Mohammed Shafiq (pictured above) is known to play a dangerous game – to whip up hysteria at the drop of a hat or the showing of a t-shirt – that could potentially endanger others. It is irresponsible as it is callous.
See previous post where he made a fatuous claim about Tom Holland’s documentary on Islam, and wrongly claimed Maajid Nawaz (pictured below) had said the veil should be banned when he had said the exact opposite here.
Nawaz tweeting a Jesus and Mo cartoon T-shirt of The Prophet saying “How Ya Doing” the following happened on twitter:
You can disagree with what Nawaz has to say about showing the t-shirt to his followers on social media – having taken part on a BBC programme which showed it (see here).
What you do not get to do is endanger someone; but that is part of Shafiq’s game. To make it too dangerous for others to dare do anything which offends his sensibilities or interpretation (even when in Tom Holland’s case wrong). No regard for others safety in the process, much less human rights to freedom of expression and free speech.
Why am I posting so much about this T-Shirt?
Because if a Muslim showing this on their twitter feed is subjected to a global hate campaign which endangers them and numerous death threats, we all have an issue. Fear and intimidation have no place in public discourse – civil society cannot function in such a climate.
Shafiq you have shown your measure of faith as personal vendetta clothed as religious zealotry. When you could have said peace, disregarded as self promotion rather than Nawaz encouraging civil public debate, you have instead flamed the desire for vengeance for blasphemy. Do not start what you cannot control if this was never your intent.
The word is now out to get Maajid Nawaz in Islamic countries. Some will use keyboards to respond, but we fear worse.
Please show your solidarity to Nawaz – this tragically has the makings of a Rushdie moment.
Be on the right side of history.
Homo economicus' Weblog 
Reblogged this on myatheistlife and commented:
The religion of peace and its millions of adherents, so solid in the doctrines of its holy text, will gladly let itself be lead around by the nose by any shithead who claims authority on behalf of an entire religion.
Does it even matter if there is any truth in their beliefs? Does it matter what a mass murderer truly believes about the supernatural while they are on the loose? I think not… we can ill afford to deal with a clear and present danger simply by arguing about religious belief.
Mo Shafiq is a nasty piece of work. Cowardly and treacherous to stoke up violence and make threats like that.
he pretends to be all all liberal and butter would not melt in his mouth every friday/sataraday morning on radio 5 lives press review with stephen nolan,i think he holds back on his extreme views once he leaves the radio 5 live studio and logs into his twitter account.
You have to catch him on Muslim channels where he thinks no kuffar are watching so he can really be himself.
I wonder if Shafiq would have reacted in this way if Maajid had been a non-Muslim Lib Dem candidate. My guess is that he wouldn’t. That’s just one element of this business which disturbs me, that conservative Muslims are trying to shut down liberal/dissenting Muslim voices, and ex-Muslim voices. It is frustrating when non-Muslims join in with these attacks. See my conversation with Yap here.
Yap thinks Maajid is being provocative – but it would not be seen as provocative (as J and M is so gentle) if he wasn’t Muslim. Yap, Galloway and others seem to want British Muslims to held to different standards from the rest of us.
I can’t stand demagogues, they are the lowest form of life. Fundamentalist religions enable demagogues.
It is ridiculous enough that people can hold such stupid beliefs, but entirely unacceptable that they can try to control others who don’t share them. A wise person once said, “Error only, never truth, fears inquiry.”
Muslims regard any questioning of their faith as blasphemy. With that sort of blinkered chaining to an ancient book, is it any wonder that Islam dumbs down any society where it has any influence?
Another wise person said,”Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Look at any Islamic state for confirmation.