News

March 22nd 2019

Sixteen Muslim businesses and organisations pledge their support for the Armed Forces

Sixteen Muslim businesses sign the Armed Forces Covenant

Sixteen Muslim businesses and organisations sign the Armed Forces Covenant

Sixteen Nottinghamshire based Muslim owned businesses have today (Thursday 21st March) pledged their support to the Armed Forces by signing the Armed Forces Covenant.

This second covenant signing ceremony builds on the strong ties already established with the Karimia Institute and businesses from the wider Nottinghamshire Muslim community who signed the Covenant in December 2016.

Lt Col Keith Spiers TD (ROYAL ANGLIAN) Head of UK Engagement East, joined the businessmen at the Nottingham County Council Offices where all put pen to paper to formally pledge their support.  Her Majesty’s Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Col David Sneath TD DL, was also in attendance.

Lt Col Keith Spiers said: “7th Infantry Brigade ‘the Desert Rats’ have a close relationship with the Karimia and many links with the Muslim community here in Nottingham.  I must thank the 16 Muslim businesses signing the Covenant today, who join the 16 who signed two years ago, it is an excellent display of continued support for the Army and the Armed forces in the region”.

Acknowledging the work of the Armed Forces

Chief Imam at the Karimia Institute, Dr Musharraf Hussian al-Azhari OBE, said:

“I am very pleased that Muslim business people are signing the Armed Forces covenant. This is an important statement which acknowledges, appreciates and values the work of our Armed Forces personnel. The least we can do as citizens is to reassure our soldiers that in time of their need we will stand by them and support them in every way. We Muslims are also making an important statement by signing the covenant: we are loyal citizens of Great Britain, our home country, which we love and care for. The signing of the covenant shows we are proud of the British Armed forces.

“The reality is this, if we didn’t have a sense of safety and security we wouldn’t have any prosperity, and that safety and security is provided by our Armed Forces.

“We are privileged here to have religious freedom, freedom to express our views and religious beliefs, and in order to live in a peaceful society we really do need a strong Armed Forces.

“In order to give them that, the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant is an outward expression of this.  We are part of this country and we value the people who defend it and give their lives for it”

Getting the community involved

Mr Asad Fazil, from Al Hurraya, a Nottingham based charity working with the BAME community on issues such as knife crime and gang culture, said after signing the covenant: “We have been working in partnership with the Karimia Institute on early intervention programmes for some time now, and I have also worked on the Army Generalship programme and built good relationships with the Armed Forces. I believe we all need to be involved as community members.”

Councillor Sue Saddington, Chairman of Nottingham County Council added: “Today, we are delighted that 16 businesses are undertaking the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant.

“Thank you for coming and sharing a new commitment to the Armed Forces, I believe Nottingham is the only city that goes through this process at the moment, in Nottingham we do lead the way and hopefully are an example to others.”

"We Muslims are also making an important statement by signing the covenant: we are loyal citizens of Great Britain, our home country, which we love and care for. The signing of the covenant shows we are proud of the British Armed forces."