OPINION: Manchester attack was un-Islamic and inhuman
One of Britain's most senior imams addresses the shul attack in an exclusive article for Jewish News
The terror attack outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester is utterly abhorrent. I extend deepest sympathies to the families of victims, in particular those brutally killed – Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz – and to the Jewish community. There is no place for violence, antisemitism, or religious bigotry in our society. We stand in full solidarity with British Jews, who act left grieving and shaken by this act of pure hatred.
This atrocity demands a full investigation into the security lapses that allowed it to occur. But it also requires moral clarity.
It is especially painful to learn that the Syrian-decent attacker, Jihad Al-Shamie, came from a Muslim background. This vile attacker may have claimed to be Muslim, but his actions stand in direct contradiction to the foundational principle in Islam: upholding human dignity. Islam categorically forbids the taking of an innocent life: “Whoever kills a soul… it is as if he had slain mankind entirely.” (Qur’an 5:32)
British Muslims stand united in rejecting the misuse of our faith – whether weaponised in the name of religion or twisted to justify political grievance. The desecration of religious spaces and targeting of people based on faith is not only un-Islamic – it is inhuman.
Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peace and prayer. The Qur’an upholds the sanctity of all houses of worship: “Had God not repelled some people by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques – where God’s name is often mentioned – would have been demolished.” (Qur’an 22:40)
Let us be clear: Jewish worshippers gathering in a synagogue on Yom Kippur – or any other day – are not responsible for the actions of the Israeli government.
In fact, many Rabbis and Jewish leaders I have spoken to have expressed deep horror over the suffering in Gaza. They do not all support the extreme policies of the Israeli government or the actions of the IDF. We must learn to distinguish between politics and prejudice. To conflate Jewish identity with Israeli government policies is not activism – it is a dangerous distortion that fuels hatred and violence.
There are British Jews who now feel unsafe in their own places of worship. So, this attack at a synagogue, is an attack on all of us. It threatens our shared religious freedoms and the kind of society we strive to build: one rooted in dignity, safety, and mutual respect.
In the coming weeks, some will try to exploit this tragedy to divide us, others will weaponise this tragedy for short-term gain. This will increase is risk of reprisals at other places of worship. Every faith group should feel safe to pray without fear. This is not a Jewish issue or a Muslim issue – it is a British issue.
The antidote to hatred is not fear- it is solidarity, compassion, and understanding. Everyone has a right to express their deep pain and trauma over the unprecedented suffering of the people of Gaza. But if pain and political grievances are misdirected, they can lead to mistrust, hatred and even violence. Antisemitism is continuing to grow in our country. As an Imam, I say clearly: antisemitism in any form is unacceptable. It has no place in Islam, in our communities, or in our society. We must stand shoulder to shoulder to confront and eliminate antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred and all other forms of bigotry.
Dialogue and bridge-building must remain open between our communities, so that together we can work for peace, coexistence, and a flourishing society- both here at home, in the Middle East and across the globe. Educational and inter-community programs that dismantle stereotypes – on all sides – before they harden into hate, are required at all levels in our society.
The Drumlanrig Accords, signed earlier this year by senior Rabbis and Imams and endorsed by His Majesty King Charles III, offer a vital framework for resisting antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred. They call us to protect life and safeguard places of worship; and deepen trust and cooperation to build a society where all can live with dignity, freedom of belief and justice.
I am committed to work with our Jewish colleagues to ensure that the future of Muslim and Jewish life in Britain is not shaped by fear – but by mutual respect, shared responsibility and peace. Our response to the attack on a British synagogue will define who we are as a nation: fractured by fear or united by hope. Let us choose unity. Let us choose humanity.
- Imam Dr Qari Asim is Senior Imam of Makkah Mosque Leeds, Co-Chair pf the British Muslim Network and Trustee of British Future and Light Foundation
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