An Islamic text displayed at London’s King’s Cross station has sparked controversy. The message, seen during Ramadan, did not please some tourists and local organizations, which raised questions about the place of religion in public space.
On March 19, an Islamic hadith announcing, “All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best sinners are those who repent often,” was displayed on a billboard in a London train station. This quote, taken from the words of the Prophet Mohammed, quickly caught the attention of the travelers.
While most passers-by welcomed the initiative on the occasion of Ramadan, some found fault with this hadith of Islam. Indeed, the National Secular Society (NSS), an organization advocating secularism, condemned the demonstration as a “violation of the neutrality of public space”. The NSS has called on the station’s operating company, Network Rail, to remove the message and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
We welcome @networkrailThe decision to remove the Islamic ‘Hadith of the Day’ from the departure board at King’s Cross. Religious neutrality in public spaces is the best way to respect everyone in society, regardless of religion or belief. https://t.co/Tq5Fc61w5u
— National Secular Society (@NatSecSoc) March 20, 2024
The Islamic text was withdrawn and an investigation began
Faced with growing controversy, Network Rail reacted quickly by removing Hadith and launching an internal investigation to determine the circumstances of its performance. The company apologized and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining religious neutrality on its stations, including during Ramadan.
The incident reflects growing tensions around the place of Islam in public space in Europe. Ramadan, a period of fasting and prayer for Muslims, is a particularly sensitive time. On the one hand, the Muslim community wishes to live their faith openly, but on the other, some fear that the expression of Islam will become aggressive and question secularism.
Islam is estimated to be the second largest religion in the United Kingdom with a Muslim population of over 3 million people. The Muslim community is therefore an important component of British society.
