Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Islam means peace

THE word Islam means means peace and the motto of our organisation is that it stands for I Shall Love All Mankind.

It breaks our hearts when we see criminals kill innocent men, women and children and claim that they are doing so to further the cause of Islam. A murderer is a criminal, regardless of the label he chooses to use.

There is only one God and that means that humanity is a single nation. He does not distinguish between the white and the black or between members of different faiths. He provides for us all in equal measure.

We may, by our actions please, or displease, Him but he still continues to bestow His favours upon us.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, in words of the Holy Quran: “to guard against evil.”

Evil is not only stealing and lying but it is to give in to our base desires. One such desire is to avenge real or perceived injustice against us.

The lesson of Ramadan is not just to stop food and water. The real lesson is to restrain such passions and develop empathy, compassion and mercy for all human beings, even those who, we think, have done us wrong.

It is not enough to condemn criminals in the media. In a spirit of love for everyone, whatever their religion may be, on June 25, when we celebrate the end of Ramadan, let us invite our non-Muslims friends into our mosques and into our homes to see for themselves what Islam teaches.

SHAHID AZIZ, National president, Worldwide Ahmadiyya Anjumans Ishaat Islam of Lahore, Butts Road, Chiseldon

Challenge to US

I WELCOME the news that the European Parliament will next week debate climate change and President Trump’s decision to ditch the landmark Paris agreement.

As the Parliament’s rapporteur on phase IV of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and the aviation ETS proposal, I insisted that the EU must step up to challenge the United States if the new president sought to dodge its responsibilities.

I am Environment Co-ordinator for the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the Parliament, and when other so-called world leaders quit the stage, it is time for EU countries to maintain and enhance our leadership role.

Climate change is a truly global issue and I am disappointed the USA has decided to abdicate its duty to the rest of the world.

However, with the EU setting the pace and working with partners around the world such as China, who stay at the table willingly and remain ready to lead, we can still achieve a great deal.

On a personal level, I am happy that as ETS rapporteur I shall now be at the centre of the debate here in the EU over the key instrument delivering carbon reductions.

Since I took the role last week I have met key the key players in the EU institutions and we remain determined to establish an ambitious timetable.

We will hold a trilogue on June 27 where we will discuss the key political issues. I look forward to taking forward this ambitious EU initiative on climate policy.

JULIE GIRLING, MEP for the South West of England

Bring end to horror

WE HAVE been in the Middle East fighting a sort of undeclared war for many years. In the course of this there has been tragedy; schools, hospitals bombed and attacked in other ways, many dead.

We now have a similar situation; what we see on both sides in the result of war. We must end the Middle East situation as soon as possible.

G F WHITE, Coppice Hill, Bradford on Avon