Last week MDI’s Abdullah al Andalusi debated Tommy Robinson (leader of the English Defence League) on the TV Channel ‘Vox Africa TV’ on the subject “Is Islam synonymous with Terrorism?”
Other partipants included Raza Nadim from MPAC, Carlos Cortigliaa from the BNP, and Paul Salahuddin Armstrong from The Association of British Muslims. It was a good discussion, and Abdullah al Andalusi had the opportunity to inform (and educate) Tommy Robinson about a number of facts, including how to read the Quran (i.e. reading before and after a misquoted verse, rather than just the verse itself, and letting your imagination run wide with it), and actually how many acts of terrorism in the world are actually committed by Muslims compared to other organisations, amongst other things.
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Lastly, Abdullah re-iterated MDI’s public debate challenge to the EDL last year which was turned down by the EDL back then. However, on the TV show Tommy seemed to accept. Let’s hope they take us up on the offer for an open debate on all the issues of contention later on this year, and let us see just how sincere they are.
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Categories: Debates, MDI UK, Responses to anti-Islamic Polemics, Videos
The Muslim Debate Initiative 
From: Frank Gelli
To: ‘paul williams’
Sent: Saturday, 2 June 2012, 15:16
Subject: Tommy Robinson (EDL) vs Abdullah al Andalusi TV debate – Does Islam equal terrorism?
A brave and bold step to touch the untouchable (aka Mr Robinson): MDI should be commended for this!
Fr Frank
Mr Robinson, what do you call Lords restistance army? Arn`t they a christian group who according to them are following the bible? This group is far more brutal then any “muslim” terrorist group. So according to your logic the bible promotes terrorism, or am I wrong?
Bro Abdullah did a good job!!
This is similar to the dialog between Dahlia Mogahed and Irshad Manji. Its a bit dated though – 2008
Who Speaks for Islam?