A Sri Lankan soldier stands guard by a roadside following clashes between Muslims and an extremist Buddhist group in the town of Alutgama on June 17, 2014. PHOTO: AFP
The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL) said Islamic clerics instructed mosques to conduct shorter services and asked the faithful to disperse peacefully after lunchtime prayers.
"The Ulamas asked mosques to ensure shorter sermons and in some places they started prayers earlier than on other Fridays," MCSL President N M Ameen told AFP.
He said there were no incidents reported although the police had anticipated trouble after Friday prayers and stepped up security in the capital and elsewhere.
Muslim owned businesses shut down in Sri Lanka's capital on Thursday to protest against deadly riots by extremist Buddhists, defying President Mahinda Rajapakse's plea to stay open.
Shops and restaurants in central Colombo were shuttered following the riots in two mainly Muslim coastal resorts that killed four people and saw hundreds of homes and businesses set on fire.
The Muslims were protesting against the Buddhist Force, or BBS, and the police failure to protect their minority community which accounts for about 10 percent of the 20 million population.
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@Indian:
Your post brought tears in my eyes.
Mahatma Gandhi said the same thing many years ago. When Hitler was rounding up Jews, Gandhi was advising Jews not to complain and told them that they should walk towards gas chambers with a prayer and smile in such a loving and forgiving spirit that Hitler's heart would melt.
Jews did not listen to the Mahatma's words and they stupidly caused WW 2 on all the countries.
The world will improve if many more people start thinking like you do !
@Chacko Cherian Calicut @Newbie
Sometimes people get so engrossed in the questions, that they overlook the solution presented to them. Open mind and ability to absorb is what required to find the answers. It doesn't matter who says what, what matters is what you are doing to overcome the problem. How you contribute in a positive way, how you made lives of people living on earth better. You cannot make it better by fighting negative with negative thought. For once if people stop worshiping the god and start worshiping what he said, situation will change. Jealously, desires, desires to prove yourself right, disregard for different points of view, put you in the same circular path as clock, cycle of life and death. In duration of time you will again find yourself where you started, differentiating people on secular communal, black, white, European, Asian ... the cycle will continue and there will never be a closure. Ofcourse you have right to self decision, no one can take that away from you.
@Indian, tried to put up a huge comment twice(can't do it again.. Europe is secular.. Just look at each groups stats over there.Google. Why should demography change like the @Zaid Hamid says.. they have our two neighbours for that http://tribune.com.pk/story/590241/incomplete-freedom/ Read Mr.Iqbal's comment .. & crime stats in UK. http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/sn04334.pdf%E2%80%8E http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/feb/20/race.immigrationpolicy I'm an atheist.. I criticize casteism,religious violence, anything wrong.. & please rather than just making statements, refute my points or add some..
Not to be misunderstood, in my previous comment on muslim countries, I am talking of muslim countries and muslims in muslim countries only. I am not referring to muslims in non-muslim countries. Many muslims in non-muslim countries have progressed well and have also made contributions. It is in muslim countries were muslims are getting killed by their own fellow muslims and they blame the rest of the world for it.
@Indian: Hope as an Indian you too live in India or any present nation states not in Utopia.Sorry your ideas are applicable only there.Just have a look the comment section here,where one prays for safety of muslims alone..This is the reality we are living where some people claim authorisation by 'God' to commit any henious crime.Rather than isolating and punishing them there is no point in blaming every religion and their history for justification.As mere mortals you or me cant decide what is God's will or not.What we all can do is respect others concern and take respect,in short be law abiding citizens in letter and spirit..
@tanner: What wealth in the muslim countries are you talking? They have more oil than others and nothing else that others do not have. The real wealth is in the intellectual capacity which they do not have. These countries cannot take out even a barrel of oil from their soil if they do not get the drilling equipments and technology from the West. Just imagine, if West starts to stop supplying medicines and drugs to these countries. They cannot even fight mosquitos. Go to any pharmacy in Pakistan or any muslim country and you will find out the truth. Also, muslim countries have serious food deficit and it is the non-muslim countries that are supplying them their food. Can the muslim countries survive it the non-muslim countries refuse to export food items to them? In any case it is the muslims from these conflict ridden countries that are moving to the West as refugees and asylum seekers. Please bear it in mind at any time and even today it is the muslims who are killing their own fellow muslims and not that the non-muslims are killing muslims. If you say that the non-muslims are making the muslims fight as I have heard it from many muslims, it only validates what I have said above here, i.e., the muslims lack the most precious resource which is the intellectual capacity. Now, don't try to say that the muslims were most advanced in civil engineering centuries ago.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan “I am praying for all Muslim brothers/sisters around the world for their safer”
For the logic you have provided, PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER ME AMONG YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. And We Indian Muslims are safe unlike your so called "Thekedar of Ummah" Country AKA Land of Pures
@Indian:
You have to realise that India is multi cutural,religious and ethnic nation.Despite having a predominant hindu population our forefathers Gandhiji,Nehru,Patel made India into a secular democracy not a Hindu state.This was despite losing nearly third of land mass for a seperate muslim nation.You have to appreciate the magnanimity of the hindu majority to abide by the decision of our forefathers.In such a state where it is advised to reduce population as a national policy,how can muslims alone refuse and keep on increasing in numbers?If others religious groups find it threatening and against principles,how can you accuse them of being communal??Also not just in India globally muslims take pride in their ever increasing numbers as if they want to take over all other religions.So its clear where the fault lies.This comes from an Indian christian.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: "I am praying for all Muslim brothers/sisters around the world for their safer"
I wonder why you pray only for muslims?
