Vajzovic calls invitation to Usmani a failure of judgment

Jasmina Vajzovic says inviting Pakistani religious leader Muhammad Taqi Usmani to speak at Reykjavík’s Grand Mosque was a failure of judgment, and that the mosque’s leaders should explain the decision. She made the comments in an interview with Elliði Vignisson, mayor of Ölfus, on mbl.is’s Spursmál programme.

Vajzovic said the mosque’s leaders should clearly condemn ideas about punishing people for being gay or killing those who leave their religion. She said it was up to the people who made the invitation to explain their reasoning, rather than for her to do so on their behalf.

She said media coverage described Usmani’s lecture in Iceland as being about raising children and parental responsibility. That account did not change her view that the invitation required an explanation. Vajzovic said she had not known of Usmani before he was discussed in Icelandic media.

Vajzovic said her criticism did not erase her positive experience working with mosque representatives as a professional. She said she had worked with them on community projects, including in Breiðholt, and had organised group visits to the mosque.

She said Muslims she knows were unhappy with the situation and did not want to be associated with ideas that promote violence. She hoped more people would speak out against such views, while noting that some may fear the consequences and do not have the same freedom to speak publicly as she does.

Vajzovic said she opposed violence and oppression and did not know anyone in her community who supported the oppression of women or violence against people. She said criticism should focus on the ideas and individuals promoting them, rather than making other Muslims responsible for those views.