The Ummah in this country has been here for the last 40 years Mashallah. But yet we are struggling to establish ourselves as a community that proactively contributes to our government run organisations.
People constantly make judgements based on their own understandings and so at times participation and engagement with these organisations is avoided simply because members of the community felt threatened or just felt lacking in order to participate.
The three most important and widely used services in our country that are provided by the government are Education, Health, and Law & Order. We may know all about our local schools, hospitals, and police force, but just how much do we really know about how these services are run and managed? Do we even know what is being done to improve them for us? We all know that these are government organizations but most of us are ignorant about who actually has a say in the workings of these organisations.
Nearly all of our children go to State funded Schools, whilst our families make good and proper use of the State Health Service System. As law abiding Citizens we obey the law of this land and call on the police like everybody else when we are in trouble or need help. Yet, statistics show that in the forums created for improving these services, members of the Muslim community barely register on the radar when it comes to helping to define the improvements.
Islam encourages us to enjoin in that which is good and avoid that which is evil or wrongdoing. In every act or activity relating to matters of social affairs we are encouraged to weigh the differences between the benefits and the harm of performing that activity. The Question then becomes is whether we should participate or should we not? This question becomes even more important now in light of the fact that we are actively encouraged to do so by our local government bodies.
The answer is a very simple Yes. Because our participation will bring benefit not just to us but also to the wider community at large that we live with and to share in the common good that arrises, which we all wish to have. Our participation will strengthen these organizations, create good will and further strengthen relations with the wider community. What harm can our participation bring to us or these organizations and the simple answer has to be none. In fact our lack of participation will only create a sense of alienation amongst our communities and generate apathy in the wider community towards us.
Our Local Health Trust actively encourages foundation memberships. Our Local Police are on a look out to hear our views through their PCSO and Other police networks, Our education authorities encourage governorships in schools to help in governance of our state schools and educational institutions. We strongly urge you all to participate, contribute, and work for the common good of our society that we live in this country.