Rolling “mainstream” media coverage has been doing its part to strike fear into the people of London since a crazed man ran over pedestrians in Westminster before stabbing a police officer to death outside Parliament this afternoon. The Met Police confirmed four people dead—including the assailant—and 20 injured.[1]
Despite only this very little information, almost all of the news outlets have successfully labelled this a “terror attack”. Sky News’ voiceover ominously took it to the extent of a “terror attack at the heart of British political life.” All that is known about the assailant is that he appears to be a brown person with a beard.
Even if it turns out that this was an attack carried out by ISIS or similar organisation, it does not legitimise the jumping to conclusions and the state media’s propensity for spinning any tragic incident by a minority as “terrorism” with the inevitable self-fulfilling prophecy that brings. As a result, any new piece of information is bent and twisted to try to fit through this paradigm to keep it a “terror attack until proven otherwise”, rather than what it actually was as a matter of fact: a tragic case of criminality perpetrated by ostensibly a member of a minority, which is otherwise statistically so common as to be ‘background noise’, tragically. After all, the Office for National Statistics’ most recent annual homicide statistics for England and Wales are 695, with knife crimes a tragic 30,838. [2]
The point of terrorism is to terrorise and cause chaos for a clear political motive. The main reason people in Britain are being terrorised at the moment, is by the sad current state of those media outlets which are wanting to portray this as a terror attack at all costs, with their reasons ranging from a rare, juicy story that brings website traffic or boosts ratings, to a more malicious agenda pandering to securocrats and populists. Those who actually want to fight terror should not fuel it and give it the oxygen of publicity. That is, if it does in fact turn out to be carried out by a political or reactionary group.
“Don’t let a good crisis go to waste”
This appears to be the motto of those securocrats and right wing populists that have already shamefully hijacked this tragedy to score points against their chosen bogeyman, rally for more funding and power for the Counter Terror Industry, or to persuade the public to exchange their civil liberties for “security”. We have seen, predictably, the same talking heads wheeled out on the mainstream news faithfully speaking for their respective lobbies. Again, while the motives of the attack are still purely speculated.
This opportunism is arguably even more harmful and dangerous than the incident itself, because it fuels a cycle of violent rhetoric and securitisation. Populists use it as political currency to spread their hate further, even after it has been shown to precipitate in the murder of a British MP last year.[3]
We are seeing people from media outlets to governments, bending over backwards to appease and pander to populist tendencies, at a time where far right and fascist political parties stand a genuine chance of gaining power in Europe. This is not being “soft on terror.” On the contrary, opposition to this makes perfect genuine counter-terrorism sense. This leads to more racism, and more demonisation, disenfranchisement and alienation of minorities—which happen to be the actual, empirically-determined causes of terrorism and political violence in the first place. The cycle is complete.
The real attack on democracy
The condemnable negligence of our political establishment and our “most right-wing media in Europe,”[4] in choosing juicy, fear-provoking headlines and populism over our long term stability needs to be challenged, and people should push news outlets to deal with events as they are, instead of fuelling fear, paranoia and terror to the nth degree.
This may have been one “lone wolf”’s attempted attack against “democracy”, but the real attack against democracy which very few people care to cover or think about is the fact that MPs have faced a record number of death threats since one of them was murdered by a white right-wing nationalist shouting “Britain first” months ago. One in eight MPs face “serious threats” according to the police,[5][6] to such an extent that 85 MPs need extra protection, since Jo Cox’s tragic death. No prizes for guessing why that does not make the front pages.
Tragic events like these and their reprehensible, sensationalist coverage remind us of Herman and Chomsky’s ‘propaganda model’ in Manufacturing Consent, particularly the importance of manufacturing a “common enemy” to keep the public distracted and subdued. If this event does turn out to be claimed by a “terrorist group”, Muslim or otherwise, the public has to take responsibility into their own hands to oppose those who seek to push their malicious agendas using it.
