Proud to be Muslim and British – A Message to The Far-Right (and Concerned Muslims)

With the current rising tide of disgruntlement within the UK regarding what has been perceived to be unfair treatment of British nationals when compared to the treatment of those seeking asylum (i.e. migrants) there has been an increased effort by opportunists who seek to fatten their own pockets whilst propagating the agenda of those who wish to sow discord and disunity. Whether or not these opportunists have any horse in the race is a matter unrelated to the topic of this article.

This is both a statement, and a response. A statement from those who consider England, and the UK at large to be their home, whilst also being Muslim. A response to those who have fallen victim to the agenda spewed by puppets and now see migrants and in particular Muslims as a threat to their own security, or way of life.

Islam is for everyone

Islam is a way of life, a religion for everyone, not only Arabs or Southeast Asians or Africans. In fact, Islam has a long history in Europe with many famous European converts. One of the most famous and oldest known converts to Islam within England is Abdullah Quilliam who converted in 1887. It has been reported though that Muslims arrived in the UK far earlier in the 16th Century whether by trade or as visiting diplomats. In 1636 Oxford University employed a chair of Arabic for the study of Islam, in 1734 – The Quran was translated into English for the first time and in1869 – Lord Stanley became the first Muslim convert in the House of Lords, and recently the world famous singer and artist Cat Stevens became Muslim.[1]

Both Europe and the UK were shaped and fashioned throughout its medieval existence by Islam and the existing Caliphates; it can be argued that the pillars of Western academia and modern sciences were built upon the foundations of knowledge taken from the Muslim East.[2] The nature of the world is such that nations, regions and peoples learn from, borrow, and build upon the achievements of each other. Islam embodies this as a way of life and calls mankind in its entirety to a system which eradicates the ills of racism, nationalism, and ethnocentrism that we see today. God says in The Quran, {We have not sent you but as a mercy to all creatures.}[3]. The Messenger of God ﷺ said: “O people, verily God has taken away from you the arrogance of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) and its pride in forefathers. People are of two types: righteous and pious, who are dear to God, and doomed evildoers, who are insignificant before God. People are the descendants of Adam, and God created Adam from dust“.[4] This statement of the Prophet ﷺ shows us that in the sight of God we are all equal and no nation has virtue over any other – the only distinction being piety from wickedness – showing us that Islam is a path for any person of any colour.

Racism in Islam

This leads on to the next point, to be clear, there is no racism in Islam; The Messenger of God ﷺ said, “O people, Your Lord is One and your father is one. There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab or of a non-Arab over an Arab, or of a White man over a Black man, or of a Black man over a White man, except in terms of piety..”[5]. God says in The Quran, {O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female and made you into races and tribes, that you may know one another; indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God are the most mindful(of Him) among you; indeed, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.}[6].

Any racism espoused by Muslims is not representative of Islam, but a corruption of the individuals. Islam does not define a person by way of colour but rather by way of piety, and this is something only known to God. It is unfortunate to hear Muslims describing non-Muslims using colour as if colour is a defining characteristic of being a non-Muslim. Describing non-Muslims or those who may have ill intentions for the Muslim community as ‘white’ and suggesting that the problems of the world come from white people is not representative of Islam or its framework. Some may argue that the term white is used as a description of power and not colour, but this is not from our tradition as Muslims and so why use it? It suggests to others that we distinguish ourselves based upon colour, and that a person may not be welcomed into Islam due to his or her colour, or for being white.

To be clear, a Muslim who associates disbelief or oppression or wickedness to a race or colour has a clear misunderstanding of Islam and has a sickness in the heart which needs urgently to be addressed. God tells us, {And of His signs is that He created you from dust, and there you are, human beings spreading about.}[7]. Our differences in colour are to be viewed through the lens of reflection regarding God’s existence and power.

Coming together as a community

Islam, as outlined above does not set out to sow discord or division based upon ethnic, racial, or tribal lines but polar opposite: it calls us to community cohesion and cooperation based upon morality and righteousness. God says in The Quran, {..And cooperate with one another in showing virtue and mindfulness (of God), and do not cooperate with one another in sin and hostility. And be mindful of God; indeed, God is stern in retribution.}[8].

As highlighted previously, we are all the sons of Adam and we all come from dust, our struggle is one and the life we live is shared between us. Therefore, we challenge those who set out to divide with our call to come together united in our common causes and struggles. We stand against those who seek to sow animosity and hatred, regardless of whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim especially in times like ours where sensitivities and emotions are being stirred for the sake of ill-intended political gains and agendas.

