London, 13 Sya’ban 1437/21 May 2016 (MINA) – Sadiq Khan, London’s newly-elected mayor has offered to show Donald Trump around the city and introduce him to Britain’s Muslims.
The invitation represents a thawing of the relationship between the two men, which had been rather frosty after Mr Khan’s victory earlier this month.
Donald Trump had pledged to impose a ban on all Muslims from entering the United States which would have excluded Mr Khan.
However, the Republicans’ presumptive presidential candidate said that Mr Khan, the first Muslim to be elected mayor of London, could be an exception.
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Mr Khan brusquely rejected the olive branch, saying that he hoped Mr Trump was soundly beaten in November’s presidential election, telegraph co.uk, reported, as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).
In turn, Mr Trump accused London’s new mayor of being “rude” as the war of words between the two men escalated.
Mr Khan warned that the billionaire’s “ignorant” view of Islam could make both Britain and the US less safe.
“It risks alienating mainstream Muslims around the world and plays into the hands of extremists. “Donald Trump and those around him think that Western liberal values are incompatible with mainstream Islam – London has proved him wrong.”
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However, in an interview with the Huffington Post, Mr Khan – a former Labour MP and transport minister – extended an invitation to Mr Trump, saying he hoped to educate him.
“So my point to Donald Trump is: if it is the case that your views on Islam are ignorant, if it is the case that you have not met Muslims who are compatible with, comfortable with Western values, to all purposes ‘normal’ – come to London.
“There are literally hundreds of thousands of Londoners who are Muslim and Western. Meet my family, meet me, meet my friends, meet other Londoners and hopefully that will reassure that it’s possible.”
Mr Khan’s remarks towards the mogul were more conciliatory than those made by his Tory predecessor, Boris Johnson, who said he was cautious about inviting him to London
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“I wouldn’t want to expose Londoners to an unnecessary risk of meeting Donald Trump.” (T/R07/R01)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
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