Paris bleeds. But are all Muslims to blame for every terrorist attack?

Image courtesy: www.forgottenweapons.com/
Nalini Narayani Nalini Narayani folomojo staff

November 13, 2015. 9:20 pm will be marked in history as a tragic turn that mankind, especially Paris witnessed. 7 close knitted terror attacks at no less than 5 places in the fashion capital shook the French city of Love.

In a time span of half an hour nearly 129 people were killed and 350 injured. Isil ( Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as the ISIS) was found to be behind the attacks. Paris was in panic!

All the main locations of the weekend revelers, such as Stade De France, Rue Bichat, Rue De La Fontaine Au Roi, The La Belle Equipe Bar, Bataclan and Boulevard Voltaire were bathed with blood by gun shots killing many. This was followed by Paris announcing the first ever serious curfew since 1944.The world was panicking. Britain and the rest of the West was hiking security.

Another bomb had fallen over the dignity of the Muslims who had nothing to do with the attacks or terrorism itself. They would be hated all the more now for just being Muslim. They would be searched, humiliated and distrusted than ever before.

But, there are many who have decided to keep in mind that this would be wrong to the community itself, and amidst many sentiments of support towards the Muslim community, one has garnered the attention of many.

Image source: www.iStock.com
Image source: www.iStock.com

Leigh Matthews, a designer of a well known  restaurant from Cardiff, UK called Punkpandauk put up a post on Facebook that has caught the attention of the world and says why exactly we can’t blame every Muslim, every time a terror attack happens.

Here is the post

“Can I just take this opportunity to remind you all that Mr Mohammed from your local shop wasn’t involved in last nights attacks on Paris. Neither was Mrs Azeer from Lloyds Bank or her family. Kamal from down the road has never been to Paris, and his brother Abdul, the taxi driver, was watching the news in horror along with everyone else.

The people behind last night’s attacks weren’t Muslims, they were extremists using religion as vindication for their cowardice.

Please, I urge each and everyone of you, do not lay blame at the doors of the innocent just because of what they believe. They are no more to blame for Paris than you are.

We are one world and one family. Treat each other as such, because what happened last night should bring us closer together, not make us lash out against our neighbours for a perceived religion affiliation”

It might be difficult for the rest of the world, especially the ones closest to the attacks to look at things from this vantage point. Its come to such a point that, migrants who are running away from Syria are suspected to be linked to the attacks whereas they are running away from the same.

But it remains a fact that every Muslim is not a terrorist and faces an added black mark when somebody else in the name of his religion and faith, commits these crimes for reasons unknown to the rest.

Here are a few tweets under the tag #IAmMuslim that echo Leigh’s position:

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