• Birmingham residents are frustrated by the bin strike, with rat sightings increasing. Shaykh Asrar Rashid has been cleaning the streets, encouraging Muslims to.
• Yet the mainstream media continues to overlook positive actions by Muslims in favour of a distorted narrative.
Residents and businesses on Birmingham’s borders are growing increasingly frustrated as the city’s bin strike drags on.
Birmingham City Council declared a major incident on Monday due to the ongoing industrial action, which began in January. While neighbouring councils continue waste collection as usual, Birmingham residents are facing growing piles of rubbish and a rise in rat sightings.
Across the border, Conservative MP Wendy Morton voiced concerns that her Aldridge-Brownhills constituency could soon be affected, stating: “We don’t want the ‘squeaky blinders’ in Aldridge-Brownhills. What we do want is the minister to get this sorted out and get the bins emptied for those residents. It’s quite simple.”
In Streetly, just metres away under Walsall Council’s jurisdiction, bins are being collected as normal, adding to the frustration of those on Birmingham’s side.
Andreas Gabriel, owner of Bakers Lane Fish Bar, said his business’ bin had only been collected once in three weeks: “They let me down for two weeks, it has been very bad. I wish I was in Walsall.”
Maggie Boylan, who works at the fish and chip shop and lives in Birmingham, shared her frustration: “You think they’re going to come, and then they don’t. I’m accumulating rubbish and have started putting it out the back door. There are foxes at night looking for food. It’s a nightmare.”
Shaykh Asrar Rashid who is a respected person of knowledge, orator, community leader and author was captured cleaning the streets of Birmingham during the holy month of Ramadan.
In multiple videos, he is seen encouraging Muslims to be at the forefront of cleaning the streets of Birmingham, highlighting Islam’s emphasis on cleanliness, caring for one’s community, neighbours, and environment.
Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “While a man was walking along a path, he found a thorny branch and removed it. Allah appreciated his action and forgave him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2472 & Sahih Muslim, 1914)
In another video, he is seen reprimanding Muslims who neglect their responsibility to care for the environment.
Shaykh Asrar Rashid has also previously spoken about the importance of preserving trees in Islam.
Yet again, the mainstream media ignore positive stories of Muslims serving their community and protecting the environment, choosing instead to distort the narrative.
