50 years to the day, Ugandan strongman and dictator – Idi Amin, proclaimed that Ugandan Asians had 90 days to leave the country. At a sweep, three to four generations of Ugandan Asians were made stateless and many looked to Britain to provide them with a safe place where they could resettle to.

My parents were two such people. Faiz Ahmed Mughal and Rafaat Sitara Mughal, left Uganda in August 1972. My mother was born in Mbale and her family had lived there for nearly 40 years. She used to speak to me of places such as Fort Portal, Jinja, Mbale and Kampala, reminiscing about the beauty, peace and strong cohesion between Asian communities in Uganda at the time.

My father told me of the possessions that were taken away from them, when they entered Entebbe airport, of the body searches that he endured and the disdain that Ugandan soldiers showed towards those exiting the country with them. This disdain had been whipped up by Amin who had publicly stated that Ugandan Asians ‘had milked the cow’ that had sustained them. Effectively, he blamed them for social policy failures that previous Governments and his were responsible for. We all know that when politicians fail, they blame others. However, Amin was not just any politician; he was a dangerous egotistical dictator, whose actions were to lead to more than 300,000 Ugandans dying because of his decisions.

Both my parents were proud people who had worked in professional jobs, my father – an electrical engineer and my mother – a teacher. Yet, when they sat in Entebbe, all they had in their pockets were 5 Ugandan Schillings, about 25 pence in today’s money. My father would tell me later in life that soldiers even tried to take away the bottle of milk that fed me, though some guards took pity and left me to suck on the rubber teat. I am pretty sure that as an 18 month old baby, I would have felt the fear, trauma and trepidation that my parents felt and which the environment gave off. It is this fear, trauma and trepidation that stayed with me far too long in my life. I am pretty sure it is something that filtered into many families in different shapes and form, never to be talked about or highlighted apart from within the closed recesses of the minds of those affected.

On landing in the U.K my parents were housed in RAF Stradishall, a military camp that saw action in the Second World War. My mother would tell me about how some of the Asian women were fed up of the food that was given to them so they got permission to cook dhals and curries in the camp kitchen, that made them feel that little bit closer to their cultural roots and give them a sense of grounding. As winter drew on, my father told me that he hated the dark nights and cold days and that the environment was one where he wanted to get back to Africa again. He felt an emotional ‘coldness’ in the U.K. that was then amplified by the physical cold of the environment.

Impacts of Trauma

Much is discussed about how successful Ugandan Asians have been in the U.K and this cannot be denied. Yet, these are a handful of stories of many that have included poverty, hard work, crises of identities and internalised traumas around safety and security which other British Asians of Ugandan heritage have felt.

Many subsequent generations of Ugandan Asians regard themselves as coming from ‘working class backgrounds’, of having to overcome racism and prejudice and of carrying a feeling of dislocation – a kind of wandering soul longing for something. The latter is what I felt for over 4 decades, and I have finally come to the conclusion that ‘home’ is where you have the people that love you. It is not so much a physical space, as a space where kindness, empathy, unconditional positive regard and care exist.

I remember the constant fear around security and personal safety that mother felt which was introjected into me. I felt her dislocation, something that affected my sense of identity and my sense of where ‘home’ was. Was I Asian, African, British or of Pakistani heritage?These were some of the thoughts that went through my head as I grew up. I saw her reminisce about Uganda, about how her most happiest moments were there and how life was hard in Britain, particularly when she arrived. I also learnt over many decades that I am made up of many identities, that I am Asian, African, British and someone who has longed for acceptance and a ‘place’. I look towards all of these identities, as having shaped my experiences, my drives and my passion to experience the pluralism that travel provides.

The most difficult emotional impacts of the dislocation from Uganda impacted on my mother’s sense of personal safety. This filtered towards us as children through the constant calls to check how we were, the acute fears that if we were not home on time then we must have been attacked, killed or harmed in some way. Then there was the constant checking on locks, windows and doors. It was a trauma pattern that had become exacerbated by the action of Amin and the traumatic ejection from Uganda. She was caught in a loop which never healed, of a psyche that felt unsafe.

