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SUPPORT YVONNE RIDLEY!! A GROUP of leading scholars from around the world have called on Muslims in Britain to support Leicester South candidate Yvonne Ridley. Ridley hit the international
headlines in 2001 when she was captured by the Taliban two days after sneaking
into Afghanistan as undercover journalist. She emerged 10 days later to the
anger of the Bush Administration and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair when
she announced the Taliban had treated her with respect and
courtesy. Nearly three years later she
became a Muslim and further confounded the enemies of Islam. Messages of support
from Saudi-born Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Makki, Moulana Samee ul Haq and Mufti Aslam
as well as other scholars were gathered after it emerged the revert was not
getting the support of the Leicester Muslim community. Their messages were read out at a
rally in Leicester on Sunday and have brought about a change of political
direction for the constituent's 26,000 Muslim voters. Leicester South candidate
Yvonne Ridley was speaking at the Stop Political Terror rally where former
Guantanamo detainee Martin Mubanga also spoke about his harrowing experiences.
The wife of political prisoner Babar Ahmed and the former British Ambassador to
Uzbekistan Craig Murray also shared the same platform. The surprise messages of support
from the religious figures were read out at the rally. "All the Muslims should
support you - your win will be an honour for Islam," was the message from Sheikh
Abdul Hafeez Makki sent from Makkah to Yvonne Ridley. He had passed on the
message through the internationally known moulana Samee ul Haq who added: "I
believe it is the duty of British Muslims in Leicester not only to support and
vote for our sister Yvonne Ridley but also to campaign for her and try and get
her elected." The Moulana, who is also a senator in Pakistan, is visiting
Britain for several days during the election campaign. Mufti Aslam, one of the leading muftis in Britain also sent a message of support from his base in Rotherham. "Yvonne Ridley deserves all the support from Muslim communities in Leicester - I urge the mosques and organisations in the area to help her campaign by all means possible." The unprecedented rally of support
came after it emerged Yvonne Ridley is the only Muslim candidate in a field of
eight men, yet she is the only one not allowed in most of the mosques in the
constituency. Meanwhile, at the Leicester rally Ridley also rounded on the "Rotten Borough Syndrome evident in Leicester where Mafia-style politics" had sent a ripple of fear and intimidation through the community. "I've had meetings behind brick walls, in graveyards and other weird places because people are afraid of being seen in my company. "This has made me more determined than ever to forge ahead with our campaign which, at the moment, is being driven ahead and spear-headed by sisters in the community. "However these messages of support from some of Islam's leading religious figures have now given us a new momentum. "I was really overwhelmed and touched by the way in which they reacted," added Ridley. *************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest". Yahoo! Groups Links
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Title: SUPPORT YVONNE RIDLEY!!
