Today, I share two significant issues that have been upsetting so many people recently. Firstly, the discrimination against British Muslims and why even the government now accepts it is wrong. Secondly, the illegal war against Iran is causing agony for millions of people around the globe. And no one can speak out against it. Why?
People of faith often wear badges, a beard, a cap, a headscarf or an outlandish outfit. However, that should not define them. Instead, look at how they live; faithfully, conscientiously, and prayerfully. They are aware of their Creator, mindful of their responsibilities, and committed to upright conduct. “The believers are successful, those who are humbly focused in their prayer; who turn away from meaningless activities; who give charity; who guard their modesty and sexual purity” (The Believers: 1-5).
So, they cultivate goodness. It’s visible in their homes and families. What emerges is not just a positive human, but a positive society, a living atmosphere of peace. Rather than being consumed by grievance, they respond with patience and dignity like Prophet Ya‘qub, who said, “Patience is best,” even in deep loss, when he was told that his beloved son had been devoured by the wolf.
Media misrepresentation and policy failures
In Britain, there has been a growing wave of hostility towards Muslim. Much of the hostility stems from misrepresentation and shallow narratives of national media, from the nice BBC to the Daily Mail. They lack evidence, feeding suspicion instead of understanding. That is unfair discrimination. When entire communities are judged without proof, truth itself becomes a casualty.
The government has also played a troubling role through its flagship counter-terror strategy, Prevent. For years, this programme has disproportionately targeted Muslims, fostering suspicion rather than safety. Now, even official assessments are exposing what many in the Muslim community have long argued: Prevent is fundamentally flawed. It has been described as “outdated and ill-equipped” to deal with modern threats, despite a significant rise in referrals, raising serious concerns about its effectiveness and fairness.
Rather than protecting communities, it has too often alienated them, embedding mistrust and reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Calls to move away from a narrow counter-terror framework toward a more balanced, welfare-led, multi-agency approach only highlight how misguided the policy has been. This underscores the urgent need for a principled, evidence-based strategy, one that treats Muslim communities with fairness, dignity, and the understanding they deserve.
What is the way forward then?
Interestingly, British society longs for what these values produce, good citizens. A great trait of most Brits is that they are people of reason, who want their children to grow up with faith and strong character. So, the question is why any society would want to alienate such a wonderful group of people. Since it lacks compassion, it fans hostility and hate towards the other. Since Muslims are a minority, the politicians can get away with it, the statutory bodies and CEOs can ignore it, and university vice chancellors can forget that nearly 15% of their students are Muslims.
Remove accountability, and you get the innocent maligned, labelled and even killed. It may sound dramatic to speak of moral decline, but history shows how quickly societies can spiral downwards when justice and minorities are not respected.
The way forward is to restore accountability and adopt a principled, evidence-based approach that treats Muslim communities with fairness and respect rather than suspicion. By fostering genuine engagement, promoting accurate representation, and upholding justice for all, society can rebuild trust and ensure that diversity is recognised as a strength rather than a threat.
The war against Iran
When truth and justice are weakened at the level of society, it does not remain confined to prejudice or policy; it escalates into global injustice. What we are witnessing today in the war against Iran is a stark example of this moral breakdown. The war against Iran symbolises the loss of truth and justice in our age; it harks back to the rule of the jungle. It proves that might is right, and it teaches that military firepower is the final arbitrator of truth and falsehood. It’s leading humanity to a destructive end.
In the books of Hadith, there is a chapter ‘Al-Fitan’, trials and tribulations. The beloved Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “When three signs appear, no soul will benefit from its faith if it did not already believe or earn good by its faith: the rising of the sun from the west, the False Messiah, and the beast from the earth” (Muslim). There is a consensus among Scholars about the coming of the Dajjal since it’s proven from authentic sayings of the Prophet. Are we witnessing some of this?
I appreciate our Prime Minister’s bold stand not to capitulate to the calls of President Trump to be his ally. However, he has not shown the courage to demand that the illegal war stop. A moral weakness. Not only his but also other leaders who have not condemned the illegal attack on the innocent civilians of Iran. Particularly, the killing of 170 Iranian Primary school girls by the Americans is a serious war crime. The irony is that the public in the West opposes this war, just as it did during Vietnam. Where are the democratic politicians? Why are they not honouring the very principles of democracy they claim to uphold?
Conclusion
Islam promotes a life of simplicity, dignity, and service to others. This was lived and taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him), spread by his wonderful disciples. Islam offers a model of peaceful coexistence that remains profoundly relevant. Abu Musa narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “This Ummah is one which is caring since it has received Divine kindness. Its punishment will not be in the Hereafter but in this world. They will face trials, earthquakes, and killings” (Abu Dawood). This is not letting the perpetrator of war crime off the hook, but a gentle reassurance that be patient, the future will be better insha-Allah.
The challenge is to replace suspicion with understanding, and to build a society where character, not appearance, is the true measure of a person. Only then can we begin to heal the fractures of our society.
