#Muslimrage: What happens when a hashtag backfires...

The Newsweek 'Muslim Rage' hashtag was supposed to stir up debate; instead it became a Twitter comedy meme. Here are some of our favourite tweets.

Newsweek cover image, September 24th, 20012

It was perhaps a cynical publicity stunt to attract readers by stirring up a ‘debate’ between Muslims and non-Muslims over the ‘Innocence of Islam’ movie. But if that was the idea, the #muslimrage Twitter hashtag, started by the US magazine Newsweek last week, has seriously backfired.

Instead of a slanging match between religious views, ramping up the recent tension and breeding more hatred and extremist reactions, a multitude of moderate voices came together to gently laugh, make jokes and basically just take the mick. Here's the top of the tweets:

@LibyaLiberty: “I’m having such a good hair day. No one even knows #MuslimRage"

@AssedBaig: “There’s no prayer room in this night club! #MuslimRage"

@LSal92: “Lost your kid Jihad at the airport but can’t yell for him. #MuslimRage”

@SaadMalik: “Being born in the Chinese year of the pig. #MuslimRage”

@WelshinGaza: “On a plane and people mishear me when I say I’m a ‘tourist’.#MuslimRage”

@evanchill: “The shawarma guy wraps my sandwich too tightly so I have to rip off little pieces of paper bit by bit.#MuslimRage”

@iron_emu: “Ramadan in Iceland when days are 23 hours long.#MuslimRage”

And finally one that sums it all up:

@RezaAslan: “Memo to those few violent MidEast protesters, this is how you fight Islamophobia. You make fun of it.#MuslimRage”