Not only do we have to remind people of facts, simple logic, statistical significance, and so on, but while powerful media magnates with an agenda seek to put a magnifying glass on crimes commit by demonised minorities (inevitably seeking to call it “terrorism”), the public must raise awareness of those actually suffering terrorism from superpowers elsewhere. Only days ago, for example, Trump’s New America carried out targeted multiple strikes on a mosque in Jena in Syria—bombing it, then again to seal the main exit, and then a third time to hit the crowd of 56 worshippers as they fled from the remaining exit to a nearby field.[7]
Whilst we are told by media corporations obedient to such terrorism to instead focus our attention on ‘lone wolves’—tragic as any loss of innocent life is—we must resist the temptation to fall for the trap of being drawn into a cycle of fear and bloodshed that only benefits those with a malicious agenda to disempower people here and abroad.
[donationbanner]
Source: www.islam21c.com
Notes:
[1] http://news.met.police.uk/news/latest-on-westminster-incident-229843
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jan/19/crime-figures-show-and-knife-offences-rising-ons-england-wales
[3] https://www.islam21c.com/tag/jo-cox/
[4] https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/02/07/british-press-most-right-wing-europe/
[5] https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3117257/one-in-eight-mps-face-serious-threats-since-jo-coxs-tragic-murder-as-police-order-homes-and-offices-to-be-get-extra-protection/
[6] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/20/police-reveal-extent-of-crimes-against-mps-since-jo-cox
[7] https://www.islam21c.com/news-views/trump-administration-bombed-mosque-then-targeted-people-as-they-were-running-away/
Again as I said the trolls are out in force, Pector, you’ve been exposed so many times as trolling Islamic articles and you still try it with your sad little existence. Your an old man and still love in your mum’s basement, dressed in a vest with no friends. You come here to feel a sense of belonging. If it wasn’t for us Muslims you would hang yourself being the sad loner you are.
Hello to the person who goes under the name of hectors dad…..no disrespect..but i would have said salaam..ie peace unto u….but i didnt sorry….
I just wanted to comment..that your user name is offensive to our non muslim brother hector…for many reasons….and what you mentioned and insulted him with is below par…and is not befitting for a professing muslim to utter or write under any circumstances if thats what you are!!!!
Apologies again but please do refrain from hurting peoples feelings…and just a reminder..our beloved was sent to perfect manners…and s/he with good character and manners will be closest to the beloved on youm al qiyamah……
Peace and blessings on those who follow Guidance from our Lord
Irrespective of religion or creed humans must condemn terrorism and Murder, I hope we can all agree on that. I think we must all accept some prejudices and bias depending on where we come from. Just as the British establishment would never condemn Churchill as a murderer for starving 4 million Indians to death, some sick Muslims may not condemn this act terrorism or murder. Both are wrong for not calling a spade a spade.
When Muslims complain about media bias it doesn’t mean we do not condemn the act itself. The Rotherham pedophiles were called Muslim pedophiles, although we all know Islam prohibits those disgusting acts, why? Prejudice and hate against Muslims. We understand in a Christian/Secular society crimes are not going to be written as Christian pedophiles or secular terrorist as this is too difficult to do, isn’t it?
In a nutshell Europeans / the West have found it so easy to justify their terrorism and murder of people of different religions and colours throughout history. Read history and you will realise people of colour are fighting an up hill struggle to get justice, mainly because of who has power and the UN is controlled by the VETO. The narrative of this terrorist act will be written according to your prejudice and bias, and at the moment we can see a right wing bias taking control of the world and that includes the media.
Is there a problem with some Muslims, yes most definitely, and we Muslims must help sort this issue out. But is the secular / Christian West going to take ownership of what they did to the world in the past and admit they messed up a lot of countries, their primary motivation being greed and control of resources.
How many innocent people die because of drone strikes and wrong intelligence (Iraq war) MILLIONS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, DAILY DEATH IN THE NAME OF THE WAR ON TERROR! but this can be justified.
