Alan Henning RIP
Alan Henning, who has apparently been murdered by so-called "Islamic State" terrorists was not a soldier, and never had been.
He was not a missionary, and never had been.
He was not acting on behalf of the British government in any way shape or form, and never had been.
He went to Syria out of compassion to help the sick and injured victims of the war in that country, particularly children.
He wanted to help those victims regardless of their religion and most of those he helped were Muslims.
When Alan Henning was kidnapped, in his wife's words, "He was driving an ambulance full of food and water to be handed out to anyone in need. His purpose for being there was no more and no less. This was an act of sheer compassion."
The people who murdered him may claim to act in the name of Islam but this claim is an insult to Islam
Even the local leader of Al Qaeda recognised that holding Alan Henning as a hostage for tying to help sick and injured Muslim kids was not an act in accordance with the principles of Islam but a crime against the laws of Islam, and let it be known that he had asked the ISIL people who took Mr Henning hostage to release him.
Dr Shameela Islam-Zulfiqar, who travelled with Mr Henning on several aid convoys, including the final one from which he was kidnapped, said
"Alan is remarkable. He's such a compassionate and selfless human being.
"It just simply wasn't enough for Alan to sit back and just donate or raise awareness. He had to get up and he had to do something about what he'd seen.
"Every time the convoys went, he had this yearning to go. That really motivated him, to see, practically, first hand the difference he was making."
Mr Henning was incredibly popular with other aid convoy members - just about everyone had a funny story about him.
The Muslim Council of Britain Secretary General, Dr Shuja Shafi, said that he was saddened by the reported murder of Alan Henning, which he called
"A despicable and offensive act," adding
"He helped Muslims. My thoughts and prayers with his family."
The Imam of Manchester Central Mosque which is the local muslim mosque covering the area where Alan Henning lived, issued a statement on behalf of muslims living in the North of England which called Mr Henning "Our national and local hero" and went on.
"We will remember him as a tireless and selfless humanitarian aid worker whose only concern was to help people in need.
We send our heartfelt condolences to Alan Henning's family at what must be an unbearable time.
The killing of Alan Henning was a cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality by a group who do not represent Islam at all and in fact are an insult to the Islamic faith.
The killing of Alan Henning marks the beginning of the end of this group (IS). We now call for justice to be carried out on the killers of Alan Henning.
We also make clear that the killing of Alan Henning should not be used by individuals and groups in positions of authority or otherwise to defame the religion of Islam or further tarnish the positive image of Muslims for the crimes of a tiny minority of brutal killers."
Suggestions from ISIL that this brutal and evil murder was in some way justified or provoked by UK involvement in airstrikes in Iraq do not sit easily with the facts.
Both David Haines and Alan Henning were kidnapped in 2013, in March and December respectively.
Did ISIL release David Haines when the House of Commons voted against British military intervention in Syria in September 2013? No.
Did the fact that further British military intervention in the region was completely off the radar in December 2013 stop them kidnapping Alan Henning? No.
Had there been any UK military intervention against ISIL, or a vote to take such action, at the time they murdered David Haines? No.
These people murdered Alan Henning, David Haines, and thousands of ordinary Iraquis and Syrians, including women and children for no good reason.
The God these people claim to worship is known to his adherents as "Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful" but they are deaf to compassion and mercy alike and will not listen to appeals for mercy no matter who they come from, be it governments, the families of their victims, or leaders of the Muslim faith on behalf of which they claim to act.
Alan Henning and David Haines were heroes who were killed because they were risking their lives to help those in need. If there is a Heaven, they are there. If there is a Hell, that is where the people who murdered them deserve to go.
My thoughts and prayers at this time are for the souls of Alan Henning and David Haines, for their families, and for all other hostages and their families.
Rest In Peace
He was not a missionary, and never had been.
He was not acting on behalf of the British government in any way shape or form, and never had been.
He went to Syria out of compassion to help the sick and injured victims of the war in that country, particularly children.
He wanted to help those victims regardless of their religion and most of those he helped were Muslims.
When Alan Henning was kidnapped, in his wife's words, "He was driving an ambulance full of food and water to be handed out to anyone in need. His purpose for being there was no more and no less. This was an act of sheer compassion."
The people who murdered him may claim to act in the name of Islam but this claim is an insult to Islam
Even the local leader of Al Qaeda recognised that holding Alan Henning as a hostage for tying to help sick and injured Muslim kids was not an act in accordance with the principles of Islam but a crime against the laws of Islam, and let it be known that he had asked the ISIL people who took Mr Henning hostage to release him.
Dr Shameela Islam-Zulfiqar, who travelled with Mr Henning on several aid convoys, including the final one from which he was kidnapped, said
"Alan is remarkable. He's such a compassionate and selfless human being.
"It just simply wasn't enough for Alan to sit back and just donate or raise awareness. He had to get up and he had to do something about what he'd seen.
"Every time the convoys went, he had this yearning to go. That really motivated him, to see, practically, first hand the difference he was making."
Mr Henning was incredibly popular with other aid convoy members - just about everyone had a funny story about him.
The Muslim Council of Britain Secretary General, Dr Shuja Shafi, said that he was saddened by the reported murder of Alan Henning, which he called
"A despicable and offensive act," adding
"He helped Muslims. My thoughts and prayers with his family."
The Imam of Manchester Central Mosque which is the local muslim mosque covering the area where Alan Henning lived, issued a statement on behalf of muslims living in the North of England which called Mr Henning "Our national and local hero" and went on.
"We will remember him as a tireless and selfless humanitarian aid worker whose only concern was to help people in need.
We send our heartfelt condolences to Alan Henning's family at what must be an unbearable time.
The killing of Alan Henning was a cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality by a group who do not represent Islam at all and in fact are an insult to the Islamic faith.
The killing of Alan Henning marks the beginning of the end of this group (IS). We now call for justice to be carried out on the killers of Alan Henning.
We also make clear that the killing of Alan Henning should not be used by individuals and groups in positions of authority or otherwise to defame the religion of Islam or further tarnish the positive image of Muslims for the crimes of a tiny minority of brutal killers."
Suggestions from ISIL that this brutal and evil murder was in some way justified or provoked by UK involvement in airstrikes in Iraq do not sit easily with the facts.
Both David Haines and Alan Henning were kidnapped in 2013, in March and December respectively.
Did ISIL release David Haines when the House of Commons voted against British military intervention in Syria in September 2013? No.
Did the fact that further British military intervention in the region was completely off the radar in December 2013 stop them kidnapping Alan Henning? No.
Had there been any UK military intervention against ISIL, or a vote to take such action, at the time they murdered David Haines? No.
These people murdered Alan Henning, David Haines, and thousands of ordinary Iraquis and Syrians, including women and children for no good reason.
The God these people claim to worship is known to his adherents as "Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful" but they are deaf to compassion and mercy alike and will not listen to appeals for mercy no matter who they come from, be it governments, the families of their victims, or leaders of the Muslim faith on behalf of which they claim to act.
Alan Henning and David Haines were heroes who were killed because they were risking their lives to help those in need. If there is a Heaven, they are there. If there is a Hell, that is where the people who murdered them deserve to go.
My thoughts and prayers at this time are for the souls of Alan Henning and David Haines, for their families, and for all other hostages and their families.
Rest In Peace
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