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan:
"I am praying for all Muslim brothers/sisters around the world for their safety and security. Love from Peshawar, Pakistan.
You should first pray for the safety and security of your own country and countrymen.
I doubt Pakistan will continue to exist in this state in the next couple of decades.
@Anshul After reading above comments it's obvious that Muslim bashing has becoming a norm n non- muslims such as Hindus, Christians, buddhists, Jews n what not, are the only innocent people left on this planet. In fact main problem lies the way above mentioned communities stealing Muslim nations natural resources, best lands, wealth n list could go on n on. This Muslim bashing is the most practical solution for these communities to continue deprive Muslims from their wealth. Other reasons are fear of unknown, these communities know very well if Muslim umah is waken they will loose dictation n they will loose their grip on these valuable resources. Example, oil, gold, fresh water, natural gas, coal, precious stones, plywood, sea minerals just name few are in the Muslim countries n held areas. Christian, Hidu, buddhist, Jews etc etc militant groups are working day n night but media, newspapers etc high light mainly Muslim groups. Hope it would help you to get some picture otherwise please just look 54-plus Muslim countries n held area in globe n you might be surprised how rich it is n WHO actually controlling.
@Newbie Why all this fear mongering. Aren't they all Indians? Aren't only Indians being born? If you guys really want there to be progress in our country - stop this apartheid and discrimination against a single community. We are in 2014 and in a progressive, modern, developing country - we need to integrate all communities and work as ONE!
I have lot of muslims friends in lanka i think sri lankan muslims are peacefull than other muslims, they are more into business and trade stuffs , the country the background the moral values that's that's determind persons mind states, sri lanka have peacefull atittudes and cultural values so in that fact sri lankan muslims won't be easly victim of extreme thoughts, sri lankans are very peaceful to eachother communities by nature but recent violance are promoted by sri lankan defence secretery for their government favour otherwise its peaceful charming country
Buddhist and Hindu monks are similar in their hatred towards Muslims. This is happening in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand. and India. Climate of demonisation of Muslims by the Western countries is allowing these radical priests to rile people up to attack innocent Muslim men, women, and children in the most barbaric ways possible.
Comments by Hindu posters proves my point. You only have to fear from Muslims if you are guilty in crimes against them. Muslims have every right to resist any attacks against their community.
I am praying for all Muslim brothers/sisters around the world for their safety and security. Love from Peshawar, Pakistan.
Muslims have not realized that this is an era of internet, interactive news media, social networks, cell phone cameras, etc. News travels fast and what happens in any remote place of the world is watched in other parts of the world, immediately.
Watch this 7 minute video. See the African muslims, and white muslims protesting before the Indian Embassy recently and demanding Sharia in India.
Here is the link: http://www.awaztoday.tv/News-Talk-Shows/59590/Muslims-of-Indian-Origin-in-London-Protest-In-front-of-Indian-Embassy-against-Narendra-Modi-and-Hindus-and-demand-for-implementation-of-Sharia-Law-in-India.aspx
When muslims do such stupid things, they invite hate on themselves throughout the world. Sri Lanka rightly feels just like all others that muslims, even in minority could be a source of problem. Unfortunately, when muslims do such stupid things in countries where they immigrate for better prospects, the muslims in the muslim countries praise these activities. Would these activities make the muslims trusted anywhere in the world? Muslims throughout the world should introspect.
@water bottle You have to understand this in context of Urban and rural population. Since most of Muslims are concentrated in low developed rural areas their fertility rate is declining slowly and equally to their Hindu counterparts in compare to Urban population. In India, states like Kerala which has witnessed credible all-round development, the fertility rate among the Muslim brethren is lower than that of their Hindu counterparts. Similar trends are noticeable in the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu. This shows that with growth and development, society is better placed in curbing population growth. I do sincerely belief that family planning for all Indians is essential and not an insurmountable task. We have to focus on growing India and making it better rather than dividing it on religion, regional or linguistic basis. Conflicts will do no good if we want to be superpowers.
@anshul There are two types of religious people. One like you and me who practice there faith at home and dont want to earn money power and fame through it, the second one is the type you listed. For eg. Taliban, ISIS, BSS, Sena. They want to earn power, money and status by using religion as political and military tool. The two should not be confused. I hope that clears your doubt.
Please take serious note:
Fundamentalism and terrorism (in the name of Islam) is pestering in countries like Srilanka and India.
This is a real and present danger. Also, in these countries, there is a different kind of jihad. A jihad to overrun others with exploding population.
These are facts. In India, Muslim population has exploded from 12% to 16% (maybe even more). Hindus have been reduced from 82% to 80%.
Christian and Parsee population PERCENTAGEs have declined in India. So has Sikh and jain POPULATION PERCENTAGEs.
Only group growing is Muslims.
These are available for everyone from the census data. Anyone can challenge me by taking the facts. I am talking about a change from 1947 to today.
Buddhist-muslims( lanka, myamar,china) Hindu-muslim (India) Jews-muslim (Israel) muslim-muslim (syria,iraq,pakistan,Nigeria etc etc) Christan-Muslim (all over the world)
can Any one please analyse above mentioned equations