There’s a Hadith that goes, “Islam began as something strange and will go back to being strange, so give glad tidings to the strangers.” (Muslim, 145).

Although this is often interpreted as referring to the small number of Muslims who will be practicing Islam in its entirety, I’ve been thinking about this recently in the context of recent heightened tension in the UK.

I’m a firm believer that much of the anti-Muslim sentiment we see in the UK comes from ignorance – much of the population knowing nothing about Islam; seeing it as something ‘strange’, and to be feared.

So, just as Islam began as something strange, maybe it is once again.

But it’s the last part of this Hadith that moves me to tears: “…so give glad tidings to the strangers.” We Muslims, especially in the West, should take comfort from this. However we interpret the Hadith, as practicing Muslims, we are in receipt of glad tidings and, InshaAllah, our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) will recognise us as such.