"While all Muslims of course condemn terrorism in all its form we should not forget the role of the media in shaping peoples perceptions. The constant and inaccurate references to 'Islamic' or 'Muslim' terrorists risks demonising and alienating the Muslim ummah (community) worldwide as a whole. Terrorist acts are contrary to the word of Allah and the Sunnah (way) of his Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and as such no act of terrorism is 'Islamic' and no terrorist is a Muslim. The MCB should spend more of its time trying to change the media's prejudiced portrayal of Muslims and Islam rather the patronising the Muslim community of this country which it claims to, but does not, represent."-- Jonathan Marshall, Oxford
"The MCB should spend more of its time trying to change the media's prejudiced portrayal of Muslims and Islam" --Jonathan Marshall
Heresycorner says: "Lack of Islam, on the other hand, does not seem to have been the problem. From a devout family, by all accounts, she was fairly observant as a teenager. Her husband, a lawyer named Jonathan Marshall, had already converted to Islam before he met her note timeframe differs). Tracked down by the Telegraph to Saudi Arabia, where he is working for a "leading City law firm", he put their failed marriage down to different priorities:
The reason we split was that I became more observant and Sufiah became less so. That took her in the wrong direction, away from the direction in which I wanted to go. The teachings of Islam are fundamental to your everyday life, so when paths diverge in that respect it is a major issue.
Perhaps she wanted to go out on her own. Or without a veil. Jonathan, who sounds like he would have been a complete prig in any religion, then adds:
"She was confused, really. She didn't know quite what she wanted. She wasn't ready to settle down. Basically, she wanted to be a student."
Well, she was only 19.
If Jonathan Marshall had spent less time with his Koran and more talking to his young bride she might not have ended up in this unhappy situation.
On a more positive note, there had been moves afoot in Malaysia, where her mother was born, to rescue the wayward prodigy. The Straits Times was reporting earlier today that a government minister had launched a "Save Sulfiah programme" which would "come up with strategies to assist Sufiah." Sadly, the minister for higher education later admitted that little could be done, apart from contacting the Malaysian Students Department in Britain. "We just can't bring her back," he said. "She is big now and can decide for herself. She has the right to do as she pleases."
The government is, however, proceeding with another plan it announced at the same time: to encourage an international blogging campaign against Fitna.