Faisal Bashir, a 43-year-old married man with two children, is the latest victim of apostasy hatred to go public in the UK.
In 2014 he contacted the British Pakistani Christian Association for help and support after he became disturbed by the hatred within some sections of Islam and strong messages of division that were being taught in local Ilford mosques. He chose to stop practicing Islam, but suddenly found himself being targeted by men from the local mosque.
Faisal was abused daily and men would turn up at his door determined to convert him back to Islam after they realised he and his family had stopped going to mosque and the family’s attitude to Islam had changed.
Calls to police ineffectual
He was called an apostate, was told he had betrayed Islam and was threatened often. On several occasions men claiming to be ‘Sharia Police’ threatened to arrest Faisal and his family. Despite frequent calls to local police, little was done to resolve the persecution he and his family were subjected to. He feels more should have been done and has called for a review of hate crimes of this nature.
Faisal said the bullying reached unprecedented levels: ‘Local Muslims started to threaten my wife and children. They often said Islamic prayers outside my home at high volume at times they knew [we] would normally be sleeping. When a local police officer told us they could not help and that we should move away, it dawned on me that I had no other option.’
