Atif Rashid, Journalist, UK
If you live in the UK, you couldn’t have missed all the national flags peppered across towns in the country. With roundabouts painted with the red cross from St George’s flag, you would think a national holiday was being celebrated.
While far-right figures claim it is a sign of patriotism – which national flags usually are – evidence suggests racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia are behind the strategic placement of these symbols in the past two weeks. While anti-immigrant sentiment has been rising in the last few years, the real issue for these people seems to be Islam or Muslims.
As Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, Khalifatul Masih V, said in 2018:
“Many local people are afraid that their societies are changing beyond comprehension and they feel that their nation’s resources are being disproportionately utilised in favour of immigrants.
“Whilst the term ‘immigrant’ is used, the real issue for most people is ‘Islam’ and the fact that the vast majority of immigrants to Europe are Muslims fleeing from war-torn countries in the Middle East.”
Foreign wars & interventions
These concerns by right-wing groups are largely misplaced. The influx of people coming into Britain because of the dire conditions in other countries is partly the result of poor foreign policy decisions by successive British governments. That should be blamed, rather than the immigrants themselves.
The UK has been involved in the wars in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Gaza. The amount of British taxpayer money to fight or fund these wars – most of which destabilised those countries and created more terrorists – runs into the billions.
The sentiment should be against government policies and poor use of taxpayer money, rather than the vulnerable immigrants fleeing oppression and tyranny in their countries.
As Huzooraa said:
“Society should not reject genuine refugees who are suffering through no fault of their own. Society should not cast aside innocent people who only want the opportunity to live in peace and who desire to be good citizens and follow the laws of the land in which they live.” (Ibid.)
But none of this should come at the expense of the existing population. In another instance, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa stated:
“People who have lived their lives and paid their taxes in a country, are justified to ask whether it is fair that their contributions to the State are spent on resettling foreign immigrants, as opposed to funding projects that are beneficial to existing citizens.”
Today, public services are in a free-fall, the NHS is underfunded, and the cost-of-living crisis is soaring. Meanwhile, the government continues to increase defence spending, and most politicians are on a £100k salary or so, which has risen above the rate of inflation. The average UK salary is £37,600. This is an issue of poor allocation of resources by our leadership, rather than an issue of an influx of immigrants.
Muslim immigrants: Decline of British culture or true integration?
With Muslim immigrants entering Britain, however, some feel that British culture is declining and the country is unrecognisable. The far right calls for Muslims to “integrate” and not undermine British culture. But this is a strawman fallacy.
Muslims are the most charitable of all religious groups in the UK. They work in the NHS, in our schools, shops and public services. Some of the most prominent Britons are dedicated public servants like Humza Yousaf, the former First Minister of Scotland and Sadiq Khan, the longest-serving mayor of London.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa said:
“For me, true integration is to love the country in which you live and to be completely loyal to it. Thus, all immigrants should be loyal to their adopted nation, they should truly love it, they should honour it, they should be law abiding and work for its prosperity and progress. This is integration.”
Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya (Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association) raises hundreds of millions for British charities every year, donates thousands of kilograms of items to foodbanks and provides more than a million meals to those in need.
The fear of the “Islamisation” of Britain is also a red herring. Muslims do not come here to “invade” the country. When the Muslims at the time of the Holy Prophetsa were being persecuted in Mecca, the Prophetsa advised them to migrate to Ethiopia, which was under the rule of a just Christian king. They did not go there to “Islamise” the country or change their culture. They went to seek refuge so they could practice their faith with freedom and in peace.
Islam’s teachings regarding one’s country
Islam teaches loyalty and love for one’s nation, whether the governance is Muslim or non-Muslim. When the Holy Prophetsa formed the nation-state of Medina, he did not enforce Islamic culture, norms or rules upon its population. Instead, he issued a common law for all and allowed all religions to practice their faiths and be judged according to the rules of their scriptures.
This is the pluralistic system of governance he implemented, which Islam advocates. When Muslims later ruled other territories across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, that system was followed – where Jews, Muslims, and Christians lived in harmony side by side, each following and upholding their own cultures whilst respecting the others.
Today, Britain prides itself on multiculturalism and religious freedom, akin to those values – this is what makes it a great place to live, not just for Muslims, but for every citizen of the UK.