Maazjid Nawaz Phoney Imam Giveaway

While Quilliam co-founder Maajid Nawaz continues to bluster and deflect in his increasingly vain efforts to quell criticism of his foundation’s shoddy research into Child Sexual Exploitation and the percentage of Muslims involved, he has managed to let his guard drop elsewhere, with the result that he has let slip his real attitude to Islam.

How so? Well, it was Nawaz’ birthday the other day, and to mark the event in his inimitable and not at all vain and attention-seeking style, he Tweeted a photo of his younger self, telling “Accepting birthday wishes below”. An account calling itself Imam of Peace responded “No way! Mine is tomorrow. Happy birthday habibi!”. Nawaz responded “Happy birthday”. And that was the dead giveaway. Because it is not a real Imam.

Worse, the so-called Imam of Peace is a phoney, a troll, and most likely not a Muslim. What Nawaz had endorsed by making his greeting can be seen from responses to the not-really-an-Imam, like “The @Imamofpeace is a partisan hack & a phoney. Thread … Most pro-reformers don’t support @Imamofpeace, who, frankly, seems like a phony”.

Criticism of the Fake Imam is not hard to find. “Look at this lunatic fake ‘Imam’ talking about Trudeau and HR … Mr.@Imamofpeace, you are nothing but a troll, who has got no respect among Muslims” observed one Tweeter, while another asked “How can you have @Imamofpeace as a source? He’s a fake and a phony”. Phoney. Again.

And a troll. “I think he's just a troll, Imam of trolls”. That wasn’t the only such observation: “basically ur a low life troll trolling women and Getting claps from haters”. There was more.

So where was the Fake Imam at? “You can tell he's a phoney from a mile away. The token ‘muslim’ for far right islamophobes to use to legitimise their bigoted views”. Also, “Australian fake ‘Imam’ Tawhidi @Imamofpeace is attacking the @ICCongress for calling out his lack of credentials and his efforts to stir xenophobia in our country. This altright troll needs to be stopped from exporting his hateful ideology to Canada”.

We don’t even know where the Fake Imam is from. While one Tweeter says “Mate, you are the second greatest troll in history.  You make me proud to be an Aussie”, another is not so sure: “he is no imam not tauhidi and not of peace - he is a self styled bhonga guru like the phony gurus in India - Australian? God knows from where he is and who is funding him!”

There was even a suggestion that the Fake Imam was more than slightly partisan: “A phoney Imam proven by many scholars world wide as he refused to engage with any Muslim scholars. A purveyor of hate as much as his master Trump”. He had even been shilling for The Donald: “Are you on drugs or just a troll? Donald Trump WAS the reason or the ban”. And this is who Maajid Nawaz is wishing a Happy Birthday.

The Nawaz giveaway suggests to us just what he really thinks of that Pakistani-heritage British Muslim community which he claims to defend and represent. He’s all front, all bluff, and yes, all wind and piss. His response to criticism underscores that.

So perhaps the press and broadcasters could bear that in mind. Just a thought.

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