For me, I
didn't always find it accurate to say that voting was the ultimate way to
express a political opinion.
Indeed, before
turning the voting age I had attended my full share of political demos and had
contributed plenty of dramatic think pieces to the local paper as student
correspondent.
However,
since turning 18 I have mostly disengaged with voting and elections, partly owing to my lack of confidence in the political structure of the UK, and in the
mainstream British parties and candidates.
However, the
primary factor for my abstention from voting was my faith.
So as I ask
why Muslims haven't made themselves into a strong electoral contingent in the
UK, I feel that the answer lies in some introspection.
Firstly, my enquiry
into the subject of voting in the British Islamic community is rooted
in my personal experiences as a non-voter, and now as a registered member of
the electorate.
It was during
initially the 2010 elections in the United Kingdom that I first came across the
non-voting opinion.
As silly as
it sounds, I found out that voting could be disallowed through a nasheed rap
video. These singers deigned it haram to vote and gave a brief overview of why
that was so
through this song.
Mainly, their
argument for voting abstention was that it was haram (forbidden) because
legislation belonged to Allah only.
That the
Qur'an and Sunnah should source all Law is something that I agree with - as
believing in Allah as the sole legislator is a cornerstone of our faith.
I
would further argue that since Allah created us and gave us understanding,
life, intellect and everything we operate with as human beings - we should then
give credence to the guidance that Allah gave to us.
However, we also
need to now deal with the life we have in our hands.
I would love
to live under a perfect government led by the same humility and faith as the
Rashidun Caliphates in the early days of Islam.
However,
being born in Western Europe and brought up in the UK, I feel like I have a
right and responsibility to engage in my current context.
That is – to
acknowledge that it’s good to reflect and discuss the past (hey, I'm a History
undergrad as it is) - but also to build and fix for my community’s future, and
also its now?
For example,
what are we Muslims going actually to do about rising tuition fees? Given that
only 20% of the Muslim community in the UK are in full-time employment, where/what
are the avenues for investment in our education, and thus our economic lives?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31435929
The above is
my primary concern. The socio-political and economic disenfranchisement of the
Muslim community in Britain is something that only for discussion when framing
the issue of integration and assimilation against Muslims.
Uplifting and
enhancing the lives of British Muslims has never been a non-patronising policy
concern, which shows that there is a cognitive dissonance from our
government and society towards British Muslims.
Yet, the
existence of the above quandary is partially and collectively our fault.
Firstly, the
British Muslim community needs to unshackle themselves from their apathy toward
challenging the status quo outside of their communities - in a reasonable
manner.
Another issue
I take with is that charity has diverted the political efforts of British
Muslims rather than structural change.
Ma Sha Allah! As far as I know,
Muslims are the leading charitable group in the UK.
However, I
wish there were more think tanks, more NGOs, more awareness groups that could
help to improve the lives of British Muslims strategically.
The above
could be a possibility should Labour's Jeremy Corbyn be elected this summer,
the leverage on various socio-economic constraints could help British Muslims
have an easier movement toward their political and personal goals.
However, we will fall and take some steps back by refusing to vote and dismissing our two
million voices in the process.
- By Laila Ali Haid