DO YOU CONDEMN THIS MURDER AND TERRORISM, AS YOU SHOULD OR ARE YOU TOO BUSY CONDEMNING MUSLIMS TO TAKE YOUR OWN COUNTRY TO ACCOUNT
As it is easy for a terrorist to justify its killing of innocent people, their are like minded individuals who are secular / christians doing the same thing day in day out. just that they have aeroplanes and drones. Do your research if you really stand for justice and equality. I bet you are too busy to condemn you own, easy to condemn the other, the foreigner, the muslim, the refugee, easy targets.
The killing of innocent people by drones and rockets, daily yes daily is news worthy but this is real prejudice, bias and hatred against Muslims in affect.
Yes very true, this is why people like Jack and Hector on this thread will not accept the truth put forward in the article that despite very little information the media, police and Governments had jumped to conclusions about it being a terror attack. In fact Jack (below) has referred to the incident as a “hideous Islamic terror attack” which not only is oxymoronic but hideously false as there is no evidence to this day the attack was motivated by religion. So he’s doing a bit of jumping to (crazy) conclusions himself. Not only will people like Jack, due to their biases, prejudices and agendas, focus on demonising and blaming who they don’t like, rather than see and agree with the true arguments that have been espoused, their pigheadedness prevents them from accepting that they were wrong (that it was nothing to do with religion) and apologise.
Our hearts go out to all those innocent people killed in Westminster and everywhere else in the world. It’s sad that these people died to further the evil agendas of terrorists.
Great article Nabeel. Spot on. Jazaakallaahu khayr. Keep up the good work. They jumped to conclusions with very little information regarding the Westminster incident. It’s no surprise though as a muslim was implicated. They just had to get an available name (from initial reports of Abu Izzeddeen who was still in prison!). Strange that police shot dead the supposed perpetrator who only had a knife but managed to detain Jo Cox’s killer who shot and stabbed her! You would have thought detaining him for questioning would have been more beneficial and possibly lead to more links. Maybe London police are not trained well enough to shoot in the leg or prefer the “dead men can’t speak their version of events” scenario instead. It’s interesting how CCTV system were shut down in Westminster since Sep 2006 (http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/westminster-council-agrees-controversial-move-to-turn-off-entire-network-of-cctv-cameras-a3265156.html) with terror alerts on high! Hmmm.
Also interesting why police didn’t treated this incident as terror related?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/islington-london-car-pedestrians-pub-crash-accident-police-four-teenagers-arrested-knives-latest-a7650451.html
No doubt there will be calls for more survellience powers – being able to tap into Whatsapp conversations – oh its already happening (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39398190)!
Justice will be done one day – it’s just a matter of time. So let the evil people temporarily enjoy what they reap from deception and lies. Every soul shall taste death and then you will be reminded of what you used to do.
It might be that the murderer of The late Jo Cox stopped his hand after he carried out his hideous crime and did not attempt to stab the police or others that tried to apprehend him and gave gimself up. Hence the police were successful in apprehending him alive.
On the other hand with this Islamist terrorist/radical, the police had to shoot dead in Westminster. The police it seems had no choice but to shoot this Islamist because he was proving difficult to apprehend and had already murdered one police officer and several members of the public.
Also common sense and past experiences both in Europe and the U.K. dictate that a Muslim man with a long beard and trimmed moustache going on a rampage killing indiscriminately is a lot more likely to be a terrorist than someone from another religion or background in the UK.
White terrorists killed hundreds of civilians just this week in Syria. Where is the condemnation from all the supposedly moderate whites? Their silence is their approval.
Jack, Hector are you there? We are waiting.
What are you waiting for?
Don’t worry, you’ve proved the point.
I see.
You don’t know what you’re waiting for, but you want it now.
These events are a study of evil, corruption and hypocrisy 101.
They kill Muslims wholesale.
Their alphabet soup agencies stage the retail. (false flags)
(Flying passports, discarded id cards along with the mentally ill, or addicted convert jailbird patsies)
You want to stop these events ask your governments to stop their interventionist wars and their false flags.
