Muslim group aims to tackle hate
A MUSLIM group has taken out fullpage adverts in national newspapers to underline the importance of combating antisemitism and how their own “future peace, security and prosperity in this great country cannot be ensured while Jewish communities feel under threat”.
The advertisement has appeared in the Telegraph, The Times, the Mail and Metro in the past week.
It was produced by a newly created group, Muslims Against Antisemitism (MAAS). The group was set-up by Fiyaz Mughal, director of the Faith Matters interfaith group.
“We understand that many in our country empathise with the plight of the Palestinians and their right to a sovereign state,” the advert read.
“We welcome the defence of the rights of all people. However, we must be ever vigilant against those who cynically use international issues to vilify Jews or promote antisemitic tropes. There is no cause that can justify the promotion of hate.”
The advert was signed by a number of prominent Muslim figures, including Ayesha Hazarika, the broadcaster and political commentator, and Iman Atta, director of the Tell Mama Islamophobia watchdog.
“Many Muslims feel deep despair at the antisemitism that is online and in the real world,” Mr Mughal told the JC.
“Jewish brothers and sisters are feeling a sense of isolation and dislocation when they are singled out for hate.
“This is especially painful for Muslims who believe there is so much that binds us as Muslims and Jews together.
“We are also clear that antisemitism from segments of Muslim communities needs to be challenged and robustly challenged.”
He said the newspaper campaign was “the beginning of the work as we ask more Muslims to join in on the struggle against antisemitism, and with the same vigour as they challenge anti-Muslim hate”.
Laurence Brass, former treasurer of the Board of Deputies, who is on the board of Faith Matters, said: “I am so proud of my Muslim friends and colleagues who initiated these groundbreaking adverts.
“They have proved that despite the pessimists and the cynics, our two communities do have a common narrative. These adverts have given an enormous boost to all of us who work to promote interfaith relations.
I feel privileged to be associated with this inspiring initiative.”
The advert ends by stating: “To our Jewish sisters and brothers, we say the struggle against one of history’s oldest and most virulent hatreds is not your fight alone but ours collectively.
“In peace, we say these words: Hiney ma tov u’ma-nayim. Shevet ach’im gam ya-chad.”
The phrase, a famous one in Hebrew which comes from Psalm 133, means: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”