Lulua
27-08-2002, 09:16
YOU MUST VOTE
Sophia Desai created the political Department at MPAC. She now writes to say how important it is to vote strategically.
As salaam alaikum,
The anniversary of September 11 is nearly upon us but I’m pretty sure that the majority of British Muslims will be remembering their own REAL experiences which followed the attack.
By the above I mean the Islamaphobic attacks that many Muslims were subjected to.
The intimidation varied; Many Muslim sisters who adorn the hijab were physically attacked. There were awful reports of Muslim children being bullied and Muslim brothers up and down the country were suspected of Al Qaeeda links merely because they had the appearance of a Muslim and were concerned about the human right abuses of oppressed Muslims abroad.
An example of such a brother is Sulayman Balal Zainulabidan. The brother has just been cleared of an Al Qaeeda link (Observer 25 August) and he says that he will now sue the police for unlawful arrest. And he is right to do so. His name was mentioned in the Evening Standard as a possible terrorist so he went to the police for protection in October last year. What did the police do? They arrested him instead.
The brother is free now but he has to rebuild his life after ten months of worry and unease for him and his family.
Will the police learn from this case? Will the harassment of Muslim brothers stop?
I don’t think so. Behind every situation lies a hand. In my end of town, we call such people ‘#####-stirrers.’
The case against brother Sulayman was led by an MP, Andrew Dismore who represents the Labour seat of Hendon. From the outcome of the court case, it is evident that Dismore had no evidence of the brother’s link with any extremist group.
Only deeply engrained Islampahobic paranoia.
So what prompted him to lead a campaign against this innocent brother? Well brother Sulayman was of Muslim appearance with a Muslim name running a training website. Natural assumption – Terrorist.
I have little doubt that Andrew Dismore was voted in by the 2,719 registered Muslim voters (source: votesmart) of Hendon.
Despite this man’s apparent Islamaphobia, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Muslims of Hendon voted him in again at the next election.
This is not to say that I do not understand the dilemma; Many Muslims vote for their ‘natural party’ which is Labour. But what we have to realise is that we are no longer voting for party policies but for the individual candidate who is representing us.
What is the point of voting for an MP who will only turn on us as did Dismore with brother Sulayman? Right party – wrong candidate.
British Muslims, the majority of whom now wish to call themselves ‘moderate Muslims’ because of the fear that has been created since Sept 11, can fight Dismore and others like him. This is despite the fact that they have been voted in by naïve Muslims who rejoice and thank Allah that the (Islamaphobic) MP has taken the time to grace the Mosque with his presence.
(And please no emails from brothers who believe voting is haram. By the interpretation of the vast majority of scholars in the world it is not!)
(And please give thought to the damage you do to our community by discouraging Muslims from participating in the political structure. No vote means no voice and that means no limits to characters like Dismore who will continue to attack Muslims from a legitimate position).
Hendon Muslims – if you wish to object to Dismore, please contact politics@mpacuk.org and we will be in touch with details on how to get active.
All other areas – if you wish to have Muslim interests represented by your MP then contact the politics email address and we will be in touch.
May Allah guide us in all our efforts.
Wa
Sophia
You can write to Sophia about this article on:
sophia.desai@mpacuk.org
Sophia Desai created the political Department at MPAC. She now writes to say how important it is to vote strategically.
As salaam alaikum,
The anniversary of September 11 is nearly upon us but I’m pretty sure that the majority of British Muslims will be remembering their own REAL experiences which followed the attack.
By the above I mean the Islamaphobic attacks that many Muslims were subjected to.
The intimidation varied; Many Muslim sisters who adorn the hijab were physically attacked. There were awful reports of Muslim children being bullied and Muslim brothers up and down the country were suspected of Al Qaeeda links merely because they had the appearance of a Muslim and were concerned about the human right abuses of oppressed Muslims abroad.
An example of such a brother is Sulayman Balal Zainulabidan. The brother has just been cleared of an Al Qaeeda link (Observer 25 August) and he says that he will now sue the police for unlawful arrest. And he is right to do so. His name was mentioned in the Evening Standard as a possible terrorist so he went to the police for protection in October last year. What did the police do? They arrested him instead.
The brother is free now but he has to rebuild his life after ten months of worry and unease for him and his family.
Will the police learn from this case? Will the harassment of Muslim brothers stop?
I don’t think so. Behind every situation lies a hand. In my end of town, we call such people ‘#####-stirrers.’
The case against brother Sulayman was led by an MP, Andrew Dismore who represents the Labour seat of Hendon. From the outcome of the court case, it is evident that Dismore had no evidence of the brother’s link with any extremist group.
Only deeply engrained Islampahobic paranoia.
So what prompted him to lead a campaign against this innocent brother? Well brother Sulayman was of Muslim appearance with a Muslim name running a training website. Natural assumption – Terrorist.
I have little doubt that Andrew Dismore was voted in by the 2,719 registered Muslim voters (source: votesmart) of Hendon.
Despite this man’s apparent Islamaphobia, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Muslims of Hendon voted him in again at the next election.
This is not to say that I do not understand the dilemma; Many Muslims vote for their ‘natural party’ which is Labour. But what we have to realise is that we are no longer voting for party policies but for the individual candidate who is representing us.
What is the point of voting for an MP who will only turn on us as did Dismore with brother Sulayman? Right party – wrong candidate.
British Muslims, the majority of whom now wish to call themselves ‘moderate Muslims’ because of the fear that has been created since Sept 11, can fight Dismore and others like him. This is despite the fact that they have been voted in by naïve Muslims who rejoice and thank Allah that the (Islamaphobic) MP has taken the time to grace the Mosque with his presence.
(And please no emails from brothers who believe voting is haram. By the interpretation of the vast majority of scholars in the world it is not!)
(And please give thought to the damage you do to our community by discouraging Muslims from participating in the political structure. No vote means no voice and that means no limits to characters like Dismore who will continue to attack Muslims from a legitimate position).
Hendon Muslims – if you wish to object to Dismore, please contact politics@mpacuk.org and we will be in touch with details on how to get active.
All other areas – if you wish to have Muslim interests represented by your MP then contact the politics email address and we will be in touch.
May Allah guide us in all our efforts.
Wa
Sophia
You can write to Sophia about this article on:
sophia.desai@mpacuk.org