May the real perpetrators and greatest terrorists suffer in hell fire eternally. Amen. May all their victims get justice on the day of Judgement. Be patient brothers and sisters.
2 articles:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/non-muslims-carried-out-more-than-90-of-all-terrorist-attacks-in-america/5333619
Read Paul Craig Roberts:
Excerpt latest article:
“How can it be that tranny toilet facilities are more important than the West’s ongoing gratuitous destruction of Muslim countries?
Why is the liberal/progressive/left helping the military/security complex add Russia to the list of Western Civilization’s war crimes?
How much evidence is required before it is clear that Western Civilization is empty of integrity, judgment, reason, morality, empathy, compassion, self-awareness, truth, empty of everything that Western Civilization once respected?
All that is left of the West is insouciance and unrestrained evil.”
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2017/03/24/western-values-no-longer-exist/
Yet more crack pottery from the proponents of the “religion of peace” here on Islam21c. No sympathy for the victims of this hideous Islamic terror attack and yet again a criticism of the media. Why does Islam21c always blame the western media. It has it’s faults but surely a criticsim of extremist Muslims mullahs and the Islamic organisations that promote these attacks would have been more appropriate.
When mullahs get caught justifying taking kafir women as sex slaves, the media is to blame. When extremist sheikhs are criticised for promoting genital mutilation, the media is to blame. When mullahs are exposed for promoting segregation and quietly working against the country they reside in from within, again the media is to blame.
It seems that the media is to blame for all the ills suffered by Muslims in the UK. This head in the sand approach adopted by the men at Islam21c is sheer lunacy and a embarrassment to the intellect of the people of the U.K.
Literally, all three of the stereotypes and myths you just presented are primarily portrayed by neocon idiots given a platform in the state media. For someone trying to defend the media that’s literally the worst thing you could bring up!
One day those myths will be treated like we now treat the Blood Libel myth used against Jews. And you will look silly.
I’m tired of the useage of lone wolf. Sure a lot of lone wolves out there. And trying to compare this to incidents involving knives is also absurd. It’s time the U.K. starts arming all the cops too.
It is just possible that he lost control of his car. He ran away to avoid arrest but confronted by a Police man. In a panic he knifed the police man. The police has no right to shoot him. He should be arrested and tried in the court of law to find the truth. Now no body is going to find out the truth because he is a dead terrorist. What a way to go?
Yeah and you have to take the “institutionally racist” police force’s word for it.
“Yeah and you have to take the “institutionally racist” police force’s word for it.”
…and several dozen people who filmed it on smartphones.
The “institutionally racist” police force that first declared it to be “Islamist related” without a shred of evidence now they are saying they don’t know the motive! There’s no credibility in anything they say.
How does your opinion of the credibility of an “institutionally racist” police force affect the dozens of smartphones with which people also filmed the incident?
Yes, the motive was recorded on smart phones! Even Britain’s most senior police officer in 2015 Bernard Hogan-Howe, said there is some justification to allegations that the Metropolitan police is institutionally racist. How can a institutionally racist organisation’s words be trusted? Just like Mark Fuhrman undermined the credibility of the prosecution’s case in the OJ Simpson trial, nothing the London police say are to be taken at face value.
Which motive was recorded on smartphones and what was it a motive for?
Whether or not “nothing the London police say are to be taken at face value”. why shouldn’t the dozens of smartphones with which people also filmed the incident be accepted as evidence?
So why was he carrying a large knife in public? And should police use any restraint they see fit if that man was brandishing a knife while unstable and your family are in the vicinity?
…The police didn’t shoot Khalid Massod.
He was trying to clean their guns but forgot to unload them.
OK, so maybe this wasn’t a terror attack. Maybe it was, say, the manifestation of a nervous breakdown by someone with a sad history of mental illness. But if his does turn out to be a terror attack, it would imply that all the apparent bias you condemn would actually be a well-informed, working hypothesis. Good luck with that.
