His English was fluent, his manner approachable, his schedule set and, as we were later to find out, his knowledge of the local MP undisputable. The adhan called in the background and yet the prayer was not used as an excuse to delay the meeting. Rather, we were hurried into the office (after praying our sunnah) and we got down to business. The man I refer to was not despondent in any sense about the current situation of this Ummah but immediately took warmly to the youth that had approached him.

We had come prepared, ready to present the facts surrounding pre-charge detention and then encourage the mosque as the institution and source of instruction for Muslims, to take part in the duty of opposing injustice. In truth we had sold our pitch on entering the room. He could see we had researched and knew our facts and the bonus was that he too knew the issue at hand. He realised that we were not asking for something, we were begging that he help us to propel our community out of an irrational fear to engage to be vocal enough to stand for what is right and just. Afterall, why else are we here?

“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even if it be against yourselves, your parents, and your relatives, or whether it is against the rich or the poor...” (Quran 4:135)

Yes, the individual I speak so dearly of is the Chairman of a mosque in London. Of course I can hear our doubters already…‘MPACUK speaking favourably of a mosque....tomorrow halal pigs will fly!?’. Perhaps….they may even question the truthfulness of the story presented before you?

The meeting soon ended and the mosque's co-operation in the campaign was sealed. An announcement in the khutba would be made on the need to sign the petition which would be found on a table directly outside the mosque. Now the iqama could be heard and together we rushed to the prayer hall for dhuhr salah, some of the London MPACers feeling slightly less ashamed whilst standing amongst the rows of Muslims simply with the knowledge that they were striving to practice their faith in all aspects of their lives rather than just inside of a prayer hall.

As Muslims we must demand the highest principles from our own Muslim leaders and the leaders in Government who act in our name. Muslims have forever faced trials from within and around them. But the Muslims of the past did not forget the need to strive in this jihad as we have done. We are the best of creation so let us live up to this.

Indeed the very reason why we have not named the mosque concerned is that we as a community are so much less active, and of those who are ‘active’, far fewer are productive in their activism compared to our enemies.

Would you like to participate in our Jihad? Contact us at info@mpacuk.org to join the MPACUK London branch in campaigning against increasing the maximum limit of pre-charge detention.

Get involved and help our mosques to get active so that we can make every mosque into an institution for the instruction of all our religious affairs including the one which demands that we seek justice in ourselves and in our community.

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