By Elizabeth Parker, Hargeysa, Somaliland

This is a dictionary explanation of the suffix ist.

So a person that plays a violin is a violinist.

A man or woman that believes and practices science is a scientist.

A person that doesn’t believe in God is an atheist.

Islam is my way of life I strongly believe and practice this religion. My life changed for the better when I converted as the lives of millions of others.

I try to adhere to the teachings of Islam and I want very much to please Allah t’ala.

To this respect I must be an Islamist, but this doesn’t mean that I am a terrorist. Blowing up and maiming civilians, especially women, the young and the old is forbidden in Islam, so how can these people be referred to as Islamists when they are blatantly ignoring the teachings of Islam.

Let’ say for arguments sake that they believe they are fighting Jihad – a noble cause that fights for freedom, land and people’s rights. However, there are a set of rules for Jihad and you can’t go around willy-nilly killing who you wish.

These so called Islamists that I see on the news, newspapers, forums and magazines are obviously unsure about what Islam is, so please reserve this word for people who want to follow Islam because as it is we feel insulted being lumped with these so called Muslims.