Archbishop Of Canterbury Condemns ‘Unacceptable’ Attacks On Muslims
Speaking at Featherstone High School in Southall, west London, the Most Rev Justin Welby described attacks on mosques in the wake of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby earlier this year as “evil actions”, the Telegraph UK report.
Archbishop of Canterbury
“The attacks on minority ethnic groups across the country that there have been over the last few weeks are inexecusable, unacceptable and a scandal to a tradition of hospitality in this country of which we should be deeply proud and which has contributed far more to us than it has taken from us,” he said.
He added: “I want, as I have already done, to acknowledge the pressure that our Muslim friends and colleagues have faced over the last few weeks.
“There have been terrible attacks, I know that the vast majority of those in this country and especially people of faith would join me in condemning utterly any act of violence against anyone because of their faith.
“We want you to know that we stand with you, we will do so privately and publicly. We will do so persistently and I pray in the grace of God, persuasively.
“We will do all we can to support the security forces, the police, in bringing to justice those who seek to spread hate and cause division in our community.”
Welby told his audience that diversity was a “gift not a threat” and he did not want to live in a “monocultural” society. He said he “rejoiced” in the example of inter faith cooperation and community work he had witnessed in Southall.
“Diversity is a gift, not a threat, it is a hope, not a danger,” he said.
“The kind of country I want to live in has as one of its best examples what goes on in this area. I don’t want to live in something that is monocultural.”
Earlier today the Home Secretary, Theresa May said she was “shocked and sickened” by bomb attacks on three mosques in the West Midlands and the murder of 82-year-old Asian grandfather Mohammed Saleem, which are being treated as acts of terrorism.
May said she had pledged her full support to anti-terror officers questioning a Ukrainian man on suspicion of murdering Saleem last month and asked the officer in charge of the inquiry to keep her informed of any developments in the investigation.
Two Ukrainian men, aged 25 and 22, were arrested in Birmingham on Thursday by officers investigating blasts which occurred near mosques in Walsall, Tipton and Wolverhampton.
Welby’s comments came after a visit to St John’s Church, the Shree Ram Mandir Hindu Temple and the Sikh Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, where 20,000 free meals are served every week in Southall. The Archbishop also met Muslim leaders, currently observing the Ramadan fast, at the Central Jamia Masjid Mosque in Southall.
He said that the work done by different faiths he had witnessed in Southall were an example of the “kind of country that I am proud to be in.”
“It is hard to say that religion is a spent force when you come to Southall, this is something that people need to see and hear, it is hard to argue against diversity in a place like this,” the Most Rev Welby said.
During his visit the Archbishop announced a £25,000 grant from a discretionary fund for a new centre hosted by Christians in Southall but providing a range of services including debt counselling to all groups.
Edited for Telegraph.co.uk by Joel Gunter. Courtesy Telegraph.
sooriya / July 23, 2013
Murdoch University, has said that Muslims in Sri Lanka are …self-alienating themselves from the mainstream community.
Dr. Ameer Ali,
Dr Ali said the crucial issue for the Muslim community in Sri Lanka is to decide whether they want to be Muslims of Sri Lanka or Muslims in Sri Lanka.
He said since the 1970s, there has been the development of orthodox Islam, something new to this country and this orthodox brand of Islam was the result of the economic opportunities created in the Middle East. Many issues had come up due to the new brand of imported Islam. Things that had been accepted for so long have now been questioned.
Muslims who went there for job opportunities came back with a different mindset, influenced by the religious perception of the Saudis and other neighbouring countries. Unfortunately, this resulted in Muslims in this country isolating themselves from the mainstream society, in terms of their dress, their values and their practices.
He cited several examples of self-inflicted alienation which was widening the gap between Muslims and other communities, primarily the Sinhala Buddhist community. Stressing that the vast majority of Buddhists were not fanatics and a vast majority of Sinhalese were not racists, he said a minority, who is very vocal and is trying to grab attention should not be allowed to take the country in the wrong direction.
As far as the Muslims were concerned, he said that this self-alienation amongst them was a new development and it was time for them to engage in self-introspection, sit back and take stock, and decide where they have gone wrong.
