LONDON, 11 May — William Hague, member of the British Parliament, and Leader of the Opposition Conservative Party acknowledged the “positive contribution of Islam to this country’s civilization throughout the ages,” at a reception organized by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) at the Islamic Cultural Center in Regent’s Park, London recently. He said: “I am told that as far back as the eighth century, an English King Offa of Mercia had his coins minted with an inscription of the Qur’an, to show commercial ties with Muslims in Spain, France and North Africa. Muslims have lived in Britain since the sixteenth century.”
MCB Secretary-General Yousuf Bhailok in his welcome address said: “When we look into the future of Britain we don’t see it as a foreign country, we see it as our home, a country in which we invested our lives, our best hopes and endeavors.” He continued: “There is a much larger perspective beyond emotive slogans, headlines and political speech-making about asylum seekers and immigration. These issues call for a conscientious and consistent message going out from political leaders. The issues of asylum and immigration are matters of principle and constitute a test of the depth of our involvement and compassion, he said.”
Hague appreciated “Muslims’ values of strong faith, education, responsibility to others, of hard work and tolerance: values, which are held dear by all our citizens in every part of this country. Your pride in history and tradition ensures that your beliefs and identity will never be diminished.”
Hague stated that he wished to see “more Muslim members joining our party, more Conservative Muslims elected to the House of Commons.” Hague mentioned the setting up of the Office of Civil Society, Faith-based schools and the retention of Section 28 on the Statute Book.
“We are heartened to hear that Hague is determined to ensure that Muslims join the Conservative Party at all levels,” said Bhailok. “We would now like to see concrete steps taken to make this vision a reality. Too often have Muslim prospective parliamentary candidates been placed in unwinnable seats.”
Hague said, “I take pride that two Conservative Asians were elected to the European Parliament, and that one of them, Bashir Khanbai is Britain’s first elected Muslim Member of European Parliament.”
He also observed: “It is no accident that many Muslim schools have fine records of educational achievement.
The long-established Muslim schools in Brent, North London show outstanding results. Schools like this should be encouraged, not discriminated against. I regret that it took thirteen years to establish the first Muslim school.” In this connection, he mentioned the free school policies of the Conservative Party which “will actively encourage faith-based schools to be established.
Voluntary groups, charitable and religious bodies, companies or groups of parents will be encouraged to set up new partner schools or take over failing ones. They will operate within the maintained system of state education.”
Yousuf Bhailok dealt with racial tensions, religious, as well as ethnic prejudice and discrimination and urged not to inflame or countenance racism in the forthcoming general election.
Bhaolik also talked about MCB’s tireless campaigns for legislation to ban all forms of religious discrimination. “Its more than a symbolic objective. It’s a cruel, malicious problem that must be swept out of our nation’s life because it targets the identity that gives people their most basic sense of self, of being and belonging, as citizens here in Britain.”