We're Brits and Muslims and proud: Thousands pray for Paris victims

THREE thousand British Muslims prayed for victims of the Paris attacks yesterday at the UK’s biggest mosque.

Leaders held a minute’s silence and called upon members to show their “utter abhorrence of the carnage” in France. They also pleaded for peace and unity to help beat the terrorists, who they said had “defamed” Islam with the outrage, which killed 130 people.Local MP Paul Scully joined religious, council and police leaders for the tribute at the Baitul Futuh mosque, in Morden, south London.Members – who belong to the Ahmadiyya branch of Islam – heard an hourlong message of peace from their world leader.

His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “I express my heartfelt sympathies to the French nation following the heinous terrorist attacks.

“Those who seek to justify their hateful acts in the name of Islam are serving only to defame it”

His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

“All forms of terrorism are completely against the true teachings of Islam. The holy Koran has said that to kill even one innocent person is akin to killing all of mankind.“Those who seek to justify their hateful acts in the name of Islam are serving only to defame it in the worst possible way.”

The organisation’s national president Rafi q Hayat added: “Those responsible sought to divide us – they have failed. It will strengthen our resolve for peace.”The organisation – whose motto is “Love for all, hatred for none” – has gained 200,000 new members around the world over the past year. It is delivering five million leafl ets in the UK to spread its message of unity.Mosque spokesman Waheed Malik said: “We are British and Muslim and there’s no compromise between the two.”