Sorry, buddy. That’s not how hypotheses work. That’s called Gamblers’ Fallacy. Google it.
Smells like another False Flag operation just like 9/11 and 7/7. Interesting how there was a mock practice DRILL carried out (on 19th March) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4328604/Terror-drill-Thames-Armed-police-drill.html – just like on 9/11 and before 7/7. I guess they didn’t need to use a fire-proof passport flying out this time.
I apologise to ISLAM 21C for accusing it of pulling my comment. It disappeared but returned later, I don’t know why, so sorry. But one was pulled a couple of weeks ago definitely.
We now know the terrorist was a known criminal and Isis sympathiser, in other words a loser and psychopath, the type that terrorist organisations target to use as cannon fodder, because they lack meaning in their lives.
Endless proclamations that they are not Muslims are not true, and beggar belief. If they are not Muslims then the Crusaders were not Christians, and the people killing Palestinians are not Jews, which is obviously not true.
Joanne Thauberger
There are so many assumptions and presuppositions in your post, especially your questions. And that is precisely what the article was afraid would be generated in people’s minds by this awful incident and the way it is handled and reported.
AsalamuAleikum ,
Dear Islam21c, the Truth is not your enemy.
As a Muslim, and a very observant one – I ifind it not only immature but also deeply troubling that you would continue to fill the web will the most irresponsible and childish arguments in the wake of every major terror attack, when will you actually face reality and raise your level of journalism to the standards necessary for us all to engage with the topic in a meaningful and critical manner.
As a Muslim, this is an act of Terror, I do not care much for the religious convictions or lack thereof held by the perpetrator, the act is sufficient evidence – we must first accept that this is a terrible thing that will have potentially greater negative effects throughout the country and beyond, then we must analyse and review the contributing factors that could possibly have created this event – and in this we do not single out the Muslim community alone, only with this line of journalism can we expect to gain any ground.
What I have noticed in reading your articles and the responses from other readers is that you are not adding any value to the greater narrative, your only objective appears to be a vindictive and sour motive to sling as much mud as possible against mainstream media – in doing so you are sadly reinforcing an already very poor stereotype of the Muslim community in the West, one that is insulated, deluded and incapable of sharing the fears and concerns of society at large.
Please, review your principles and the means through whch these articles are being published – there really isnt much to admire here, apart from the superfluous and pretentious terminologies and words used in every sentence, bug words do not stregthen a weak argument.
For the sake of Allah, try to be a little bit more journalistic and objective in your future articles.
JazakumullAhu Khayran
I too as a Muslim am concerned about the insensitive take on this article in the immediate wake of a national tragedy. Number one please think about timing and number two try to be just and more objective; we live in this land. The Islam21c response to anything is so predictable and all about scoring points and overlooking the human tragedy. Please remember Brother Nabeel that it could have been your wife and children on that bridge mowed down and cut the intellectual c***.
Is it the same houses of paliament that banned the 10 commandments (legislated against the 10 commandmens), and thereby brought the idea of democracy into disrepute. But I thought that the 10 commandments were the basis of civilisation. So why ban civilisation? That doesn’t make any sense that you consume the blessings of God for every second of your life, then ride rough shod on the wisdom and guidelines God All Mighty has sent down for y/our benefit. The idea of politiicans giving themselves pay rises and then to commit an act of treason against the lord of the universe and to betray the British people and to betray the idea civilisation is indeed obscene…..
