In recent days, British Muslims have been standing against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) using social media.
British Muslims send a clear message to #IS #ISIS sectarian murderers -- #notinmyname
Zahra Qadir, a spokesperson for Active Change, the charity who set up the campaign, told BuzzFeed News: "The world does not see that this is not permitted in Islam," Qadir said. "We want to tell the world that these groups are no representatives of our faith. Islam has no room for these groups, they hide behind our faith to justify the atrocious acts they commit."
Yesterday, a new hashtag sprang up: #MuslimApologies.
As the Washington Post reports: "The hashtag sprung up on the same day that President Obama said before the United Nations General Assembly that 'it is time for the world – especially Muslim communities – to explicitly, forcefully, and consistently reject the ideology of al Qaeda and ISIL.'"
President Obama mentioned #NotInMyName – and this hashtag serves much the same purpose, but it's funnier and more frustrated about the notion of collective responsibility. As the Washington Post put it: "Many of the tweets express weariness about having to apologize for the actions of extremists who claim to represent Islam, a religion with an estimated 1.6 billion adherents worldwide."
1. Many used it to point out the historical legacy of Islam.
I'm sorry the founder of the world's oldest university was a Muslim women in 859 (Fez, Morocco): Fatima al-Fihri #MuslimApologies
2.
Sorry for trigonometry, aerodynamics and astronomy. #muslimapologies
3.
sorry for Algebra :) #muslimapologies
4.
I'm sorry for inventing surgery, coffee, universities, algebra, hospitals, toothbrushes, vaccinations, numbers, & the sort #MuslimApologies
5.
I'm so sorry for coffee, cheques, parachutes, chemistry, inoculations, soap, shampoo, cameras, etc: http://t.co/2L32h4b2d7 #muslimapologies
6. Some expressed their frustration at the way their religion is seen by others.
Sorry for being oppressed and called a terrorist all my life. Sorry for saying racism still exists #muslimapologies
7. Although there were plenty of lols too.
That vaguely swarthy guy who lived on your dorm floor and always forgot to flush the toilet 15 years ago. That, too. #MuslimApologies
8.
#MuslimApologies
9.
I did this I'm sorry. #MuslimApologies
10.
I am sorry Pluto is no longer a planet #MuslimApologies
11.
Sorry that you guys try to be like us so bad but fail #MuslimApologies
12.
I'm sorry for the confusion london cabbies face when they expect me to have an Arab accent and I say 'alright mate?' #MuslimApologies
13.
Vanilla Ice #MuslimApologies
14. Although some things just aren't a laughing matter.
"I'm sorry that Mufasa had to die in Lion King" #muslimapologies
