Mosque Advises British Muslims on Elections: ‘Push Back With Love’

In a heated atmosphere ahead of Thursday’s vote, a leading British mosque in Birmingham has urged Muslim voters to “push back with love” and to heed messages of good manners, Birmingham Mail reported.

FEED THE POOR

Feeding the poor and needy is an act that draws us closer to Allah. We earn His forgiveness, mercies and blessings through this act of charity.

“Anyone who looks after and works for a widow and a poor person is like a warrior fighting for Allah?s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all night. (Bukhari)

The statement, issued on behalf of the Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre leadership, describes polling day as “a memorable moment for the UK.”

“In recent years, political conversations have been
saturated by debates surrounding Brexit, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and the
teaching of RSE in schools. As a result of this, the Muslim community have
noticeably become more politically engaged,” said the collective statement
from the mosque leaders.

In some seats, they note, “the Muslim vote can be
critical.”

“Muslims make up almost 5% of the UK
population…including doctors, sports personalities, teachers, tax drivers,
builders…not only are Muslims instrumental when it comes to the British
economy, but they also make up the diverse fabric of the multi-cultural British
experience.

“It is unsurprising, therefore, that the current
elections have sparked a significant rise in political interest amongst
Muslims. On social media, league tables of leading parties and their commitment
to Muslim manifesto pledges are circulating, much to the interest of the
community.

Friday Sermon

Moreover, the mosque imam addressed the issue during Friday
prayers and urged worshippers to be respectful.

“By involving ourselves (politically), we are essentially taking a proactive stance in which our views must be considered. This empowers us to ensure our religious freedom, general welfare and the future of our children is protected,” Dr. Ahsan Hanif, a senior Islamic scholar, and Imam at the mosque, said.

“We must, in all instances, embody respectable character and moral principles. Politics close to people’s hearts can often turn into regrettable expressions of anger and aggression. In the age of social media, it has become all too easy to smear and insult others publicly.

Swing Votes

The 2019 United Kingdom general election is scheduled to be
held on Thursday 12 December 2019.

Recent research and data have shown that the Muslim
electorate can swing the capital’s Kensington and Putney seats, along with
29 others across the UK.

As the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) released a list of 31
constituencies where Muslim voters could swing seats, pushing for a nationwide
voter registration drive, three leading British Muslim organizations also urged Muslims to vote in the upcoming general election to
make their voices heard and exercise their civil obligations to fully engage in
the society.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), MEND (Muslim Engagement & Development), and Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK (MPACUK) believe that Muslims have the power to decide the next government.