Lockerbie newsagent Shabaz Ali is urging the community to differentiate between innocent Muslims and cruel ISIS terrorists who murdered 129 people in Paris last Friday night.
Mr Ali, proprietor of the Annandale Herald newsagents, believes that by expressing his views he can try to prevent or limit any community backlash.
He said: “In light of the attacks in Paris social media has been going wild with condolence messages and also comments regarding Islam.
“As a Muslim first of all my prayers go out to all the victims and family of those who were affected by the attacks — there are no words to excuse this despicable act.
“But this now means Muslims around the world will have to defend their religion due to the actions of a minority — who in most eyes are not Muslims, although 90 per cent of the world’s media will have you believe that it’s the religion of Islam that these terrorists are following.”
The businessman went on to explain that Islam forbids the killing of innocents.
He said: “The prophet Muhammad would only treat his so called enemies with love and compassion. “You do not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you deal with them with forgiveness and kindness” — those are his teachings.
“These so-called ISIS are not Muslims and have no right to kill or terrorise in the name of Islam. Their only history is that they were mercenaries paid and armed by western forces to do their dirty work in the Middle East, where they have the most natural global resources in the world.”
The Glasgow native who has owned and managed the well established newsagents for nearly four years, and whose family run popular Lockerbie takeaway Curry Corner, is hopeful that the community that he now calls home will not allow their opinions of Muslims to be altered.
He said: “Please don’t go jumping on the band wagon believing all the stories you see on TV or read in media about the small minority of bad people linked with ISIS.
“Just keep in mind that there are over 1.5 billion good, peaceful Muslims in this world, if Islam taught violence, you would already be dead – we stand stronger together.
“Pray for Paris. Pray for Palestine. Pray for Syria.”
