The prime minster needs the support of Muslim communities in the struggle against ISIS.
The prime minster needs the support of Muslim communities in the struggle against ISIS
After the recent brutal murder of aid worker David Haines, the prime minister issued a statement that once again made clear the distinction between Islam as a peaceful religion followed by many productive and peaceful citizens in the UK and those extremists roaming in Syria and Iraq, chasing minorities and destroying the heritage of these groups.
The prime minister has repeatedly set out this position time and time again, not only because it is accurate and true, but also because a clear line has been to be drawn between those in ISIS and Muslim communities globally.
The dividing line between law abiding Muslims and those brutal murderers in ISIS is essential to keep cementing for two key reasons. The first is that it undermines the corrosive narratives of far-right and other anti-Muslim groups who try to amalgamate every Muslim into an amorphous mass of people who are collectively a threat to Europe and the West.
Whilst this narrative may seem devoid of reality, the sad truth is that it has resonated in some sections of communities, particularly with young disaffected white males, who in many instances, are socially excluded.
Secondly, by doing so, the prime minister has drawn a much needed line between the slick propaganda of ISIS and Muslim communities in our country so that the pull of these extremists is actively challenged.
Yet, there is something that is troubling and worrying. Whilst many Muslim civil society groups, mosques and Imams have roundly condemned the murder of David Haines, the troubling factor is that there will have been pressures on the prime minister to push harder for greater legal anti-terrorism measures. These no doubt, would have impacts on civil liberties and with a possible disproportionate impact on Muslim communities.
The realpolitik is that the prime minster is juggling between those who want him to get much tougher on domestic and international extremism and terrorism; yet what is clear is that the prime minister has not lost sight of one key factor. The way to challenge and address such extremism and rhetoric is through one key asset, in this case British Muslim communities.
This is the message the prime minister is repeatedly putting out time and time again and which should not be forgotten.
The prime minister’s position should be welcomed and shored up by Muslim communities, irrespective of their views on other political matters. On the issue of tackling extremism, his support for Muslim communities as an asset in the ideological battle means we have a prime minister who believes in a Britain where young Muslims have a future; his vision is of a pluralistic Britain where communities are free to live their lives from fear and where threats to our country must be mitigated against by a pro-active stance against groups like ISIS.
All of this is welcome, yet if this opportunity is not grasped by the leadership in Muslim communities the future looks bleak.
Yet all indicators are showing religious leaders, civil society activists and social change makers in British Muslim communities coming together to collectively reject the ideology of ISIS.
The reality is that in Europe today, the forces of far-right groups are growing. A recent poll in France indicated that the National Front’s Marine Le Pen would win the presidential race for France if a snap election were held now. The far-right Swedish Democrats have just polled double figures in the Swedish elections making them potential kingmakers in a future cabinet. Both groups have focused their target on Muslim communities and on immigration, making their politics toxic for future integration and for cohesion in these countries.
Britain still stands as a bastion for pluralism in a Europe where extreme parties couched in populist language elbow forward for seats of power. Our government and our prime minister still hold dear to the view that all communities have a future in Britain, unlike the National Front or Swedish Democrats who look on Muslim communities as being ‘problematic,’ a view that is soaked up by those in France and Sweden who cannot find employment and who look for easy answers and for someone to blame for their shortfalls.
A further lurch to the right in Britain, on the back of rhetoric suggesting that Muslim communities are unable to integrate and who are potential security threats, has the potential of a domino effect across the continent which will have resounding impacts on Europe and the countries of the Mediterranean with large Muslim populations.
Whilst a ‘clash of civilisations’ will not, thankfully, happen, a widening political divide between Europe and Mediterranean countries bodes ill for future trade, geo-political and military alliances.
European nations may think that they are countries of tolerance and understanding, but it is Britain that is an influencing factor in ensuring they maintain their stance. Our ideals and our values set a trail that many countries have tried to emulate with civil servant after civil servant from these countries coming to the UK to find out how we ‘do’ pluralism.
Which brings me back to the core point that the prime minster needs the support of Muslim communities in this struggle against ISIS and in dissuading young people to go to Syria or Iraq. It is a call that we must heed, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because a weakening of the prime minister’s position will have dire consequences for those who believe in a liberal and pluralist Europe.
