The news of Britain’s youngest suicide bomber, 17 year-old Talha Asmal, is truly tragic and horrifying. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those innocent victims, whose lives have been cut so short by the barbarism of hateful individuals.
This attack by a British citizen highlights that the poisonous ideology of ISIS can reach and permeate our shores, here in Britain. It also serves as a timely reminder that our counter-terrorism strategies over the last decade have been hopeless and a complete failure. Despite attempts to prevent radicalisations of young Muslims, it had made little or no difference. Whether it is Talha Asmal, Mohammed Emwazi (Jihadi John), or young girls from London; far too many young Muslims are buying into and signing up to the murderous death cult that is ISIS.
We urge the Government – if they are serious about tacking this scourge fanaticism – to look beyond its closed circle of counter-terrorism ‘advisors’ and ‘experts.’ Far too often these organisation are disingenuous, self-serving, selective and have their own agendas and aims. The Government needs to command the respect of the Muslim community at the grass-roots level, in particular young Muslims, who are most susceptible to radicalisation; something which it is completely ineffectual at doing, at this moment in time.
At the same time, we the Muslim community have a deep sense of soul searching to do. How is it that our religion which we hold so dear to hearts, and is the source of all the good we do, has been hijacked and perverted by a tiny minority of extremists? We too have to launch our own war and battle (metaphorically) to reclaim the true identity of our faith, Islam, from these mad men who are running amok.
To this end, the British Muslim Youth fully endorse the first ‘Islamic Curriculum on Peace & Counter Terrorism,’ which is being launched by the world-renowned Islamic scholar, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Tahir ul Qadri (author of a 600+ page Fatwa against Terrorism and Suicide Bombings), and his organisation, Minhaj-ul-Quran International, as well as the Muslim League Youth UK. This will equip Islamic scholars and teachers and ordinary young people (over 50 young people have already been trained) with the tools they need to lead this charge against violence and extremism.
Now is the time for a grown up debate, where we stop looking at everything as being black and white. There are many shades of grey. It is time to enter a period of discourse, which encapsulates the fine and varied nuances of the difficulties we face. The solutions we need have to be enlightened, factual and most importantly of all, sincere.
We, the British Muslim Youth, intend to do just that in the coming days and weeks.
The post Press Release- Talha Asma, UK’s youngest suicide bomber- 15/06/2015 appeared first on British Muslim Youth.