Responding to a question on how Muslims were alienating themselves from the mainstream, Dr Ali said he can pin-point several developments.
Firstly, although there were separate Buddhist schools, Tamil schools and Muslim Schools, the Muslim schools were operating on a different calendar. He said he had not seen any country other than Sri Lanka where they closed schools during the fasting month. This differentiation was driving a wedge between the Muslim community and others, and ironically, it was in fact disadvantaging Muslims.
This move was a privilege the Muslims gained in 1950, because Sir Razik Fareed, who was a leader, an activist, but not an educationist, asked for this concession, and the then government consented. At that time, the Muslims thought that it was a good thing that they could fast without other obligations. But, in the current race for economic opportunities, when the Muslim schools are closed, other schools are operating. When others are closed, Muslim schools are operating said Dr Ali.
Understandably enough, the government was arranging things like refresher courses and training courses when the majority of the teachers are on holiday, but when the majority of schools are closed, Muslim schools were operating. The Muslim community was losing due to this arrangement. It was time for the Muslim community to decide whether they should continue with this arrangement.
Secondly, Muslims were saying they have a long history and they have contributed a lot. That is history. All communities have done the same. The Tamils, and Sinhalese and Christians want to see it happening now. How are the Muslims behaving? Are they intermingling with others, asked Dr Ali.
Take one example he said; the Kandy Perehara. Of course, although it originated as a religious event, it had become more than that now; it was now a national festival. It is an occasion that attracts millions of tourists and television viewers. While there were Havadies by the Hindus, Merlm by the Hindus, he asked where his Muslim brothers were? How were they contributing to a national event?
Thirdly, he asked, on Independence Day, why Muslims could not hoist the national flag in front of our mosques and schools and other institutions. He contended that these simple things can send a positive message to the wider community.
In response to a question on whether there was a recent effort by some segments of Muslims to highlight their differences with other communities and not so much to do with historical similarities, Dr Ali said “I have one observation. When I went to the Eastern Province, in Kattankudy, they have planted date palms to decorate the roadside. My question was, what is the connection between date palms and Kattankudy or date palms and Sri Lanka?. Why do you spend millions of rupees to make it look like Arabia? I could see that already half of the trees had died. I told the Muslims to go to Tissamaharama and see what has been planted there: Tamarind trees, which are shady and bearing fruit. Are we living in this country or are we living in Arabia?” he asked.
Dr Ali then spoke about cattle slaughter. He stated that it is not the halal issue. Halal was a trillion dollar industry in the world. He urged anyone with any humaneness to see the way the cows were being slaughtered. He said he had seen the way cows were dragged into the slaughter house. He asked how anyone could tolerate such a practice. A call for a ban on cattle slaughter had to be seen in this context and Muslims should sit back and take stock on this issue.
He cited another very glaring example of differentiation. This was the black dress that is covering the whole female body, except the eyes, which is alien to Sri Lanka. This attire has nothing to do with Islam, whereas it was misconstruing Islam.
It is confrontational and Muslims were voluntarily alienating themselves. He went on to say that Muslims were suffering from an image problem, which they needed to address.
He said there was no need for Muslims to make a statement by getting their women to dress like this or practice other extreme measures which were not real Islamic practices, and were confrontational like the Burka. While Muslim women in the 70s wore sarees, it was the misreading of Islamic scriptures that had led to the current situation. Muslims in Sri Lanka needed more enlightened leadership to overcome these confrontational attitudes.
When asked whether banning of the Burka would be an appropriate action, his view was that the confrontational problem could not be solved by banning it. His said banning would make matters worse as people would react much worse and it would provide additional fuel to extremists. Extremism he said should be countered through education, which should be done by Muslims themselves.
Responding to a question on recent anti-Muslim propaganda and the general, rather liberal interpretation that a peaceful Muslim minority has come under the threat of hegemonic Sinhala Buddhist nationalism, Dr Ali expressed his opinion that some of these events were due to a revival of religion all over the world and its consequences.He said Buddhist revival was not a unique phenomenon, as there was the rise of the Christian right in the Bible belt of America, which wields a strong influence on the American legislature, the revival of Islam in the Middle East and the rise of Hinduism in India.
