Thugs target UK Muslims who disagree on Palestine FIRST PERSON
V YOU MAY not have heard of Mufti Abu Layth, who has more than 25,000 YouTube followers and a significant social media presence. Based in Birmingham, he has a theological background and is known for his reflections on Islamic theological matters. He regularly seeks to reach out to young British Muslims.
Last Saturday, the Mufti posted some thoughts in a 30-minute video entitled The Palestinian Plight and Israeli Injustice. In it, he expressed his disquiet at the actions of the Israeli government and then went on to mention that the concept of Hijra, or migration due to external societal pressures, was something that the Palestinians could do, if they felt they had no future in the region. It was, in effect, a call to protect life by leaving. Many would disagree with this position, and it was his opinion based on a historical Islamic concept.
This concept is part of theological discourse in Islam, yet the “sin” that the Mufti had carried out was that he had inadvertently questioned the very political and violent stances held by some, as though they are the guardians of the Palestinians.
Even to mention something they disagree with, in this case on the emotive subject of migration, means that the Mufti and his family now have a target on their heads.
An edited video of his remarks was posted on YouTube and the next day a mob of some half a dozen men, with their faces covered and one holding a baseball bat, broke the windows of his home and entered while his family were relaxing in the evening. One can be heard shouting the name of the Mufti while others shout abuse at him and threaten him for “daring to give away Al-Aqsa” – the holy mosque in the Al-Haram Es-Sharif or the Temple Mount. The Mufti’s daughter was terrorised, his house seriously vandalised and threats and intimidation targeted at the family by the hooded men.
The message was clear. Anyone daring to have a counter-opinion on the future of the Palestinians was fair game for direct violence and threats.
Even though the Mufti had taken a pro-Palestinian position on repeated occasions, these men had taken it into their hands to terrorise his family because one of them dared to offer alternative opinions, rather than constant confrontation with Israelis.
Coming after the video appearing to show a ‘Free Palestine’ convoy driver calling for Jewish women to be raped in London, these episodes have sent shudders through British Muslim communities.
Such threats and intimidation, whether in Finchley or Birmingham, demonstrate how extreme and aggressive some have become on the issue of Palestine and the Middle East. No doubt, there are some supporters of Israel who simply don’t want to listen to or hear alternative viewpoints, but there are alarm bells that should ring after these two events.
Many British Muslims will feel even more frightened to voice their opinions publicly after the appalling attack on the Mufti. We need voices who call for calm. Depressingly, these will become even fewer in the future.
Fiyaz Mughal is the Founder and Trustee of Muslims Against Antisemitism