Most British people don’t really know what is going on behind closed doors in the shadows….The good news is that from time to time we do get inkling/ clues for seekers of fact/ truth/ civilisation. One such clue was when Baroness Warsi resigned from the government/ inner cabinet after hearing of the terror attacks that the British government was sponsoring (If I remember correctly it was with regards to David Cameron supporting the Israeli teror attacks on Gaza concentration camp for the people there daring to ask for their lands and homes back, after they had been thieved by subversive zionsist perverts depravs arrogants criminals thugs & terrorists). Anyway, Baroness Warsi was true to the British people and resigned and in the process sent a signal/ blew the whistle to the British people that all is not what it seams in govt/ be careful of what the establishment is telling you from the podium because it is not true. They are liars and immoral people. (While claiming to fight terror, infact they are infact perpetrating terror). We also saw that the act of David Cameron lying to the British people and sponsporing terrorism lead to him falling on his own sword later. Indeed God sends signs and clues for people who care to reflect. God even documented in the eternal book of truths how godless leadershiips lie to their people and lead them over the precipice.
‘And they (dwellers of hell) say: Our Lord! Lo! we obeyed our princes and great men, and they misled us from the Way. Our Lord! Oh, give them double torment and curse them with a mighty curse.’ Quran(33:67-68)
‘When it is said to them (rejectors of faith in God), don’t promulgate fasaad (chaos anarchy tumult oppression tyranny corruption) through out the land/ country/ world’, they say – ‘We are only promoting peace’. Indeed it is they who are promoting fasaad, yet they lack insight/ understanding.” Quran(2:11-12)
My advice to the British people is to follow the lead of informed people and moral people such as Lauren Booth. She is a well travelled person. She has worked as a journalist as well as having connections to the government (her sister was married to PM). As such she understands the corrupt nature of government (abuse of government power on the international stage, etc) and the filth of the tabloid gutter press (she gave up her job of writing in the gutter press when she became Muslim because she realised that Musiim/ Islam with its standards and values was not compatible with gutter immorality, filth & lies). Lauren Booth is happy with her new life. She understands what is going on in the world (having understanding is a very liberating notion), and she is a lady with prospects (Gods paradise is as wide as the heavens).
‘And God calls you to the abode of peace/ civilisation (Dar-us-Salam) and guides whoever he wishes to the straight path/ best practice.’ Quran(10:25)
Just which of the ten commandments have the Houses of Parliament banned? For that matter, when were the commandments ever passed into law by Parliament?
SECURITY ALERT: ‘And they say – When will this promise be fulfilled, if what you say is true? Yet all they are waiting for is a single shout that will overtake them while they are still arguing/ contending (about Gods invitation to mercy salvation & emancipation). They will have no time to make bequests/ petition, nor will they have the chance to return to their own people. The trumpet will be sounded and – lo and behold – they will rush out to their Lord from their graves. They will say ‘Alas for us! Who has resurrected us from our resting places?’ This is what the Lord of Mercy promised, and the messengers told the truth/ were factual. It was just one shout and then – lo and behold – they were all brought before Us. Today no individual will be wronged in any way what so ever. You will only be paid back in kind for your deeds; The people of Paradise today are happily occupied – they and their spouses (wives/ husbands) seated on couches in the shade. There they have fruit and whaever they ask for/ request/ wish for. ‘Peace’, a word of welcome from the Lord of Mercy. But step apart today you guilty/ criminals!! Children of Adam, did I not command you not to serve/ follow Satan for he was your sworn/ avowed enemy, but to serve Me? This is the straight path/ best practice. He has led great numbers of you astray/ fooled many of you. Did you not have any sense/ intelligence!? So this the fire that you were warned of (well ahead of time, so that you can do what you need to do to secure/ security yourself from it). Suffer it today becasue you went on ignoring my commands regardless….’ Quran(36:48-64)
I would like to propose a minutes silence to remember the victims of the terror attack by US and UK terror coalition on a school in Syria yesterday that resulted in 30+ children being terrorised and murdered. I would like to propose a minutes silence to remember all the victims of the terror attack by US and UK terror coalition on the mosque/ place of worship in Syria a few days ago…. So two minutes of silence please to remember the victims of terrorism. Thankyou and God bless.
