
‘You (muslims) are the best people raised up for the human race; You command for what is good and you forbid the evil/ iniquity, and you believe in God as well’ Quran(3:11)
Tabloids circulation must be shrinking. Desperate attempt to increase circulation. Childish banter & innuendo. Looks like they haven’t learned the lesson of Leveson enquiry which exposed the gutter press to be immoral & unprofessional. Calls in to question the matter of value for money the tax payers gets with regard to funding of the school/ education system.
Assalamu alaikum,
It is so sarcastic and laughable that I am not sure it is worth answering anything. Let’s ask us what would the Muslims in Makkah have done?
Mariam, it is worth answering and responding to. We might read it and see very clearly that what the ‘journalist’ wrote in this article is ridiculous and a pack of lies but a lot of non-Muslims won’t. When I have spoken to non-Muslims about Islam, the lack of knowledge and misinformation is shocking and it comes as a result of stupid articles such as these which some may argue is quite clearly a joke, but in reality feeds into this hatred towards Muslims and to the idea that your average Muslim is out to kill anyone who doesn’t follow Islam. Lies are being spread and it is your job as a Muslim to try and do something about it. “If one of you sees something wrong, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart and this is the weakest faith.” (Muslim)
You are right. We only have to state the facts, and God will do the rest.
“We (God) hurl the truth/ facts at the falsehood and it devastates it” Quran(21:18)