Patriotic British Muslims A response to Dan Hodges Dan Hodges was right when he started his ill-informed article by saying ‘we can’t carry on like this. We just can’t.’ Indeed, we simply can’t carry on blaming Muslims for what aren't even Muslim issues. Hodges tried ever so forcefully to make the point that Muslims have failed to integrate into the British society. He refers to ‘ISIL’ as a ‘Muslim terror threat’, he labels the Rotherham rapists as ‘Muslim sex gangs’ and claims that secular Birmingham schools were actually ‘Muslim schools’. Doesn't he realise that ‘ISIL’ is a terrorist state only posing as an Islamic state and the Rotherham Rapists are just that – rapists? And that the Birmingham schools were just normal secular schools, which were infiltrated by some perverse and extremist minded individuals? These issues have nothing to do with Islam or Muslims. Terrorists and terrorist states have existed in history regardless of religious misuse and influence. Rapists existed in England long before any so called Muslim was accused of the crime. And perverse minded people and extremists have also existed long before. Such people and such issues exist in England and other parts of the world in some form or another regardless of religion. To single out Muslims and assert that we have to inquire as to why Muslims haven’t integrated is sheer folly. Muslims have integrated into British society and take part actively in many British values and traditions. If a small number of them act deviously and disregard the basic elements of their faith while claiming to follow it, then many others who don’t claim to be Muslim do so as well. The fact that Muslims have committed some crimes doesn't make this a Muslim problem. It makes it a social issue like any other, which needs to be addressed by both the British society and the Muslim community together. Furthermore, it’s no use labelling such criminals as ‘Muslim terrorists’ or ‘Muslim rapists’. A rapist is a rapist and a terrorist is a terrorist regardless of what he may or may not claim to believe in and follow. The question therefore is why have we, Britain as a nation failed to address the issues in our society regardless of which group or community commits them. And furthermore, why have some British Muslims not acted in accordance with their faith and lived as peaceful, law-abiding and contributive citizens as their faith requires them to do so? The question isn't as Hodges puts it, ‘why have Muslims failed to integrate into British society’. It’s as if he blames non-integration as the cause of all social ills! Even well integrated individuals sometimes cause problems in society. Were the 2011 London riots due to non-integration? Mr. Hodges paints such a dark and frightening picture of British Muslims as if there is not even a single patriotic or loyal British Muslim citizen alive in the UK. I have to greatly differ on his viewpoint. For over a century now the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has pledged loyalty to Britain and actively involved itself in all good British values. Just last summer, when only a handful of young Muslims travelled to join ‘ISIL’, thousands of Ahmadi British Muslims travelled to join their fellow brothers in an effort to promote, peace, brotherhood, unity and accord amongst one another. 5000 British Muslim youth from across the nation gathered in Farnham, Surrey to pledge loyalty to the country and firmly commit to sacrifice their wealth, lives, time and honour for not only their faith but also their nation. Furthermore, during the International Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community last month, guests were pleasantly surprised to see the Union Jack flying high above with the Ahmadiyya Muslim standard. If there was ever a better expression of loyalty and love for one’s nation by British Muslims we’d like to see it. Just like week, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association held its national football tournament in Scotland. Ahmadi Muslim youth from across the UK travelled to Glasgow to participate. Through the 9 hour long journey, a van carrying boys travelling from the south was filled with melodies of the national anthem as Muslim British boys passionately sang 'God save our gracious Queen'. This was recorded if anyone wishes to hear. Now tell me that Muslims haven't integrated into British society. That’s not all however. The Ahmadiyya Community has been serving the British nation for over a century now with peace initiatives, homeless feeding, charity events, marathon walks, seminars, poppy appeal collections and so ever much more. Yet Dan Hodges and so many others unfortunately miss this gem in the British society. We can’t carry on like this, we simply can’t. Let’s be clear here, the actions of some so called Muslims are abhorrent, despicable and totally against the true teachings of Islam. Some credit has to be given to the British government for handling some of these issues very well. The Birmingham trojan horse case prompted a full enquiry and investigation and the rapists in Rotherham were convicted and sentenced. When it comes to justice, the British are possibly second to none, the fairness and integrity in the justice system is cause for real hope and this has been a trademark of the British wherever the empire went. True to say, if we, the British nation held firm to justice for evermore, then that alone could prove to be the redeeming quality of this nation. Our nation’s actions in the Middle East however are not always to be applauded. While we may adhere to good standards of justice at home, our record away is less to be admired. Meddling in the affairs of foreign nations and supporting illegitimate groups is never a policy which could ever lead to any success. Is there any wonder why more and more extremist terrorist groups keep propping up? If we hadn't stuck our noses where they didn't belong in the first place we wouldn't have ever been in this mess. Is there any right-minded individual who wouldn't agree with the fact that Iraq was far better off with Saddam, before our invasion than it is now? At least they had a society, a civilisation, food, healthcare, education and a running and efficient country. Now they have nothing but rubble, scraps of aid, dead citizens and a fanatic pseudo caliphate to deal with. If there is ever any action which needs to be taken, it must be through the UN, after all, that’s what it is there for. We can’t take matters into our own hands. The only solution now to the ‘ISIL’ problem is to take a step back. Stop funding external and rebel groups and send a peacekeeping force through the UN consisting of mainly Arab nations to remedy the situation and restore order in the area. The Muslim nations should take care of their own affairs and not look for outside help, nor should Western nations be meddling in the affairs of foreign nations thousands of miles away. Regardless, Muslims also should start self reflecting and think about what they are doing and what they are representing. Ahmadi Muslims have always been loyal to their respective nations and will continue to be so. It’s time all other Muslims joined together as well and pledged loyalty to the nation which houses them, feeds them, educates them and protects their rights and freedoms. Dan Hodges’ concern is somewhat understandable though, it does sometimes seem as though Muslims are causing the problems of the world. Be assured though, that is nothing but an illusion and a delusion. A few Muslims commit some crimes and there is uproar, articles are written, protests are made and inquisitions are called for. Thousands of Muslims gather to condemn violence, spread peace, charity and hope and pledge loyalty to the country - yet no one seems to care. We can’t carry on like this, we just can’t.
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AuthorAtif Rashid writes about faith, extremism & mental health. Categories
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August 2021
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