July 31, 2005

The notion that the London bombings may have created schisms in British society, making Muslims, particularly those of Pakistani descent, the target of everyone’s prejudice and occasional physical assault, doesn’t hold water. Londoners seem to have taken the tragedy in their stride

7/7. London erupts. It’s inevitable, yet unbelievable. Routine disrupted. Havoc caused. Lives lost. Fingers pointed. None so blatant, conspicuous and rather untimely than Jack Straw’s finger-pointing, with a side-serving of “it has all the hallmarks of an Al-Qaeda attack.”

At a time when London was in shock and turmoil, with an air of confusion and mayhem, and a thick cloud of disbelief, what Londoners needed was a helping hand, a word of reassurance, a show of solidarity and forgetting one’s colour, religion, cast and creed. Just for a few moments, until the dust settled, at least.

All that was demonstrated in vast abundance. Underground workers jumped into the tunnels to rescue petrified commuters in temperatures exceeding 40C. Pedestrians pulled staggered passengers out of the topless bus while it rained debris. Medics scurried to the affected sites with whatever aid they could lay their hands on. For a good few hours, Londoners stood together. They helped together. They consoled together. And they prayed together. The rest of Britain followed suit. Until our very own foreign secretary decided to share his feelings.

However, the revelations, to my surprise, did not have the instant effect I feared, and, some parties hoped, it would have. The average ear was more interested in hearing that commuters were safe and security was tightened. That their loved ones had managed to evade malevolence. That it was a one-off occurrence. And that the culprit had been tracked down. Some were grateful it was over. Others wept because it had happened.

Over 50 people died. Some local residents while others ill-fated visitors. Amongst casualties, there were Christians. There were Jews. There were Hindus. And there were Muslims. The attackers unprejudiced against all.

As the identities of the attackers revealed, Asians, especially Pakistani Muslims, were dragged onto the stage and into the spotlight.

The helping hand turned into a pointing finger. The word of reassurance was now a racist chant. That polite ogle had far been dismissed. It was a spiteful stare, supplied in great profusion not just for anyone who looked, sounded or dressed Asian, but innocent individuals who sported beards or donned the hijab. They are all in this together, it was believed. And still is. By some, at least.

Mosques attacked. Threats issued. Minor scuffles broke out. A few female friends I questioned told of their hijab-wearing acquaintances being glared at and greeted with shouts of murderers and bloody bombers in the streets. They fear for their safety. A few told to stay at home as it would create an unpleasant environment at work.

I, myself, have more non-Muslim friends than of my own faith. Why? Not because I do not like them or their habits. I do. Because it strengthens my own faith and builds the brotherhood that we so desperately need. I have more non-Muslim friends because I want to learn their way of life. Their routine. Their culture. Their habits. And what they think about us. We, at this precarious moment in time, need to be more understanding of other. More accepting of others. And more aware of others.

“The events of recent years have challenged Muslims and Christians to work together in order to acknowledge our differences, to affirm our common humanity, and to seek ways to share life together. Much has already been achieved, and nothing must undermine the progress that we have made. These attacks strengthen our determination to live together in peace, and to grow together in mutual understanding. This crime must inspire us to work unceasingly together in pursuit of peace, justice and respect for difference,” said a press release issued by the Muslim Council of Britain on the day the London bombings took place.

Muslim associations in Britain called for non-Muslims to take interest in Islam. To discover our faith in order to understand why we do things that we do. To make an effort to bridge the vast cultural gap that exists within this country of ours. To get to know us better.

As readers of the BBC rightly pointed out, why should they? If the Muslims feel the need to bridge the gap, why not come out and encourage it of their own will? Why not demonstrate what Islam really says and promote that instead of claiming innocence? As we see on the streets of the UK, Asians stick with their own kind. They tend to limit the mingling to only when fate requires. Some say because they feel safer within their own community. They feel if they have a strong bond within themselves, they can fight off anything. If they have a strong bond within themselves, they are stronger. And superior.

This again is where we have faltered. We think we are plum but, as recent events depicted, we are anything but ...

To promote affability and understanding, one needs to exercise it. For others to be considerate of us, it is imperative that we do the same. Initiate. Implement. Sustain. Reach out and assure them we are as against these acts of brutality as them. Remind them that if a bomb was to go off, as it did in London, it will not be just the English or the Scottish that will be affected. It will be the entire population irrespective of ethnic origin, colour of skin or mother tongue. As it happened on the 7th of the 7th.

