UK Mosque Rejects Commissions Warning Over Palestine Comments

Lewisham Islamic Centre Receives Warning from Charity Commission

The Lewisham Islamic Centre in London has received a warning from the UK’s independent Charity Commission regarding comments made by an imam during October 2023 sermons. The commission issued a statement on October 20, urging the centre to “improve its handling of speakers and events hosted at the charity’s premises”. The warning specifically mentioned content deemed inflammatory and divisive.

In response, the Lewisham Islamic Centre released a statement expressing concerns that the commission’s expectations were “unnecessarily burdensome” for Muslim charities. The centre stated that sermons are an integral part of Islamic worship and often address issues affecting congregations and communities. They claimed that the warning suggested the commission was attempting to dictate which subjects Imams may address in their sermons.

CAGE International, a London-based human rights organisation, has expressed support for the Lewisham Islamic Centre, stating that the Charity Commission showed leniency towards pro-Israel charities. The organisation noted that the commission’s stance on using the term “Zionist” as inflammatory was inconsistent and placed Muslim religious expression under suspicion.

The charity watchdog warned the centre that failure to address the issues may result in further action. The Lewisham Islamic Centre is currently seeking legal advice on how to proceed following the warning.

Source: Al Jazeera