South Wales Evening Post —

A MUSLIM group is hoping to drive home a message about shared British and Islamic value in an eye-catching way — on the buses.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is marking its 125th anniversary by taking out large adverts on a fleet of 125 buses with a simple message — Love For All, Hatred For None.

The buses are due to hit the roads across South Wales and South West England in coming days, with the official launch taking place in Swansea at the weekend.

The roll out of the vehicles comes at a time of heightened concerns about the radicalisation of some young British Muslims — over the weekend two Cardiff men were identified as taking part in a Jihadist recruiting video, which has been widely seen on the intent.

The video shows former Canton High School pupil Reyaad Khan and friend Nasser Muthana apparently urging young British Muslims to take up arms in Syria and fight for the radical groups Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as Isis.

Muhammad Noman, who represents the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in South Wales, said the bus campaign would stress the values that Britain and Islam shared — loyalty, freedom, equality, respect and peace.

He said: “There remains a concern about Islam especially in light of events in other countries carried out by Jihadist groups.

“We certainly believe in Jihad — but the true concept of Jihad is one of self-reformation and not of harming others.

“A true Muslim can never raise his voice in hatred against his fellow citizens, nor for that matter against the ruling authority or government of the time. He should remain loyal and fully abide by the laws of the land of which he is a subject.

“The true peaceful Islam is poles apart from the exclusion and hatred that is preached by a minority. Such extremists do not represent Islam, yet, through the media, their words and deeds have a damaging impact on Muslims and non-Muslims every day.

“By emphasising the values highlighted in our campaign we hope to facilitate a better understanding of Islam so that people are able to judge for themselves the actions of those who claim to speak and act in its good name.

“Islam stresses the promotion of peace in words and deeds.”

Mr Noman said the buses would feature the community’s slogan of Love for All, Hatred for None, which he described as the essence of Islam, and “an anathema to the extremists bent on murder and mayhem”.

The vehicles will be used on services in towns and cities including Swansea, Bridgend, Cardiff, Newport, Bath Gloucester, Plymouth and Exeter.

The bus advertising is part of a drive which includes peace conferences, charity fundraising and a campaign to get more people to sign up to become blood donors.

Mr Noman added: “Extremists shed blood, whereas we give blood. While they take lives, we save lives. This is true Islam and it is this faith that is the driving force for our work.”

The radicalisation of young British Muslims has hit the headlines in recent days, with much of the focus on Cardiff.

Dr Suraj Lakhani, of Cardiff University, told BBC Radio Wales: “As far as I’m aware, there has been an issue in Cardiff for a while now.

“This is a concern that has been raised not only by the intelligence services and the Welsh Government, but also South Wales Police and local Muslim communities.

“People have been saying that something needs to be done in Cardiff, they need support.

“There has been a threat for a while as there has been in other parts of the country as well.”

The launch of the bus campaign also coincides with a call by Prime Minister David Cameron for people not to be “bashful” about their Britishness, and for more to be done to promote British values.

Origional Post here: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Muslims-aim-board-peace-message/story-21281299-detail/story.html#ixzz35c13dY40