West promotes unfounded prejudice for fear of Islam's rapid development: Ahmad Zahid

ALOR GAJAH: The unfounded prejudice that has been promoted by certain quarters in the West against Islam is due to the fact that the religion is emerging and fastest growing in the world today, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said such quarters feared that the rapid growth of Islam, with 1.8 billion people around the world, could become a major source of strength to the religion.

He added the prejudice that linked Muslims with militant activities such as Daesh was inaccurate as a study conducted by Mohammed Alnaif Rehabilitation Centre in Saudi Arabia, revealed that 87% of terrorists did not have a strong basic religious education.

"It is this kind of strength that has created the prejudice. Therefore, we hope that the Muslims themselves will correct this image so that the prejudice will be eliminated.

"Do not expect other religions or people to do it as only the Muslims can correct the image of its followers," he told reporters after attending the 'Hafaz Aqso' graduation ceremony and the 2016 Ulul Albab special programme at SM Imtiaz Ulul Albab (SMIUA) in Masjid Tanah here today.

The event was officiated by Melaka Yang diPertua Negri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob.

Ahmad Zahid said the new generation particularly those who came from the religious stream such as SMIUA, needed to play their roles in correcting the prejudice against Islam.

As such, he said Muslims should have basic and strong formal religious education to correct such image and not to be involved in any radical activity that posed a threat to the world community.

"If (they) have both strong religious and academic knowledge , they will not be involved (in radical activity) ... they (the terrorists) take the short cut to go to heaven. There are no shortcuts as (one) must go through the 'ibadah' (worship) process," he said. — Bernama