Visit by Britain First, 30 July 2026

It was really kind of four members of Britain First to barge into our office recently. Perhaps in future they could let us know in advance and we would be happy to sit and chat with them, with true Muslim hospitality of serving tea and samosas (sorry, no offence meant. Perhaps tea and biscuits? Cucumber sandwiches?)

Firstly, a huge thanks to the police officers who came so quickly. As usual, they were supportive and very kind.

Secondly,  I would like to remind my uninvited guests that Muslims are part of the landscape of modern Britain. Most British Muslims were born in the UK and consider this to be their home. We speak the English language, attend schools with the rest of society, support English football teams (didn’t England do well in the World Cup recently? I was so proud!), eat turkey at Christmas (but no booze, thank you very much), moan about the rain (although during this drought, everyone is praying for rain and promising never again to complain that it rains too much), and generally love being British.

Yes, we are not Christians and love being Muslims. Why is that a problem? Does being British have to be twinned with Christianity? I mean, just look at the facts. According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, the number of Britons identifying as Christians has dropped from 66% in 1983 to 38% in 2011. In fact, I wish I had asked my Britain First guests about their last visit to Church. I am sure the answer would have been illuminating.

British Muslims, such as me, love our identity. We study, work, contribute taxes (too high in my humble opinion), wish we could save the NHS and wish literacy rates were better in schools. We are part of the changing landscape of Britain and Europe generally. And we are not a threat. We want peace, the rule of law and order, criminals to face proper penalties, political stability, a Prime Minister that lasts longer than a lettuce, and general world peace (no arms-sales to cruel, genocidal maniacs please).

Islamophobes are trying to terrify ordinary people with stories of migrants swamping our shores, grooming gangs targeting white girls, terrorism and other fantastical claims. Migrants would not be trying to escape to our country if we were not wasting tax-payers money bombing their countries. Grooming gangs come from white, Asian and black communities. Deal with them properly please so they are never able to hurt anyone’s daughters. Terrorism; there is a rise in far-right terrorism that is just as scary as Muslim fanatics. Counter-terrorist authorities do a wonderful job so please give them more funding.

Now for the main issue of gripe, which is that Muslims have a parallel legal system in the UK through sharia councils. No, not happening. Just not happening. Muslims do not want a parallel legal system, end of matter. But we are a religious minority community, which, just like the Jews, has cultural and religious obligations. We marry according to civil law, but we also marry according to religious law as we wish to be married in the eyes of God. Our communities have problems, like the rest of society. Husbands and wives with marital problems, children not getting on with their parents, siblings squabbling over dad’s property after his death, cheating and philandering husbands, wives obsessed with botox, that sort of thing. English courts do not want to deal with this stuff. They can’t deal with this stuff. They want you to go to a mediator and get it sorted, quietly and inexpensively. That is what we do.

Khola Hasan

Director, Islamic Sharia Council.

31 July 2026.