I write to you as a Muslim, a woman of Iranian heritage born in this country. I am a British citizen, a patriot who believes deeply in the principles of national sovereignty, law and order, personal responsibility, and cultural preservation—values often dismissed by the so-called “global elite” but cherished by patriots and conservatives across the Western world.
It is no secret that Islam’s place in the West is causing great concern. Terrorist attacks, radical imams, no-go zones, and rising antisemitism have alarmed many—and rightly so. These realities are not myths. But while these phenomena exist, they do not define Islam, and more importantly, they need not be the future of Islam in the West.
If there is one message I want to communicate clearly, it is this: moderate Islam exists and can flourish—but only under national governments that uphold strong, patriotic, integration-focused policies and refuse to appease Islamist radicals. Moderate Muslims are not unicorns. We are here, in your neighbourhoods, working hard, raising families, and embracing the freedom that Western civilization provides. But we are often abandoned, undermined, or outright ignored by governments more interested in appeasing globalist ideologies than protecting national coherence.
Let’s be clear: radical Islamists are not a fringe issue anymore. They have successfully positioned themselves as spokespeople for entire communities, despite often representing only a small but vocal, minority. Organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood, and their many Western-facing subsidiaries, have built influence by taking advantage of multicultural policies that refuse to distinguish between religious freedom and ideological subversion.
For decades, these extremists have been empowered by weak immigration policies, identity politics, and a dangerous relativism that treats all cultures as morally equivalent—even those that openly oppose Western values. The result? Segregated communities, parallel legal systems like Sharia courts, and the rise of a generation torn between Western life and Islamist dogma.
As a moderate Muslim, I can tell you plainly: this is not Islam, it is political Islamism. This ideology is not concerned with faith, prayer, or personal morality. It is concerned with power, particularly the power to reshape Western societies to fit a theocratic vision utterly incompatible with constitutional democracy.
But who are the Moderates? Moderate Muslims are not defined simply by “being less religious.” We are those who:
Accept and respect the laws of the country we live in.
Oppose the imposition of Sharia law in secular societies.
Believe in equal rights for women and non-Muslims.
Condemn all forms of terrorism and antisemitism.
See ourselves as citizens of our nations, not as agents of a transnational Islamic agenda.
Many of us have fled Islamist regimes. Our parents, or grandparents escaped places like Iran, as did mine, Pakistan, Sudan, or parts of the Arab world seeking the stability and liberty the West offered. We chose the West, not to colonize it but to participate in it, contribute to it, and to belong.
But our voices are often drowned out. The media prefers the drama of radicals. Governments prefer the simplicity of engaging with centralised (often extremist) Islamic organisations, even when those groups silence dissenters and moderate voices.
The future of Islam in the West depends entirely on how Western governments choose to govern. The right policy choices can empower we moderates. The wrong ones will continue to nurture extremism. Here is how: “Woke” governments constantly reduce people to their identities: race, religion, gender, sexuality. Instead of encouraging Muslims to integrate, they encourage us to cling to a separate identity. This creates parallel societies, not national unity. It tells Muslims, “You don’t have to become part of this nation—you can stay in your own bubble.” This is the exact message Islamists want. A strong nation must stand for shared values and expect all citizens, regardless of background, to respect those values.
Many of the most dangerous Islamist movements are highly organised. They exploit the freedom of Western democracies to preach against those very democracies. They operate under charitable status, run schools, and influence politics. These networks must be legally dismantled, just as neo-Nazi and extremist white nationalist organisations are. This is not about limiting religious freedom; it is about dismantling political extremism.
When a government wants to engage with the Muslim community, it must ask: “Who are we talking to?” Too often, they talk to the loudest, not the wisest. Moderate imams who preach love for country, loyalty to its laws, and peaceful coexistence should be funded, elevated, and protected. Right now, many are marginalized or even threatened by radical elements—while the state looks the other way.
Saudi, Qatari, and Turkish money has funded thousands of mosques in the West. These funds often come with strings attached: Wahhabi or political Islamist ideologies, anti-Western rhetoric, and radical teachings. National governments must cut off this foreign pipeline. Only by fostering independent, nationally accountable Islamic institutions can the West shape a moderate future.
Counter-terrorism must remain a top priority, even if it makes some uncomfortable. Islamists do not just blow things up—they radicalise youth, spread hate, and divide communities long before the violence begins. Surveillance, intelligence gathering, and proactive policing should not be vilified—they should be celebrated as the tools of national defence.
Unlike globalist elites, conservatives understand the value of nationhood, law and order, and cultural heritage. These are not abstract values—they are the foundation of a functioning society. If anyone can understand the dangers of radical Islamism, it is patriotic conservatives who have warned for decades about the erosion of Western identity.
But too often, the right has only spoken about Muslims as a problem, not as potential allies in the fight for Western values. This is a mistake.
Moderate Muslims do not want to live under Sharia. We do not want our daughters veiled by force. We do not want our communities radicalised. We do not want antisemitism, honour killings, or female genital mutilation. We want the same things most of you want: security, freedom, prosperity, and dignity.
But we cannot stand alone. When the only choice offered is between radical Islamists and woke multiculturalists, we have no home. We need allies among conservatives who understand that true tolerance means setting boundaries, that integration is not assimilation, and that the defence of a nation’s values is not racism—it is patriotism.
“Woke” globalism undermines the very fabric of national unity. It tells Muslims, “You don’t have to change anything.” It tells host societies, “You’re not allowed to criticise anything.” And it tells patriots, “You’re the problem.” This ideology equates any criticism of radical Islam with “Islamophobia.” And promotes cultural relativism that excuses misogyny and antisemitism when it comes from minorities. It also uses diversity as a shield to avoid real conversations about integration and national identity.
This approach is not just ineffective—it is dangerous. It silences moderate Muslims who speak up. It allows radicals to masquerade as victims. And it drives Western citizens into the arms of far-right movements by refusing to acknowledge their legitimate concerns.
If we want to avoid that future, we must reject woke appeasement in favour of patriotic integration.
To my fellow Muslims: We must choose where our loyalty lies. The West has given us safety, opportunity, and rights that many of our ancestral homelands deny. If we wish to live here, we must live as citizens, not as outsiders. That means obeying the law, respecting our neighbours, and standing against those who want to drag us backward.
To conservatives and patriots: Don’t give up on us. The loudest voices are not the only voices. There are Muslims who share your values more than you know. But we need a political climate that supports our integration, not one that caters to extremists or treats us all with suspicion.
To national governments: Stop appeasing radicals. Stop hiding behind diversity slogans. Start doing the hard, necessary work of integration. If you want a moderate Islam in your country then create the conditions for it. That means backing moderates, confronting radicals, and putting the nation first.
Islam is not inherently violent, but it is not inherently peaceful either. Like any religion, it becomes what its followers—and the societies around them—make of it. In the West today, moderate Muslims are ready to stand for a version of Islam compatible with democracy, freedom, and national pride. But we need your help.
It is time to stop listening to the extremists. It is time to stop indulging the globalist delusion that all cultures are equal and that all criticism is hate. It is time to build a future where Muslims are loyal citizens of the countries they live in—not pawns of an ideological battle between radical Islamism and progressive relativism.
The choice is not between tolerance and bigotry. The real choice is between national strength and national surrender. Choose strength. Choose the moderates. We are ready to stand with you. Will you stand with us?
Maryam Gholami