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Sheriff of London critical of Muslim leadership

There is a lack of responsible leadership in the Muslim world and the community needs to find a leader who inspires trust.

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 London: “There is a lack of responsible leadership in the Muslim world — whether it is in India or in the Middle East — and the community needs to find a leader who inspires trust,” said Dr Khalid Hameed.

“It is time that the silent majority stood up and were counted,” he added speaking at panel discussion on ‘Islam and other faiths – the way forward’ in the Town Hall of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Hameed, an NRI doctor born in Lucknow but who has made London his home now for some years, is a great believer in interfaith dialogue as he feels that is the only way to bring about peace and harmony in the world.

“History has recorded enough bloodshed in the name of religion, and extremists are found in every race and religion not just in Islam,” said Hameed, but the need of the hour is to talk to peoples of other religions to dispel myths and misinterpretations and achieve greater understanding.

Suave, sophisticated and extremely articulate, Hameed, who is an honourary physician to the President of India, was recently appointed as the Higher Sheriff of Greater London.

A largely ceremonial post, this is the oldest office in UK after the monarchy and has been in existence for 1,000 years.

Appointed by the Queen, in earlier days the High Sheriff used to collect taxes and raise armed forces, now he has to visit police headquarters, prisons, hospitals and fire brigades and “preserve the Queen’s rights and all that belongs to the Crown”.

The first Indian to be conferred this honour, Hameed insisted that the service to be held in Westminster Abbey for his oath-taking would not be just a Christian service but a multi-faith ceremony in which Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jew, B’hai, Parsi, Bhuddist and Jain representatives were all asked to take part, making it the first truly multicultural service in the famous Abbey.

Lamenting the image of Islam in the world today Padma Shri, Hameed said, “I was brought up as a Muslim in a traditional household, but the faith I know is now in serious conflict with extremists”.

“This is so tragic as the Quran teaches tolerance and compassion, it talks of peace and living with your neighbours in peace irrespective of race and religion, but both Muslims and non-Muslims follow the Quran selectively,” he explained.

“In Islam there is an injunction against suicide and hence suicide bombers by their very nature are un-Islamic. They are criminals who have no right to fly the flag of Islam for their murderous deeds,” added Hameed.

Dr Hameed worked for three London teaching hospitals, following which he built up a successful private practice in the capital. He became the first Asian to be appointed a Chief Executive of a premiere European hospital when he became the CEO and Executive Director of Cromwell Hospital, London. He served in this post for 15 years.

He is currently Chairman of the Alpha Hospital Group and also the Chairman and CEO of the London International Hospital – a new hospital being created for cancer, heart and the brain.

He has national honours from five countries including a CBE from the UK.
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