Ahmed J Versi
Daesh say that Western values are incompatible with mainstream Islam. “These views are shared by Donald Trump which is why I was criticising Donald Trump…because Donald Trump is playing into the hands of Daesh and extremists when he said that Muslims should be banned from America,” said Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
Speaking to the ethnic media on June 8, Khan said he was “proud” that London chose “hope over fear and unity over division” by electing him as a mayor of London.
Khan said this will be his first year as a Mayor of London during month of Ramadan. “I will use the Ramadan as an opportunity not simply to fast but also to open iftars in Synagogues, in Churches and in Mosques to show better face of Islam and what Islam is and what a mainstream Muslim really is. I will use this month to break down barriers.”
The reason why he was talking about his faith was because “the only Islam people see on TV are people who do criminal acts and justify is by Islam. You would wrongly think that they represent Islam. I am a leader, I am a Mayor of London but I am also a Muslim. I accept my responsibility has influence in public life to do what I can to reassure people that Muslims are a peaceful people. As a Mayor of London trying to break barriers and build bridges.”
How does he manage to fast and being a Mayor?
“You have to talk a lot as a Mayor and that doesn’t help. What I don’t want to do is to mark down my diary. What I have done in the past weeks is more than what my predecessor has done in months. Part of parcel of the job is sacrifice. Fasting up to 19 hours but I have to do what I have to do. I have a full diary working till quite late in the evening and start early morning,” he explained how he fits his work with fasting.
“When I was growing up people used to ask me what fasting was but now people have knowledge of Islam and we know about Diwali, Holi, Viasakhi, Yom Kippur, Christmas, Easter. We are a global city. We know each others’ cultures and faiths.”
He will also join in celebrating Diwali, and other faiths events too.