[Atlantis]

More than 30,000 Muslims from across the world meet in the UK to reject Isis and Islamic extremism

'The only thing the terrorists are achieving is to completely violate the teachings of the Holy Quran and of the Holy Prophet Muhammad,' said His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

Thousands of Muslims from around the world converged on the UK for a convention where they rejected extremism and violence of terror groups such as Isis.

More than 30,000 members of the Ahmadiyya Islamic movement met at Oakland Farm in Hampshire for a three-day convention, the 50th time the annual event has taken place.

On the final day, attendees were led by the global Caliph of the movement in a vow of peace and and a pledge of allegiance to their home countries

"The only thing the terrorists are achieving is to completely violate the teachings of the Holy Quran and of the Holy Prophet Muhammad," His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad told attendees, according to the MailOnline.

"Let it be clear that they are not practising Islam, rather it seems as though they have invented their own hate-filled and poisonous religion."

The Ahmadiyya movement has 129 centres across the UK including the Baitul Futh Mosque in south London, the biggest in Western Europe.

The movement was founded in India in 1889 with a strong emphasis of peace over violence and tolerance over extremism.

The President of the UK Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Rafiq Hayat said: “The 30,000 plus people from over 90 countries gathering at the convention come in the spirit of fraternity – and to give thanks for the security and freedom they have found in Britain.

“Many have fled persecution in other countries and together, they will re-affirm their pledge to follow the true teachings of Islam – that are teachings of peace – and to counter all forms of extremism and intolerance.

“We have much to be grateful for in Britain which has allowed our community to prosper and contribute to British life for more than 100 years. We count ourselves proud to call ourselves British Ahmadi Muslims.”

The official motto of the movement is"Love for all, hatred for none".

Asad Shah, a Glasgow shopkeeper and well-known propronent of Ahmadiyya beliefs ,was murdered on March 24 by a man who alleged Mr Shah had "disrespected" Islam.

[Frollein]

So what you're saying is that Nazis reject the NSDAP and the SS?

[Political Interest]

Ahmadis have been some of the biggest victims of terrorism. They are considered heretics by many Sunni Muslims and have no place within political Islam. It is no surprise that they reject extremism and violence.

[Donna]

It was also Ahmadiyya Muslims who began praying with Parisian Christians after Fr. Jacques Hamel was martyred. It is unfortunate that they are a much-loathed minority sect within Islam, but their willingness to mix liturgical traditions is suspect. They might as well convert to Christianity.

[Saeko]

So just 33,000 Muslims represent all 1.2 billion of them?

[Atlantis]

So just 33,000 Muslims represent all 1.2 billion of them?

I think the 1.2 billion might have problems congregating at Oakland Farm in Hampshire. The UK may not even give them visas.

[skinster]

Yeah, what kind of idiot thinks all the Muslims of the world can suddenly hop on over to jolly little England?

In related news, New documents show that members of ISIS don’t know squat about Islam.

Not that either the OP or this would change the minds of the Islamophobes. They've been brainwashed well.

[Rancid]

I'm sure most Muslims don't know squat about Islam. Same can be said with the practitioners of most other religions too.

Often times, people attend church purely for the social interactions and not for the religion.

[Donna]

Actually, the documents indicated that the majority of ISIS fighters had a 'basic' knowledge of Sharia. Who doesn't?

Somehow this became a media narrative that ISIS fighters are irreligious.

[Political Interest]

It was also Ahmadiyya Muslims who began praying with Parisian Christians after Fr. Jacques Hamel was martyred. It is unfortunate that they are a much-loathed minority sect within Islam, but their willingness to mix liturgical traditions is suspect. They might as well convert to Christianity.

They also allow their flock to become apostates without imposing the death penalty on them.

It is not beyond the realm of possibility that they could convert to Christianity if they wanted to do so.

[skinster]

Actually, the documents indicated that the majority of ISIS fighters had a 'basic' knowledge of Sharia. Who doesn't?

Yes, a basic knowledge, which suggests they don't know the religion very well.

Somehow this became a media narrative that ISIS fighters are irreligious.

Congrats for finally acknowledging it.

[Donna]

Yes, a basic knowledge, which suggests they don't know the religion very well.

I'd say there's a difference between having basic knowledge of Sharia and having basic knowledge of Islam. The latter does suggest a degree of irreligiousness while the former not so much.

[skinster]

Okay.

[Dagoth Ur]

How does having a basic knowledge of Islam suggest irreligiousness?

[Donna]

How does having a basic knowledge of Islam suggest irreligiousness?

As opposed to basic knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence? Logically, if we consider "Islam" as a more general category, basic knowledge of it might be considered less specialized than basic knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence.

[Dagoth Ur]

These are the kind of people who don't even know about different madhabs so I don't really think this "specialization in jurisprudence" means much.

I still don't see how having an understanding of a greater range of Islamic knowledge in any way suggests irreligiousness.

[Donna]

These are the kind of people who don't even know about different madhabs so I don't really think this "specialization in jurisprudence" means much.

I still don't see how having an understanding of a greater range of Islamic knowledge in any way suggests irreligiousness.

It's a fairly reasonable observation I think. Someone with a basic knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence probably has a more-than elementary knowledge of Islam, just as someone with a basic knowledge of Patristics or Scholastic philosophy probably has a more-than elementary knowledge of Christianity.

[Dagoth Ur]

Except that they don't. According to ISIS own documentation recruits know nothing about Islam, and have vague ideas about sharia.

[Donna]

Except that they don't. According to ISIS own documentation recruits know nothing about Islam, and have vague ideas about sharia.

Nah, the documents only gauged their knowledge of religious jurisprudence:

Recruits were asked to rank their knowledge of Islamic law on a scale of one to three. Seventy percent had the lowest score, or only “basic” knowledge of Sharia, while 24 percent had “intermediate” knowledge, and just 5 percent were “advanced.”

[GandalfTheGrey]

Actually, the documents indicated that the majority of ISIS fighters had a 'basic' knowledge of Sharia. Who doesn't?

Somehow this became a media narrative that ISIS fighters are irreligious.

Thats not the point. The point is these ISIS hicks are constantly hailed by the usual suspects as adhering to the true doctrinal message of Islam. So if thats the case, why aren't muslims with the best knowledge of Islamic doctrine the ones who are flocking to ISIS - instead of the ignorant hicks?

I'd say there's a difference between having basic knowledge of Sharia and having basic knowledge of Islam. The latter does suggest a degree of irreligiousness while the former not so much.

Your making the flawed assumption that these people make a distinction between the two - they don't. To ISIS and all the other knuckleheads, Sharia Law is Islam. Well, strictly speaking, all muslims consider Sharia law and Islam one in the same - but to mainstream Islam sharia law is a very very different thing than it is to the salafists. To me, sharia law is the "laws" prescribed to me by God - and it remains a strictly personal thing between me and God. But for the knuckleheads, sharia law is essentially all the man-made "Islamic" laws enforced by man. But from my perspective, that concept is completely foreign in true Islam.