'There are indeed gruesome parts of the Old Testament. However there is this thing called the New Testament that came after it and is full of peace and love type stuff. The religion basically follows the teaching of Christ, which is non-violent.'
My point was that if I only came across those particular verses I would have a very negative view of Christianity. Likewise some people and groups both amongst non-muslims and muslims only ever focus on or are exposed to verses in the Quran that are about war. So they become indoctrinated to think that's a primary focus of the religion when really it isn't. Islam is a holistic faith it deals with war, peace, love, hate, morality, the environment, family life, justice, tolerance, science etc. Somebody asked earlier what is the attraction of the faith to converts. Why don't you ask them? You will never get one answer. There are lots of different aspects of the religion that are attractive to different people. Why don't you read the Quran for yourself before you come to a conclusion about Islam and start propagating fallacies (like there is a great deal in the Koran which encourages war and violence) about it without having any knowledge.
'But oh noooooooo it was nothing to do with islam, they were just uhnhappy with British foreign policy'
Again, I absolutely, categorically deny that these people's actions were motivated or justified by Islam. See I don't look to people like Anjum Chaudhry or Omar Bakri to explain to me what Islam teaches (both men have had very little training or education in Islamic sciences). Instead I look to the actual theologians, scholars and clerics of the religion. People who actual have the education and authority to define and teach what Islam is and what it isn't. For example I just need to think of one particular verse in the Quran (though there are several) to totally refute that the Woolich bombings could be justified by Islam.
"O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others allow you to avoid justice. Be just: that is closer to piety; and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do." [Al Maaidah: 8]
How have muslim scholars interpreted this verse.
Ibn Katheer a scholar from the 13th century explains:
?Do not let your hatred of a people cause you to be unjust to them, rather you must be just to everyone, friends or enemies, this is why Allah said: 'Be just: that is closer to piety' Meaning being just is closer to piety than being unjust.?
At Tabari, a renowned scholar of the 8th century comments:
?Do not let enmity between you and others cause you to be unjust in your dealings and rulings with them such that you oppress them due to the enmity that is between you.?
Al Qurtubi, a scholar from the 12th century states:
?This verse also proves that the disbelief of non-Muslims must not prevent us from being just to them...and it is not permissible for us to retaliate in the same manner, even if they kill our women and children and cause sorrow to befall us, it is not permissible for us to act likewise with the intention of making them feel grief and sorrow.?
These three Imams are respected authorities within the Islamic faith so their interpretation has weight. I know that EDL types like to pretend that its the Radical muslims that have interpreted the religion correctly and the moderates who don't actually understand it but then do you think that these radicals know more than the following group of contemporary muslim scholars who have completely condemned terrorist acts?
Shaykh Muhammed Sayyid al-Tantawi, imam of al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, Egypt (established in 970 CE and reputed to be the oldest university for Islamic learning in the world):
?Attacking innocent people is not courageous, it is stupid and will be punished on the day of judgement. ? It?s not courageous to attack innocent children, women and civilians. It is courageous to protect freedom, it is courageous to defend oneself and not to attack.?
Abdulaziz bin ?Abdallah Al-Ashaykh, chief mufti of Saudi Arabia:
?Firstly: the recent developments in the United States including hijacking planes, terrorizing innocent people and shedding blood, constitute a form of injustice that cannot be tolerated by Islam, which views them as gross crimes and sinful acts. Secondly: any Muslim who is aware of the teachings of his religion and who adheres to the directives of the Holy Qur?an and the sunnah (the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad) will never involve himself in such acts, because they will invoke the anger of God Almighty and lead to harm and corruption on earth.?
Council of Saudi ?Ulama, fatwa of February 2003:
?What is happening in some countries from the shedding of the innocent blood and the bombing of buildings and ships and the destruction of public and private installations is a criminal act against Islam. ? Those who carry out such acts have the deviant beliefs and misleading ideologies and are responsible for the crime. Islam and Muslims should not be held responsible for such actions.?
Tahirul Qadri, head of the Awami Tehrik Party, Pakistan:
?Bombing embassies or destroying non-military installations like the World Trade Center is no jihad. ? they [terrorists] can't claim that their suicide bombings are martyrdom operations and that they become the heroes of the Muslim Umma [global brotherhood]. No, they become heroes of hellfire, and they are leading towards hellfire."
Organization of the Islamic Conference, Summit Conference:
?We are determined to fight terrorism in all its forms. ? Islam is the religion of moderation. It rejects extremism and isolation. There is a need to confront deviant ideology where it appears"
These are just a few and there are many more examples of authoritative figures and organisations in the Muslim world denouncing these sorts of acts. The problem is no matter how many times Muslim organisations and scholars denounce terrorism, Western acts of aggression in the Muslim world will always be an effective recruitment and propaganda tool for these Radical Muslim groups. Unfortunately, they can do nothing to stop/change UK and US foreign policy.