Sri Lankan opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe gave a speech at the launch of his new book on Buddhism.  Something he said perturbed the country’s Muslims.

It is highly reprehensible that a person of the calibre of the Leader of the Opposition has chosen an auspicious occasion of releasing a book on Buddhism to state that Buddhist civilisation in Central Asia was destroyed when Islam began to spread through the militarisation of its power, said Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana.

The Governor was referring to a speech made by Ranil Wickremesinghe took serious objection of his statement, which is an insult to Islam and to the entire Muslim World, he contended.

Likewise, the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka has expressed “its deepest shock at the distortion of historical fact”.

Presidential advisor A.H.M. Azwer also chimed in.

He said Mr. Wickremesinghe has only tried to re-kindle an often historic misconception of thoughts when anti-Islamic forces in the Western Zionist World spread the falsehood to tell that Islam was spread through the sword.

This falsehood was completely shattered by great Imams and Islamic Scholars throughout the ages. Mr. Wickremesinghe should not try to ridicule a great religion and a great civilisation in this foolish manner, he said.

Oh yes, the great imams.  They are absolutely impartial and dispassionate authorities.

Reality check: The historical record of the expansion of Islam is clear.  Not only has Islam been spread by coercion throughout its history, that method is still used today.

h/t: Big News Network.com – Breaking Religious News

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