It’s really good to see that these talks are inspiring to you as well as many other Muslims who are somewhat stuck between, as you said, the world we are living in and the religion we are following. I’ve always seen Islam as the perfect balance. There isn’t anything in Islam that stops you from doing anything positive, and there isn’t anything that will obstruct you from gaining the best there is to gain in this world. Looking on Islam as a way of life rather then as a religion really makes it so much easier because Islam isn’t a set of rules, it’s more like a state of being. Of being good, friendly, neighbourly, kind, modest and truthful. Islam itself comes from the word peace and submission how can you ever separate it from such terms? The character of a Muslim should make us distinguishable from others in a positive light, and that is what we learn so strongly from the life of the Prophet Muhammed .

I also attended a ‘Radical Middle Way’ event in Manchester not too long ago and Alhamdullilah it was also very good. I think that the facilities are in place - we just need to motivate the rest of the Muslims into this light.

I just saw your update - I am amazed that people are still using terms such as ‘Jihadist’ and ‘Islamist’, ‘Fundamentalist’ and ‘Extremist’ to describe Muslims. I am really shocked to see that even though people know what they mean (like you said about Jihad), they still keep using the media to enforce this brainwashing of ‘Terrorist = Jihadist = Muslim’ mentality which has really affected the way people view Muslims today.