London, UK, May 3 – On the eve of local elections in England, Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, the Islamic political party, has issued a message to the Muslim community in England highlighting that "politics in Islam means to work constantly to address the vital issues facing the community".

The message reminds the Muslim community "to be wary of parties and individuals that do not represent the values and interests of Islam and the Muslims". It also urges Muslims to seek solutions within the Islamic framework to problems in the Muslim community such as drug abuse, youth crime, racism, the poor state of education and the need for Islamic schools, problems faced by Muslim women in the community and the growing threats to the community posed by oppressive anti-terror legislation. It warns Muslims that "without the community taking her politics into her own hands, demanding and voicing her legitimate rights, councillors and politicians will continue to use the Muslim community for their own interests".

Imran Waheed, a media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said, "We call upon the Muslim community to work with us to address the community's issues with no other interest other than achieving what is best and correct from Islam for our community."

"Given the constant propaganda against Islam and Muslims, it is paramount at this time that the Muslim community work together to convey to the wider non-Muslim community the correct message of Islam, exposing the real agenda of Bush and Blair in the Muslim world and explaining the true nature of the Islamic Khilafah [Caliphate] as an alternative to the corrupt rulers in our lands."

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Notes to Editors:

The full text of the statement can be obtained from www.hizb.org.uk/press