British Muslim members, including the World Federation, participate in a meeting organised by the British Foreign Office to discuss war against Iraq

It is often felt that Muslims in Britain cannot do anything to change the direction of Britain’s foreign policy towards Iraq. However, history has dictated that through sacrifice and perseverance, the right principles, the principles of Islam, can be safeguarded. What better example than the battle of Kerbala. The only difference between the present and the past is whether we are willing to persevere and sacrifice ourselves for the cause of Islam. If we can do this, the letters we write, words we speak, people we interact with, can give us opportunities to change people’s minds towards supporting Islam rather than acting against it.

A recent opportunity to do just this arose on Monday 10th March 2003, when the Secretary General of the World Federation, Dr. Sibtain Panjwani, attended a meeting organised by Mike O’Brien, the Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to meet with members of the British Muslim community. The meeting’s aim was to discuss the full range of Britain’s foreign policy issues but as one expected, the threat of war against Iraq was the dominant issue discussed.

Dr. Sibtain Panjwani started from the premise that instead of going into depth about the facts on British and American relations with the Middle East, which have not been critically analysed, the perception of British Muslims on policies towards Iraq is an important factor to consider. It was clear that the Muslims present at the meeting expressed an anti-war sentiment that was reflective of the views of the Muslim community in Britain, since a just cause for war was not present. Dr Sibtain Panjwani again reiterated that we have a duty to express the feelings of British Muslims on the situation of war in Iraq. He further stated that whilst most British Muslims opposed the current war, it did not mean they were supporting Saddam, his regime or his position.

He also told the Minister that many Iraqis have suffered brutally over the past twenty years but the international community stood idly by. Now, it is rich to tell Iraqi people they have to die in numbers once again so that democracy can be implemented in their country. Above all, we must allow Iraqi people to be the arbiter of their own destiny without further sacrificing their lives. In view of Hans Blix’s latest report to the UN in which he confirmed that real disarmament is occurring, it showed that progress is certainly being made in this area and it cannot be beyond the powers of international governments to carry on with this position to continue with full disarmament or to change the regime, instead of initiating war. The reality observed by many citizens on television is that while Iraqi missiles are being destroyed, another state uses missiles and tanks to subjugate Palestinian people in their own lands.

He concluded that that if the UK and USA battle with the forces of Iraq, there is little doubt that the battle will be won by the UK and USA, due to the superiority of their weaponry and equipment. However, what they forget is that whilst this battle will be won, the war for justice will be lost – a fundamental principle exhibited by both British and American systems.

Secretariat
11/3/2003