“There is no doubt, and I’ve said repeatedly, where we see terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda or ISIS — They have perverted and distorted and tried to claim the mantle of Islam for an excuse for basically barbarism and death,” Obama said during a town hall meeting-style interview on CNN on Wednesday night.

“These are people who've killed children, killed Muslims, take sex slaves, there’s no religious rational that would justify in any way any of the things that they do,” the US president said.

“But what I have been careful about when I describe these issues is to make sure that we do not lump these murderers into the billion Muslims that exist around the world, including in this country, who are peaceful, who are responsible, who, in this country, are fellow troops and police officers and fire fighters and teachers and neighbors and friends,” he added.

Obama made the remarks when was asked to defend why he refuses to say “Islamic” terrorism or terrorists to a Gold Star mother.

“If you had an organization that was going around killing and blowing people up and said, “We’re on the vanguard of Christianity.” As a Christian, I’m not going to let them claim my religion and say, “you’re killing for Christ.” I would say, that's ridiculous,” he explained.

“That’s not what my religion stands for. Call these folks what they are, which is killers and terrorists,” he added.

The mainstream media and several politicians like Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the United States describe ISIS or al-Qaeda terrorists as “Islamists” or “Jihadists” or "Islamic" terrorists which is completely wrong.

Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. Islam, which is a religion of mercy, does not permit any kind of terrorism. Islamic scholars call people who claim they are Muslims but are involved in terrorist activities Takfiris or Takfiri terrorists.

S/SH 11