Muslims stand up to extremists over Royal Wedding
Thursday, 21 April 2011 4:53 PM
By politics.co.uk staff
Plans by an extremist Muslim group to protest at the Royal Wedding have been denounced by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).
The group Muslims Against Crusades (MAC), responsible for burning poppies on Remembrance Day, threatened to turn the Royal Wedding into a "nightmare" when their application to protest the event at Westminster Abbey was rejected.
The MCB, the UK's largest umbrella body for Muslim groups, denounced the extremist group's "silly antics" which they said were at odds with Islam's teachings.
"We believe their action on this national occasion of celebration is completely at odds with the ethos of Islam. We remind them of Prophet Muhammed's blessed words, that 'marriage is indeed half of faith'," the MCB said in a statement.
"They have chosen a day when the whole nation will be watching in celebration and cause offence and stir friction amongst the Muslim and non-Muslim communities. We as a community need to stand united against such extremist groups and convey to the nation that this is not Islam.
"We hope that the British public recognises this as an act that yearns for publicity with the sole objective of claiming media attention for silly antics."
Muslims Against Crusades posted a statement on their website before their protest request was denied by the Metropolitan police.
"We promise that should they refuse, then the day which the nation has been dreaming of for so long will become a nightmare and that it will inshaa'allah (God willing) eclipse the protests in Barking, Downing Street and the events of November 11," it said.
The English Defence League were planning a counter-protest if the MAC demonstration had gone ahead.
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