In his opinion, religion was coming back after one hundred years of rationalism, during which we thought religion had been forced backstage. We believed that everybody would be happy in a materialistic society. And subsequently, there was the rise of Marxism, which had been dominant in some parts of the world in the past 75 years.
But, since the collapse of the Soviet Bloc, religion had made a comeback as a strong force in some of those countries, for instance, in Poland. And even under communism, sects such as the Falun Gong in China were increasingly active below the radar. Therefore, this is a worldwide trend. The emptiness in the people’s minds has been filled by religion. In the same line of events, he witnessed a revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Such revivals sometimes provided avenues for less moderate people belonging to all religions to become more vociferous, than others who were moderate minded.
In responding to a question on whether Wahhabis and the rising Islamic militant rhetoric in the East has had an impact in places like Kattankudy where allegedly, large scale overseas funding from Middle Eastern countries was fuelling a foreign brand of Islamic revival, Dr Ali said there were no statistics on the funds that come from Saudi Arabia. He said he did not think they are institutionally funding Wahhabism, however, a lot of private funds were coming in.
He said there were 58 mosques in Kattankudy and that he had been to one of the Mosques to pray and there had not been even 20 people in it. The whole Mosque had been nearly empty. He questioned the need to build more mosques when the existing mosques were empty. His view was that those who returned from the Middle East as preachers wanted to build mosques and introduce a brand of Islam which was not consistent with the ancient and traditional Islamic practices in Sri Lanka.
He agreed that the brand of Islam that is imported from Saudi Arabia was intolerant in its teachings and it was increasingly becoming intolerant of others. In the history of Islam, it had been very tolerant. In Moghul India, the palace of Akbar was full of non-Muslims. This new brand is a misrepresentation of Islam and its scriptures.
He however did not see a conflict between the moderate Islam and its ultra-conservative brand in Sri Lanka, but agreed that there was a clash between liberal Islam and orthodox conservative Islam in other countries.
In the world arena, he stated that there were three poles of contention. There were the Saudis with their intolerant Islam; the Turks with a very tolerant outlook of Islam, and there were the Iranians with their Shia Islam. There was a confrontation among these three forces for the hegemony of Islam.
– Asian Tribune –
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nilam / July 24, 2013
Guess what else they say they accuse sri lanka of war crimes? He probabbly went to australia on a refugee Visa. Australian citizen of Sri lankan Origin wants to get some popularity by saying this. Really wander if he’s a muslim even since lot of people give of their faith once they leave the country. And don’t forget what dalai lama said about monks leading violance against minorities(must be a liTtle, but itd the popular picture) therre are other people likee AHM Azwer, ARM cader, Faizer Mustapha who are ready to sell the community to maintain their portfolios
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Amarasiri / July 25, 2013
Nilam.
The Most Rev Justin Welby says:
Yes, it is Law and Order issue for the State.
1. “We will do all we can to support the security forces, the police, in bringing to justice those who seek to spread hate and cause division in our community.”
2. Welby told his audience that diversity was a “gift not a threat” and he did not want to live in a “monocultural” society. He said he “rejoiced” in the example of inter faith cooperation and community work he had witnessed in Southall.
3. “Diversity is a gift, not a threat, it is a hope, not a danger,” he said.
Well, What is Religion? Here is a different perspective. Interesting Video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHHOiF-dFEg
Just Think- Sam Harris part 1 of 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG72wpp_mLM
Just Think- Sam Harris part 2 of 2
Uploaded on Jul 1, 2010
http://www.samharris.org
From the Free Press:
Sam Harris’s first book, The End of Faith, ignited a worldwide debate about the From the Free Press:
Sam Harris’s first book, The End of Faith, ignited a worldwide debate about the validity of religion. In the aftermath, Harris discovered that most people—from religious fundamentalists to non-believing scientists—agree on one point: Science has nothing to say on the subject of human values. Indeed, our failure to address questions of meaning and morality through science has now become the most common justification for religious faith. It is also the primary reason why so many secularists and religious moderates feel obligated to “respect” the hardened superstitions of their more devout neighbors.
