A Conservative MP has once again claimed that a UK imam supported the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, despite a previous clarification from a Labour MP that the accusation was false. This incident has raised concerns about parliamentary privilege and the accuracy of statements made by members of parliament, emphasizing the need for responsible discourse.
Read Also...:
Gaza bakeries shut and painkillers on ration after month of Israeli blockade
04-04, 2025
Gaza: Israeli strike on school kills 27, health ministry says
04-04, 2025
Hezbollah at crossroads after blows from war weaken group
04-04, 2025
Sadiq Khan's office hits back against Israeli embassy attack over Eid message
04-04, 2025Nick Timothy made the accusations against Imam Qari Asim on Monday during a parliamentary session. Qari Asim is an imam at the Abdullah Quilliam Mosque in Liverpool. He told Middle East Eye on Tuesday that Timothy had abused parliamentary privilege to make "false and defamatory" statements and urged him to retract them. However, parliamentary privilege means that MPs cannot face legal action for defamatory statements made in the House of Commons, highlighting the unique protection afforded to parliamentary speech.
Qari Asim had attended an Iftar dinner hosted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street during Ramadan. Subsequently, false claims circulated online that he had prayed for Hamas. Timothy, while questioning Security Minister Dan Jarvis on Monday, stated, "The Prime Minister hosted Qari Asim, who celebrated the October 7 attacks and told worshippers to pray for the victory of Hamas." He added: "Why is the government so keen to spend time with and legitimise organisations and individuals that they claim to oppose?" Jarvis responded to Timothy by saying: "We are not, and I disagree with the assertions that the honourable member makes. All ministers - and of course the Prime Minister - take these issues extremely seriously, and we always engage in the most responsible way possible." This exchange underscores the ongoing debate about engagement with religious figures and the importance of verifying information.
In an Instagram post on October 28, 2023, Qari Asim said: "Pray for peace, pray for mercy, pray for justice, pray for victory, pray for the dead, pray for those still alive..." The post made no mention of Hamas. In an X post on October 11, Qari Asim had said: "David defeated Goliath!" This post also made no mention of Hamas. On March 19, Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Tonia Antoniazzi, also made the same accusation against Qari Asim in Parliament. Subsequently, Labour MP Sarah Owen, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims, raised a point of order with Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, stating that Antoniazzi's statement was "wholly inaccurate." Owen said that Qari Asim "made absolutely no mention of Hamas or of being against Israel in the post to which she referred; that was wrongly added by the shadow minister. In fact, he called for prayers for peace." She added: "Qari has worked to combat extremism for many years, even uniting people through food and dialogue when a mob attacked his local mosque in Liverpool last year." This series of events demonstrates the complexities of online discourse and the potential for misrepresentation.
Middle East Eye contacted Timothy to ask if he would repeat his allegations against Qari Asim outside of Parliament, and if not, whether he would retract them and apologise. Timothy had previously posted on X that Qari Asim invited people to "pray for the victory of [Hamas]" - inserting the word "Hamas" into the quote himself. Responding to Middle East Eye on X after publication, he said that he had "tweeted commenting on Qari Asim's comments" and that "Qari Asim's comments were themselves posted on social media". Qari Asim told Middle East Eye: "It is disappointing to see Nick Timothy MP repeat false and defamatory statements in Parliament. The initial claim has already been publicly debunked, and it is clear that my words have been twisted to paint a position I have never held." Qari Asim added that he has "always condemned violence and have never expressed support for any form of extremism or hatred." "My life-long commitment has been to peace, interfaith dialogue and promoting harmony between all communities," he said. He further urged Timothy to "publicly retract his statement." "Abusing parliamentary privilege to make false accusations is a serious matter, and I encourage all public figures to ensure accuracy before making such statements." Last summer, Qari Asim made headlines after embracing and feeding protesters outside his mosque following Islamophobic misinformation circulating online about the killer of three children in Southport. Timothy said in 2023 that "there should be a register of imams and mosques, with unacceptable behaviour leading to banning orders and closure." He has called for a ban on face veils in public places, a ban on headscarves for primary school children, and the criminalisation of "sharia marriages," as well as an end to public funding for mosques. "Some will say this amounts to picking on the Islamic faith," he said, "but the problems we face stem from the Islamic world."
