Is this a triumph for the Islamic peacemakers?

[naomi24]

http://www.thisislond...slamic-peacemakers.do

Your thoughts?

[Gromit]

It is hardly a triumph, but it is very welcome.

Minhaj-ul-Quran is a very small sect and Dr Tahir ul-Qadri's Fatwa will be ignored by those who have other agendas.

It is good to see a bit of good press about the muslim faith which is largely demonised in the right wing press. The journalist, the ex-wife of Boris Johnson, has obviously used her contacts to good effect. As a recent convert ti Islam though, I fear it will be easy for the Islam haters on this forum to dismiss her report and Dr Tahir ul-Qadri's Fatwa.

[Gromit]

Just to clarify may last paragraph, the journalist is a convert to Islam, not myself.

[R1Geezer]

Most welcome if a little comical. Fatwa = Death......err to suicide Bombers? Right oh that's going to put them off!

[Gromit]

Time for you to put on the dunces cap again R1Geezer.

A Fatwa is an opinion by a religious scholar. A decree. Nothing to do with ordering anyones death.

[anotheoldgit]

/// Nothing to do with ordering anyones death.///

You are always so smug Gromit, but although not necessarily so in all cases, but you can't say it has NOTHING to do with ordering anyone's death.

/// The Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the death of author Salman Rushdie, whom he accused of blasphemy. Another well-known and deadly fatwa was issued by Osama bin Laden in 1998 and called for Muslims to execute Americans and their allies.///

[Gromit]

AOG

A Fatwa is like a Papal Bull. It is a statement issued by a top religious scholar. There have been Fatwas commanding executions just as there have been Papal Bulls calling for executions.

But you wouldn't translate 'Papal Bull' as a death threat, so you shouldn't think that a Fatwa is a death threat, it can be on any subject.

Here is a list of recent Fatwas from the FatwaBank (I kid you not)

http://www.islamonlin...ar/Page/FatwaCounselE

[Lonnie]

I have the greatest respect for Dr Tahir ul-Qadri coming out and speaking as he does, but somehow, I don't think it'll make much difference.

[keyplus90]

I do have huge respect for Dr Tahir Qadri as I have watched his programmes since long time and have had pleasure of listening to him in the local mosque in Lahore (my birth city). No doubt he is highly respected and no one has ever shown any doubt about his knowledge either.

But I personally believe that his Fatwa only will not change much.

[naomi24]

I too think this can only be a good thing Lonnie.......

.......... but sadly Keyplus, even though he is highly respected, I think you're right.

[R1Geezer]

Dam Gromit, no one told Salman Rushdie, I bet he wished he knew, could have saved 20+ years of skulking about in the broom cupboard! What about all those Muslims who went on prime time saying they where going to do their best to kill him? Perhaps they misunderstood the ayatollah! That is a sort of death threat, even on planet Gromit!

[Gromit]

Geezer, read the intro paragraph here that explains what a Fatwa is.

http://www.telegraph....ism-to-be-issued.html