Assalaam Alaikum

I am a member of another organisation, but I - like most Muslims - have no doubt that MPACUK is doing a great job, and most people get their updates from your website and act upon your advice. I whole-heartedly support MPACUK's efforts in making British Muslims active in the media and politics.

One concern that I have is that your approach on a particular issue will turn away people from MPACUK. That is issues relating to 'Sufis/Brelvis' as your website refers to them and in particular recent article criticising Mawlid celebrations. This type of approach defeats the whole purpose of MPACUK which is to unite Muslims for a common cause of media and political awareness for Muslims. I personally was very angered and found the articles insulting and if I was not politically and religiously mature and well versed I would have shunned MPACUK and deem it to be misguided, like some people are doing in some forums on the internet.

I raise this concern because I want MPACUK to prosper and not get held up by such issues.

Wassalaam

MPACUK believes in accountability of leaders and representatives of the public.

Here, a Muslim reader is upset by one of our recent articles . We feel members of the public have every right to demand more from their representatives and be given every opportunity in criticising Muslim organisations (as long as it does not aid the enemies of the Ummah). It is for this reason we have published this excellent letter from one of our respected readers.

Our response is that MPACUK is non-sectarian organisation and has members from all sects and schools of thought of Islam, including Brelvie, Tablighi, Shia and Salafies. However, whenever any of these groups or schools of thought fail the Ummah, we too feel we have a right to hold them accountable for the benefit of all.

Lastly we would like to add two points:

1) We saw in the video that a group of Brelvies (who acted no differently from thugs from other sects) stopped MPACUK distributing leaflets whose only purpose was to educate and thus protect the Ummah, and no one held them accountable apart from MPACUK. Sadly most mosques will treat you no less thuggishly upon receiving criticism.

2) We hope the publication of this letter goes some way to reassure our readers that MPACUK is one of the few Muslim groups in Britain who allow members of the Muslim public to criticise and hold us accountable.

One day we hope all Muslim groups will be accountable to the Muslim public.

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