Muslims rally against extremism
IS atrocities spark anger and frustration
PARIS — In tweets, in street gatherings and in open letters, moderate Muslims around the world are insisting that Islamic State extremists don’t speak for their religion. Many are also frustrated that anyone might think they do, and a backlash has already begun.
This week’s videotaped beheading of a French mountaineer by militants linked to the Islamic State group prompted heartsick fury among Muslims in France and elsewhere in Europe, torn between anger at the atrocities committed in the name of Islam and frustration that they have to defend themselves at all.
Herve Gourdel was the fifth Western hostage decapitated in recent weeks by Islamic extremists — this time, the militants said, as revenge for France’s decision to join air strikes against the Islamic State group.
The head of France’s largest mosque called for Muslims to rally Friday in Paris to condemn Gourdel’s slaying and show unity against terrorism, saying Islamic State’s “deadly ideology” had nothing to do with Islam. Within hours of the call, the rector of the Bordeaux mosque, Tareq Oubrou, said French Muslims need not demonstrate in the name of Islam — but should be joined by everyone.
“They are doubly affected, because this crime touched one of our countrymen and because this crime was carried out in the name of our religion,” Oubrou told RTL radio.
The same debate played out elsewhere. The hashtag campaign #notinmyname — or #pasenmon- nom in French — initiated by British Muslims who wanted to show their opposition to extremist violence, spawned a #MuslimApologies backlash by those who thought the sense of regret was overwrought. Tweets “apologized” for algebra, soap and coffee.
“Nowhere does the Qur’an say other religions or nations must be attacked. Cutting people’s heads off is really the most despicable. If air strikes can stop these fundamentalist, aggressive ideas from spreading, I am all for it,” said 65-year-old Enes Mustafic.
An online poll posted by France’s Le Figaro newspaper, asking whether people thought the country’s Muslim community had sufficiently denounced Gourdel’s death, drew an infuriated response. Rachida Dati, the mayor of Paris’ 7th arrondissement and the daughter of Algerian immigrants, called for an end to the “confounding of Islam and fundamentalism, as the French political class has done for too long.” The paper on Friday apologized for what it called a “clumsy” question.
Dawud Walid, director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said headlines about Islamic State were often frustrating in his work. Walid said he’s been speaking out against excessive force by police after the fatal shooting of a young black man in Ferguson, Missouri.
“I received calls and emails from fellow Americans who say, ‘Why are you worried about what’s going in Ferguson? Stop ISIS.’ That is ridiculous,” said Walid, a black Muslim.