The Results of an Inter-Faith Consultation
chaired by The Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave
Anglican Bishop of Woolwich
Participants
Mustafa Akande
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hilli
Sayed Yousif Al-Khoei
Maulana Ahmad Nesar Baig
Julian Bond (Christian-Muslim Forum)
The Revd Lola Brown (Executive Officer for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns, Southwark Diocese)
Commander Mak Chishty (Metropolitan Police)
Chief Inspector Nick Collins (Metropolitan Police)
The Rev Jon Dal Din (Director of the Diocese of Westminster’s Interfaith agency)
Siriol Davies (Diocesan Inter Faith Links Co-ordinator, Southwark Diocese)
The Revd Canon Ben Enwuchola (Chaplain, Nigerian Chaplaincy in London)
The Revd Philip Gray (United Reformed Church)
Rehan Haidar
Dr Omer El-Hamdoon (President, Muslim Association of Britain)
The Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave (Bishop of Woolwich)
Zahra Kazmi
Humera Khan (Radical Middle Way)
Abdul-Rehman Malik (Radical Middle Way)
The Revd Chris Moody (Vicar, St Alfege, Greenwich)
Dr John Morrow
Fuad Nahdi (Radical Middle Way)
Huda Nassar (Awareness Foundation)
The Revd Nadim Nassar (Awareness Foundation)
The Revd Canon John O’Toole (Dean, St. George’s RC Cathedral, Southwark)
The Revd Kumar Rajagopalan (London Baptist Association)
St.John Wright (Awareness Foundation)
One Year On: London after Lee Rigby
23 Christian and Muslim leaders and scholars representing many different denominations, and two senior
officers of the Metropolitan Police, came together in June 2014 for an honest and open discussion on inter
faith relations in London since the murder of Lee Rigby. This was the very first event of the Awareness
Foundation’s new Facing Faith initiative, in this case the result of a partnership with the Church of England
Diocese of Southwark and the Al-Khoei Foundation.
The Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Woolwich, chaired the discussion.
Over the course of two hours, the following topics were discussed in detail, and an Action Plan formulated:
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reasons for the positive response – political and religious – after the murder of Lee Rigby;
inter faith relations in London today; and
radicalisation: how, and who is at risk?
Reasons for positive response after the incident
The intention of the murderers of Lee Rigby was to sow discord and mistrust between the faiths. They failed;
after a brief spike in Islamophobic activity across the UK, relations between the faiths quickly returned
to normal. In the area of Woolwich itself, the murder of Lee Rigby actually brought the different faith
communities together, uniting rather than dividing them.
What was special in Woolwich?
Inter faith relations in that area had been deep and long-standing by the time of the murder. It is very hard to
tear apart a community with a long history of good inter faith relations. Because of strong community bonds,
the community pulled together to distance themselves from the act and to support each other. Local Muslim
leaders speedily condemned the act, working to isolate the extremists and stress that Michael Adebolajo and
Michael Adebowale did not represent London’s Muslim community.
In addition, a low key, local response by the council and the police helped to stop the heightening of rhetoric.
This played a substantial part in preventing ‘cumulative extremism’, where two opposing sides set each other
off, amplified by the media. There was a deliberate, self-conscious local response in Woolwich through
community activities and prayers to resist attempts by outsiders such as the BNP and the EDL to make political
or religious capital out of the tragedy.
Inter Faith relations in London today
London’s population has never been as diverse as it is today, and in many ways this diversity has been
welcomed as a source of pride and cultural enrichment. Relations between the denominations, and between
the faiths, is at an all-time high due to the hard work put in by many members of those communities. However,
while society may be more resilient at the centre, it is increasingly frayed at the edges. London is not an
island; world events, particularly the crisis in the Middle East, threaten our peaceful diversity. Most Muslims
in the UK are linked with, or sympathetic towards, Muslims elsewhere, and the UK government should realise
that foreign policies do affect communities in the UK too. For instance, for the first time ever, the Muslim
community in London is now divided into Shia and Sunni. Some Muslims are even being branded as ‘nonMuslims’ by extremists. This is a direct reflection of the sectarian conflict in the Middle East today.
Participants identified one crucial problem: there is no united Muslim voice, allowing the rhetoric of extremists
to fill the gap and take much of the media spotlight. Muslim leadership must be encouraged to take the
initiative, rather than just wait and then react. Another problem is the misrepresentation of faith, such as the
appearance of Islamic ‘street patrols’ which have no justification in the Quran or the Hadith.
Radicalisation: how, and who is at risk?
