Uniting Against Fascism: A Message to the Far-Right (Jumu’ah Summary 19/9/25)
Throughout history, genocides have followed a familiar recipe:
An obsession with purity of identity – the notion of a “pure race.”
A fanatical ideology – whether religious or political.
A vulnerable minority to scapegoat.
We saw this in Nazi Germany, in Bosnia, in India, in Palestine, and now, concerningly, we see echoes of it here in the UK.
On 13th September, the “Unite The Kingdom” march took place in London. This was no ordinary protest. The rhetoric of several of its speakers was openly Islamophobic and incited hatred and violence. Among the remarks:
Valentina Gomez: “Send these Muslims and their rugs back to their shariah countries.”
Filip DeWinter: “Islam is our real enemy.”
Elon Musk: “You either fight back or you die… there’s got to be a dissolution of parliament and a new vote held.”
Such words are more than careless speech – they are deliberate hate speech, emboldening attacks against Muslims, mosques, and immigrants across the UK. This is despite the rich Muslim history in the UK and our undeniable contributions to society. The intellectual and cultural development of Europe, including Britain, cannot be separated from the legacy of Islamic civilisation. For centuries, the Caliphates served as centres of learning, preserving and expanding knowledge that later became the bedrock of Western scholarship and scientific progress. Human history is, by its very nature, an ongoing exchange in which societies inherit, refine, and pass on ideas. Islam not only facilitated this exchange but also calls humanity to a vision that transcends barriers of race, nation, and ethnicity – offering an alternative to the divisions that still trouble our world today.
The Qur’an reminds us that this kind of abuse we are seeing today is not new:
لَتُبۡلَوُنَّ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِكُمۡ وَأَنفُسِكُمۡۙ وَلَتَسۡمَعُنَّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُوٓاْ أَذٗى كَثِيرٗاۚ وَإِن تَصۡبِرُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ
“You will certainly be tested in your wealth and yourselves, and you will certainly hear much abuse from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate partners with Allah. But if you are patient and mindful of Allah, that is indeed from the matters requiring resolve.”
(Sūrah Āl ʿImrān 3:186)
We do not despair – instead, we plan our response.
Building Faith First
Our starting point must be our faith. Political or social action without strong faith is like building on sand. In the Sirah, the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions first nurtured faith in Makkah before building the state in Madinah.
At Badr, victory came not from numbers but from the strength of faith. At Hunayn, by contrast, when the Muslims relied on their large numbers – 12,000 strong – they were shaken and initially forced to retreat. Only when they turned back to Allah ﷻ, placing their trust in Him alone, did His help arrive and the tide of battle turn in their favour.
Allah ﷻ says:
وَيَوْمَ حُنَيۡنٍ إِذۡ أَعۡجَبَتۡكُمۡ كَثۡرَتُكُمۡ فَلَمۡ تُغۡنِ عَنكُمۡ شَيۡـًٔا وَضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتۡ ثُمَّ وَلَّيۡتُم مُّدۡبِرِينَ
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
“On the Day of Hunayn, when your great numbers pleased you, but they did not avail you at all. The earth, despite its vastness, became tight upon you, then you turned back in retreat. Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and the believers…”
(Sūrah al-Tawbah 9:25–26)
We must seek honour through our faith, not through numbers, anger, or reactionary politics.
Education and Wisdom
We need to understand where the far-right draws its rhetoric, and address misinformation not with rage but with wisdom and clarity.
The Qur’an commands:
ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ وَجَٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُۚ
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good advice, and argue with them in the best manner.”
(Sūrah al-Naḥl 16:125)
And:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُواْ قَوۡلٗا سَدِيدٗ
“O you who believe! Be mindful of Allah and speak in a direct fashion and to good purpose.”
(Sūrah al-Aḥzāb 33:70)
Reaction and anger feed the far-right narrative. Discipline, calmness, and clear facts disarm it. We need to further our outreach and Dawah to show the people the beautiful message of Islam. Being insular only adds to the problem.
Law and Alliances
The Prophet ﷺ made use of treaties in Madinah to safeguard the Muslim community. In our context, that means making use of the legal system: equality laws, reporting structures, councils, and MPs. Let them hear our voice and concerns. We must not wait until harm has been done – we must act before harm spreads. We must not allow ourselves to live in fear.
The Prophet ﷺ even praised the pre-Islamic pact of justice, Ḥilf al-Fuḍūl:
عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: لَقَدْ شَهِدْتُ فِي دَارِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جُدْعَانَ حِلْفًا مَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِهِ حُمْرَ النَّعَمِ، وَلَوْ أُدْعَى بِهِ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ لَأَجَبْتُ
“I witnessed a pact of justice in the house of ʿAbdullāh ibn Judʿān, which I would not trade for the finest camels. If I were called to it in Islam, I would join it.”
(Musnad Aḥmad)
Likewise, we must build bonds with neighbours and civic groups to combat fascism together.
Conclusion
The far-right is patient and organised. Should Muslims not be more patient, more organised, and more faithful?
Let us be just in our approach.
Allah ﷻ commands us:
وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْۚ ٱعۡدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ
“Do not let the hatred of a people lead you to swerve from justice. Be just – that is nearer to taqwā.”
(Sūrah al-Māʾidah 5:8)
We ask Allah ﷻ to protect our community, strengthen our faith, and make us witnesses of truth and justice in these testing times.
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