Muslims Slam "Don't Vote" Flyers

TEHRAN (IQNA) - Flyers that urge Wales Muslims to boycott next month's elections have been vehemently rejected by the country's Muslims as "misguided", seeing them an attempt to mislead the peaceful religious minority.

"It is not representing the views of the majority of Muslims. I think the majority of Muslims want to vote and will," Akmal Hanuk, a trustee at the Muslim Council of Wales, said.
"From a Muslim Council of Wales perspective, we encourage them to vote."
Hanuk's comments followed confrontations that broke out outside an Islamic centre in Cardiff on Friday after men started handing out leaflets saying "no Muslim person should vote".
Flyers bearing "democracy violates the right of Allah" were put up on lampposts and bus stops on Friday morning in Grangetown, an area with a significant Muslim population, according to eyewitnesses.
"Democracy is a system whereby man violates the right of Allah and decides what is permissible or impermissible for mankind, based solely on their whims and desires," the flyers read.
"Islam is the only real, working solution for the UK. It is a comprehensive system of governance where the laws of Allah are implemented and justice is observed."
Condemning Friday's campaign, trustee for the Muslim Council of Wales distanced the Muslim community from the misleading flyers, saying that they don’t' reflect views of Cardiff Muslims.
On his part, Daoud Salaman, chairman of the South Wales Islamic Centre in Butetown, said "misguided boys" were behind the efforts to discourage voters.
On the same day, most of the posters that caused dismay have been ripped off and removed.
"Priority is given to flyer posting that can cause offence or is religiously motivated," a Cardiff council spokesman said as cleaning teams removed the flyers.
With the upcoming political elections in Britain, a new initiative, the Muslim Manifesto, was launched at the House of Lords on February 23rd.
The Muslim Manifesto is a call-to-action and a set of policy recommendations targeting all Muslim and non-Muslim British politicians in local councils and parliament.
Britain is home to a sizable Muslim minority of nearly 2 million.
A Financial Times opinion poll showed that Britain is the most suspicious nation about Muslims, estimated to number 2.8 million.
A poll of the Evening Standard found that a sizable section of London residents harbor negative opinions about Muslims.
Source: On Islam