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Explain Islam's Sensitivities, Rafidah Tells UK Students

From Mikhail Raj Abdullah

LONDON, March 6 (Bernama) - Muslim students in foreign countries must explain to others that Islam's fundamental teachings abhors violence and killings but demands respect for other people and their religions.

In making the call, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said: "As long as we do not correct that (negative) image, we will continue to have problems as Muslims in the world."

For those who do not understand, she said: "They believe fundamentalists equal terrorists. Now, we have to break that equation."

On the contrary, "fundamentalists equal all the Muslims of the world, minus the deviationists and terrorists (and) I hope this is something we will do together," she said when speaking to some 200 Malaysian students from the United Kingdom at the Malaysian Students' Department (MSD) at Queensborough Terrace here Sunday.

There are about 12,000 Malaysian students studying in the UK and Ireland, of which about half are registered with the MSD.

Rafidah said: "As students, tell all your friends if you see something written or said that is not right such as fundamentalist Muslims are those such as Osama bin Laden and his gang."

"Our duty now is to explain to the people that these extremists are the ones who become terrorists," the minister said.

Otherwise, "we will all be tarnished with the same brush stroke," she said, citing Muslims who were often subjected to stringent security checks at airports after the Sept 11, 2001 terror attack.

Also present at the question-and-answer session session was Malaysian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Datuk Abd Aziz Mohammed, MSD Director Dr Syed Raisudin Syed Abdullah and chairman of the UK Umno Club Hahasrin Hashim.

Rafidah, who is also Wanita Umno chief, also met representatives of the UK Umno and MCA clubs at a closed-door meeting.

The minister said: "Our duty now is to explain to the world that those who resort to suicide bombings, violence and killings are extremists and deviationists and are the ones who end up as terrorists."

"Islam does not preach its followers to bomb people, Islam does not preach to kill people, Islam does not tell Muslims to belittle others.

"Islam asks us to respect other people and those of other faiths. There is no need for conflict," she said.

"While we respect other people's religion, they should also respect our religion. By our very tenets (of Islam), we cannot have an image of the Prophet (s.a.w.) in any way. That is taboo. The prophet is the founder of our religion, we have to explain that to the people."

"Keep on telling them (and) once they have an understanding of Islam, its easier for us Muslims of the world to live side-by-side with the rest," she said.

-- BERNAMA