Thankyou for this definitive piece. It must be a good five years now since I stopped watching listening reading mainstream media. It is such a waste of time and space. Some narrow limited gossip innuendo notions with little relevance to the real world. In truth those peddling gossip and innuendo nonsense are prisoners of their own gossip and innuendo nonsense. God said it would only rebound on themselves. They would not be shaping the future, and God would hold them to account for all the perversion and criminality that they commit along the way. They themselves know they don’t have the arguments, hence their approach of making lots of noise…. I am minded of the story of Noah and the nonsense that was banded about by some as they tried to shout down the illustrious Noah (man of morality/ truth/ fact). One minute the enemies of morality facts and civilisation were mocking, the next they were crying their eyes out. It never ceases to amaze me that given the choice between God’s mercy and his justice/ wrath, that some would be fool enough to chose the latter over the former.
For how long will western Muslims keep their head in the sand. There is a top down demonization campaign in the west by the real demon worshipers. The blow to democracy is neither here nor there, but the blows against our faith are important and working in these lands. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the western populace (us included) are enablers (stop making excuses for evil people), opportunists and/or cowards. Most of us keep quiet with a focus on the few comforts, temporary benefits and lifestyles.
We forgot our mandate:
Quran 3:110 SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah . If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.”
We are not truly spiritual hence the greediest of materialists have been unchecked in their lies and corruption. If only we worked for the real life, the eternal one and if only we truly feared and loved the only real power Allah the most just.(SWT)
MashAllah, what a beautiful reply and beautiful reminder!
May God reward you!
“wa dhakir fa inna dhikra tanfa’ul mu’mineen”
“And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.”
[Qur’aan 51:55]
The problem is also that Muslims ourselves are hugely divided, and some times, some Muslims work against their own brothers/sisters, and label them particularly as “wahabi”, etc… while those same people know little to nothing about Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab.
That goes especially to those “Muslims” working for Quilliam such as Adam Deen and Maajid Nawaz, et al.
Nu’man bin Bashir (radhiAllahu anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wassallam) said,
“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever”.
[Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Riyad us-Saliheen, etc]
Abu Hurairah (radhiAllahu anhu) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wassallam) said:
“Any Muslim, who emancipates another Muslim, Allah will set free from Hell Fire an organ of his body, for every organ of the other’s (i.e. from the body of the emancipated person ).”
[Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Bulugh al-Maram, etc]
Peace.
It was pretty obviously !a terror attack”, whoever was responsible, when it was made. Your own description makes it plain that at the time no-one ascribed further motives to anyone. Westminster and the Houses of Parliament are “the heart of British political life.”
What are the “state media” you refer to in the third paragraph? The only actual media-organisation you refer to – Sky News – is a private company owned and controlled by an American born in Australia.
It’s also ironic that Islam21, with its habit of immediately ascribing the violent death of any muslim to “islamophobia” – often mistakenly – just because the victim was a muslim, should complain that the attribution of “terrorist motives” to someone who deliberately ran over people with a motor car, murdered a policeman and tried to enter Parliament with a knife was an unwarranted assumption made on inadequate evidence.
THIS IS MY SECOND ATTEMPT TO RESPOND TO THE ACCUSATIONS BY NABEEL AKHTAR AGAINST PRESS BIAS. WHY HAS MY FIRST REASONED COMMENT BEEN PULLED? ISLAM 21C IS USUALLY (THOUGH NOT ALWAYS) WILLING TO PUBLISH REASONABLE VIEWPOINTS CHALLENGING READERS UNFOUNDED ACCUSATIONS. I AM NEVER ABUSIVE OR DISRESPECTFUL OF OTHERS, EVEN WHEN THEY ABUSE ME.
ARE YOU A DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATION, OR DO YOU EXIST ONLY TO PROPOGATE ONE-SIDED OPINIONS?
JOHN SIMPSON,YORK
A terrorist has killed and terrorised people in London, and has been traced to an address in Birmingham where his car, used as a murder weapon, was hired.
Whether he was an Isis supporter or not, if he was a Muslim then he was a Muslim terrorist, whatever excuses you want to make. He caused the terror, not the Press reaction to it, though I agree they are habitually looking for a story. That’s their job.
