Where does religious tolerance get Muslims? Shocking reaction to Easter greeting reveals extremist hatred
FREE Catholic Classes
A devout Muslim living and working in Glasgow, Scotland, was attacked by a fellow Muslim after showing Christians religious tolerance and respect.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
3/29/2016 (7 years ago)
Published in Europe
Keywords: Muslim, Christian, Easter, Asad Shah, shopkeeper
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Asad Shah was a well-liked shopkeeper described by neighbor Jen Bannerman to be "a popular, well-respected and much-loved member of [the] community ... a warm and friendly man [who] always went out of his way to make time to talk to you ... He was a friend to many."
On Good Friday, Shah posted a message to his Facebook page reading: "Good Friday and very happy Easter especially to my beloved Christian nation ... Lets [sic] follow the real footsteps of beloved Holy Jesus Chirst [sic] ... and get the real success in both worlds."
Hours later, Shah was attacked by another Muslim on the street in what has been described as a "religiously prejudiced" attack.One eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Scottish Daily Record: "As I drove past I saw two men standing over the victim. One was stamping on his head. There was a pool of blood on the ground. It was horrific."
Shah was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital but died as a result of the savage attack in which he was repeatedly stabbed and brutally beaten.
Shah's family members have since been advised by police to disguise their location in Britain as they could also be targeted.
Meanwhile, Shah's murderer remains on the loose.
In a gesture of support for Shah's religious tolerance, and the widow he left behind, Bannerman created a GoFundMe account to raise Ł1,500. In only four days, 4,990 donors raised Ł100,743, with several commenting what a wonderful person Shah was and offering well-wishes to his family and loved ones.
According to the Spectator, Shah was an Ahmadiyya (Ahmadi) Muslim - a minority denomination known for their peaceful outlooks and "love for all, hatred for none" attitudes.
Ironically, it is the very notion of loving others that has made Ahmadi Muslims the most persecuted of all denominations.
In the wake of Shah's attack, Police Scotland assistant chief constable Ruaraidh Nicolson released a letter in which he warned any "sectarian conflict, hatred or extremism will be dealt with swiftly and strongly. ... What we are able to say, having engaged with many denominations within the Muslim communities, is that they all resolutely condemn any form of hatred, extremism and violence.
"We are proud of our community cohesion. Through continuing to work and engage with our communities we will ensure they remain safe and are always protected. ... Additional patrols and police visibility have been arranged to help reassure you at this difficult time."
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online