Not Falling for Hate

It is of utmost importance during these turbulent times, with tensions rising and dog whistle calls for violence and racial attacks, that we do not fall victim to bait traps set by those who wish to pit the various communities within the UK against one another. As Muslims, we must show the mature hand and show restraint in these troubling times. Ultimately, we should be seeking guidance for those whom we live amongst and should understand that their misunderstandings and prejudices stem from ignorance and mischanneled frustrations.

What is home?

For many Muslims, due to the complications of recent history, although settled here in the UK, it may not always feel like ‘home’, but for many other Muslims it as much a home as a home can ever be. For many of us this is our land, and the people are our people. We only want what is best for our people, their general wellbeing, their security, their dignity, and yes, we also see Islam as best for our people, but that is their choice to make once they know what Islam is rather than what they have been led to believe it is.

Home is not only the place you come from, but the place that you settle in and contribute toward, a place where you have built a community and roots, a place that treats you, and you to it, with respect and dignity.  When speaking about the people of the land we have to separate between the masses and the select few that make up the ruling class, and their institutions of propaganda – a class and people that only want what is best for their pockets, and the pockets and interests of their select allies. This select and minority class of people through political experience and expediency have mastered the art of deflection and disguise, and rather than address the concerns of their people, they will continue to use their positions for profiteering whilst simply pinning the blame of all fallout on the scapegoat of the day, which today is the migrant and minority community member, with special attention paid to Islam and Muslims.

We Call for Dialogue

With the above in mind, we call all who have any concerns about Islam or Muslims to sit down with us and to engage in civil dialogue. As Muslims, this was the example set by our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with those who had an issue with Islam during the initial years of his prophecy, and this is what we are instructed toward in The Quran.

Some of the issues we can sympathise with

We can sympathise and agree on some of the concerns being raised by those who have mistakenly pinned the blame on migrants and minority communities. We call for dialogue in addressing all points, but here are a few brief points we can agree on:

Migration should be legal. We acknowledge that migration to the UK can be seen as a result of Britain’s colonial past, and its political and military meddling in other lands; nevertheless, we still believe that migration should be pursued legally and the priority of the UK government should be its own citizens and their welfare. This is a simple point we believe any sovereign nation and its citizens would understand and agree to.

Etiquettes & integration (not assimilation) are important. We agree and believe that those who do migrate to the UK should make every effort in understanding and appreciating the culture of the land. Effort should be made to integrate into society whilst those professing the Islamic faith should be able to preserve and hold firmly to the principles and framework of Islam. As Muslims we are able to integrate into any society in the world and adopt cultural norms so long as they do not contradict or infringe upon the general framework of Islam.

British people are generally very welcoming and accepting of cultures and practices different to their own and have made so many changes within society to cater to Muslim needs, and so we believe that Muslims should therefore appreciate and consider the cultural sensitivities of other British communities which may have otherwise been overlooked.

Crime

As Muslims, we stand firmly against all forms of criminal behaviour, including rape, paedophilia, grooming and molestation regardless of the perpetrator’s background, religion or immigration status. These crimes are abhorrent and must be addressed with seriousness and justice wherever they occur, and by whomever they are committed.

We understand the deep concern and anger that such offences understandably provoke, and we share in that outrage. Where individuals with Muslim names or migrant backgrounds have been involved in such crimes, it is essential to be clear: their actions are entirely contrary to the values and teachings of Islam. They do not represent our faith or our communities. In fact, Islamic teachings prescribe some of the strongest penalties for such offences, reflecting the seriousness with which these acts are regarded.

We believe it is important, however, not to reduce these deeply serious issues to questions of ethnicity, nationality or religion. To do so risks not only overlooking broader societal factors, but also unfairly stigmatising entire communities who are equally committed to justice, accountability, and public safety.

There are many areas in which we believe common ground can be found, and real dialogue can lead to meaningful solutions. We welcome open, civil, and honest conversations with anyone who holds concerns about Muslims or the Muslim community in the UK. We believe that beyond the noise created by divisive political interests and sensationalist media — ordinary people have far more in common than we are often led to believe.

It is up to us, as members of the wider public, to reject attempts to divide us, and to work together in the pursuit of a just, compassionate, and safe society not only for ourselves, but for future generations to come.

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[1] The first Muslims in England – BBC News

[2] For more, see The Influence of Islam by William Montgomery Watt

[3] Al-Anbiya, The Quran: 107

[4] The Collection of at-Tirmidhi

[5] The Musnad of Imam Ahmad

[6] The Quran, al-Hujurat, verse 13

[7]  The Quran, ar-Rum, verse 20

[8] The Quran, Maidah, verse 02