As the year draws to a close, and we become embedded in the festive season ahead, I wished to share some reflections with you.
We often hear the cliché of “these turbulent times” – but this last year has particularly come to trouble my heart, with its steady stream of tragic and devastating events: the brutal conflicts tearing apart communities in Iraq, Syria, Gaza and the Central African Republic; the rise of poverty in the UK which has seen one million people use food banks this year alone; increasing xenophobia and racism, from Michael Brown in the USA, to the growth of the far-right in the UK, and the scores of migrants losing their lives in the Mediterranean as they seek to escape difficult circumstances.
The need for faith is so critical to anchor the hearts and spirits of our communities. More than ever I feel the necessity for faith communities to work together to counter narratives of hate and division, to fight against the ravages of poverty and conflict, and to replace them with the warm comfort and steady hand of friendship, protection and unwavering goodness. We believe that our beloved Jesus, Muhammad, Moses and Abraham Peace be upon them, came to humanity with a unifying message of love, justice, compassion and mercy. They not only came with a message that spoke directly to the souls of there companions, but with a movement that sought to tackle the root causes of injustice in their society, that protected the most vulnerable and which welcomed the strangers.
While the discourse around the radicalisation of a few Welsh Muslim youth is leading headlines, I am concerned that by focusing on a few who have been led down the path of violent extremism we are neglecting the vast majority of young Muslims who are struggling to find their bearings.
The sense of betrayal felt by Muslim youth in general is receiving very little attention. This is one segment of the British population that continues to find itself under suspicion and maligned through guilt by association in the wider society.
Welsh-Muslim youth who thought themselves like any other Welsh person got a rude awakening post-9/11 -- a sort of cultural shock that they were not like any other Welsh person. Overnight, they were the other, the enemy.
This was traumatic in itself, but exposure to wholesale Islamophobia has added another layer of ongoing betrayal. The impact of this backlash against Welsh-born Muslims was devastating. Many experienced racism for the first time and felt rejected by their fellow Welshmen. Even worse, they feel like they are seen and considered to be a threat by institutions meant to protect them. Racial and religious profiling has become acceptable when directed toward Muslim youth.
Welsh-Muslim youth are being forced into defensive posturing, apologizing and are under suspicion. They are expected to prove their loyalty to United Kingdom -- a burden not placed on other youth, and they do this by remaining silent in the face of Islamophobia, a form of self-imposed censorship on free expression about geopolitical issues. This has placed serious stress on these young minds. To have to constantly defend one’s faith, to continuously be called upon to condemn the actions of criminals and terrorists is emotional torture no one should be subjected to.
Even the schools are not paying attention to the second-hand trauma their Muslim students are experiencing as a result of witnessing the devastation in the countries their parents hail from and their extended families still reside. Is there any attempt to respond to their grief, anger and emotional pain? Do we not call in grief counselors to help students deal with natural disasters, shootings and accidents?
It is obvious in the absence of such supports, many will internalize this pain and resentment and it may come out in unhealthy ways. Few with no family support may turn to drugs and alcohol, others may act out, while some may turn to the Internet to find answers and become targets for violent extremism.
Very few resources, if any, have been applied to understanding and listening to the youth themselves. We have made little effort to provide safe spaces for them to express their grief and confusion and receive counselling. Why? Are we willing to validate their pain and embrace their anguish and express the same outrage over the suffering of Palestinian, Iraqi and Rohingya children that we do over the suffering of British and American children? Do we have a response when they ask that while Muslims continue to condemn violence committed by Muslims, fellow Welsh man turn a blind eye to violence being committed against Muslims?
The extremist messaging coming through imported ideology of “True Islam” or “Real Islam” has caused a disconnect in many cases between immigrant parents and their Welsh Muslim-born children. Why have the youth been left to fend for themselves through this geopolitical religious maze? It is the responsibility of the Muslim community to provide a counter-narrative to the hate propaganda of the likes of IS and Al-Qaida.
As a society, we have been indifferent to the plight of Welsh Muslim youth far too long, it is time we took notice of their pain. We have to reject any attempts to marginalize Muslims as second-class citizens. Let the lessons learned from the internment of Japanese-Welsh Muslims be a reminder of how the politics of fear can divide our nation and diminish our humanity.
Fortunately, an overwhelming majority of Muslim youth, thanks to their spiritual resiliency, continue to maintain a strong commitment to a secure, just and inclusive Wales.
Never has the need for faith been so critical to anchor the hearts and spirits of our communities. More than ever I feel the necessity for faith communities to work together to counter narratives of hate and division, to fight against the ravages of poverty and conflict, and to replace them with the warm comfort and steady hand of friendship, protection and unwavering goodness.
We believe that our beloved Jesus, Muhammad, Moses and Abraham Peace be upon them, came to humanity with a unifying message of love, justice, compassion and mercy. They not only came with a message that spoke directly to the souls of there companions, but with a movement that sought to tackle the root causes of injustice in their society, that protected the most vulnerable and which welcomed the strangers.
It is faith, I believe, which calls on us to be rooted and active in our societies, to work tirelessly to find solutions to the problems we see around us. I pray that as we approach the end of 2014, we are able to reflect profoundly on the lessons from this year past – and as we enter 2015, we are able to work hand-in-hand, as brothers and sisters, to build a more caring and loving society for the generations to come. I extend my sincerest and warmest greetings to you all for the festive season ahead. May God enrich our souls in this period, and enable us to grow in closeness to Him, and each other with love, understanding, compassion and mercy as the years go on.
In the end Light over darkness will prevail, Truth over falsehood.
Saleem Kidwai is Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Wales