"This is very much an English concept which will doom to fail. " - good governance? I certainly hope it is not merely an English or British concept. It seems to me there is nothing with which people can disagree in these guidelines - but in any event critics should engage with the substance rather than making the usual cheap, tired points about the Government. The impetus behind these guidelines is more important than any one government or politician. And for the gentleman who made the comparison with the IRA - it is simply untrue to say that the IRA were Christian representatives. One strand of Christianity perhaps but even then their campaign was based on wanting to change the Government of N.I. rather than reject protestantism in itself. The people who stir up hatred in young muslims do so for their own reasons but spread a message that liberal democracy is sinful.

Jonathan M Smith, Edinburgh, UK

"Get rid of all the churches..." -- wooram, Alicante, Spain

Well... removal of all religions would be a very big risk to humanity. Worshiping objects (sun, moon...) as you suggested is called Idolism. Before the arrival of religion, paganism in medieval times practised such things. Barbarian tribes during those times were eating their own kids, burying newborn girls alive and doing other evil rituals. Now, we don't wana go back into that, do we?

Mohammed, London, UK

Much of the evil in this world is carried out in the name of religion. Get rid of all the churches, the holier than thou church leaders, the mosques, the synagogues, and all religions that have caused untold misery and bloodshed simply because of which god you happen to believe in. All religious people have the pompous belief that their particular religion is right and that the god they worship is the true messiah! - with Muslims it's Mohammed and with Christians it's Jesus - then their are buddhists, sikhs, hindus, jews, catholics, ad infinitum!! They can't all be right! Religion was invented to keep the world's poor down and the preachers of it rich. Most of us, as human beings, are inately good and love our fellow beings, so religious dogma shouldn't be necessary. The most sensible thing to believe in is the sun and the moon and each other without which the world would come to an end!

wooram, Alicante, Spain

There were no guidelines or Islamic radicalism/extremism in the UK before, September 11th 2001, Mr Bushs and Mr Blairs Afghanistan and Iraq wars. It's been over 80 years since Britain had it's first mosque. 7/7 was UK's first ever terrorist attack throughout it's history caused by Islamic radicals. Islamic radicalism/extremism in UK is a recent phenomena. Although this guideline may help to suppress it, UK's government should fight the root cause.

Mohammed, London, UK

Interesting that, when Inyan Bunglawala was asked by the <i>Independent</i> writer Joan Smith recently whether he condemned stoning, he is reported to have asked how he can possibly condemn somethng that happened during - and presumably was okayed by - the prophet Muhammed. I think that speaks volumes. This report is being contributed to by a man who will not condemn stoning. British patience with these people is rapidly running out. It can't run out too quickly.

Andy Armitage, West Wales, United Kingdom

"Muslim leaders believe that it is essential to reach these mosques, but that government involvement must be nonexistent if their trust is to be gained. "

It is essential that the government is involved. The appeasement to Muslims bodies and cow-towing to their bullying has created the current environment where the preachers of hate in Mosques and elsewhere can continue with impunity

David Cartright, Birmingham, UK

As an infidel UK citizen, I think that there is an urgent need to clamp down on the extremism which is Islam; but I do not think that the UK government really understands the ideology, and the seriousness of the threat which that ideology represents.

Jack R , Lancaster, England

Re word Kafir

Se the definition as per WIKPEDIA...It is against Islam to use unkind words.
Everything is in the meaning and of course the intent

Main article: kafir
In Islam, the Arabic word kafir (كافر) refers to a person who inwardly or outwardly denies Allah and/or the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Because the term is considered derogatory,[8] Muslim scholars discourage its usage due to the Quran's command to use kind words.[9] It is even a punishable offence to use this term against a Jew or a Christian, under Islamic law


Biggest problem with religion, be It Judisim, Islam , Christianity is that people who should know better interpret it to their own agenda.

ANTHONY , Stockholm, SWEDEN

Khalid Mahmood.

