Muslims decry Trump’s proposal to keep them out of US

US presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,” immigrants and visitors alike, because of what he describes as hatred among “large segments of the Muslim population” toward Americans. The Associated Press is asking Muslims in other countries for their thoughts on his proposal:

READ: Trump wants Muslims totally barred entry to US

Somchai Jewangma, an officer with Thailand’s Sheikhul Islam Office, which governs the country’s Muslims:

“I don’t think that can ever be done. The United States has economic ties with Islamic countries and there are millions of Muslim people in America. This is just a policy to please those who don’t like Muslims and to gain more support.

“It’s true that there are Muslim extremists, those who don’t have good intentions for Islam. But there are 1.7 billion Muslim people in the world. If we were all bad, then the world would be uninhabitable.”

Somchai also said entry rules already have become stricter: “When I applied for a US visa, I was inspected for months.”

Azra Khan, president of the Canberra Islamic Center in Australia, said Trump’s proposal is the wrong way to address last week’s attack in San Bernardino, California, in which a Muslim couple killed 14 people:

“Clearly Donald Trump is trying to inflame the situation. Clearly this tragedy is not about Muslims.

“He could better improve the situation if he were to say, ‘Let the US take guns more seriously and ban them.’ That one simple solution would be much more suitable and make the streets of America far safer.”

Nur Jazlan Mohamad, Malaysian deputy home minister, said the proposal is not aligned with America’s image as tolerant and democratic, and could play into the Islamic State group’s hands by alienating Muslims who are already in the US:

“His proposal reflects the thinking of many people in America, and this is worrying.”

Mahroof Khan, an Islamic scholar in the northern Indian city of Lucknow:

“America calls itself the champion of human rights all over the world. I’m appalled that someone running for president in that country is publicly spreading such views.

“If he says he has made these comments in the context of terrorism, then he should know that the majority of the Muslim world condemns those who use Islam to spread terror.”

READ: Florida mayor bans Trump after calls for Muslim ban

Ikebal Patel, former president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils:

“He’s trying to alienate not only the Muslim population of the United States but all the Muslims around the world.

“Nobody in their right mind would in any way condone what has just happened with those two individuals in that town, but to condemn in one fell swoop all the Muslims and to try to suggest that Muslims shouldn’t be allowed in America is quite ridiculous.”

Manoon Hayeemohlor, a university student from Pattani, Thailand:

“I feel so bad. Why would he say he will shut Muslims out? It’s not like all Muslims are bad.

“If this (shutdown of Muslims) ever goes through, I think the Middle East would close themselves from Americans as well. If they do that, it would affect the US as well.

“When Muslim people go to America, we actually contribute to the country’s GDP.”

Khalid Rashid, Sunni imam in Lucknow, India:

“This is an attack on religious freedom. Mr. Trump should know better than us that all over America there are thousands of mosques and Islamic centers. Muslims are a big minority that contributes to America’s economy.

“Most Muslims anywhere in the world do not hate any one country or city or its people. They may oppose the policies of some countries that they feel oppress Muslims. But they don’t hate any country, be it America or any other place.”