Islam Net is a Sunni, muslim organisation in Norway, founded by Norwegian-born engineering student Fahad Qureshi in 2008. It has local chapters in Oslo, Akershus, Tromsø and Bodø, and is initiating a fifth in Trondheim. By 2011, the organisation had more than 1,400 paying members, centred on students.The Verdens Gang newspaper reported that the organization is involved in the radicalization of the Muslim youths.Members of this organization have also joined ISIS.The organisation is under the surveillance of Norway Police Intelligence Agency PST and the organisation is banned from the established mosque community in Norway.
Activities
In 2010, Islam Net set out a "missionary expedition" to Nordkapp, Finnmarksvidda and Hammerfest, in order to "spread the message of the prophetMuhammad and solve misunderstandings about Islam." Several Norwegians have converted to Islam at their meetings, and it runs a school in Oslo for new converts to Islam. Islam Net has received support for this position by the Muslim Student Society and Young Muslim. In 2010, the Oslo University College denied Islam Net free use of its rooms due to their position on hosting such meetings, but they have gotten the permission back as they have held events there afterward. The Islamnet's student Union is not allowed to register in the University of Oslo due to its Gender discrimination, gender segregated practices, attitudes toward the religious beliefs and sexual orientation discrimination.
Controversy
In 2013, the Fahad Qureshi created controversy by stating that Every Muslims support death penalty for homosexuals and stoning for adultery.He said this in a religious lecture promoted by Middle East Media Research Institute on the Internet.Qureshi allegedly expressed support for the Capital punishment and supposedly "argued" that the general majority of Muslims, regardless of their sect, approves of it. In response to such criticism, he spoke out to clarify his views publicly, admitting to having phrased himself in an imprecise manner and that he does not support the implementation of Islamic capital punishment in the West. On January 8, 2015, after the massacre of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in France, Qureshi, after condemning the attacks, tore apart a drawing from the magazine, stating that while Muslims do condemn the attacks, the magazine had abused freedom of speech to engage in the "bullying, scorn, harassment" of Muslims by mocking the Prophet Muhammad. In 2017, the Fahad Qureshi founder of Islamnet caused controversy by refusing to shake hands with a Norwegian female minister. Islam Net imams advocates beating of wives and death penalty, which caused tensions with the localMuslim religious leaders and politicians.
Links with Isis
Many people from Norway who joined the Isis were members of Islamnet organisation. According to the Seierstad, Islam Net organisation was a catalyst in the radicalization of these girls. Islam Net organisation also had discussion arguing that Sept. 11 attacks is planned by Jews and the American government.
Criticism
The Muslim politician Abid Q Raja said that Islam Net can take Norway "into a dangerous direction, which is extreme and can radicalize young attitudes. They want to assume ownership of how Muslims should think and act.” The Muslim Politician Akhtar Chaudhry said that the speakers of Islamnet delivers extreme interpretations of Islam, that is not good.He said Muslims should interpret Islam with the democratic and humane values. Islamic Cultural Center has refused to cooperate with the Islam Net. According to the ICC dialogue manager Arslan Mohammed the Islamnet is contentious organisation and therefore neither they nor any other mosque communities cooperates with them.