So, 50 years on and in the coming months, we will hear much about the experiences of Ugandan Asians, their triumphs, their pain and the obstacles that they overcame. We will see successful businesspeople lay their success at what Britain gave them. No-one can deny that this country has given much to people of Ugandan Asian heritage like myself. Of that, there is no doubt. Yet, you will hear very little, in fact, next to nothing of the inter-generational impacts of the trauma of Amin’s expulsion, which lives on in many forms.

This is why, I am one of the very few British Asians of Ugandan heritage who is speaking about trauma and the legacy of Amin’s racism. Amin’s tentacles of hate must not reach another generation and one way of healing, is to talk about the impacts of trauma on the emotional and mental health well-being of British Asians of Ugandan heritage. I will keep speaking so that others can feel that they have a space in which to discuss these issues. Healing only comes about by shining a light on the darkness. In this case, there is much that rests in the dark spaces that Amin created.

Fiyaz Mughal is the Founder of Faith Matters which has been supported by the Heritage Lottery to capture the refugee experiences of Ugandan Asians and the impacts that the dislocation had on their emotional and mental health and well-being. His family were expelled by Amin in 1972 and he was 18 months old when he arrived in the U.K. to be housed at RAF Stradishall.

If you want to talk about your experiences or if you are a child of those who arrived from Uganda in 1972, or if you are one of the first arrivals, get in touch via the ‘From East to West’ project on max.russel@faith-matters.org.

After 15 years and founding Faith Matters on the primary basis of building stronger relations between Muslims and Jews, the organisation has developed to provide some of the most innovative and ground-breaking projects around countering extremism and hate crimes. As part of this work, we delivered over 7 years of work on supporting social cohesion, though work on this dropped between 2012-2018 as the Coalition and the successive Government significantly reduced investment in social cohesion work. This was a mistake since it did not provide communities with resilience to challenge the rise of hatred which was at its peak between 2012-2015 and where hate groups had unfettered access to social media platforms, who did not remove content.

I am proud of what I have achieved. Having set up and run Faith Matters, I founded Tell MAMA and went onto develop the annual No2H8 Crime Awards, which are recognised by statutory and civil society bodies. That has become an annual awards ceremony honouring and motivating people to challenge hatred, intolerance and prejudice where they come across it. Furthermore, with Ghanem Nuseibeh, a British Muslim of Palestinian origin, I helped to set up Muslims Against Antisemitism, which seeks to work with Muslim communities to challenge antisemitism where they come across it. Sadly, in some instances, it is rooted within parts of these communities and therefore, Muslims themselves need to challenge it with the relevant information and knowledge that we provide. I will continue to support and advice these organisations and social projects, though after 15 years, Faith Matters needs a new leadership at the helm and such change is necessary for the health and well-being of an organisation.

It has been a roller-coaster of a ride over the last 15 years. Ensuring sustainability, challenging both Islamist and far right extremism and countering the hatred which was targeted at me for setting up Tell MAMA, means that I saw the poisonous changes that were taking place within communities. The rise of social divisions, extremism and hatred were accelerated by social media, but I also saw the kindness, humanity and deep care that many provided to the weakest in society. I am proud of this country, my country and its people and I am also tired of those who seek to ‘do it down’. There is much to be proud of and protect within our society, more importantly our social values and our caring spirit.

I was at the front-line of notifying Government in 2012 as to the rise of the far right and how social media companies were shirking their responsibilities to remove illegal hateful material. In line with this, I notified both the UK Government and the Scottish Parliament about the rise and inter-connectedness of the far right and how their hate would spread and take root if there was no robust mechanism in play. At that time, in England, there was little appetite to do more than suggest that ‘free speech’ and the market of ideas would win out and that in some form, ‘good would triumph over evil’. In Scotland, I received lectures from politicians about Scottish exceptionalism and how extremism could not take root in Scotland as if Hadrian’s wall was a natural barrier against the flow of ideas. That naivety of thinking has led to the current situation where the far right have become emboldened and even tried to move into mainstream politics. The far right’s language around ‘grooming’, ‘migration’, ‘breeding of Muslims’, ‘taqqiyah’ and the ‘takeover of the UK by Muslims’ has struck a cord in some looking to blame someone for the ills in society. Obviously, those that look different and ‘Muslim’ have borne the brunt of their ignorance and anger, including on occasions, members of the British Sikh community.

