Muslim Menace? - January 2011

For some weeks I have had a number of emails, expressing quite proper concern about the level of immigration and also the terrorist threat,  but barely concealing a fear and dislike of the Muslim religion. I have always replied to the effect that I share my correspondents’ concern about both terrorism and the level of immigration, and that I campaigned vigorously on the issue of immigration at three successive general elections.  I now want to see robust policies implemented by the coalition to very significantly reduce immigration to the extent that it is no longer a matter of public concern and anxiety. That policy of immigration control however, cannot take religion into account. We believe and practice liberty of religion in this country, the notion that we should exclude immigrants on ground of religion is as absurd as it is unworkable.

The trickle of anti Muslim sentiment in my emails quickened significantly this week with the conviction of Asian men for involvement in gangs preying on vulnerable girls. Several of my correspondents drew a direct connection between these despicable crimes and the Muslim religion and its teaching about women.  This attitude is borne of a profound ignorance of the Muslim faith and its teaching.  I find that there are deeply offensive aspects of some cultural practice in the treatment of women.

It is right and very important that our own law and practice should strive to stamp out these attitudes and the practices that they give rise to. It is quite wrong, however,  to blame these unacceptable and primitive standards on the Muslim religion. In exactly the same way that it would be quite wrong to attribute to Christianity the shameful treatment of women (and so many others) over centuries in Europe. We should have the humility to recall that our own enlightenment has been relatively recent. I reject the Muslim religion as error, but I do not believe it to denigrate women or to be inherently violent.

The overwhelming majority of Muslims are peaceful and decent people. They have a long and valiant record of service to the Empire, and we must not allow organised crime or violent Islamist heresy to ‘poison the well’. If we allow our fear of terrorist outrages to rob us of our tolerance of diversity and belief, then the terrorists will have achieved their mission.  I am a Christian and I continue to support the establishment of the Church of England as central to our Constitution, I am nevertheless proud that, of the two joint chairmen of my political party, one is a Muslim and the other a Jew.