Wrong perception of Islam in UK is a big challenge for Muslims

Karachi, Apr 30 (ANI): The United Kingdom Islamic Mission (UKIM) chief Dr Zahid Pervez has said that a wrong perception of Islam among the British and other communities, is a core challenge that Muslims face in the United Kingdom.

"To combat the issue, we interacted with other communities so as to convince them that Islam is a religion of peace and harmony," Dr Pervez told the Daily Times.

He said the Muslim community plays a vital role in the UK by contributing to business, services sector and even armed and law enforcement agencies.

Dr Pervez said that before 9/11, Muslims were living in the UK shared ideal relations with the British. "Soon after the incident, a storm of anti-Muslim sentiments tensed the situations. Muslims were targeted with hatred and on various occasions, even Sikhs were beaten up," he said.

"It was witnessed several times that media, particularly electronic, deliberately exaggerated and manipulated the situations," Dr Pervez said, adding that, "Ongoing era is the time of media, which can play a significant role in regard with opinion making." He said that Pakistani media could also play an important role for the Muslim community in the UK.

"Despite all these challenges, we are trying to unite Muslims, besides combating with an stereotype image of the Islam portrayed among masses by the Western media under a pre-planned conspiracy," the paper quoted Dr Pervez, as saying. (ANI)