We can only all win if we stop trying to score points against each other.
We can only all win if we stop trying to score points against each other.
Who are your backers? That’s the question we kept being asked when, six years ago, we started The Muslim Vibe in a cramped office in between a kebab shop and a launderette in North London.
500 writers, 3000 pieces of content, and millions of readers later, we are still asked the same question.
From the start, and every day since, we have worked to provide a much-needed platform for Muslims of all colours, creeds and stripes, with one condition: they must be part of our mission of unity and dialogue.
There is already enough division and blacklisting in the world, both against our community and, most tragically, within it.
We have opened our platform to dozens of Muslim organisations: CAGE, MCB, 5Pillars, IHRC, MPACUK, Yaqeen Institute and many more.
What do they have in common? Islam.
Sometimes to create unity you have to ruffle some feathers. You can’t have dialogue without some difficult conversations.
Our writers, staff and readers have conflicting views. This is, even more, the case if you were to dig through every statement they have made in their youth, in an effort to sow division.
This is a tactic used by the far-right against Muslims, but some in our community have recently learnt how to self-harm by using it against our own.
Our approach is not for everyone. There are other platforms promoting a particular ethnicity, sect, cause or political view. Some of those platforms, understandably, see things very differently to us.
When approached with compromising information on the individuals behind these platforms and encouraged to run ‘hit pieces’ we have always politely declined.
Our mission is to create unity, not to increase tribalism. We can only all win if we stop trying to score points against each other.
We continue to be exposed to diverse views, as long as they are thoughtful and respectful to the global community of Islam. This happens every day on our pages, but also in our offices.
We will never, ever, allow our platform to be used to divide Muslims against each other. And we will never, ever, stop working for unity.
So, back to the question, who are our backers? You, the readers.
Even if we disagree with you, or you with us. Even if you want to criticise what we do, our platform is open to you.
All we ask is that you work with us to create respect and unity amongst Muslims, from Casablanca to Kandahar, from Los Angeles to London.
That is the only Vibe we want Muslims to ever be a part of.
Eid Mubarak (whenever you are celebrating it!),
TMV Editorial Team
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Click here if you’d like to support us in our mission!
