Statement - UK Muslim body decries divisive moves against Shias

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Muslim Council of Britain has condemned incidents of “hateful sectarian messages” on the streets of the country against Shia Muslims.

“We condemn the antics of Anjem Choudary and his (un)merry-band of publicity seekers who last Friday took to the streets of London to spew their hate-filled message and attack people they thought to be from the Shia tradition,” the MCB said in a press release on its website.

The group dismissed anyone “fostering division” among Muslims especially in Britain and called on media to “refrain from stoking up tensions where they do not exist”.

The MCB added Shias and Sunnis are, and remain, united in Britain, building on their long-established history of intra-faith cooperation.

It also called on all Muslims scholars, leaders and institutions to be vigilant against sectarianism saying those outside the Muslim community “seek to exploit” any divisions for “their own nefarious ends”.

Muslim Council of Britain is the UK's representative Muslim umbrella body with over 400 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques, charities and schools.

Back on Friday May 10, Choudary led a group of hard-line Salafists carrying anti Shia placards and flags in a march from Regents Park in London to the Syrian Embassy.

A footage on YouTube later showed the marchers hitting the passerby with their flagpoles stoking clashes.

Muslim Council of Britain is the country’s representative Muslim umbrella group with over 400 affiliated national, regional and local bodies.


Muslims Stand United, Resist Divisive Sectarian Rhetoric
       

"And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and do not separate." Quran, Surah Imran, 103

The Muslim Council of Britain today affirms the unity of Muslims, particularly in the UK. We are a community with plural traditions and viewpoints, but united in our faith in Allah and his last Prophet. This is a view held by the vast majority of British Muslims

Our affirmation comes after small but isolated incidents of hateful sectarian messages being imparted on the streets of Britain. We condemn the antics of Anjem Choudary and his (un)merry-band of publicity seekers who last Friday took to the streets of London to spew their hate-filled message and attack people they thought to be from the Shia tradition. We will speak out against anyone fostering division in our community, from whichever quarter it comes from. We urge the media to be vigilant and refrain from stoking up tensions where they do not exist.

Sunnis and Shias remain united in the UK and have a long-established history of intra-faith co-operation. We are acutely aware that the complex situation in the Middle East and Muslim world has the possibility of threatening that tradition. We are also aware that those from without the community will seek to exploit these divisions for their own nefarious ends.

We call on our scholars, leaders and institutions from all traditions to stand firm and be vigilant, speak out against sectarianism and ensure the forces of unity prevail. We should avoid hate and condescending speech and literature in our midst. Finally we should respect each other and the personalities, places and events that any group among us holds in esteem, abiding by the Islamic manner (adab) of disagreement that is neither inflammatory nor insulting.

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