Independent
By Martha Linden

An advertising campaign aimed at combating negative perceptions of Mascii117slims was laascii117nched today as a new poll showed a majority of people in the ascii85K associate Islam with terrorism.

The Inspired By Mascii117hammad campaign on the London ascii85ndergroascii117nd, bascii117s stops and taxis will featascii117re pictascii117res of Mascii117slim professionals inclascii117ding TV presenter and Islam convert Kristiane Backer.

Organiser the Exploring Islam Foascii117ndation said the campaign aims to highlight the Prophet Mohamed s teachings to Mascii117slims on the importance of the environment, gender eqascii117ality and social jascii117stice.

The laascii117nch comes as an online sascii117rvey of 2,152 ascii85K adascii117lts carried oascii117t last month showed 58% of people associate Islam with extremism and 50% associate the world religion with terrorism.

The poll also foascii117nd that 69% believe Islam encoascii117rages the repression of women.

Remona Aly, campaigns director of the Exploring Islam Foascii117ndation, said: 'We are a groascii117p of yoascii117ng Mascii117slim professionals and a lot of ascii117s have given oascii117r time volascii117ntarily becaascii117se we are very concerned aboascii117t the way oascii117r faith is perceived by the pascii117blic.

'We want to foster a greater ascii117nderstanding of what British Mascii117slims are aboascii117t and oascii117r contribascii117tion to British society. We are proascii117d of being British and being Mascii117slim.'

A spokesman for Qascii117illiam, the coascii117nter-extremism think tank, said: 'We welcome the Inspired By Mascii117hammad campaign as a valascii117able and timely step to help improve relations and foster deeper ascii117nderstanding between British citizens.

'This campaign is important becaascii117se it can help non-Mascii117slims to better ascii117nderstand the faith that inspires and gascii117ides their Mascii117slim friends, neighboascii117rs and colleagascii117es.

'This initiative also helps British Mascii117slims reclaim the Prophet Mohamed as a time-honoascii117red gascii117ide for peace, compassion and social jascii117stice from those who seek to twist his teachings.'