Source: Friday Times
Why did an ad in a local British paper create such a furore? Zenia Marufi looks into the reasons
Who are they?
It maintains an estimated 15,000 mosques and centers, 1000 schools, 50 hospitals and several philanthropic organizations in over 195 countries around the world. It enjoys extraordinary support from politicians, world leaders and international organizations such as Amnesty International, the United Nations and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Most recently President Obama spoke up in support of this community by granting it an official house caucus in Capitol Hill which will work towards safeguarding its rights within and outside the United States. This is the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Where it happened
Let’s shift our gaze to a small town near London which has been repeatedly identified as “an area of concern” in reports published by the British Government. One in every 4 people here is a Muslim. The majority of these Muslims belong to Azad Kashmir and Bangladesh. According to UK Crime Statistics there was no significant decrease in the number of crimes committed here between December 2010 to December 2013, instead a rise in violence against Caucasians and Asian women was witnessed. Honour crimes, forced marriages and domestic abuse saw a particular spike. This is Luton, a town that topped the list of worst places to live in Britain back in 2004 and where things have remain unchanged since.
Ahmadi Muslims carried out a campaign to tackle Islamophobia in London
What exactly happened?
What does Luton have to do with the Ahmadiyya? Not much, except that in March 2014 an advertisement appeared in 30 local newspapers including The Luton on Sunday, to celebrate 125 years of the community. Whilst thousands went about their daily lives glancing unaffectedly at the advert, a group of residents in Luton were outraged and decided to take the newspaper to task. One can only guess at the extremely convincing rhetoric of the ‘members’ of the ‘other’ muslim community in Luton that won the newspaper over, as the following Sunday a clarification appeared.
“Last week Luton on Sunday carried an advertisement from The Ahmadiyya……we would also like to make it clear that we disassociate ourselves from the content of the advertisement….On Friday we met with the representatives from the Muslim community to discuss the advertisement which we had accepted in good faith but now understand has caused offense to members of the Muslim community in Luton….”
Why is it shocking?
This in a country which has prided itself on being home to an ever-growing ethnically diverse Muslim population from varying sects as well as Budhists, Bahais, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs,Wiccans amongst countless others. A nation which extends human rights to its own people as well as outsiders without discrimination: whether it is the 72 year old British-Ahmadi Muslim Dr Masood jailed under the blasphemy law in Pakistan in December 2013 or an Afghan atheist. Members of the Ugandan LGBT community and Syrian refugees have found asylum in the last year alone.
Categories: Europe and Australia, UK