In most religions, the act of prayer is a conversation between believer and God. Whether seeking guidance, expressing contrition or pleading for intercession, it is essentially a private dialogue.
There is, of course, room for communal prayer, especially in religious establishments, where followers come together and celebrate common beliefs in a spirit of joy and humility.
But should thousands of worshippers be allowed to take over one of the capital’s most prominent public spaces in an open-air demonstration of their dedication to one exclusive faith?
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy believes they shouldn’t, describing the recent Ramadan-related mass pray-in by 3,000 Muslims in Trafalgar Square as ‘an act of domination’.
In a separate gathering yesterday, some 30,000 attended a Birmingham park to mark the Muslim festival of Eid, though this was a social event, with food stalls and entertainment as well as prayers.
We are a pluralistic society, Timothy argues, in which everyone is entitled to proclaim their beliefs in temples, homes and in communities that gather for the purpose. ‘But when such declarations are projected into shared civic spaces, including monuments of national identity, the line between freedom of religion and the imposition of religious rituals blurs.’
Inevitably the Left threw up its collective hands in horror and demanded retribution. Timothy was a racist, an Islamophobe, a bigot, they said, and demanded that Kemi Badenoch sack him.
Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell accused him of ‘desperate hatred’. (Then again, Ms Powell dismissed concerns over Asian grooming gangs as ‘dog-whistle’ politics, so what would you expect?)
Some 30,000 Muslim worshippers attended Small Heath Park, Birmingham on Friday to celebrate after a month of daily fasting
The Ramadan-related mass pray-in by 3,000 Muslims in Trafalgar Square on Thursday was described as as ‘an act of domination’ by Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy
But which is worse, criticising the transformation of a London landmark into a site of religious devotion or trying to suppress such criticism through bullying and intimidation?
In a land where free speech is cherished, Mr Timothy is surely entitled to his opinion.
This Government has already given special protection to Islam with its dubious new definition of ‘anti-Muslim hatred’. This is another example of Labour attempting to shut down legitimate debate to appease its Muslim supporters.
The fact is that hearing so many men chanting Allahu Akbar in public, while the women are shunted into the background, is unsettling to many. Sadly, the chant has become associated with those who use Islam to justify violence.
It’s true that Muslims have made and continue to make a great contribution to this country, but another unavoidable truth is that it is not always a tolerant religion.
Imagine 3,000 Christians being allowed to use a square in Tehran, Damascus or indeed Jeddah for a mass religious service.
Trafalgar Square is a symbol of Britain’s proud heritage. It is the home of the National Gallery, Nelson’s Column and the great church of St Martin-in-the-Fields.
It is a not a mosque, Hindu temple, gurdwara or synagogue. It is a place for all.
This Government has already given special protection to Islam with its dubious new definition of ‘anti-Muslim hatred’. This is another example of Labour attempting to shut down legitimate debate to appease its Muslim supporters. Pictured: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
At the very least, Gerry Adams was a most fervent supporter of IRA terrorists. Indeed, it has frequently been claimed he was their leader, which he has always denied.
With the sudden withdrawal yesterday of a court action in which IRA victims accused him of culpability for attacks in which they were injured, we are no closer to knowing the truth.
And we probably never will be. While Adams naturally says justice has been served, this unsatisfactory outcome will leave many people sick to their stomachs.