UK imams urge govt to address issue of Islamophobia amid riots

LONDON: Dozens of leading UK imams (religious leaders) have issued a joint statement condemning the right-wing media and politicians for normalising hatred of Islam, Muslims and immigrants — resulting in riots that have erupted almost across Britain.

In a statement sent to Geo News, the imams have said: “For decades, through the War on Terror discourse of "terrorism", “extremism”, and the purported failure of multiculturalism, by predominantly neoconservative politicians across the political spectrum have fuelled the narrative that migrants generally, and Muslims in particular, are the problem.

“By disregarding Muslims and making disturbing remarks concerning immigration during the recent election campaign, including the current prime minister’s remarks on Bangladeshi communities, has created an environment which we believe has resulted in the recent events.

“Fundamentally connected to these policies is the ongoing genocide against Palestinians by the rogue occupier of Palestine, Israel. Zionist far-right agitators, such as Tommy Robinson amongst others, who have a history of support from pro-Israeli neoconservatives in the United States and the United Kingdom, have been mobilising a pushback, often violent and disorderly, against pro-Palestine protests.

“Broadening their focus, these agitators have been actively spreading anti-Islam, anti-migrant propaganda and falsehoods to their networks, deflecting focus away from Israel’s crimes and the wider failures of successive British governments.”

The imams say all this has emboldened the far-right animus and unlocked a shocking level of violence. Far-right mobs have attacked mosques, assaulted Muslims, mobbed black men, committed arson against hotels, and even burned down a Citizens Advice Bureau.

The statement says: “Muslims are brave by nature and will defend themselves, their mosques and their property. However, our communities are also concerned for the safety of all individuals. This civilised attitude should not be mistaken for cowardice or inaction.

“Finally, we are shocked by the government's failure to refer to what has taken place as Islamophobic — this further reiterates what the Forde Report found that the Labour Party has a hierarchical system and that anti-black racism and Islamophobia are not treated with the same degree of seriousness as antisemitism."

The religious leaders have also called on Muslims to: “Strengthen your connection with Allah Almighty and whoever fears Allah — He will make for him a way out. Continue exposing the horrific Israeli crimes and those complicit in them. We should not fall into the trap of redirecting focus away from Gaza, the West Bank, and Masjid Al-Aqsa. 

"We expect the relevant authorities to take appropriate measures to ensure that all people and places of worship targeted are safe. However, in the absence of security, the general populace should take all legal measures to protect themselves and their places of worship.

“Avoid vigilantism and escalation, as this will feed into a pro-Israeli neoconservative agenda to downplay the impact on Muslims by framing the Muslim responses as “Islamist” while minimising the far-right agitation as “legitimate grievances”. Avoid the covering of faces, as this adds to the false impression of vigilantism and wrongdoing.

“Where circumstances permit, suitable Muslims from the community should engage the far-right perpetrators of violence with the light of Islam and the aim of correcting false narratives.”

The imams have asked the government to address the far-right threat seriously, not by eroding privacy, but by upholding the rule of law.

“Implement primary legislation to deal with hate speech online and hold to account all those who are complicit in the spread of misinformation and Islamophobia. Equalise the racial and religious incitement legislation and remove the need for intent when prosecuting incitement to religious hatred. Incitement and hatred against Muslims go unchallenged because it is legal to do so. 

"Improve media regulation starting with the second part of the Leveson inquiry. Implore the press to use appropriate language when citing the racist marches and gatherings instead of calling them protestors. Commit to working with grassroots Muslim organisations such as MCB, Mend and Mab to reassure the Muslim community and to demonstrate that the government is serious about tackling Islamophobia.”

The statement has been signed by the following imams:

Shaykh Haitham al Haddad, London.

Dr Mufti Abdur Rahman, London.

Shaykh Zahir Mahmood, Birmingham.

Ml Yasir al Hanafi, Aylesbury.

Dr Mufti Yusuf Shabbir, Blackburn.

Ml Muhammad Tahir, London.

Imam Khalil Ahmed, London.

Imam Sajid Patel, London.

Imam Zeeshan Qayum, London.

Shaikh Bodrul Hussain, Dagenham.

Imam Raza Ali, London.

Imam Abu Aasiyah Mohammed, London.

Imam Aadil Jabir, London.

Imam Afzal Ahmed, London.

Imam Shah Muhammed, London.

Imam Muhammad Anas, London.

Imam Khaled Ahmed, London.

Imam Mohmed Hussein Ali, London.

Imam Husain Patel, Bolton.

Imam Safwaan Hussein, Dundee.

Imam Suliman Gani, London.

Imam Syed Ahmed, Kidderminster.

Imam Ebrahim Noor, Coventry.

Imam Talha Patel, Bolton.

Imam Mohammed Abubakar, Huddersfield.

Mufti Muhammad Sajjad, Birmingham.

Imam Sami Choudhury, Wednesbury.

Imam Liaquat Zaman, Birmingham.

Imam Abdullah Patel, Gloucester.

Imam Fazal Hassan, Blackburn.

Imam Mohammed Yahya Sidyot, Manchester.

Imam Zubair Yusufzai , Luton.

Imam Fuad Abdo, Greater London.

Imam Waseem Amin, Glasgow.

Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain, London.

Imam Huzayfah Mangarah , London.

Imam Muhammad Ashraf, London.

Imam Azhar Muhammad, Birmingham.

Imam Hifzur Rahman, London.

Imam Shah Abdul Aziz Afridi, Blackburn.

Imam Raja Imaad Ishaq, Batley.

Imam Khabbaab Ahmad, Batley.

Imam Muhammad Shuaib, Birmingham.

Imam Adam Ayub, Bolton.

Imam Mohammad Sala Uddin, Birmingham.

Imam Ahmed Zaman, Birmingham.

Imam Ali-Haider Abdul Rashid, Sheffield.

Shaykh Shaqur Rehman, London.

Imam Asif Afsar, Birmingham.

Imam Umar Hussain, Birmingham.

Imam Shah Muaz Ahmed, London.

Imam Mohammed Al-Masud, Birmingham.

Imam Imtiaz Lorgat, Birmingham.

Imam Ahmed Suleman Sidat, Blackburn.

Imam Suhayb Qayyum, Birmingham.

Imam Qasim Hussain, London.

Mufti Ismail Satia, Blackburn.

Imam Tauseef Rahman, Blackburn.

Imam Shafiq Mohammed, London.

Shaykh Abu Muhammad, Bradford.

Imam Hammad Mangera, Birmingham.

Shaykh Aqif Naqash, Edinburgh.

Imam Huzaifah Ibrahim, London.

Ustadha Dr. Umm Ibrahim, Birmingham.

Mufti Haroon Hussain, Birmingham.

Imam Asif Mahmud, Slough.

Imam Hanif Dudhwala, Blackburn.

Imam Osman Sardoiwala, Nottingham.

Imam Omar Kadeer Khan, Birmingham.

Imam Ibraheem Saleem, High Wycombe.

Imam Tahir Patel, Birmingham.

Imam Mohammed Farook Kazi, Preston.

Imam Umair Zulfiqar, London.

Imam Abdurrahman Al-Masum, Birmingham.

Imam Ammar Mulla, Preston.

Imam Muhammad Ail Hassan, Blackburn.

Imam Zakwan Patel, Lancaster.

Imam Arif Panchbhaya, Newport.

Imam Nazir Khalifa, Coventry.

Imam Anwar Shaikh, Coventry.

Imam Mohammed Moreea, London.