25 November,2009 09:32 AM IST | | Qasim Mehdi
With not even 24 hours left for the first anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on India, I want to let people know that I feel embarrassed when they think that I'm a follower of 'Islam' the religion that Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab says he follows.
It really hurts when I'm looked at with suspicion just because I follow a religion thatu00a0sounds similar to that of some terrorists. And I am not alone in feeling this way. I am sure millions of Muslims across the globe share my feelings.
Hence, today I want to clear a major misconception in the minds of the common man. I want them to know that my Islam is completely different from the one that's being propagated by the likes of Mulla Omar or the scores of mullas who have distorted the religion of peace for their personal gains.
Also, I want to let people know that my Islam is utterly different from the one that's being followed by the likes of Qasab, Osama and hordes of harebrained lunatics who try to justify terrorism by calling it 'holy war'.
While Qasab's Islam promotes the killing of innocent people and promises reserved berths in heaven for those who do so, my Islam doesn't permit me to harm any innocent creature. In fact, my Islam considers causing harm to an innocent life as equal to harming the entire humanity. My Islam also advocates strict punishment for those who do so.
Qasab's Islam allows him to kill people who help him out by serving him water when he's thirsty, while on the other hand, my Islam advocates not even harming an animal or a bird when it's thirsty.
Besides, Qasab's Islam propagates hostility and sadism; however, my Islam preaches harmony and peaceful co-existence. Thus, my Islam is entirely different from the one that's preached and practised by people like Qasab.
Actually, Qasab and his likes are going against everything my faith stands for by involving themselves in terrorist activities. Hence, as far as I am concerned, their claim of being devout Muslims is a baseless one.u00a0
Thus, not only I but anyone with an open mind can clearly make out that they aren't even Muslims. In fact, they are the archenemies of Islam and have done all the damage that they can to tarnish the image of my religion. Moreover, the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai was a form of unu2013Islamic jihad and tight slap on the face of Islam. Every follower of true Islam must condemn it in their loudest possible voice. I do.