In this explosive new book, Sam Harris tears down the wall between scientific facts and human values, arguing that most people are simply mistaken about the relationship between morality and the rest of human knowledge. Harris urges us to think about morality in terms of human and animal well-being, viewing the experiences of conscious creatures as peaks and valleys on a “moral landscape.” Because there are definite facts to be known about where we fall on this landscape, Harris foresees a time when science will no longer limit itself to merely describing what people do in the name of “morality”; in principle, science should be able to tell us what we ought to do to live the best lives possible.
Bringing a fresh perspective to age-old questions of right and wrong, and good and evil, Harris demonstrates that we already know enough about the human brain and its relationship to events in the world to say that there are right and wrong answers to the most pressing questions of human life. Because such answers exist, moral relativism is simply false—and comes at increasing cost to humanity. And the intrusions of religion into the sphere of human values can be finally repelled: for just as there is no such thing as Christian physics or Muslim algebra, there can be no Christian or Muslim morality.
Using his expertise in philosophy and neuroscience, along with his experience on the front lines of our “culture wars,” Harris delivers a game-changing book about the future of science and about the real basis of human cooperation.
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Lanka Liar / July 27, 2013
This Ali is a Joker. Once he appealed to John Harward the Aiustralian minister to unban Muslim terrorist organization and the PM rebutted him and told him not to talk nonsense. Ali a typical Sri Lankan Muslim – opportunist with no values.
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AYMAN / July 23, 2013
WE MUSLIMS APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF THE HEAD OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH
THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, IN CONDEMNING ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS AND MOSQUES.THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT HIS SINCERITY.
HE TRULY IS A MAN OF GOD. WE MUSLIMS SHOULD RECIPROCATE IT BY
RESPECTING THEIR VALUES.
THIS SHOULD BE AN EXAMPLE TO THE BUDDHIST SANGHANAYAKES IN BURMA
AND SRI LANKA
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Asanka / July 24, 2013
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Asanka / July 24, 2013
to see allahhh and muhammmed
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Asanka / July 24, 2013
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PEACELOVER / July 25, 2013
It has been noted by many of us , that the COMMENTS DELETED AT THE MOST that of @Asnaka who is a LOWEST CASTE WEDHDA using dirty filthy words insulting , specially , Muslim and Islam…
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Asanka / July 25, 2013
” using dirty filthy words insulting , specially , Muslim and Islam…”
YES
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AYMAN / July 26, 2013
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM A PIG BUT A GRUNT ?
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Rod Atkins / July 23, 2013
Muslims Belive in Jesus, so Muslims are not enemy of christians High Priest Archibisop knows the truth, but in between, there is devil worshippers like illuminati, Free masons ( Jews ), Athiest 9 No god people) are the dangerous for all religen.
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Stewart Sloan / July 24, 2013
Rod you are an idiot. I was a Freemason for 11 years, I am not a jew, not a devil worshipper. Your ignorance betrays you.
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Amarasiri / July 25, 2013
The 10 Commandments and the Bible,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoNqSrA7Mos
Published on Apr 19, 2012
Professor Richard Dawkins ridiculing the 10 Commandments and showing that morals do not come from the Bible.
San Diego, Ca. Friday, April 6th, 2012
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K.A Sumanasekera / July 24, 2013
Oh, No,
Ukrainians attacking Muslims and mosques on Queens Turf.
I thought only Buddhists in Asia, especially the Sinhala Buddhists did this sort of nasty things.
Perhaps, Sharma will have to excuse MacCrae, Harrison and even Noble from the CHOGM Press Corp.
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Lanka Liar / July 27, 2013
Typical Sri lankan grammar if somebody can kill somebody somewhere some time why cant the Sinhalease kill anybody anytime anywhere. That is Mahinder Chindanaya
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gonbella / July 24, 2013
Once again the only ones standing against racism in Sri Lanka are those from overseas. Home Secretary, Theresa May said she was “shocked and sickened” by the actions of the racist elements in Sri Lanka. Sad to say that no one of any standing in Sri Lanka itself is either shocked or sickened by these acts. No politician or police official in Sri Lanka has a backbone to stand up to the saffron robed thugs that lead these shocking attacks.
