By Christine Rayner
Muslims across the UK prayed for King Charles III and his family in their devotions on Friday, paying tribute to the “shining legacy” of Queen Elizabeth II.
Zara Mohammed, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said the Queen had lived through “extraordinary changes” in her 70-year reign, including the development of a multicultural and multifaith society. She praised her devotion to the service of all communities and the contribution she made to bringing people together.
The first mosques were built during the reign of the late Queen’s great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who encouraged religious freedom and was said to rule over more Muslims than the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
Today there are 3.3 million Muslims in Britain and 1700 mosques representing diverse national backgrounds and faith traditions.
Queen Elizabeth made history in July 2002 when she visited a mosque, the first UK monarch to do so some 133 years after the first was built in Woking. During her Golden Jubilee celebrations, she visited Scunthorpe for a Festival of Nations community event and toured the town’s Islamic Centre.
The historic visit made the community feel recognised, according to Abid Khan, chairman of the North Lincolnshire Multi-Faith Partnership. The BBC reports that he described the Queen as “a wonderful individual”, adding that her legacy would be felt for years to come.
Imam Qari Asim, chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board and imam at the Makkah Mosque in Leeds, praised Queen Elizabeth’s “selfless dedication to public service” as well as her humility and grace.
He admired her for encouraging harmony and friendship across many different faiths in the UK during her reign and said she had developed “a dignified and warm relationship with the Muslim community”.
Qari Asim said Muslims would be remembering the Queen in their private prayers, thanking God for her “shining legacy”. He admired her “profound sense of duty” and a comment she made in 2004 saying diversity was “a strength not a threat” in society.
Dr Azim Ahmed, general-secretary of the Muslim Council of Wales, said Queen Elizabeth was a respected figurehead who embodied duty and service. There was a real sense of loss within the community and an outpouring of emotion at the news of her death, he said.
Dr. Ahmed said Charles had built a long-standing relationship with Muslims in the UK and had shown “unique patronage and support” and a strong understanding of the faith. He saw in the new king the potential for public recognition of Islam as a British religion and looked forward to further building relationships between the faith communities.
Read our factsheet on Islam in Britain here >>
