The May 5, 2016, election of Sadiq Khan as Mayor of London was no ordinary event. Although the political symbolism and an aura surrounding it may be all pervasive in the aftermath of poll results, the political significance of this victory is a real opportunity to bridge the perception gulf between western culture and Islam on the European soil and beyond.
The vicious personal attack launched on Sadiq Khan in the run-up to the elections by his conservative challenger, Zac Goldsmith, and the grace with which Mr. Khan has handled it expose growing antagonism toward Muslims and how a bigot would shamelessly exploit it to gain votes. To the contrary, Sadiq Khan has used it as an opportunity to try to heal the rift. Although the campaigns before the election have illustrated contrasting political styles, the significance of the election of a Muslim as the mayor of one of the most important western cities goes beyond the impact it has created in London and the United Kingdom.
Some of the uneasiness of the western society toward Islam and its adherents was rooted in the illogical perception that terrorism is being tolerated--and to some extent, promoted--by Muslims and condoned by their religion. Instead of addressing this prime source of uneasiness in the western society through a concerted and constructive political involvement, Muslim leaders and institutions in the western society, especially in Europe, often have gone on defensive in shielding their religion and community from the baseless allegations. And, the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels have made a bad situation worse in terms of deepening the degree of suspicion toward Muslims in the western society. In this context, the election of Sadiq Khan as Mayor of London is seen as a watershed moment for a unique political and social opportunity for preventing a deepening rift to get wider.
Sadiq Khan is, in the words of Zac Goldsmith's sister Jemima Khan, "a great example to young Muslims", and many disenchanted Muslim youths in Europe, hopefully, will look up to him as a success story and role model they want to emulate and envy. In European cities, contrary to the USA, many Muslim youths live in isolation, and often work at the bottom of the professional ladders. They are more vulnerable to the praying eyes of recruiting machines of ISIL and other extremist groups. For example, the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek is seen, according to many security analysts, as a recruiting hub for ISIL.
Elections of more secular Muslim leaders like Sadiq Khan in Europe and the USA are most likely to disrupt, if not sever, the recruiting pipeline in the west, especially in Europe, for the extremist groups, including ISIL. On the positive side of long-term political outcome, they are likely to herald an era of integration between Muslims and political mainstream and the subsequent acceptance, albeit gradually, of Islam as one of many religions in the western society. So, let's hope that Sadiq Khan's election is not an exception, but marks a beginning of a throng of Muslim leaders vying for elected positions in Europe and the USA.
The vicious personal attack launched on Sadiq Khan in the run-up to the elections by his conservative challenger, Zac Goldsmith, and the grace with which Mr. Khan has handled it expose growing antagonism toward Muslims and how a bigot would shamelessly exploit it to gain votes. To the contrary, Sadiq Khan has used it as an opportunity to try to heal the rift. Although the campaigns before the election have illustrated contrasting political styles, the significance of the election of a Muslim as the mayor of one of the most important western cities goes beyond the impact it has created in London and the United Kingdom.
Some of the uneasiness of the western society toward Islam and its adherents was rooted in the illogical perception that terrorism is being tolerated--and to some extent, promoted--by Muslims and condoned by their religion. Instead of addressing this prime source of uneasiness in the western society through a concerted and constructive political involvement, Muslim leaders and institutions in the western society, especially in Europe, often have gone on defensive in shielding their religion and community from the baseless allegations. And, the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels have made a bad situation worse in terms of deepening the degree of suspicion toward Muslims in the western society. In this context, the election of Sadiq Khan as Mayor of London is seen as a watershed moment for a unique political and social opportunity for preventing a deepening rift to get wider.
Sadiq Khan is, in the words of Zac Goldsmith's sister Jemima Khan, "a great example to young Muslims", and many disenchanted Muslim youths in Europe, hopefully, will look up to him as a success story and role model they want to emulate and envy. In European cities, contrary to the USA, many Muslim youths live in isolation, and often work at the bottom of the professional ladders. They are more vulnerable to the praying eyes of recruiting machines of ISIL and other extremist groups. For example, the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek is seen, according to many security analysts, as a recruiting hub for ISIL.
Elections of more secular Muslim leaders like Sadiq Khan in Europe and the USA are most likely to disrupt, if not sever, the recruiting pipeline in the west, especially in Europe, for the extremist groups, including ISIL. On the positive side of long-term political outcome, they are likely to herald an era of integration between Muslims and political mainstream and the subsequent acceptance, albeit gradually, of Islam as one of many religions in the western society. So, let's hope that Sadiq Khan's election is not an exception, but marks a beginning of a throng of Muslim leaders vying for elected positions in Europe and the USA.
