The majority of Muslims in Britain are from among the Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants. There are other small communities who originally came from Morocco, Yemen, and other Muslims countries. Many of these Muslims live in poverty and hardship. Some Muslims have succeeded financially and are participating in the parliament and in the police force. However, these are a minority among the Muslims in the United Kingdom.
England has remained largely free of the racial tensions that have plagued many European countries. Yet, there is a new, strong movement to embrace racist ideas and the New Nazis. There racist and terrorist groups practice terrorism and commit atrocities, including murder and arson, against the Muslim population. Even the conservative government in Britain is now taking a hard stance against immigration laws. This position adversely affected the Muslims community, including Muslims of British origin who hope to marry their daughters to Muslims from India and Pakistan. The tightened immigrants laws also adversely affected Muslims who migrated from Somalia, Bosnia and other areas of the Muslim world.
The western civilization has only provided the western world with material means, but was unable to provide what all humans thirst for, that is, the need for a religion that satisfies both the material and spiritual needs. This is why life is full of hardships for Westerners who vie for spiritual satisfaction. Many of them embrace Buddhism or Sufism because they think that such religions satisfy their thirst and hunger for a religion, any religion. In its present form, Christianity does not satisfy western societies' need for a religion that will bring it contentment and fulfillment. Islaam, on the other hand, is a religion that is suitable for all places and all times. It is a religion that takes into consideration both the spiritual and material needs of its followers.
This is the reason why Islaam has a special appeal to western cultures, as long as the caller to it is adhering firmly to the Qur'aan and Sunnah. Islaam offers an alternative to the ills that western societies are suffering from.
The call to the Qur'aan and Sunnah is very strong in Britain, all thanks are to Allaah. There are several organizations that follow this line. Some of these organizations mainly operate within the Pakistani community and publish various magazines, newsletters and pamphlets. Other organizations are active among English speakers and they do attract a large audience. Some of them concentrate on conducting various activities among the non-Muslims communities and in colleges and universities to spread the call of Islaam amongst them. And some are active in translating books with authentic information into the English language.
These organizations use various methods in their calling to Islaam, including delivering lectures and holding classes about various aspects of Islaam. They also offer free literature about Islaam in streets and markets, especially during Saturdays. This has been one of the most successful ways of informing the British public about Islaam.
It is a bounty from Allaah that
the Muslim organizations in Britain are not facing any direct obstacles
erected by the government, as of yet. However, there is always some
type of obstacles that the government indirectly erects trying, as
it has been the habit and intent of the British government, to destroy
Islaam anywhere it exists. Hatred and despise of Islaam is very apparent
in the policies and practices that the government takes, such as the British
position with regards to Bosnia. Also, the government has given state
protection to some figures who are anti-Islaamic, such as Salman Rushdi,
whom the government is protecting in the pretext that it wants to preserve
the right of free speech. Ironically, at the same time, the government
intervenes
whenever a book is published about the Jews or a book
that criticizes the policies of Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister.
Free speech applies only in areas that benefit the government, otherwise,
there is no free speech.
There are non-Islaamic institutions that are specialized in "Eastern Studies," which are mainly concerned with distorting Islaam and training people on how to attack Islaamic ideas and laws. All this is happening at a time when the Church is spending millions of Pounds to lure people back to the church, a policy that is being sponsored by forty parliament members, the same members ho have been claming that Muslim mosques are increasingly becoming centers for violence and trouble around the country. All these actions by the government reveal the degree of hatred that their hearts conceal is even greater.
Despite all these practices and the war against Islaam that is being propagated in the media, Islaam is steadily spreading every day, all thanks are to Allaah. And although some Muslims doubt that Islaam will be successful in the West, it is still spreading. It is the unique characteristic of this religion that whenever it is challenged, its power and hold over the hearts of the believers increase. Allaah has promised that before the end of time, Islaam will enter every house on the face of the earth. Allaah always speaks the perfect truth.
Since Britain is a democracy and an officially secular state, Muslims have been allowed to form political parties. As a result, there is one Islaamic party that has been formed and is active in some areas. However, this party does not represent correct Islaamic belief. It is active among those who are not firm in their Islaam and those who implement Islaam during marriage ceremonies only.
Muslims are larger in number that
the Jews in Britain. Yet, they do not have any representatives in the parliament.
On the contrary, the Jews have several members in the parliament and in
the government. If Muslims are more successful in organizing their efforts,
they will be able to have more say in their affairs and in the parliament,
as some Muslims prefer. However, such a move, if fulfilled, must be in
accordance with the teachings of the Qur'aan and Sunnah and through the
correct way of understanding and implementing the religion.