Dear Mr Murad
In the wake of the terrible murder of a young soldier in Woolwich on Wednesday, I welcome the statement that you have issued on behalf of the Muslim Council of Britain. You said:
“This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly.
Our thoughts are with the victim and his family.We understand the victim is a serving member of the Armed Forces. Muslims have long served in this country's Armed Forces, proudly and with honour.
This attack on a member of the Armed Forces is dishonourable, and no cause justifies this murder. This action will no doubt heighten tensions on the streets of the United Kingdom.
We call on all our communities, Muslim and non-Muslim, to come together in solidarity to ensure the forces of hatred do not prevail.”
However there is much more you can do. You can disown the individuals and begin steps to excommunicate them from the Islamic faith. It would be farcical if the perpetrators of this horrendous act of terrorism continue to gain succour from claiming that they are Muslim. They should be disowned and thrown out of the religion. They should not be allowed any access to Islamic teachers, preachers, mullahs, or anyone else of the Islamic faith. They should be ostracised and a declaration made that these people are no longer recognised as being Muslim. Given the strength of your statement and the uncompromising tone of condemnation, I urge you to go one step further and excommunicate them.
Of course King Henry VIII of England was excommunicated by the Pope from the Catholic Church when he wasn’t granted a divorce from his then wife, so as to marry Ann Boleyn. Excommunication is the only way that you can demonstrate that people who terrorise and kill in the name of Islam, are no longer part of Islam. That will be the ultimate deterrent for those who really do believe that they are acting for the good of their faith. Deny them their faith. They have lost the right to belong to the faith. If you did this it would send shockwaves through those who seek to radicalise young Muslims and turn them to terrorism. Would they be prepared to accept the training and the radicalisation in the name of Islam, if Islam turns their back on them? I suggest not.
I realise that this is a controversial step. But just as some people lose their right to liberty when they commit crime, some of the most evil people should also have their religion lost to them when they commit the worst crimes. Lee Rigby lost his life in a pre-meditated hate-filled killing that was claimed to be in support of Islam. They do not deserve to have their warped version of Islam recognised. Take it away from them.
[NOTE from editor: excommunication in the sense of Christianity in Islam does not exist, thus this article is considered factually incorrect]
