“The anger over the past few days over the Sam Bacile anti
Islam film has been based on our anger and disgust at the
way our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has been depicted and
dishonoured.
I strongly condemn the violence and urge the Muslim world to
remain calm and peaceful.
Sam Bacile has made
out that he was an Israeli Jew and that his film was
financed by donors from the Jewish community, these
statements were carried in all major news agencies,
newspapers and radio stations stories. We now know
that not only was he dishonouring Islam in such a depicable
way, he was also lying about the Jewish community and his
connection to Israel.
I condemn him
without any reservation for this lie and attempt to divide
the Muslim and Jewish communities. The concern that
members of the Jewish community were financing this film
does appear to be a blatant lie and our request for the
Jewish community to disown this gentleman no longer applies.
If members of the Jewish community have taken offence to our
request we do apologise but our intention on issuing this
statement was based on the many media reports including from
Israel. I hope that those criticising the Ramadhan
Foundation will direct their anger towards the sources, the
various media platforms.
We should see this
attack against Islam as an attack on all people of faith, we
call on members of all faiths including the Christian,
Jewish communities to stand with the Muslims as we face this
torrent of abuse from such a vile and disgusting film.
Denigrating any faith should be an attack on us all and I
hope that we can all come together to confront this evil.
Any suggestion that
the Ramadhan Foundation made previous statements on the
basis of Antisemitism is plainly wrong, whilst the Ramadhan
Foundation strongly supports the Palestinians as they
struggle against occupatation from Israel, we do not and
will not become Anti Semitic and any suggestion that we are
is deeply hurtful and unacceptable.
Despite this
difference on the Middle East, Muslims and Jews have so much
in common and it is right we put our differences aside to
work on common interests.
Sam Bacile is
responsbile for the film, which has lead to some deaths and
violence across the Middle East, let us come together to
reject this evil and hatred.
END
Notes for editors
For immediate media interview requests please ring 07989
764624 (Media only)
-
The Ramadhan Foundation is a leading Muslim organisation
in the UK that is working for peaceful co-existence and
dialogue for all communities.
-
The Ramadhan Foundation has complained to the US
President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton this morning and also complained to YouTube.
-
Based in Greater Manchester and working to also
establish the platform for human unity amongst our
communities in the UK
-
Mohammed Shafiq is 33, Chief Executive of the Ramadhan
Foundation, a regular contributor on TV, Radio, Online
and also newspaper columnist
