Our Muslim King?

King Charles has in many ways been a friend to us Muslims. He has on several occasions expressed his deep affection and love for the religion of Islam, even going as far as taking Arabic classes so he can understand the Qur'an in its original language. Boldly, he also stated that the West has is indebted to Islam for keeping learning alive during the Dark Ages. Most recently, he made a brief and positive reference to Islam in his Easter statement, sparking fury from the usual far-right drama queens.

While there are some claims –– admittedly largely unsubstantiated –– that he is a 'secret Muslim', this is at the moment pure speculation. If he is a secret Muslim, great: SubhanAllah. If he is not, we pray for his guidance. For the record, my personal beliefs are that there is a good chance he is deeply convinced of Islam. But it is a leap to declare he is a Muslim. Renowned embryologist Dr. Keith L. Moore, upon discovering the accurate way the Qur'an reveals the stages of embryonic development despite being revealed at a time where the stages of it were unknown, became convinced that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a true Prophet of God and that the Qur'an had to have come from God. Still, he never became a Muslim, stating that if he had not been raised Christian, he would have "probably accepted your religion" (i.e, Islam). It may be that the King is in a similar position.

The reason for this article is to highlight the deep loathing that the far-right have for Islam. I have done this in other articles too, but the ways it manifests seem never-ending. According to the far-right, their opposition to Islam comes from nowhere else except their patriotism. We do not hate Muslims, they claim, we merely want to protect our identity and everything that includes. But the moment their own King — the head of their Church, the living symbol of their heritage — offers even a fleeting gesture of respect towards Islam, they turn on him without hesitation. The very institutions they claim to revere — monarchy, tradition, national identity — are suddenly dispensable the second those institutions show any openness to Islam.

If the objective of this article was merely to highlight this and convince you further that the far-right attempt to legitimise their hate for Islam and Muslims behind the guise of patriotism and protection of their identity, this article would be repetitive. That's why I approach this article differently, and I want me highlighting this to be a source of strength and courage for all those who read.

When any other person offers compliments to Islam, they can be shrugged off. Jeremy Corbyn? He is a lunatic-lefty who hates his own country anyway, they say. George Galloway? He is probably being paid to say the things he says. Piers Morgan? He just follows the latest trends anyway navigating his never ending moral quandary. A Prime Minister? He or she has to be politically correct. But when their King pays his respects? Total panic. They question if he is fit to be King and if his loyalties truly lay with the Church.

Do not be deceived by the right-wing. It's easy to think they are an aggressive, fearless, and dangerous group –– aggressive and dangerous, that they are –– but do not inflate the image of fearlessness they so desperately put on and do not believe they are free from insecurity. Take their betrayal of their King as evidence of how truly disorganised and divided they are. Draw strength from this. Such lack of cohesion is expected from the rank-and-file elements of the far right. Their twitter keyboard warriors, hardly beacons of class, professionalism, and academic prowess, are expected to pedal conspiracy theories and attack even their own Monarch. But even those in senior positions in the general movement (Nigel Farage, Tommy Robinson, and GB News hosts) cannot help but show their lack of discipline and insecurity when they see the King being complimentary about Islam.

For all of our differences, often legitimate, we Muslims do well to generally keep united. Think back to the Southport attack. The alcoholic EDL brigade threatened to do a tour of the United Kingdom where they would storm mosques, burn down hotels hosting migrants, and carry out many other acts of violence against the Muslim community. What was the reality though? Did they dare step foot into Muslim areas of London? In areas where the Muslims prepared for them, did they really do as much damage as they claimed they would? In areas where they did attack and do damage, is it not a fact that these areas had comparatively lower levels of Muslims in them? They are not lions, they are kittens. When push comes to shove, they fall flat on their face. Draw strength from this. The religion of Islam commands us to live peacefully in our communities and respect the law of the land we reside in, but when we are forced to defend ourselves, have we ever really failed? No.

The call to action here is an internal one. Do not fear the far-right, pity them, and call them to Islam as an alternative to the sad existence they lead. If even one person reading this has more confidence in the strength of the Muslim community, I am content: Alhamdulillah. As for King Charles, we pray for his guidance again. From that which is apparent, we have irreconcilable theological differences with him, but he has been good to us and if we look back to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, there are numerous examples of when those least likely to accept Islam did in fact revert at a stage of their life. Allah –– the Most Wise –– says in the Qur'an

"...and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, "We are Christians." That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant." 5:82

And the tafsir of Ibn Katheer explains that this verse was revealed when the King of Abyssinia sent a delegation to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When the delegation heard the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recite Allah's words, they were moved to tears and overwhelmed by the truth to the extent that they embraced Islam instantly. Though fearing rebellion and assassination caused the King to keep his acceptance of Islam discreet, the King became a beloved figure to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ evidenced by the fact the only time the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed funeral prayer in absentia was when Angel Jibreel AS conveyed the news of the Kings passing to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ .So, to believe that King Charles has, or will, embrace Islam is not an outcome that is unheard of. With this history in mind, the idea that King Charles could embrace Islam, or may already have quietly done so, is not far-fetched. It reminds us that Allah guides whom He wills, often in ways unseen by the world but known to Him alone.

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