Which leaves me to say the following. I was part of the initial Working Group to Counter Violent Extremism which the Rt Hon Tony Blair brought together in Windsor, a few months after the murderous 7/7 attacks. I have worked in this area for 15 years, openly challenging Islamist and far right extremism and the previous Coalition Government and the successive Government simply failed to challenge groups fomenting extremist Islamist rhetoric. When asked about what they intended to do around openly challenging such groups, the response from civil servants and Government officials was to cite projects that sought to ‘train women in online extremism’, which was laudable, but hardy supporting those voices openly calling out and challenging Islamist extremist groups. To make matters worse, departments funded organisations ‘developing networks’ led by non-Muslims, talking about challenging far right extremism, whilst seeking to look the other way around countering Islamist extremism, since it was easier for them. The resources provided to them was to challenge all forms of extremism, including Islamist extremism.

To those people, I say, you have wasted resources that British Muslims could have used to challenge the small section of their co-religionists; Muslims taking the ideological fight to others who sought to divide communities and turn some people against the State and the social values that make up our society. No longer can Islamist extremism be overlooked since it is expedient to do so and our country deserves better.

On a final note, I have repeatedly called for tougher measures to be taken against these groups fomenting extremism whilst using the language of human rights as cover for their actions. They poisoned some sections of my co-religionists to the point that they think that the State is their ‘enemy’ and by facilitating the easy and lazy position of looking at their identity solely through the prism of victimisation. With this in mind, I commend the work of the Commission for Countering Extremism and its lead Commissioner, Sara Khan, for having the tenacity and the guts to call out such groups and to provide the evidence around their toxic hate and divisiveness. The Commission has also called for practitioners to be supported who are targeted by hate by such divisive groups. Again, the hand-wringing and inability of Government to defend their very own projects and practitioners delivering them is a stain on them and totally unacceptable. It is time that Government to grow a spine in vocally supporting its practitioners, who put themselves on the line for our country.

I will be taking the time to look at what I do and where I go now. It is essential to review my direction of travel and to focus on people and the goodness around us. I leave behind a team who are committed, dedicated and driven. In the end, we must always remember that there are more good people, than divisive extremists. But maintaining that, needs consistent work and a bold Government. If anything, this election gives this Government a mandate to be bold. Let us hope they are not meek in challenging those who seek to weaken us from within.

Today is a landmark judgment that has been brought against Alison Chabloz who was convicted of two counts of causing obscene material to be sent and one of sending obscene material. These incidents occurred in 2016. It is another line that is drawn on those who think that freedom of expression entitles them to make grossly offensive and menacing statements: in Chabloz’s case, denying the Holocaust and accusing Jewish people, including Holocaust survivors, of fabricating claims of genocide.

Holocaust denial is far more than a false presentation of history. So-called Holocaust ‘revisionists’ are motivated by their own Jew-hatred.  Their aim is to expose the Jewish people to further hatred by making the indefensible claim that Jews are lying about a historical reality which destroyed the lives of more than a third of the world’s Jewish population.

I have seen the impacts of the Holocaust first-hand having visited the death camps in Poland and the Yad Vashem memorial to the Holocaust’s victims.  I saw the personal items of those who walked to their deaths in the vain hope that they were having a shower. They were killed because they were Jews.  Seeing the shoes, the wedding rings, the photographs and confiscated property left an indelible mark on me. It is our duty to never forget the victims and to educate the generations that come after us about the vicious consequences of antisemitism.

The sad reality is that people like Chabloz are adept at exploiting people and playing off communities against each other to further their malicious aims. Chabloz even attempted to use the national project opposing hatred against Muslims, Tell MAMA, to pursue her vendetta against Jewish people.  In 2013 and 2014, she sent written reports to Tell MAMA in the hope that this would lead to the investigation and humiliation of Jewish people for pushing anti-Muslim hatred.  In reality, she didn’t care about the Muslim community or the Tell MAMA project.  This was a disguised attempt to target Jews, because they were Jewish. In September 2014, when we learned of Chabloz’s disturbing antisemitic views, we cut off all communication. I am glad to see that today justice has been served.   

There’s a lesson for all of us here.  In the fight against hatred and discrimination, not everyone who offers help and assistance is a friend. Their smiles may hide other motives, reinforcing the need for enhanced due diligence and vetting of sources.  Alison Chabloz’s antisemitism and Holocaust denial show her true colours, which run totally contrary to the values of Tell MAMA, which works closely with groups like the Community Security Trust.

