Glasgow Shopkeeper (12/05/16)
One of the people I follow on Twitter, Sunny Hundal (a journalist) posted this video of a leading politician in Pakistan, Raja Pervez Ashram, attacking Ahmadi Muslims who share the same religious faith as the Glasgow shopkeeper.
In his Twitter post, Sunny Hundal asks the rhetorical question:
"Imagine if an Israeli politician said this about Palestinians....wouldn't it be outrageous? Instead, there's silence."
Raja Ashraf, just to make things even more depressing, is a former Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Can you imagine what this ignorant oaf says 'off camera' if this is how he speaks and behaves when his views are likely to be reported?
Religion of Peace? (11/04/16)
The BBC reported on the murder of a Glasgow shopkeeper, Asad Shah, by a fellow Muslim, Tanveer Ahmed, who regards Mr Shah as a heretic.
We know this because Tanveer Ahmed released an extraordinary statement in which he admits killing Mr Shah because Mr Shah 'disrespected' Islam, or to be more accurate Mr Tanveer's interpretation of Islam.
Now if you ask me, this is eerily similar to the words of the Glasgow imam, Habid Ur Rehman, a holy man, allegedly, who expressed his support recently for the murder of the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, who was slain by one of his own bodyguards for seeking to protect Christians from Pakistan's infamous blasphemy laws.
So the Glasgow imam glorifies the murder of a fellow Muslim in Pakistan and then a chap from Bradford travels all the way too Glasgow to attack and kill another Muslim, again in the name of his religion.
As regular readers know, I'm not a religious person and I don't believe that the Prophet Muhammad spoke to God, or that he flew around what is now the Middle East on a winged horse or that he split the moon on two.
Perhaps that makes me a heretic or a blasphemer in the eyes of the Glasgow imam or the chap from Bradford, and therefore a perfectly legitimate target for those seeking to enforce their religious views through the use of violence, intimidation and murder.
If so, there is something troubling about the fact that mainstream Muslims in the UK seem to hold views that are deeply at odds with our democratic, live and let live way of life.
We know this because Tanveer Ahmed released an extraordinary statement in which he admits killing Mr Shah because Mr Shah 'disrespected' Islam, or to be more accurate Mr Tanveer's interpretation of Islam.
Now if you ask me, this is eerily similar to the words of the Glasgow imam, Habid Ur Rehman, a holy man, allegedly, who expressed his support recently for the murder of the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, who was slain by one of his own bodyguards for seeking to protect Christians from Pakistan's infamous blasphemy laws.
So the Glasgow imam glorifies the murder of a fellow Muslim in Pakistan and then a chap from Bradford travels all the way too Glasgow to attack and kill another Muslim, again in the name of his religion.
As regular readers know, I'm not a religious person and I don't believe that the Prophet Muhammad spoke to God, or that he flew around what is now the Middle East on a winged horse or that he split the moon on two.
Perhaps that makes me a heretic or a blasphemer in the eyes of the Glasgow imam or the chap from Bradford, and therefore a perfectly legitimate target for those seeking to enforce their religious views through the use of violence, intimidation and murder.
If so, there is something troubling about the fact that mainstream Muslims in the UK seem to hold views that are deeply at odds with our democratic, live and let live way of life.
BBC Glasgow & West Scotland
Image caption - Asad Shah died after being found badly injured near his shop in the Shawlands area of Glasgow on Thursday
The man accused of murdering Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah has issued a statement saying he carried out the killing because he believed Mr Shah had 'disrespected' Islam.
Tanveer Ahmed, 32, from Bradford, is accused of killing Mr Shah outside his shop in Glasgow almost a fortnight ago.
In the statement he denied the incident had anything to do with Christianity.
Mr Ahmed claimed Asad Shah had "disrespected" Islam by claiming to be a prophet.
The shopkeeper, an Ahmadi Muslim, who had moved from Pakistan to Glasgow almost 20 years ago, was found with serious injuries outside his shop on 24 March. He was pronounced dead in hospital.
During the police investigation officers claimed the incident was "religiously prejudiced" and confirmed both men were Muslims.
Hundreds attended a silent vigil in Mr Shah's memory and more than £110,000 has been raised for his family through public donations.
