00:00As-salamu alaykum everyone. I'd like to thank you for inviting me to join you this evening as you break
00:07your fast. It's a real privilege to be here. It's a privilege to be the Member of Parliament for Glasgow
00:14in East, which is a diverse city, and one of the things that makes it a real privilege is that
00:21we do have a large Muslim population with many vibrant mosques across the city from the south side of Gipson,
00:30all the way across here, and it's always very special for me to come and visit you as you pray.
00:39I've been very lucky to have gone to many mosques all over the world, in Pakistan, in Lebanon, in Singapore,
00:45but the ones that are most precious to me are here in Glasgow, and joining you is a special pleasure
00:54and a special privilege.
00:56And what we see here tonight are people united in their faith, in their desire to do good for each
01:06and every one of you here, but for the community as well.
01:09But we also see something profoundly useful here, which is the mosques provide a place for brotherhood for people who
01:17have come from all over the world to Glasgow, and that's something to be treasuring, people who are not standing
01:25Scottish people like Brother Razak and myself, but also people who have come to study and come to work more
01:33recently, and that's something very, very precious to me.
01:38Now, I want to say one thing that's difficult tonight, which is, when I go and visit my Muslim brothers
01:45and sisters now, there's a lot of fear in the community about anti-Muslim sentiment, about attacks on mosques, vandalism
01:55on mosques, and people feel less safe.
01:58Now, I want to say that, as I can assure you, as my input, as your input, that this is
02:03something that I speak frequently to people in government about, and urge action.
02:08I need the police, I need the government here in Scotland and the government in London because we cannot accept
02:16this.
02:17Because you are as much a part of Glasgow as I am and you are a treasured and a precious
02:23part of Glasgow and a treasured and a precious part of Glasgow that I am.
02:29And you should never feel anything other than a full parcel. This city, this is my home, this is your
02:38home.
02:39And it's a home for you, your children and it's a home for your families and it must remain so.
02:48And so if you have any problems like that or if you have any other problems, you are always welcome
02:54to come and see me.
02:56But I think I will finish by celebrating the immense contribution that Glasgow's Muslims have made to Glasgow over decades
03:09and decades and decades.
03:10It's something very special in hospitals, in schools, in politics, in private sector creating lots of jobs.
03:20And of course, we see that you have made a huge contribution to our city.
03:27So, you are something that is central to our city's past and you are something that is central, a huge
03:37part of our city's future.
03:39So, thank you so much for having me here tonight. It is a privilege and I am honoured and very
03:45blessed to be here.
03:47So, thank you very much.
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