That’s why Tell MAMA and Faith Matters have added layers of compulsory internal due diligence checks on all those who communicate or engage with us. Whilst this has increased our admin load, rigorous vetting is essential in today’s world. Chabloz’s attempt to divide the Muslim and Jewish communities has also resulted in us seeking to work ever more closely with Jewish communities in the fight against antisemitism. We are partnering with the Jewish community to ensure that the younger generation understand what antisemitism is and that it is an affront not only to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, but also the dignity of Jewish communities today.

We must send out the strongest possible message that no-one can take sides in the battle against hate. There is no ‘picking and choosing’. In the end, antisemites have no problem abusing both Jews and Muslims – something we must never forget.

To effectively fight anti-Muslim hate we must all of us learn about the unique hatred that is antisemitism. I, for one, have sought to further my understanding of Jewish history, culture and heritage. I think it’s important that everyone travels to the sites in Europe where the crimes of the Holocaust were committed and pays homage to the memories of those Jewish brothers and sisters that were murdered only because they were Jewish. Seeing what the Jewish people endured only 70 years ago has helped me see why we should never allow the flags and symbols of terrorist groups that have a history of kidnapping and murdering Jews to be displayed on the streets of London.

We must protect the memory of the Holocaust, highlight it, shout about it.  It’s everyone’s responsibility to tackle anti-Semitism wherever it is found.   Hatred against Jews is an attack on our society as a whole and an attack on our common values. It’s our responsibility to show our Jewish brothers and sisters that they are not alone.

Fiyaz Mughal was the Director of Tell MAMA from 2012-2017 and is the Director of Faith Matters

We have learnt that the Ahmadi community in the United Kingdom have had their right to free expression curtailed once again.

The online site, Christian Today, mentioned the following in their article about the obstructions that were put in front of the Ahmadi community in their recent campaign. Their site stated:

“An email template seen by Christian Today and sent to Ahmadi opponents claimed ‘the billboard incites hatred, it is deeply offensive and hurtful to millions of British citizens’. The email urges other Muslims to write to the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency), the Metropolitan Police and the Charity Commission asking them to take the billboards down”.

Following on from this, Farooq Aftab, a spokesperson for the Ahmadi community, contacted Faith Matters and said, “We had booked a number of digital billboards with Primesight for our ‘Messiah Has Come’ Campaign.  Initially you will recall that we started with Glasgow earlier in the year but due to complaints by Muslims they took off.  After the ASA said there was no offence committed they were restarted.”

He went onto say:

“In the past few weeks we booked a number of billboards which Primesight, (the billboard advertising agency), recommended to us. Inadvertently one was near Birmingham mosque which we were not aware of.  Due to complaints, particularly from some Muslims in the area, the billboards were taken down and also in locations such as Barnet, Lambeth, Leeds and Birmingham.

“When we contacted the company we were told that they were taken down because of ‘security’. In one instance we were told that when the Merton billboards were being put up, the person putting them up was threatened, so he stopped.  When asked why the police had not been informed of this, there was no response”.

Aftab also spoke to the Chief Executive Officer of Primesight and was told that they had taken down the billboards after complaints and he was challenged by Aftab that the basic beliefs of the Ahmadi community were not being respected and they had to right to advertise a peaceful message since they were not harming anyone. He even suggested that other Muslims could put up billboards saying that the ‘Messiah has not come’.

Aftab also showed Faith Matters Whatsapp messages that had been circulating which included the following text:

“Salam everyone. We have managed to speak to the advertising agency regarding the Ahmadiyya sign boards in Birmingham and they have promised to remove ASAP. But at the same time they have asked members of the Muslim community to visit their website and log their complain. Can I request all of you to visit this website and forward it to your contacts to act immediately.  www.primesight.co.uk”

Aftab finally stated the following:

“The True Islam Campaigns purpose is to educate people on the true and peaceful teachings of Islam as practised by the Holy Prophet, Muhammad. The Billboard Campaign, ‘The Messiah Has Come’ aims to educate the public on the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Ahmadi Muslims believe in the finality of prophethood in accordance with the Holy Quran and the sayings and practices of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and to suggest otherwise is incorrect. Every individual and group has the right to manifest and profess their faith and to curb this would not only be a breach of basic human rights but contrary to the values of freedom of speech and expression which we cherish in this country. 

“Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are Muslims and the community in the UK is one of the oldest and well integrated in society, contributing at all levels and has not had one incident of radicalisation or extremism. It is clearly doing something right. Further, it is not for states, authorities or organisations to interfere in religious matters. There needs to be a clear separation of State and Church so to speak, otherwise we will go down a very slippery slope with groups or people trying to monopolise religion. No one can determine someone’s faith. This is a matter between God and the individual and the hallmark of a pluralistic and democratic society.” 

We have spent a week in France meeting with key organisations and with people who understand how poisonous the tentacles of Islamist extremism have been and how they have also given rise to greater feelings of anti-Muslim hatred, which have been fuelled by a number of factors. We have spoken to Muslims who see the victim narrative pumped into French Muslims who have suffered anti-Muslim hate incidents and to those who have had their fears expanded because of the perpetual victim narrative that Islamist groups in the country have been promoting. 

What is happening in France is troubling. It is troubling since the State is grappling with extremism, disaffection within parts of its population, anti-migrant attitudes and a hardening of political stances to groups who talk about discrimination. Yet, there is another issue that is layered on top of this and it includes Islamist groups who talk about Islamophobia as if there is a perpetual battle between Muslims and the State. They take a ‘them and us’ approach which is constantly filtered into discussions and talks at a local level and the impression that Muslims come away with after listening to such groups is that they are being targeted for persecution by the State. This thinking and the re-enforcement of the belief that Muslims are being persecuted by the State, does the following. It re-enforces just the Muslim identity within those who accept this toxic message and it further alienates and marginalises them mentally to their surroundings and to those who are non-Muslim.

This is not to take away from the state of emergency laws that were enacted in France after the massive terrorist attacks in Paris and which went on for two years, finally to be lifted in late 2017. There were real issues of infringements on civil liberties and life for some French Muslims is further complicated by abuse and racism. However, instead of raising the morale of French Muslims with hope, French Muslims are fed a diet of ‘raging Islamophobia’, a French State that does not care for them and a sense of being embattled that all plays into the hands of radicalisers. What women can and can’t wear is naturally a campaigning point for these groups, as is Islamophobia, something that we would term, anti-Muslim hate. Yet, the very defence of freedoms that these groups cite, they will not be willing to defend if, for example, a gay Muslim wanted to join them and speak about Islam openly. Or, if an Ahmadi Muslim wanted their open support, or if an ex-Muslim called for solidarity with them. Then these freedoms become a ‘pick and mix’ approach, something that shows how such groups discard democracy as soon as it does not suit them. 

France is in a complex and difficult place, though President Macron has made some really bold moves. The first of these is to reach out into the banlieues of France to try and reverse some of the deep unemployment and disaffection that is felt in these areas. He also has spoken of tackling the ‘slow burn of Islamist extremism’

France’s democratic values should not be at odds with Muslims. But with Islamists in the ascendance in Muslim communities in France, there is a risk that the very values that France defends, may become the ones that are attacked in the future.

In recent years, several high-profile terrorist attacks, emanating both from the Far Right and from religious extremists, have brought public attention to the link between mental instability and susceptibility to radicalisation. Often it has been the friends, co-workers and relatives of those who have committed violent acts who have then retrospectively voiced concerns about those individuals’ mental health.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

Overall, links between mental health issues and extremist acts, whether motivated by a Far-Right or Islamist ideology, were first suggested by the family and friends of those who had committed violence. However, academics and researchers have also noted the link. Connections between mental health issues and extremism merit further investigation, not least because findings can then be implemented as part of a strategy based upon prevention and catching such individuals early, rather than judicially punishing them after they have committed criminal acts. As Chief Constable Simon Cole said: “We cannot arrest our way out of a terrorist crisis”. Instead, a more effective strategy is to understand the basis of such acts and utilise this knowledge to identify potential future extremists. It should therefore be a cause of reassurance that academics have noted the need for partnerships between mental health professionals and counter-terrorism police, with schemes now permitting police to utilise the expertise of mental health specialists and embed them within their work. Despite families of extremists complaining of a lack of support from health services, whether for themselves or for their troubled relatives, that the police are uniting with mental health specialists to utilise their research and expertise is promising, as we look to the future.

