Remembering 7/7

July 7, 2008 RJH

The most terrifying consequence of the London bombings of 7/7/05 was not the realisation that people wanted to do harm to British civilians — we lived though the IRA campaign, after all. It was the grim recognition that some of these people were themselves Britons, that their hate was fratricidal. Since 2005, the government has walked a thin line between the need for the surveillance of British Islamic extremists and an important desire not to alienate the Muslim community. It’s undoubtedly a difficult job.

My biggest disappointment after 7/7 was that we did not see a million Muslims protesting on the streets of London against violent Islam, just as a million Britons of all stripes protested the Iraq war. I do not intend this criticism to mean that I think the average Muslim is complicit in the 7/7 atrocity. Not at all. But the Islamic community cannot wish these terrorists away. Condemnation must be loud and unequivocal.

Having made that criticism, I would like to pay tribute to the kind gentlemen of the Central Oxford Mosque who hosted my visit to their evening prayers a few weeks ago. They patiently explained their faith and offered a voice of moderation sadly lacking in much of our conversations about British Islam.

One example: there has been some furor in Oxford over the prospect of a public call to prayer from the mosque. The local paper gives voice both to angry residents of east Oxford who are appalled at the idea, and the Anglican Bishop of Oxford who supports it. I asked my host whether the Bishop’s comments were helpful. His answer surprised me: “The Bishop does not live here and so it shouldn’t concern him. If the local community do not want us to do it, we won’t press the issue.” Take that, bleeding heart Anglicans!

May I also congratulate the mosque on their newsletter’s words of support for Her Majesty the Queen on her birthday:

The Muslim community of Oxford joins the rest of the nation in congratulation and wishing the Queen, Elizabeth II, Happy 80th birthday. With the wisdom and determination of our Queen, the nation will shine on and be the envy of many nations.

Can I get an amen, or a so say we all, or, even better, ‘Amin?