Author: ANI
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 8, 2008
Anjem Choudary, a hate preacher, has created
a furore in the UK after he urged British Muslims not to wear poppies.
Choudary, 41, is the righthand man of exiled
cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed.
He said that any Muslim wearing poppy, the
symbol of respect in the UK, was betraying his religion and backing British
nationalism.
Choudary's statement came after news broke
that poppy sales were down in Muslim-dominated areas of the country.
A large number of Britons wear poppies in
commemoration of the victims of all wars fought by British citizens, including
Muslims.
This is not something we should be supporting.
We are not sanctioned to support poppies by the Sharia law, The Daily Star
quoted Choudary as saying.
He added, "We are talking about the Second
World War and this doesn't have anything to do with Muslims.
Muslims are not allowed to participate in
anything that is clearly British nationalism. However, other Muslims in Britain
don't share the same opinion.
Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik, the government's
first-ever Muslim minister, said, "As patron of the Royal British Legion
in Dewsbury, I'll be selling poppies in the town centre this Saturday. I think
it's really important to remember the freedoms we enjoy come at a price and
sometimes the ultimate price.
"The truth is that no matter what your
background, we all must remember that people died for this country and the
freedoms we hold dear and that is why I'm proud to wear my poppy."
Meanwhile, fury erupted after it was revealed
that Muslim strongholds have become nogo zones for poppy sellers.|
