Nearly all influential British Muslims say Islamic State is ‘illegitimate’: report

Nearly all British Muslims with a professional background agree that Islamic State does not represent mainstream Muslim views and is not a “legitimate Islamic State,” a new report has revealed.

The report released by Islamic forum 5Pillars found that 94% high-profile British Muslims agreed that killing civilians is unlawful, and that Islam promotes “compassion and justice for all people regardless of religion, social status, race or any other context.”

“The desired aim of the research is to provide an empirical reference point for the media, academics and policymakers when ascertaining what equates to ‘normative Islam’,” authors of the report wrote.

On behalf of 5Pillars, Peter Pickersgill, surveyed influential Muslims, including imams, scholars, doctors, lawyers, journalists and bloggers.

Some 97 per cent of the 150 British Muslims who were surveyed agreed that Islam is the “final true religion God has revealed to mankind,” and that “God is the sole creator, uniquely One and has no partners.”

There were also high levels of agreement that Islam rejects forced marriage, forced conversion and racism.

Speaking in London at the report’s launch, 5pillars editor Roshan Muhammed Salih said he hoped it would become an “easy reference point for media and politicians,” adding the “government and media need to start engaging with mainstream views on Islam.”

“We believe the Muslim community is badly treated by the media and politicians who use catch-all terms to describe Muslims,” he said.

Noting that it was ‘impossible’ to represent the views of the three million Muslims living in Britain, deputy editor of the website, Dilly Hussain, explained respondents had been selected to represent professional and academic views on the religion.

The launch of the report was attended by prominent figures like the controversial cleric Shakeel Begg who preaches at the mosque attended by the killers of a British Army soldier, Lee Rigby. Begg told RT he hoped it would improve the image of British Muslims, saying there is “always suspicion,” but the report shows the “true image” of Islam.