LONG LINKS WITH ISLAM

Very interesting letter in today's Leicester Mercury, quoted in full below, with no need for comment from me:

Long links with Islam

In the 8th century much of what is now Leicestershire came under the control of one the Anglo-Saxon's era most powerful Kings, Offa of Mercia, who ruled from 757 to 796.

A significant find from this period can be seen in the British Museum, a gold coin with King Offa's head on one side and the Arabic inscription which roughly translates as: "There is no god but Allah and there is no other like him".

A lot of early English silver coinage also bore Arabic inscriptions. King Offa and the English were not Muslims, but it is strong evidence that England and the Islamic and Jewish world had strong cultural bonds and trading links from the very earliest days of English migration to these islands.

The English immigrants of the 4th century were denounced by Roman propaganda as Barbarians, but in reality they did in due course settle, intermarry with the indigenous Celts, and after the later French conquest moulded this country's language and culture into the foundations of what we now know as England.

Islam was present at its beginning, and has remained with us to today, adding to our language (alcohol being just one Arabic word), culture and, most important, science and trade.

The very pages of this newspaper are identified by Arabic not Latin numerals. None of this of course has ever undermined English identity or culture – it has merely enriched it.

Recently, however, the true Barbarians returned to the street of Leicester, in the form of the English Defence League. Their message of hate and intolerance has no place in English society, which has a world-wide reputation for tolerance.

The violence that always comes with the self-styled EDL speaks for itself. Meanwhile, the majority of the population of this great city, which is a shining example of cohesion, have with dignity and respect, reclaimed the flag of St George for us all, from those who have only brought it shame and dishonour.

St George is the patron saint of England and Istanbul, a modern link between our country and the Islamic world that brings us back to the beginning.

As the Arabic coinage of the earliest English kingdoms demonstrate, we have had links with the Islamic world for hundreds of years.

Eric Goodyer, Colsterworth, Lincs