Muslims decry Trump’s proposal to keep them out of U.S.

United States Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said a “total and complete shutdown” of all Muslims entering the United States should be put into place until Congress can act.

In a statement distributed to the press, Trump said that polling shows a “hatred” by Muslims toward Americans that could result in more attacks.

“Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension,” Trump said in a statement.

“Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.”

VOX POPS

Muslims in other countries were asked for their thoughts on Trump's proposal:

Najib Sayedi: an English professor at a private university in Kabul, Afghanistan:

“America calls itself the big defender of human rights among all other countries in the world, so how that would be possible for someone who runs for the Presidency to say so? I would say that if someone runs for the presidency of the United States, he must be very careful in his comments.”

Abdul Hamid: 27-year-old engineering student at Kabul University in Afghanistan:

“I can’t even believe it that someone who runs for the presidency would say so. Let’s say if that Muslims would be even temporarily banned from going to the United States, what happens if a leader from a Muslim country has to go to the U.S.?”

“He must apologize to the entire Muslim community. He needs the vote of U.S. Muslim community.”

Aziza Yousef: Computer science professor at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

“He’s racist... I think Trump is representing himself. I don’t think he represents Americans.”

“Why is it that when there are crazy people who happen to be Muslim, they blame all Muslims? I will not be responsible for someone who commits a crime who happens to be a Muslim. I will not defend myself or defend Islam because a guy or person who happens to be Muslim did something stupid.”

Yousef is traveling to her vacation home in Virginia this weekend with her children and grandchildren as she does every year.

“I spend a lot of money there three to four months out of the year. Muslim tourists and those that live there as students help the economy of the United States.”

Azra Khan: President of the Canberra Islamic Center in Australia, said Trump’s proposal is the wrong way to address last week’s attack in San Bernardino, California, in which a Muslim couple killed 14 people.

“Clearly Donald Trump is trying to inflame the situation. Clearly this tragedy is not about Muslims.”

“He could better improve the situation if he were to say, ‘Let the U.S. take guns more seriously and ban them.’ That one simple solution would be much more suitable and make the streets of America far safer.”