Former pop star Cat Stevens, who became a Muslim and changed his name to Yusuf Islam in 1977, has condemned the atrocities in the United States and said Islam was a religion of peace.
He said suicide was forbidden in the Koran, which had been twisted by the minority of Muslims who supported violence.
"One of the first things I learned was that the word Islam itself comes from Salam which means peace," he said.
"It is a faith far away from the violence, destruction and terrorism we have seen in recent days.
"British Muslims feel nothing but sympathy for those families who lost loved ones in this awful tragedy.
"This is why we should make it clear that such acts of horrific carnage have nothing to do with the beliefs of most Muslims."
The Koran specifically declared that "if anyone murders an (innocent) person ... it will be as if he has murdered the whole of humanity", he said.
Yusuf said: "The Koran does not teach us to live in a different world, rather it is full of stories and lessons from the history of humanity as a whole.
"The Gospel and Torah - the books of the Christian and Jewish Bibles - are mentioned.
"Interestingly, there is more mention in the Koran of Moses than any other prophet.
"Why? Because Islam acknowledges all true faith began with God and accepts the existence of other cultures and shows how we can all live together in peace.
"But some extremists, among them self-appointed Islamic clerics, take parts of the sacred book out of context.
"This is a dangerous thing."
He said some would quote a verse which said: "Think not of those who are killed in God's way as dead - no, but they are alive finding their reward with the Lord."
He said: "This has been quoted to support the action of the suicide bombers.
"However, these verses are actually meant for people who are defending their land under a legitimate state authority against unjust invaders.
"Never does it allow the killing of innocent civilians.
"In fact suicide itself is strictly forbidden by the Koran.
"The Koran says 'Do not kill yourselves ... whoever does this in hatred and injustice we shall cast them into the fire'."
He said another verse often used out of context said "Do not take the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) for friends".
Yusuf said this verse had a historical context and was in fact warning against alliances with certain tribes who had helped to attack Muslims in the seventh century.
He said: "In fact the Islamic principle is well known and states 'Show friendship and mercy to the People of the Book who are not attacking you'.
"Radical fringe groups of any race, colour or religion who organise to threaten or kill innocent people of any country are deplored by the majority of scholars and ordinary Muslims."
He added: "The Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him), said 'A believer remains within the scope of his religion as long as he doesn't kill another person illegally'.
"Such knowledge and words of guidance are desperately needed at this time to separate the true from the false."
© AAP
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