True, there exist extremists. True, they do not want the Muslims, especially Pakistani Muslims, in their country. True, they chant go back to where you came from. But when they speak, they speak for themselves. When they chant, they chant for themselves. When they hurl, they hurl for themselves. The majority non-Muslim population in Britain is sane, has brains and do not fall short of using it. They know the difference between the Muslims and the bombers. They know the difference between education and brainwashing. They know. They realize. They understand.

That is probably why they turned up in huge numbers across the country standing side-by-side in a vigil promoting peace and tolerance. There were Christians. There were Hindus. There were Buddhists and Jews. And amongst them were Muslims. The Muslims who spoke of their willingness to fight alongside others in the war against terrorism. The Muslims who wanted to clear their names of any malice. The Muslims who endorsed peace and wore black to show the nation’s solidarity in woe. And the Muslims who observed, and working hard to promote, an air of forbearance. An air of patience. And an air of tolerance.

The vigil’s motto: United in grief, united in condemnation.

“The Muslim community is horrified by the attacks on London. Whoever did this must be a murderer not a martyr. As the fingers point towards the British Pakistanis, we feel violated. Everything we have stood for, all our good work and good example is threatened by murderers on the one side and those who see this as every Muslim’s problem on the other. I have been afraid and avoided certain places. However, nothing has happened to me and if anything I have had loads of messages of support. Mothers at the same school as my daughter seem to have really appreciated an open honesty and can sense my anguish.”

Those are the words of a female Muslim speaker who has her roots in Pakistan. A Muslim woman who speaks not of segregation but of unity. Of open-mindedness and of working together. The words echoed around mosques across the country and in interviews of religious leaders and diplomats. With a strong emphasis on the word ‘together’.

I, personally, have not experienced the anti-Muslim wave that has supposedly gripped Britain. Even after 9/11, people were wary of anyone with a beard and what he could be capable of. Of sitting next to someone on the bus or the train who looks remotely Pakistani.

I reside in a foreign country. Amongst foreign people. Speaking a foreign language. I live with them. Not because I have no choice, but because I choose to. So do around 1.6 million Muslims. Because, as said before, the majority of non-Muslims here can tell the difference between a Muslim and a bomber. My friends did not stop calling me because I am a Pakistani Muslim in the wake of the London bombings. In fact, I was inundated with calls and texts inquiring about me and my family’s safety. The Curry Mile was open until the early hours of the following morning. They did not experience a drop in revenue. The people of Manchester, and other cities in the UK, kept visiting Indian and Pakistani restaurants. They kept visiting Pakistani boutiques. And they kept working alongside a Pakistani. My colleagues thronged me the next day. Not to break my skull open but to ask how I felt. And how other Muslims felt. And if I would still be up for an early finish and a game of football.

It is the fear that has been drilled down into our skulls. Fear the Muslims for they are hazardous. The fear brought down by various anti-terrorism laws and a restriction on freedom of speech. The Muslim community demands an explanation from the government of its shoot-to-kill policy in the wake of Charles de Menezes’ tragic killing. The Brazilian, living legally in London for three years, was shot in the head five times by plain-clothed policemen as he boarded an underground train while trying to flee them. He was a suspect because he ran away (wouldn’t you if you saw burly men chasing you with guns?). He was a suspect because he was wearing a padded jacket and might have had explosives under that (do not forget he was from Brazil and even 20C is winter time for him). But most importantly, he was a suspect because he looked Asian. Pakistani, to be exact.

Watch out dark-skinned tourists with rucksacks running late to catch their bus. You are a suspect.

Such is the fear and apprehension the Muslims, especially of Pakistani descent, have been subjected to by the government and the media. Extra security at train stations will allow suspicious commuters and their bags to be searched. Detailed, and protracted, history checks while applying for jobs have been enforced. And then there is the ubiquitous presence of the media at mosques, religious and cultural events.

In spite of all that, a typical Brit would not care what religion you are or where you have come from. They really don’t. They would happily hang around with you. Sing with you. Laugh with you. And would happily accept whatever curry dish you will cook for them. Yes, they will laugh at the accents. Yes, they will laugh at how your grandfathers’ trousers go half-way up their chest. But in times of distress, enough helping hands will flock your way.

The way forward, as portrayed by an acquaintance of mine, is for those of us who hate all acts of terrorism to stand together. As the saying goes, united we stand, divided we fall. We are willing to stand together. They are willing to stand together. What is stopping us now?

Nothing.

United in grief.

United in condemnation. United the whole of UK stands.

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