Muslims in Britain today accused former archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey of "recycling" religious prejudice after he criticised Islamic culture.
Lord Carey accused Islamic societies of being authoritarian and committed to power and privilege - often led by people who rose to power "at the point of a gun".
He also criticised the Islamic faith, saying Muslim theological scholarship had declined over the last 500 years, "leading to strong resistance to modernity".
Mr Iqbal Sacranie, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, was swift to dismiss the former archbishop's words. "Frankly, one is dismayed by Lord Carey's comments. . . . One is surprised to find Lord Carey recycling the same old religious prejudice in the 21st century."
Mr Manzoor Moghal, chairman of the Federation of Muslim Organisations in Leicester, where more than 40,000 Muslims are based, said: "This is a disastrous statement from the former Archbishop. He has fallen prey to the campaign tactics of racists in this country."
Lord Carey made his comments during a lecture in Rome, on the eve of a seminar between Christians and Muslims in New York.
"Throughout the Middle East and North Africa we find authoritarian regimes with deeply entrenched leadership, some of which rose to power at the point of a gun and are retained in power by massive investment in security forces," it was reported by the Daily Telegraph.
"Whether they are military dictatorships or traditional sovereignties, each ruler seems committed to retaining power and privilege."
Lord Carey conceded most Muslims were peaceful, but he said not enough moderates denounced the radical activists who carry out attacks "in the name of Allah".