Sorry to bang on about it but where are the 'vast majority' of 'moderate muslims'?

As a first generation immigrant myself I'm hardly one to be anti immigration, but there are rules in my opinion and they include adopting your new country as your 'home state' and that means adopting their laws, secular values, approach to fairness, some of the cultural values that that country has to offer. Yes one can maintain one's birth values to an extent, in terms of religion - so long as that remains a personal matter rather than being forced down the throats of your new hosts - and in terms of the cricket team you support when they play against England (just to quote a famous example of this issue).

Immigrants tend to congregate together in a new country - it's why my home town of Leicester has the largest Indian community in the UK. I don't have a problem with that so long as the members of that community are respectful of their neighbours, abide by the laws of the land, and don't seek to impose their religious laws on the rest of us - which, to a massive extent is the case in Leicester to the cultural benefit of all of us.

Dave has talked, in recent days about British values and the need for everyone in this country to respect and live by them. I completely agree with that sentiment but I have to say that I see very little evidence that it is universally the case in our country today.

I have commented about this on twitter and in other blogs and have been pointed towards a fatwa imposed by some Muslim Imams on Jihadists wanting to go to or return from fighting with ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

And that is very welcome, but is it a genuine representation of the Muslim community in the UK? Has it been made for reasons of political expediency or is it what the majority of so-called 'Moderate Muslims' really think?

I have Muslim friends - my kids have more than I do - and all are welcome in my home. I can't really say it any more fairly than that. I enjoy their company and culture and 'difference' from our Anglo Saxon heritage. I enjoy their food and music and clothes and colourfulness.

But I have some nagging doubts: Not about the individuals I know, even though they can be prickly when this subject comes up (which is rare), but about the 'mass' of the Muslim community: I would like nothing more than for this situation to be clarified so that we all know where we stand and so that we can be reassured that most Muslims are here to get on in life, offer better opportunities to their kids, enjoy better healthcare for themselves and their families, essentially, be British first and Muslim second, without having to give up on the latter if it is important to them. I simply don't see, in our modern largely secular society, how these two things cannot be compatible.

But let's look at some of the facts that have merged in recent weeks:

It is difficult to separate the term 'Muslim' from 'Islam' so I won't try to do so here, I'll use 'Muslim'
and I apologise in advance if this might cause any offence but I think if you are generous and understanding, you'll understand where I'm coming from rather than nit-picking.

Here's a definition from t'internet:

"The words Islam and Muslim come from the same 3 letter root word (s,l and m) in Arabic. Islam by definition means surrender and submission only to the one true creator. A Muslim by definition means one who surrenders and submits to the laws of God. As almighty God is the creator of the heavens and the earth and the creation in it, nothing in the creation works at its own free will...that is it follows a law and nothing can break or change that law unless the almighty wills."

So what have we seen in recent weeks? (By the way I have been following this issue with interest and not a little concern for some years now, this is not a bandwagon jumping thing from me).

We have seen significant electoral corruption and fraud in Tower Hamlets (allegedly) as Lutfur Rahman seems to want to steal power by using intimidation and with undoubted connections to Muslim voters. That situation is subject to investigation but it seems fairly clear that it is a factor involving significant numbers of the Muslim community.

We have seen Muslims trying to take over the curriculum and religious agenda of a considerable number of schools in Birmingham and Bradford (and who knows where else) by Muslims. Using sneaky tactics and with the objective of imposing and installing their own religious doctrine in British schools. Does that tie in with adopting your new host country?

We have seen Muslim electoral power and influence being used on a local basis to cover up the sexual exploitation of young white, often underage British girls, in Rotherham and in probably another 20 towns and cities across the country - at least. Effectively controlling local authorities, the media and even the police through their political influence.

We have seen an explosion in the occurrence of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) in the UK as well as forced marriages and girls of 8-11 being taken to Pakistan to be married during school holidays. That's not an allegation by me but a situation that has led to a change in government policy to try to stop it from happening.

Finally we have seen the kids of members of our Muslim communities travelling to Syria and Iraq to fight for ISIS against the West - the West which provides their home, protection, healthcare, welfare benefits, employment opportunities etc.

So seeing a few Imams condemning UK Muslims fighting for ISIS has something of a hollow ring to it doesn't it?

Dave said Islam is a peaceful religion, it's followers do daily good deeds all over the world. The vast majority are moderate and condemn what is happening in Syria and Iraq.

But what about closer to home? Where are they? They seem to come out onto our streets to protest at the drop of a hat if Mohammed is insulted in a cartoon. If the Qu'ran is questioned or insulted in any way.

So where are they when their fellow Muslims are accused of electoral fraud; found to be taking over schools in the name of Islam; found to be perpetrating horrific sexual crimes against white girls, conducting illegal FGM genital operations on their own kids, travelling to fight against our interests in the West?

Where are these 'Moderate Muslims'? Why are they not standing up in any real numbers against these atrocities?

Are they just being bullied? Dave tells us that they are the 'vast majority'. Are they being bullied by a small minority of extremists in their midst? Do they realise that bullies are never defeated by backing off?

Or are they secretly behind what is going on? Maybe not actively - although large numbers must be actively behind what is going on given the extent of it - but through turning a blind eye?

I think we need to know. And I think we need to ask the question now when the Muslim population makes up about 5% of the UK population rather than in 30 years when it will, according to the ONS, make up around 50%.

My hope is that there is a majority of 'Moderate Muslims' in the UK and that they will stand up and be counted and state that they are British first and meet the criteria we must stick to if British values are to have a future.

However I'm not sure that this is the case, based on the evidence cited above.

The Qu'ran is believed by Muslims to be the real word of God (a ludicrous proposition which is the subject of a forthcoming blog) and it clearly states that Islam must be expanded, spread and must take-over the world, through war and violence if necessary. It describes non-believers as kaffirs and 'unclean' and 'sub-human'.

If being a Muslim means taking the word of the Qu'ran as 'law' then I'm struggling to see how 'Moderate Muslims' can actually exist. Can you?

Thanks for reading.