Now is the time to tackle a group like ISIS – one of the greatest threats to Muslim and non-Muslim communities, as well as to the Middle East and Europe. Not since the end of the Cold War has such an issue arisen. Now is not the time to wobble and to back away from a prime minister who, on this issue, has done the right thing.
Fiyaz Mughal is the director of Faith Matters. He was appointed to be on the Working Group for Communities that was linked to the Extremism Task Force developed in 2005 after the 7/7 bombings. An elected member IDeA Peer Mentor for national work with local authorities on the Preventing Violent Extremism agenda, Fiyaz was also previously appointed by the secretary of state for the Department for Communities and Local Government (the Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP) to be a member of the Local Delivery Advisory Group on Preventing Violent Extremism.
He was also appointed as the advisor to the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg MP, on interfaith and preventing radicalisation and extremism between 2009 – 2010.
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6 Responses to “We should stand with the prime minister in tackling the threat of ISIS”
itdoesntaddup
ISIS is not a UK issue, or even a UK/US issue. It is important that the coalition of disapproval and action against it is as wide as possible. Not just respectable, normal British Muslims, but also Muslims and non-Muslims around the world, whatever their country, political leanings or faith.
TN
It has become a UK issue when one of its citizens was beheaded and another is currently being held hostage by ISIS.
dave daison
If Cameron is so desperate to get the UK Muslim community onside, he should probably have throught twice before a) all the racial scaremongering his party got up to last summer and b) siding unhesitatingly beside Israel as it bombed fuck out of Gaza for no reason. people don’t forget – and Cameron looks, as a result of his other actions, like a fairweather friend to the UK’s minority groups.
itdoesntaddup
It has become an issue for every country whose citizens are fighting for ISIS, and for every country they aim to disrupt. These issues pre-date and are far larger than the publicised executions and hostage taking. That’s why we should stand together against it.
Mark
Islam is what you make it from the texts. I can so easily say this as an outsider of religion, by seeing how it can obviously work. The religious are hamstrung by so much on this, and simply want to protect the faith.
It can be peaceful, as demonstrated, and it can be violent, as demonstrated.
I might understand the link with the “far-right” if there had been demos against Muslims because of ISIS. As far as I’m aware, there have been none. In fact, there has been more anti-semitism during Israel/Gaza rallies. Yes, European nations, and I’d say especially Britain are tolerant, but racism has always been there from the types who do it now. Do you seriously think that Cameron saying “ISIS are not Muslims,” will stop them, if they want to cause trouble? Or do you think Cameron’s assertion simply causes more debate?
What are “Muslim leaders” in the UK? Sunnis, Shias, Deobandies, etc, or sub sects such as Salafis or Wahabis? I note you make no distinction here. It’s long been known that Salafi and Wahabi strains are underlying much of this. Could we differentiate between “normal” Christians and “foaming at the mouth evangelicals” if the latter caused the same problems? I’d say yes, and it would be a step towards tackling that hypothetical problem.
Exactly the same between regular, secular Jews and Ultra Orthodox. So why can’t we differentiate within Muslim sects? I would gamble my house on the fact that no secular, liberal Muslims would ever consider going to Syria/Iraq.
I wouldn’t know if you saw the published curriculum for a school in a town in Syria that ISIS had taken. There were restrictions on religious education, science, art, music, literature, writing and sports. This was exactly what was going on in the Birmingham schools, but everyone was supposed to accept that as proper “Muslim education,” according to many commentators. I really do not know if you were among them.
And after effectively saying ISIS have nothing to do with Islam, you admit the “Muslim” community have to get involved. I at least agree with the last part here, but again wonder which part of that community can be called upon.
This piece is very much about Cameron’s assertions that ISIS are not Muslims (easily debatable) and that Islam is inherently a religion of peace (debatable, and has been done on many occasions). It is not really about anything else.
Yes, if I put myself in a similar position to yours, I would want to protect the honest, peaceful members of my group, and I’d be confident they outnumber the “extremists,” but I would like to be a lot more honest about it and how to tackle it.