CAIRO, Oct 20: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Thursday that Islam is under ‘ferocious attack’ and called for a united response to offences to the religion.

“The Islamic world is facing a ferocious attack, painting Islam wrongly, offending Islam,” Mr Mubarak said at speech to mark the Leilat al-Qadr.

“Arab and Islamic identity are under threat, following what happened and still happens in Lebanon, Iraq, the occupied territories and Afghanistan,” he said.

“There is a need now, more than ever, to rally the efforts of the Islamic world and its people, to have one voice in the face of offence,” he said.

Mr Mubarak called on Muslims to ‘correct the wrong image and show the real face of Islam’.

“We tell (the world) that Islam forbade racism and extremism. Nazism and fascism were not born on (Muslim) land,” he said.

“We do not accept offence to our holy beliefs with the excuse of freedom of opinion, expression or the press,” Mr Mubarak said.

“Insulting our beliefs increases feelings of anger and extremism and drags us all down dangerous slopes.”

But Mr Mubarak also called for introspection.

“It is time for an honest stand with the world, and a stand no less honest with ourselves,” he said.

“Do we not, as Muslims, bear some of the responsibility for some of the wrong ideas about Islam, have we played our role in improving its image?,” he said calling for a new religious dialogue based on “mutual respect.”—AFP