Lewisham Stands Together
The Lewisham Islamic Centre (“LIC”) are aware of an article published by The Times concerning a sermon delivered at our Mosque in 2023 by Imam Ashraf.
Having reviewed the article and listened to the sermon in full, it is of course of no surprise that yet again and where Islamic and Muslim affairs are concerned, that the favoured and only journalistic practice is the use of selective excerpts removed and misrepresented from their wider context in order to mislead.
The overwhelming majority of the sermon in question addressed the responsibilities and failures of Muslim men: paternal absenteeism, the neglect of wives and children, failure to provide financial and emotional support, and other similar behavioural failings that contribute to the wider crisis of accountability amongst men within modern family life. Imam Ashraf repeatedly criticised men who harboured such cavalier attitudes for failing their families and communities.
The article, however, chose to isolate a brief section discussing reciprocal marital responsibilities within classical Islamic teaching, while omitting the broader substance and balance of the sermon that reflected longstanding orthodox Islamic teachings concerning mutual rights and responsibilities within Islamic marriage. This materially distorts its meaning and intent.
While religious teachings often contain moral obligations and doctrines that some may disagree with, there is a clear attempt in this article by the reprobate Murdoch press to misrepresent Islamic beliefs and practices as objectionable and weaponise them against newly elected Mayor of Lewisham, Liam Shrivastava, who is not a Muslim. The Mayor of course represents an entire borough comprised of Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, people of no faith, and Muslims. Yet, it is only Islamic beliefs and teachings that are selectively affiliated to him for some warped political ends. Never are other religious communities’ theological teachings – however controversial – highlighted or projected onto elected officials. The double standard is patently obvious and the dog whistle anti-Muslim agenda clear as crystal after the fashion of recent far-right anti-Muslim hate marches in the capital.
We reject these pathetic anti-Muslim attempts to drive a wedge between Mayor Liam and communities in Lewisham. We are under no illusions that the multicultural success story that is Lewisham is prime fodder for those determined to undermine it through division and hatred. Such attempts have failed and will continue to fail in Lewisham, God willing.
LIC Mosque remains committed to serving the whole community through worship, education, family support and constructive civic engagement founded upon mutual respect and understanding, values that will endure always over and above a press industry barely subsisting on outrage even as it withers and dies in moral bankruptcy.