You can download the report HERE

“We believe that tackling extremism within our own community and working with other groups is an essential part of tackling anti-Muslim hate crime. It is through partnerships like this and an enduring empathy around the human rights of others, which can help build alliances and stronger social cohesion. 

Our approach so far has been not to highlight divisions. This is contrary to groups whom Ware investigates in the programme entitled, “Who Speaks for British Muslims”.

The programme explains how some groups play on a divisive approach targeted at British Muslim communities.  But this agenda of tackling anti-Muslim hate and protecting social cohesion is too important to be left to those who would divide the community and ignore intolerance. This is why we chose to speak out and take part in the Dispatches documentary.

We will continue to fight for an inclusive approach to Islam, based on pluralism and where dissent is part of the cornerstone of healthy communities. We also know that colleagues in other programmes of work that we have set up, will continue to diligently tackle anti-Muslim hatred as they have done for over 6 years now. This means that we will continue to speak up where we see this approach being abused.

Faith Matters believe we have a better, more positive and, vitally, more effective approach to tackling anti-Muslim hatred than has traditionally been taken by some other organisations in this field. At the heart of our approach is a belief in universal human rights.

As a result, our approach is completely inclusive. We work with LGBT organisations, feminist campaigns, those tackling antisemitism, and groups tackling bigotry wherever it is found. We work with people of all faiths and none to tackle extremism in all its forms. We challenge intolerance within our own communities. We don’t pander to win support, but always go back to our founding principle of universal rights. We believe this approach strengthens our ability to combat anti-Muslim hatred.

We build alliances through the consistency of our approach. It is by building on this strong community of human rights allies; challenging communities when it does not adopt this approach and consistently arguing that anti-Muslim hatred has the same root causes as homophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism, racism and all other hatred-driven intolerances that we make our case.

We hope this explains why the decision was made to engage with the Dispatches programme entitled, “Who Speaks for British Muslims”.”

For over 20 years, Fiyaz Mughal OBE, the Director of Faith Matters has worked with faith communities. Having successfully set up national projects, like Tell MAMA, which he left in January 2017 after completing the set up and expansion of the project, he has been engaged in an area of work exploring the reasons why people leave the respective faiths that they were born into. He has also been exploring the fluidity of people’s identities and outlooks and how they can develop new identities. 

His latest book is entitled, ‘Leaving Faith behind: The Journeys and Perspectives of People Who Have Chosen to Leave Islam’. You can purchase the book through this LINK.

Fiyaz Mughal also stated the following in relation to the completion of the book:

“Why did I co-edit and put this book together? Well, part of my identity remains as a Muslim though being a Muslim does not mean that I feel defensive of my faith nor do I feel that people cannot and should not question any belief. People have the right to question belief and religion and sometimes vocally so, but they do not have the right to harass and intimidate people.

What is also a fact is that for numerous reasons, some people leave faith and reject it. This happens in every faith and the degree to which this happens is led by numerous reasons. This is also the case with Islam and these personal experiences are things that should be explored and the reasons why.

 

 

“Do I agree with people leaving Islam – well, people have a choice as to how to live their lives and they make their own decisions. Have I left Islam – no and I find much beauty in it but there are things that I think need to be interpreted in a modern context if the faith, like any other faith, is to remain relevant to a younger generation.

I also want to add that people who leave Islam do so because of a range of reasons and experiences and these experiences are their personal ones. Who am I to question or undermine them, but I can listen and reflect and ensure that I protect their right to speak up, just as I would expect other’s to protect my right to.

 

 

“With Aliyah Saleem, my co-editor, we have put these experiences of people who have left Islam in this book and which I hope you will reflect on when reading. I believe that by speaking, listening and reflecting, we can all learn from each other. For Muslims reading this post – I ask one thing. Let us reflect on some of these stories and they should not cause anger or fear. They are experiences that should make us, I hope, want to reach out, engage and talk about these issues with others. In fact, there is nothing to fear, and ignorance, which causes fear is the greatest facet that we must all challenge”.

I cannot deny what is patently obvious. That the story of Jesus (Iesu) is one that is compelling, energising and deeply inspirational and one that is a story of rebellion through self-introspection, love and through God’s grace. As a Muslim, this compelling story has a narrative that I hold dear and it is one of a man born into poverty who changes the world through love and the human spirit to create change.

