Muslims condemn terror, say India's their motherland

NOT RIGHT: Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin says terrorism in the name of Islam has gone on for too long.

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New Delhi: Indian Muslims are feeling that their patriotism is being questioned again following the Mumbai terror attacks by Pakistan-trained terrorists.

Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the terrorist captured in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack is a Muslim and a Pakistani but Indian Muslims say that they have noting common with him.

The community is angry at terrorists’ spreading terror in the name of Jihad.

"Please do not confuse Indian Muslims with Pakistani Muslims. Indian Muslims belong to this country and this is their motherland," says senior journalist MJ Akbar.

Over 200 people were killed, more than 300 injured and Muslims say those who held India's financial capital to ransom and made hostage of an entire nation of over a billion, terrorised it for over 60 hours were not Muslims, and the action definitely not Jihad.

"Persons believing in Islam and committing atrocities and killing other people are not following the teachings of Islam," says Wasi Ahmad Nomani, senior advocate of Supreme Court.

A cross section of the community believes that the larger purpose behind the 26/11 strikes was to trigger communal violence. And so they feel Muslims have a greater responsibility now to reach out to people from other communities.

"Majority community or the other communities should know more about their Muslim brothers. I think the social interaction has to increase," another prominent Muslim Shahid Mehdi says.

The voices are coming from far and wide and the fear is that Islam is being wrongly interpreted by the maulanas.

"There is an Islam from the mullahs and I appeal to all of them 'please give the right reading of the Koran to the people'. I do it to my children. No where in the Koran which we consider as the word of Allah does it say that you are going to be given jannat (heaven) if you kill harmless, innocent people. No where," says Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

On December 9, the Bakr-Eid celebrations will be sober. Muslims from all walks of life will organise a black ribbon protest.

Former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin in an interview to a newspaper has said, "The protest will send out a strong message to the world. Everyone wants to live in a safe environment, and terrorism in the name of Islam has gone on for too long."

The message from Indian Muslims is loud and clear that enemies of India are their enemies and terrorists are enemies of Islam.