With only a few days to go to the 2015 General Elections, the Muslim community in the UK will need to decide whether to vote or not to vote. While it is true that numerically Muslims have the power to extensively influence many constituencies in what is predicted to be the closest contested election in recent history, traditionally, the Muslim voter turnout has been low. This is because there is a sense of resentment and a lack of belief among some Muslims that their vote will make a difference. This disillusion has been caused by a raft of policies and actions over the last decade or so such as the anti-terror law which appears to indiscriminately target the Muslim community.

The current Conservative-led coalition has fuelled the disenfranchisement of the Muslim community by proposing a Counter-Terrorism and Security Act consisting of a spectrum of draconian policies. In an article published in the Guardian on the March 11, 2015, British Muslims condemned the anti-terror laws as creating a culture of McCarthyism against Muslims, compelling Muslims from a number of organisations to issue a statement against the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act. The statement declared how Muslims felt that their religion and their values are being demonised through these laws, in an attempt to ‘silence legitimate critique and dissent.’ It also deemed as unacceptable and detrimental to integration to brand as ‘extremism’ normative Islamic values, and rejected the portrayal of Muslims as a security threat by compelling educationalists to be observant for signs of radicalisation among youngsters.

In addition, the UK Foreign Policy resulting in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; which caused the death of over one million Iraqis and has been a contributing factor for the rise of Daesh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), be it unintentional.

Recent controversies

Historically, the majority voters from all ethnic minorities have favoured Labour, but support for the party among Muslims diminished significantly in 2003 because of British involvement in the invasion of Iraq. However, according to the British Election Study this year, nearly three quarters of Muslims intend to vote Labour, compared to only 14.9 per cent intending to vote for the Conservatives. The Conservatives may have lost the Muslim vote as a backdrop of some the recent controversies including the ‘Trojan Horse’ plot and the Gaza crisis.

There are also segments of the Muslim populace who are opposed to participating in the general election; there is a minority view that voting is not permissible because to vote in a democratic system is fundamentally against the teaching of Islam; since God alone has the right to legislate.

Political participation is the mechanism for British Muslims to address foreign policy grievances, the rise of Islamophobia and the laws around anti-terrorism and counter-terrorism. These are legitimate grievances that Muslims have and if they want to make a difference then it is crucial for them to participate in the elections and the democratic process. Islam teaches Muslims to be good, responsible citizens. Some of the core principles of Islam are honesty, tolerance, justice, fairness and respect for all people; these are also core human values. Therefore, contributing to the overall good of society is a core Islamic principle compulsory for all Muslims.

There are many examples of how Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), prior to his Prophethood was a responsible citizen and contributed towards the well-being and over-all good of the society in which he lived, even though it was not governed by Muslim rule.

It is particularly fascinating this year, to observe the unprecedented amount of campaigning and political activism encouraging Muslims across the UK to vote. This is because the Muslim vote could decide a quarter of seats in this general election. British Muslims make up 4.8 per cent of the UK population. They are the second-largest faith group in the UK after Christians and have the youngest age profile of all religious groups with 48 per cent of Muslims aged 24 and under.

If Muslims have the ability to prevent policies that may harm them then they are required to take action. For example, it is binding upon all Muslims to deter far-right parties which may hold racist and Islamophobic views. Disassociating from the political system and not casting a vote will inevitably be a catalyst for these parties to gain momentum.

It is critical that integration is facilitated though through political participation. If Muslims choose to become apathetic and disengage from politics then there is the danger that they will be susceptible to misrepresentation and will not have a say in shaping or influencing policies.

Political leaders must also understand that an effective counter-terrorism policy is one that is comprehensive. It is not only about responding to terrorist attacks, without a doubt, this is pivotal. Nonetheless, it is also about understanding the root causes of terrorism and radicalisation and preventing them from taking root.

Sajda Khan is a British writer researching for a PhD. You can follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ @SajdaKhanUK