As Muslim you may not be aware that the word 'kafir' is used as a term of abuse by many of your brothers and sisters in Islam. It is as offensive to us as is the notion that Islam has a monopoly on 'the truth' (of anything).

Jerry Hart, Cambridge, UK

I despair that people like Chimaroke claim that the best way to counter a superstitious cult, is to get all our kids to join another rival superstitious cult.

People like him/her are fundamentally no different from those (s)he criticises.

Mark Allen, Nottingham,

Very positive news - nice to see Muslim organisations taking their responsibilities seriously! And well done to the Times for reporting it.

Shame to see the negative comments on here - especially from people who clearly haven't read the full article!

Rod Munch, Northampton, UK

Whilst we have a lopsided foreign policy that ignores the plight of the Palestinians in favour of Israel, ignores the atrocities in Chechnya, allows the terror bombing of Lebanon and now threatens to support the use of US minu nukes and carpet bombing of Iran and this on going so called "war on terror" for the benefit of the Bush Corporation and extremist Zionists and Christian fundo's in the US - no guidelines are going to work inmho.

Michael J, Leicester, UK

Dear Sir/Ma'am

Seth Taylor asks:-

"Where were the guidlelines and the same crackdown on Christianity when the IRA were at the peak of their activity on mainland UK?"

Guidelines and crackdowns on "Christianity" were never required. The IRA never drew their authorisation or mandate from "Christianity" or Roman Catholicism. Their engine was Irish nationalism, not the example and teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Barry Holroyd, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

if you walk through birmingham city centre it is common to see christian missionaries distrubuting christian material being abused by muslim youths, only limiting mosque building activities will curb spread of radicalism.

rajan mathew, birmingham, united kingdom

This has been going on for some time and is well known to take place throughout the middle east, it is surprising no one has noticed this before hand...says it all about our 'intelligence' services...

Frank, London,

I hope the governments for once listens rather than preach with their impractical guidelines and book of conduct. This is very much an English concept which will doom to fail.
The government must listen to the issues that are affecting the Muslim community and talk to the youth rather than their preferred self appointed community organisations and leaders which are their to please the government departments only.

Saad Al-Saraf, London, UK

Gurinder Singh
The word 'Kafir' in Arabic means a non -beliver or one who denies the truth (of Islam.), if you are so upset by this word then become a believer or a muslim,. The word kafir is not synonymous with infidel.

Dr.Khalid Mahmood,
London

Dr. K. Mahmood, London, UK

Where were the guidlelines and the same crackdown on Christianity when the IRA were at the peak of their activity on mainland UK? Lets not forget it is the IRA who are STILL the bigest murderers of innocent lives in the UK! That also includes our leaders (Brighton Bomb - 1984)! If those are not reasons to crack down on radical and extreme Christianity then we have no right to view Islam as readial and extreme!

seth taylor, cambs, uk

You can write or have as many guidelines as you wish, as long as your pews and churches remain empty, the only religion that sees itself as such would continue to harvest the minds and souls of your children.And so you will always breed bombers and disoriented youths who think is cool to kill in the name of God.
Wake up Britain.You are your own enemy. As a young graduate student in the UK in the 70's no football matches on sundays, the shops remained closed at least if people didnt go to church they stayed together awhile for the traditional lunch. Then you took it all away in the name of the 'times' It was from then the mosques began to grow and your churches in decline.There is nothing modern about pretending faith doesnt matter. My solution to Islamic radicalism- Christian evangelism. Get the kids back to Church, keep the Sunday holy and stop pretending that when a man or awoman 'marry's' his or her kind it is right. These are the fertilizer to Islamic radicalism.

Chimaroke, London, UK

What's the difference between the UK government's mosque guidelines and Communist China's selecting their Dalai Lama?

SK Lin, Hongkong,

Is this not typical of the Labour Government? Don't want to get their hands dirty so they write out more guidelines. This is akin to the cat being asked to guard the cream.

Ed, London,

Will the guidelines ensure that non-Muslims are no longer labelled "kafir" = infidel?

Gurinder Singh, Clayhall, UK