The story of Jesus is also moving in many instances. It is the story of poverty that leads to a valuation in life by Jesus and his disciples, that the spirit is the most important. It is set against the Roman background of materialism and comfort and where Jesus is framed to be a rebel, someone who goes against the grain and who rejects materialism for selflessness. Allied to that is a fierce independence and libertarianism that courses through the story of Jesus. His is a story of a spiritual radical who questions the norm and reframes morality through a desire to sacrifice for others.

The story is also laced with huge symbolism. Images of Mary and the baby Jesus play to every mother and woman who has ever held their child in their hands. It is of maternal love, yet one which we all know, leads to the death of the child through his crucifixion some 30 years later.

Jesus’s story is also one of salvation through forgiveness and through self-sacrifice. ‘A lamb to the slaughter’ plays on the theme of a man caught up in the machinery of war through the Roman occupation. It is as if God is keeping score and the slate is wiped clean through the sacrifice of Christ, only to reset in a world of change, turmoil and persecution of the followers of Christ.

As a Muslim, Christ’s story is refreshing since it challenged the status quo. It gives hope to those who believe that they cannot change things for the better and it empowers the human spirit to challenge, not through physical violence but through persuasion and hope.

Who knows the truth of the facts that took place 2,000 years ago, but one thing is clear. The story of Jesus is relevant today but it should be seen through the prism of challenge. Jesus challenged, argued and harried those in power within institutions. If we are to value religion and belief, we must understand the story of Jesus, whether Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu. If we fail to do so, we will fail to understand how truly radical and outspoken Christ was against injustice, power and intolerance.

Fiyaz Mughal OBE is the Founder and Director of Faith Matters.

Speaking at the Communities and Local Government Committee today, Dame Louise Casey made the case for the findings of her review into opportunity and integration which took over 14 months to complete.

Speaking with a sense of purpose, Casey suggested that “integration was not a two way street”, and that in fact she saw it much like a motorway moving in a specific direction with smaller feeder routes joining the main motorway. She said that whilst some accommodation needed to be made by drivers in the middle of the road, significant adjustments had to be made by the cars joining the motorway and therefore integration was not a ‘two way street’. This was further explained by her belief that new communities needed basic support in understanding the normative customs of the country and they required basic items of information such as when to put out bins, how to queue and how to be courteous to one another. She made these responses to questions put to her at the Committee by Bethnal Green and Bow MP, Rushnara Ali.

There were a number of areas that also highlighted the difficult nature of the work undertaken by Casey. She highlighted deep generational and gender based divides in faith communities and in particular singled out the Glasgow mosque for issues. She also added that her report had made clear that British Muslim women of Pakistani heritage were significantly disadvantaged and whilst deprivation and other issues played a role, she could not rule out that misogyny and gender based prejudices had held some of these women back. She added,

“My job is to hold a mirror up and report on things, whether some like it or not.”

Another area that came under her spotlight was the issue of conservative religiousity. This she regarded as sometimes being a cover for actions that went against equalities and her comments highlighted her desire to reduce the space for religious conservatism when it impacted on the lives of others within public institutions.

Furthermore, Casey also highlighted how far right and Islamist extremism were areas of threat to integration and cohesion. The latter fed the narratives of the former, though she also stated that whilst local authorities were able to challenge and tackle far right narratives and groups, they were ill-equipped and sometimes unable to speak out against Islamist narratives.

Speaking on her comments, the Director of Faith Matters, Fiyaz Mughal Said:

“Dame Louise Casey’s comments will no doubt, continue to promote debate and discussion on issues of integration and if there is one thing that comes across, it is that a real and tangible integration strategy is needed, instead of the tea, samosa and steel band narrative that has been pushed around for so long.

“What is also a fact, is that Casey and her team worked long and hard taking evidence from hundreds of sources for the review. It cannot simply be dismissed and there are some serious issues that need to be discussed. Gender targeted barriers within some faith institutions, values that are so far from the norm of society and which are dressed up as religious conservatism need to be tackled. Furthermore, we have to seriously listen to her advice on integration being a concept where new and settled communities have to accommodate more to normative values of wider society.

“These are all challenging concepts where work will be required. Like it or not, Casey has brought a much needed debate on integration that no other Government touched. If it helps to ensure gender equality in core faith institutions such as in governance, then I warmly welcome these debates.”