Islam Net

Islam Net is a Sunni Salafi Islamic organisation in Norway, founded by Pakistani-Norwegian engineering student Fahad Qureshi in 2008. It has local chapters in Oslo, Akershus, Tromsø and Bodø, and is initiating a fifth in Trondheim. By 2011, the organisation had more than 1,400 paying members, centred on students.[1] The Verdens Gang newspaper reported that the organization is involved in the radicalization of the Muslim youths.[2] Members of this organization have also joined ISIS.[3] The organisation is under the surveillance of Norway Police Intelligence Agency PST[4] and the organisation is banned from the established mosque community in Norway.[5]

Islam Net
Formation2008 (2008)
FounderFahad Qureshi
TypeNonprofit corporation
Legal statusActive
PurposeReligious Organisation
Official language
Norwegian
Main organ
islamnet.no
Websitewww.islamnet.no

Activities

In 2010, Islam Net set out a "missionary expedition" to Nordkapp, Finnmarksvidda and Hammerfest, in order to "spread the message of the prophet Muhammad and solve misunderstandings about Islam."[1] Several Norwegians have converted to Islam at their meetings,[6] and it runs a school in Oslo for new converts to Islam.[7]

Islam Net has received support for this position by the Muslim Student Society (Muslimsk Studentsamfunn) and Young Muslim (Ung Muslim). In 2010, the Oslo University College denied Islam Net free use of its rooms due to their position on hosting such meetings, but they have gotten the permission back as they have held events there afterward.[8]

The Islam Net student union is not allowed to register in the University of Oslo due to its gender discrimination, gender segregated practices, attitudes toward the religious beliefs and sexual orientation discrimination.[9]

Controversy

In 2013, Fahad Qureshi created controversy by stating that every Muslim supports the death penalty for homosexuals and stoning for adultery.[10] He said this in a religious lecture promoted by Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) on the Internet. Qureshi allegedly expressed support for the capital punishment and argued that the general majority of Muslims, regardless of their sect, approves of it.[11] In response to such criticism, he spoke out to clarify his views publicly, admitting to having phrased himself in an imprecise manner and that he does not support the implementation of Islamic capital punishment in the West.[12]

On January 8, 2015, after the massacre of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in France, Qureshi, after condemning the attacks, tore apart a drawing from the magazine, stating that while Muslims do condemn the attacks, the magazine had abused freedom of speech to engage in the "bullying, scorn, [and] harassment" of Muslims by mocking the Prophet Muhammad.[13]

In 2017, Fahad Qureshi caused controversy by refusing to shake hands with a Norwegian female minister.[14]

Criticism

The Muslim politician Abid Q Raja said that Islam Net can take Norway "into a dangerous direction, which is extreme and can radicalize young attitudes. They want to assume ownership of how Muslims should think and act."[15]

The Muslim Politician Akhtar Chaudhry said that the speakers of Islam Net deliver extreme interpretations of Islam. He said Muslims should interpret Islam with democratic and humane values.[16]

Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) has refused to cooperate with the Islam Net. According to the ICC dialogue manager Arslan Mohammed, Islam Net is contentious organisation and therefore neither they nor any other mosque communities cooperate with them.[17]

References
  1. Tessem, Liv Berit (16 April 2011). "To kjønn, to køer". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  2. "Måtte avlyse islam-arrangement på Oslo-skole" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. "Aggro-Texting From the Syrian Jihad". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  4. "Islamic group sparks concerns". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  5. "Rekrutterer etniske nordmenn til omstridt islam" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  6. Meland, Astrid (24 February 2010). "Her er Det Islamske Nettverket". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  7. Johnsen, Nilas (10 June 2010). "- Rekrutterer etniske nordmenn til omstridt islam". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  8. Stokke, Olga (19 November 2010). "IslamNet får støtte for kjønnsdeling". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  9. "Islam Net nektes adgang ved Universitetet i Oslo" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  10. "Norway Islamic Leader: 'Every Muslim' Wants 'Death Penalty for Homosexuals'". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  11. Norwegian Islamic Leader Fahad Qureshi: All Muslims Believe in the Death Penalty for Homosexuals, MEMRITV, Clip 4027 (transcript), May 19, 2013. (video clip available here)
  12. "Islam Nets syn på homofili, steining og dødsstraff". www.vg.no.
  13. "Islam Net-leder rev i stykker Charlie Hebdo-tegning". Aftenposten (in Norwegian).
  14. "Islamic refuses to shake hands with Norwegian female minister on TV (VIDEO)". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  15. "Islamic group sparks concerns". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  16. "Islamic group sparks concerns". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  17. "Rekrutterer etniske nordmenn til omstridt islam" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 May 2020.
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