Radicalisation is brought into London from outside; good community relations can be threatened by those
who come with an agenda to cause trouble and to feed off it. Ideologues look for disgruntled youths
who want to make a difference, in their own lives and in their communities. The targets, and victims, of
radicalisation are vulnerable young men who are unhappy with society, rejects who are manipulated by a
minority of ideologues to become ‘Muslim’ to gain solace and to justify their violence towards society. Such
people are not Muslims – they are only terrorists.
Often mosques are identified as a source of radicalisation by the media. The truth is that radicalisation and
extremism is more often to be found in universities and further education colleges – or in young people’s
own homes, via the internet. One of the major challenges is the role of social media in radicalisation. Now
extremists send mass video mailshots to push their viewpoint; this danger is almost invisible and it must be
recognised and countered. Young Muslims live in two worlds – their homes and mosques, and what they find
on cable and satellite TV and the internet.
In addition, we need to develop a better understanding of socio-economic factors that lead young people
to feel a total disengagement from society. Many have lost any respect for the law and they feel that law and
society have no respect for them or for their beliefs.
An Action Plan for Future Inter Faith Relations
Following their discussion, the participants agreed an Action Plan for the future of inter faith relations in
London.
1.
An Inter Faith Response
In partnership with other groups already working in this area, we need an inter faith movement to raise
awareness and understanding of the different faiths through discussions, lectures, encounters, and
engagement. We must work together to stop fanaticism; the easiest and the best way is to take away the
oxygen from fanatical viewpoints, teaching respect and tackling any misconception and misunderstanding. We
must explain how to differ peacefully!
Faith leaders must stress that no religion is fanatical in its true form; extremism cannot stand up to reason, and
this is a powerful weapon in our arsenal. When people do speak out against fanaticism, we must all support
them and try to raise their profiles as the media is not quick to do so.
The key for Christian-Muslim relations is honesty. What has helped is the churches and mosques meeting
together to build friendship and understanding between people of the faiths. It is only when the faiths work
together that this problem can be tackled.
A special effort is required to work with disgruntled young people on university campuses. The chaplaincies
in universities and further education colleges should be supported in their work with young people, such as
those in the Islamic Society. We must encourage conversation. This is especially important at FE colleges. Our
mosques and churches should also offer volunteering opportunities for the community; we should bring the
youth back into a world of mercy and compassion for others.
2.Islam
It is very, very important that we do not let extremists become seen as ‘spokesmen for Islam.’ In addition, if the
police do prosecute or remove someone, the resultant void needs to filled with authentic Muslim leadership
before another extremist can come along.
Muslims need to deal with critical issues such as leadership. Awareness needs to be raised regarding Islamic
teaching on how to live in a non-Muslim society, as some elements have not found this easy. Muslims need to
work on developing a comprehensive theology on living as a minority in non-Muslim States.
Islam lacks a central authority or hierarchy in the United Kingdom. To compensate for this, there should be a
nationally recognised network of Muslim organisations that is able to represent the views of the majority of
British Muslims and speak on their behalf in times of need and crisis.
Leaders need to check who is preaching or working in mosques.
3.
Internet And Media
When Muslims speak out, they rarely get into the public consciousness; we must work together to raise the
profile of those who do speak out.
We must also be aware of the negative and biased nature of the internet. Hate preachers use the internet to
spread their message. If extremists use YouTube, videos and the internet, then so should we. We can reach our
communities as well as those who are vulnerable to radicalisation, and we can reach the media this way.
4.Society
We must stop the radicalising demonisation of society. We need to examine what citizenship is, and what it
should mean for us as people of faith. Communities must work with the police, etc., for the sake of all of us;
faith vs society is never the way forward.
The UK government must stop pretending that the law does not apply to extremists, and the police must
apply the law to divisive people and preachers of hate.
5.
Further Action
Support and take part in Facing Faith discussions between local faith leaders around the UK1.
Please support Awareness Sunday and Friday2.
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(http://www.awareness-foundation.co.uk/index.php/facingfaith)
(http://www.awarenesssunday.com)
One Year On: London After Lee Rigby is the result of a partnership between the Awareness Foundation, the Church
of England Diocese of Southwark and the Al-Khoei Foundation. It marks the launch of ‘Facing Faith’.
‘Facing Faith’ is a new initiative of the Awareness Foundation that brings together community and faith leaders from
different religions and cultures to discuss ideas and share their thoughts on how to promote better understanding and
respect among the diverse communities that live alongside each other in cities and towns around Great Britain. Each
event helps faith and community leaders to enable local communities to decide upon effective joint activities and
programmes for the future. These are not ‘typical inter-faith activities’. The essential focus of Facing Faith is not the day
itself, but the weeks, months and years that follow.
Awareness Foundation
Lodge House 69 Beaufort Street London SW3 5AH United Kingdom
020 7730 8830 [email protected] www.awareness-foundation.com
Registered Charity in England & Wales No 1099873