Rioting? Show Your Community What Muslims Are Really About

The complete anarchy over the last few days and nights from mindless thugs and looters have left the citizens of the UK in a state of shock. There is no justification whatsoever for what these ignorant fools are doing – regardless of the problems in the police force – and when it leads to horrific situations such as the Mirror reported this lady having to jump for her life, or such utter destruction of one’s own neighbourhood as evidenced by pictures on the Big Picture, the wider community needs to step up and take matters into their own hands.

It’s been heartening to see pictures and reports that British Muslims from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds were stepping up to defend neighbourhoods and town high streets and main locations, whether that be the Bengalis in Whitechapel or the Turks in Dalston or the Kurds of Haringey. This is in fact the bare minimum expected from Muslims with respect to the rights that the wider community has open them, duly appreciated by many as noted by the Guardian:

“Last night the men from the local mosque were out defending the area. One shop was broken into, but thanks to them the situation was kept under control.”

Being honest, don’t doubt that we were also being sadly represented in the wrong way with a small amount of youth enjoying themselves in the carnage grabbing what they could – the argument that “the Muslims weren’t behind this cos’ we were praying Tarawih” is worth about as much as the actual Tarawih reading experience of the one who said such a statement. Read: none.

We all know that as parents line up in the front, the rest of the youth are straight out the back. There needs to be a real concerted focus from Muslim parents to ensure that neither during Tarawih prayers or at other times that their children are kept under supervision and not allowed to even get a whiff of the hormonally-pumped environment of free wii consoles and Armani jeans.

Likewise, let it be known that Muslims have an extra responsibility above and beyond what others might consider the norm. Last night was the defence. Today is the clean-up and the recovery. And that’s why we should be at the very front of the excellent efforts this morning of those who started #riotcleanup on Twitter or www.riotcleanup.co.uk and show the rest of this country what Muslims are really about.

So get out in your local area and get busy! Fasting is no excuse for sleeping more at home, rather fasting is the exact reason you should be out there and putting a graft in to be from the best of people as our Prophet ﷺ (upon whom be peace) said, “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind.”






Imam Abu Eesa Niamatullah is a British-born Muslim and teacher with a unique academic ability for observational wit. Imam Abu Eesa "AE" works as an Al Maghrib tutor, runs the 1st Ethical Trust, powers the Prophetic Guidance organisation and shares research on his blog Alternative Entertainment. For more updates "like" Abu Eesa Official on Facebook.

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