THE doors are open for anyone who has questions about Islam. That’s the message from Ibrar Azam, spokesman for Westcliff’s Faizan-e-Madine Mosque in Milton Road.

He is a man making an effort to promote understanding of the genuine parts of his religion in the wake of last week’s killing of soldier Lee Rigby in London.

“What happened is absolutely nothing to do with Islam, it does not state in the Koran that you should take somebody’s life like that,” he said.

“Islam teaches you to love everyone and live in peace and harmony.”

“The people who did that are not part of the religion I know. And all it has done is create more tension and now we are hearing that Islamic cultural centres are getting attacked.”

In the Echo last week Mr Azam, 45, sent his condolences to the family of Lee Rigby and called the murderers “idiots who are cruel and twisted in every possible way”.

This week he has revealed that his mosque is making plans for an open day for the wider Southend public to learn more about Islam.

A Westcliff man who went to Hamlet Court Infant, Milton Hall Junior and Fairfax High schools, Mr Azam has lived in the area all his life.

By his own admission he had a very strict upbringing but from the age of 16-38 was not particularly religious, before he got involved in the community again following the death of his mother.

He says he has never heard a single speech inciting anyone to extremism, even when he spent months travelling the country just over five years ago.

“As part of an effort to raise money to buy the mosque for the group I travelled all over the UK from Accrington to Wales and downwards, staying in different mosques.

“I’ve never heard anyone preaching hatred against groups or against society.

“No one I’ve come across has these views, especially if they were preaching, they would be stopped and the police would be contacted. No imam preaches that way."

Mr Azam believes that the internet is the main recruiting ground for extremists and would like to see the authorities focus more attention on it.

He said: “If the police can monitor paedophiles using websites then the Government or police can do the same with extremist websites. To those thinking of spouting extremist views, he added: “Freedom of speech is one thing, but you can choose not to say those things, or if you don’t like it here than you can leave.”

Community tensions were a feature of Mr Azam’s life growing up in Westcliff.

He said: “The early 1980s, probably until 1987, were really bad with skinheads gathering on Bank Holidays.

“You would even get chased along the streets by skinheads at times. There was more name calling, and the people who use a racist word for someone now replace it with ‘terrorists’, with the same intent.

“Things were a lot better until 9/11 but then they got bad again. It was terrible what happened, but the backlash soon followed.”

He believes that through better understanding and working in the community, tensions can be calmed.

He is proud of having helped organise the town’s first ever peace rally in February to challenge stereotypes and promote racial harmony, which was attended by more than 100 people.