The Lewisham Islamic Centre has said it is seeking legal advice after receiving the warning
A mosque in South East London has rejected an official warning issued by the charities regulator for hosting “inflammatory, divisive” sermons and says it is seeking legal advice.
In an official statement, the Lewisham Islamic Centre (LIC) has suggested it is being “penalised” by the Charity Commission for “expressing solidarity with Palestine”.
The Commission issued the warning in relation to two sermons which were held in October 2023 and August 2024, and has told the mosque it must improve its handling of speakers and events hosted at its premises on Lewisham High Street.
LIC said in a statement: “The Commission’s action takes issue with one of our Imam’s supplication for the people of Palestine, Gaza and Jerusalem, including prayers for their protection, healing and deliverance from oppression.
“These were acts of Islamic worship. They reflected the compassion, solidarity and religious responsibility felt by Muslims witnessing the immense suffering of the Palestinian people.”
The statement went on to say: “This is about more than one mosque or one charity.
“It is about whether Muslim institutions can discharge their religious and charitable responsibilities without being penalised for expressing solidarity with Palestine, conducting established forms of Islamic worship or addressing issues of concern to their congregations, including repudiation of Zionism or denunciation of the Israeli state for war crimes and genocide.
“Solidarity with the oppressed must not become grounds for charitable sanction.”
LIC said it is continuing to seek legal advice “on the most appropriate course of action”.
In response, a spokesperson for the Charity Commission said: “People come to us with concerns about charities large and small with a wide range of charitable purposes and links to communities of various faiths and none.
“Always guided by the facts and evidence, we will take action against a charity when the law requires it even if that means getting in the crosshairs of sensitive debates.”
They added: “Lawful freedom of speech is fundamental to any democracy and robust debate, differences of opinion, and oppositional world views have always been features of our vibrant charity sector – and always will be.
“But we are consistent and clear it is not in the best interest of a charity to give speeches, sermons or other communications that are inflammatory and / or divisive.”
The Commission has said it may take further regulatory action if LIC fails to “remedy the misconduct”.
During a sermon on October 20, 2023, two weeks after the Hamas attacks on Israel, Imam Shakeel Begg said “-the Muslims of Palestine and the people of Palestine have been suffering at the hands of the oppressors and the Zionists”.
Another sermon which took place on August 9, 2024, heard from Imam Ashraf Dabous, who referred to those involved in the riots after the Southport murders and said “their manipulators are Zionists, and they are supporters of the state of Israel”.
The Commission said the two sermons hosted by LIC “included content that was inflammatory, divisive and not in the charity’s best interests”.
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