My Barber

Uh, I am more circumspect than him because he's the one holding the scalpel close to my ear.

But he's a moderate, and he abhors extremism.

And he, like me, can't understand why religions can't get on with each other.

We actually find a lot in common in our religious practices, but he has it worse because he must pray five times a day, and I only must pray three times a day.

And I fast for one day on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, while he fasts every day for the month of Ramadan.

So I have no thought of switching to his religion anytime soon.

Despite the easy nature of our relationship, we're both careful about where we go in our religious discussions.

No doubt, if we pressed more deeply, we would find areas of disagreement.

But you see, there's no reason to take our conversation to that level.

We are content to explore each other's religious practices without having to discuss theology.

And it's the same with other Muslims I have met during interfaith engagement.

They too are moderates, so it's all perfectly civil.

My interactions with them, as with my barber, are easy relationships, not deep friendships.

And that surely is what healthy multiculturalism is about.

We live alongside each other.

We can explore and accept each other's backgrounds and practices.

There is no compulsion for me to become them or them to become me.

We share a little space in this place called Britain, and we each, in our different ways and faiths, seek to contribute to the wellbeing of the country we have chosen to live in and which has accepted us as its citizens.

And that suffices for us.