This year’s Eid celebrations were set against a backdrop of terror attacks and hate crime that were designed to drive divisions between our communities.
After a month of fasting, families tried to enjoy celebrating the festival of Eid al Fitr. The gatherings consist of prayers, a sermon and various fun activities for families and children, where many Muslims irrespective of sect, race or gender come together to celebrate.
However, just a week earlier, a far-right fanatic, drove a van into worshippers leaving Ramadan prayers, killing Makram Ali, a grandfather. The intention was clear – to kill and harm innocent Muslims. The attacker’s hatred was reportedly borne out of the recent terror attacks by Jihadists on London and Manchester.
Ironic then that the methods used reflected the very same tactics used by Daesh inspired attackers. The dehumanisation of Muslims by the far-right is exactly the same rhetoric used by Jihadists. Both feed division by pushing the notion of ‘us versus them’.
This narrative – on both ends of the extremist spectrum – is not just promoted during those shocking and horrific moments, but too regularly through social media on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. The aims of both are to generate distrust and suspicion, and ultimately to spread division. Extremists echo sentiments of vitriol that not only break families and friends apart but that are also responsible for hate crimes and in the worst scenario, terror attacks, such as the murder of Lee Rigby. Now we see far-right supporters posting Facebook videos brandishing axes and hammers in a similar way.
We cannot deny or ignore that this casual spread of hatred is the reason behind the recent rise in hate crimes against Muslims. Take the Muslim woman whose car was torched right outside her home.
But it doesn’t stop there. There are also extremist groups that are using these acts to create hysteria and feed their own agendas – encouraging impressionable and vulnerable people to channel their frustrations by responding with hatred and violence.
It might seem an obvious observation, but hate breeds hate and it is this cycle that causes communities to feel divided. The far-right and jihadist extremists, fuel one another. And despite their attempts to dehumanise each other, their aims are essentially one and the same.
What we need to realise is that it is us – those that want to live harmoniously – who need to take action against those that peddle hate and division in whatever guise it might be, jihadist or far-right. We need to stand together, speak out against their hatred and defiantly to remove their hate, both online and in our communities.
We can defeat them, and the best means through which we can do that is by promoting understanding between communities, peace and goodwill – after all, that is what Islam is all about.