Tanveer Ahmed made no plea during a private court appearance, where he was charged with Mr Shah's murder
The man accused of murdering Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah has issued a statement saying he carried out the killing because he believed Mr Shah had 'disrespected' Islam.
Tanveer Ahmed, 32, from Bradford, is accused of killing Mr Shah outside his shop in Glasgow almost a fortnight ago.
In the statement he denied the incident had anything to do with Christianity.
Mr Ahmed claimed Asad Shah had "disrespected" Islam by claiming to be a prophet.
The shopkeeper, an Ahmadi Muslim, who had moved from Pakistan to Glasgow almost 20 years ago, was found with serious injuries outside his shop on 24 March. He was pronounced dead in hospital.
During the police investigation officers claimed the incident was "religiously prejudiced" and confirmed both men were Muslims.
Hundreds attended a silent vigil in Mr Shah's memory and more than £110,000 has been raised for his family through public donations.
Tanveer Ahmed made no plea during a private court appearance, where he was charged with Mr Shah's murder
Image caption - Floral tributes have been placed at the scene of Mr Shah's death
He was remanded in custody and is expected to appear at the High Court at a later date.
This highly unusual statement was made through his lawyer, John Rafferty, after Ahmed's second appearance at court before sheriff Brian Adair.
Ahmed made no plea during private court appearance, charged with Mr Shah's murder.
He was remanded in custody and is expected to appear at the High Court at a later date.
He was remanded in custody and is expected to appear at the High Court at a later date.
This highly unusual statement was made through his lawyer, John Rafferty, after Ahmed's second appearance at court before sheriff Brian Adair.
Ahmed made no plea during private court appearance, charged with Mr Shah's murder.
He was remanded in custody and is expected to appear at the High Court at a later date.
Unusual statement
The highly unusual statement was made through Mr Ahmed's lawyer, John Rafferty after his second appearance at court before sheriff Brian Adair.
The statement given is: "My client Mr Tanveer Ahmed has specifically instructed me that today, 6 April 2016, to issue this statement to the press, the statement is in the words of my client.
"This all happened for one reason and no other issues and no other intentions.
"Asad Shah disrespected the messenger of Islam the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Mr Shah claimed to be a Prophet.
"When 1400 years ago the Prophet of Islam Muhammad peace be upon him has clearly said that 'I am the final messenger of Allah there is no more profits or messengers from God Allah after me.
'I am leaving you the final Quran. There is no changes. It is the final book of Allah and this is the final completion of Islam'.
'There is no more changes to it and no one has the right to claim to be a Prophet or to change the Quran or change Islam.'
"It is mentioned in the Quran that there is no doubt in this book no one has the right to disrespect the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and no one has the right to disrespect the Prophet of Islam Muhammad Peace be upon him.
"If I had not done this others would and there would have been more killing and violence in the world.
"I wish to make it clear that the incident was nothing at all to do with Christianity or any other religious beliefs even although I am a follower of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him I also love and respect Jesus Christ."
Mormon Targets
I don't have much truck with the Mormon religion, but crazy as many of its beliefs and traditions are, if yours me, they are no better or worse than those of other religious faiths.
Now if I remember correctly, Mormons believe that their leader, Joseph Smith, was a prophet who founded the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in upstate New York, in the early 19th century, after discovering set of golden plates which he had been led to by an Angel of God.
Sounds barmy, I know, but no more barmy than Moses parting the Red Sea, or Jesus Christ coming back from the dead on Easter Sunday, or the Prophet Muhammad splitting the moon in two.
Yet for believing that Joseph Smith is another of God's prophets with the latest insight into how God believes we should all live our lives, Mormons must be blasphemers and heretics, at least in the eyes of those who follow a conservative version of Islam.
Like the Glasgow imam, Habid Ur Rehman, who celebrated the murder of a fellow Muslim in Pakistan or the chap from Bradford, Tanveer Ahmed, who travelled all the way to Glasgow to attack and kill the peaceful shopkeeper, Asad Shah.
Now I agree that the majority of Muslims are peaceful and law-abiding although if you ask me, Islam has a real problem with the way it is taught in parts of the world - where jihad and martyrdom are glorified, while others are condemned to death for being blasphemers, heretics and apostates.
Even mild-mannered authors like Salman Rushdie.
