Prominent and outspoken Muslim activist Asghar Bukhari has left the UK for the UAE, disillusioned by a Muslim community which he says isn’t willing to do what it takes to defend itself.
Over the past decade or more Bukhari has appeared on countless media platforms denouncing Islamophobia and Zionists, but he has also urged British Muslims to become more politically active.
In doing so he has often attracted the venom of the right-wing media, but he has also divided opinion within the Muslim community itself.
In a Facebook post titled; “I AM LEAVING THE UK & HANGING UP THE GLOVES” the MPACUK spokesman says: “I am leaving the UK for a few years. I thought about it long and hard. Some Muslims are waking up, but most are still unwilling to help those defending them – in any real tangible way.”
Bukhari said that while the Islamophobia industry is huge and well-funded British Muslims are unwilling to finance their own institutions to counter this onslaught.
“MPACUK is probably the most strategic, smartest organisation Muslims have in the UK – and we run on £700 a month,” he said. “We can’t pay one full time staff member, get an office with that – we work when we get home after a full day, or we simply go part time and earn less so that we can fight for our people – I gave up my career to fight the cause for nothing – free.
“I realised that you can’t fight for a people who won’t fight for themselves. You can only fight WITH people. Many of my brothers and sisters would give our lives, go to prison for our Muslim brothers if that’s what it took – but personally – I’m not going to fight for a people who don’t have it in them to want to live as equal citizens – Muslims like to moan, but do nothing.”
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
He continued: “For Muslims it’s always someone else’s fault, or someone else should do something better (usually blaming me for the ‘way I’m doing things’), never looking at what they themselves need to do to make anything happen.
“And all those who criticise me – look at what they have actually done to defend anyone but themselves. Brave against me – cowards against the enemy…
“Fighters don’t need advice, they need resources – volunteers and money and after fighting for 15 long years – I realise Muslims don’t give either. So my time defending them is over. When and if they are awake enough to want their equality, I might fly back and join them – Allah knows best what the future holds.”
As for the future. Bukhari says he is “going to learn how to be a father again – and close my eyes to nightmare I know is coming to Muslims in the UK – because trust me, I swear by all the sense Allah has given me – something awful is coming.”
