If you hear ‘allahu akbar!’ shouted in the street, you’ll probably run for cover. If a stranger bellows the Jewish equivalent, ‘Baruch hashem!’ in public, you might guess they’re expressing gratitude for their good health when asked how they are. If the words ringing out from the midst of a crowd are ‘Jesus Christ!’ You’ll probably think someone has stubbed their toe, or seen something ridiculous.

Islam is a proselytising religion, unlike, say, Judaism, which actively discourages conversion

Islam is a proselytising religion, unlike, say, Judaism, which actively discourages conversion

Instinctive reactions matter because they expose deeper dispositions, often aligning with the very intention behind the action that provoked them. There is no true equivalence between the three phrases, even if they appear to cover similar ground across the Abrahamic traditions. Comparing our reactions to these religions, and to others, rarely proceeds on a straightforward like-for-like basis.

When Nick Timothy posted a critical comment on X about the recent public Muslim prayer in Trafalgar Square, which included the participation of London’s mayor Sadiq Khan, opinion split quickly. Many thanked him for articulating what they felt others were unwilling to say, while others responded with sharp criticism.

“Mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination,” the Conservative MP wrote. “The adhan – which declares there is no god but allah and Muhammad is his messenger – is, when called in a public place, a declaration of domination.” He went on to call the Trafalgar Square gathering “an act of domination and therefore division” noting the “domination of public places is straight from the Islamist playbook.”

Behind this debate lies the idea that Islam is a religion of dominance, which seeks to confer the rest of us into adherents. It’s a proselytising religion, unlike, say, Judaism, which actively discourages conversion and makes it difficult to achieve. The Islamic concept of Dawah, coupled with the regular manifestations of violent Jihad the UK and the West have had to become accustomed to over recent decades, is one reason why many people feel a genuine and legitimate sense of........

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