But, the fact of the matter is that his Islam (being Muslim) has nothing to do with this act, in fact, this is an act that is against the teachings of Islam and the actions of majority (almost 100%) of Muslims!
Why wasn’t Jo Cox’s murderer reported as Christian Terrorist/British Terrorist/White Terrorist/Right Wing Terrorist/Anti-labour Terrorist? Or any such labels!
Presumably because, those titles have nothing to do with his actions! This is a similar case!
The overarching question is where the line should be drawn between what is and what is not an act of terrorism. Why is the assassination of Lee Rigby labelled as a terrorist attack but the assassination of Jo Cox not?
As far as the media is concerned, terrorism is a label for Muslims and a few other detested outfits like the IRA. My own research into media reporting of terrorism is that the media overwhelmingly labels white non-Muslims convicted of terrorism offences as bombers, neo-Nazis, or white supremacists then only gives a brief passing mention to the terrorism offence in the middle of the article. For Muslims they are always labelled as terrorists.
Also, where is the line drawn between a Muslim who has carried out an act of terrorism and an Islamic or Islamist terrorist?
Another factor that needs to be given more consideration before using terms Muslim, Islamic, Islamist, or even determining whether a crime is an act of terrorism or not, is whether the perpetrator is a knowledgeable long-term Muslim known by their local Muslim community or is some very marginal revert that nobody in the Muslim community has even heard of. If in time terrorist attacks are consistently carried out by marginal reverts unknown to the wider Muslim community, who in many cases are just crazy, confused, and twisted individuals, then it will put the wider Muslim community into serious jeopardy.
The murder of Jo Cox was described as a terrorist offence before, during and after Thomas Maitland’s trial.
Why weren’t the murders of Asad Shah and Jalal Uddin described as terrorist offences – especially when Jalal Uddin’s murderers announced they had been inspired by the doctrines of ISIS?
I realise emotions are running high. But if your reaction to such a horrible act is to go on a paranoid rant against the media accusing them of opportunism, criticising them simply for reporting on it and even blaming them for it, then you are not only an appalling hypocrite, but obviously mentally ill. Please get yourself some help. Seriously, the total lack of empathy, irrational anger and twisted logic suggests you are suffering from some form of personality disorder. Do yourself and your family a favour and see somebody.
To refer to Islam a ‘minority’ is far from the truth. Islam – 1.6 billion, 23% of world population is second only to Christianity – 2.3 billion, 35% of world population. Christianity is a combination of three types – Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Each of the section comes with different beliefs, preaching and traditions. this is far from a minority.
To just ignore it, as you suggest, is ludicrous. Fact is these things ARE going on. It is reported on the news. People react to it. They react in a manner that is appropriate to the attacks. Why are the other Muslims not taking a stand against this so-called radical faction? Are they afraid to? Do they actually support them?
Both muslims and christians are world-wide minorities. Anything less than 50% is a minority, by definition. Islam comes in a variety of sorts too, and their relations with one another historically have been nearly as murderous as inter-christian relations.
Trolls are out in force.
The good news for you is by 2050 more than 50% of the world population will be Muslim as researched by American Statisticians at PEW research.
Happy days trolls.
The bad news for you is you can’t read, count or think.
Take another look at what PEW actually say.
Again as I said the trolls are out in force, Pector, you’ve been exposed so many times as trolling Islamic articles and you still try it with your sad little existence. Your an old man and still love in your mum’s basement, dressed in a vest with no friends. You come here to feel a sense of belonging. If it wasn’t for us Muslims you would hang yourself being the sad loner you are
Again as I said the trolls are out in force, Pector, you’ve been exposed so many times as trolling Islamic articles and you still try it with your sad little existence. Your an old man and still love in your mum’s basement, dressed in a vest with no friends. You come here to feel a sense of belonging. If it wasn’t for us Muslims you would hang yourself being the sad loner you are. Everyone of your comments is sad and negative, it’s projection of your own life. We know that