Muslims 'shouldn't have to apologise for IS', says Hong Kong Islamic group leader, calling for solidarity from all faiths
Young leader calls for people of all faiths not to let terrorists divide us
Muslims should not be forced to condemn terrorist acts carried out in the name of Islam every time they happen, the founder of a new Islamic group in Hong Kong says.
"It's not fair that every time an [Islamic State] attack happens, Muslims are required to condemn and distance themselves from it," said the executive director of the Muslim Council of Hong Kong, Adeel Malik, 31.
"Just like we don't expect Christians to constantly condemn the acts of the terrorist group in central Africa, the Buddhists for what's happening in Burma and many other groups. "We feel we shouldn't always be expected to condemn acts when any rational human being will naturally be against any type of violence being done by anyone in any part of the world."
Malik registered the group as a company about three months ago. He said it was an independent body and not affiliated with the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong, the umbrella group of the city's six mosques.
Yesterday afternoon, Malik spent several hours in Tsim Sha Tsui handing out a "letter of peace" from the group wrote in response to last Friday's Paris terror attacks that killed 130 people.
The letter condemned the attacks, stating that: "We must not let these terrorists from any part of the world divide us. Let us not play into their evil narrative, and instead show them people of all faiths and backgrounds can live peacefully together."