Rev Rigby said, “Diversity is a gift, not a threat, it is a hope, not a danger,” Try telling this to the blood thirsty Sinhalese thugs who roam freely terrorising the minorities.
The world is still reeling trying to resettle Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. The impossible task to keep refugees off its shores in Australia has seen good governments fall.
The world must now brace itself for the second tsunami of refugees from Sri Lanka. This time it will be the muslims – though muslims are universally hated, you have no options but to take them in.
By the way how can anyone in their right minds hold the CHOGM meeting in Sri Lanka ignoring the glaring complicity of the Government and the police in the terrifying and widespread human rights infringements.
Ah world politics defeats me. I give up.
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Anver K. / July 24, 2013
As a Sri Lankan Muslim, I appreciate the words of Archbishop of Canterbury. With his sincere message, he has touched the hearts and minds of Muslims around the world. We need religious leaders of his caliber among all faiths and certainly in Sri Lanka.
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Stewart Sloan / July 24, 2013
A silly man wearing a silly hat with no grasp of reality. If the British Muslims want to live in an Islamic society let them go back to where they came from!
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EASTERNGUY / July 24, 2013
MUSLIMS RULED SPAIN ABOUT 800 YEARS…..Bicos of internal fighting of Political rival they lost the kingdom .. wath the video……
An Islamic History of Europe, Rageh Omaar
BBC documentary..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRVCo0qcMsQ
THE WORLD CAN BE RULED AS A WHOLE , ONLY BY ” MUSLIMS ‘ OR ” CHRISTIAN” AS THEY ARE THE DIVINE GUIDED PEOPLE BY THE ” PROHPETS OF ALMIGHTY “.
BUDHIST , HINDUS and Jews WILL NEVER ,EVER RULE OR DOMINATE THE WORLD EVEN IN DREAM, TILL END THE WORLD…..
MUSLIMS RULED ONCE AND THEN CHRISITANS …..AGAIN WHEN THE TIME OF LAST DAYS OF THE WORLD , MUSLIMS WILL RULE AND UNIT ALL HUMANITY…
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Jim softy / July 24, 2013
Only a Muslims or Christian would right this kind of comment.
Buddhists are not that ambitious.
Even the Indian Emperor Ashoka, Gave away the idea of winning the whole world once he understood the buddhism.
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Tyrone / July 25, 2013
Before Islam came, Middle East, Israel till Spain all spread with Judaism / Christianity, Syria was the once Christian Area till 600 AD, Isreal was Jewish and following Judaism for more than 1000 Years from the Moses Time till the Romans time during Jesus born,
After Mohammed birth and start of Islam, they started to invade lands and captured the whole Middle East, Isreal and Spain and ruled that kingdom for 800 Years as mentioned in that Video, in that time Millions of Christians / Jewish people were murdered killed and women sold as Sex Slaves… for them to live, they need to pay ‘Jizya Tax’, this is what is called as Golden Age they speak of… but actually it is not their land in the first place…
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Jim softy / July 24, 2013
EASTERNGUY
Christianity was created by the Roman Kingdom for political reasons and the Islam was created by a Arabic Trader who wanted to establish his business empire.
Buddhism was founded a Prince who did not see the benefit of becoming a king.
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PEACELOVER / July 25, 2013
yes, BUDHISM was founded by a man named SIDHARHA , then called as BUDHA , who DESERTED HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN, who cudnt EARN to look after his family , who cudnt satisfy his wife , who cudnt have health and strong body to rule the small town he was born….
And he went to jungle and then started to preach all his followers to BEG DOOR TO DOOR FOR FOOD and EAT WITHOUT EARNING….
……..BUDHSIM IS NOT A WAY OF LIFE BUT “”AWAY OF LIFE “”……..
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Asanka / July 25, 2013
Dear Archbishop
please calm and support EDL.
Human beings should be practical in their approach in order to their existence.
Don’t be a person who betray your own community for being a good person. One day you have a future because of EDL.
God Bless
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