A group of west London mosques have issued a fatwa against littering and fly-tipping.
Imams are warning Muslims that they could face the wrath of Allah if they contribute to making their communities dirtier, and are instructing worshippers that it is their Islamic duty to maintain the cleanliness and general upkeep of their surroundings.
Most non-Muslims still associate a fatwa with the death sentence issued against author Salman Rushdie for alleged blasphemy in his novel Satanic Verses. In reality, it is used to cover a wide range of issues.
The unusual proclamation is being repeated every Friday, the Muslim holy day when mosques are at their busiest in areas such as Southall, Hounslow and Ealing.
It was issued after local religious and community leaders became increasingly frustrated at the high levels of littering and fly-tipping.
But they insist they are not suggesting that Muslims are more prone to littering and fly-tipping than other Londoners.
Six out of 10 areas in Britain with the highest levels of fly-tipping are in the capital, including Hounslow.
Figures show that since a new refuse collection system was introduced by Ealing council last year, which covers the Southall area, reports of fly-tipping increased by 216 per cent compared with 2015.
Qari Amin Chisty, 55, imam at the Jamia mosque in Southall, said: “Islam places a huge emphasis on the environment and cleanliness, it is an important part of how to live as a good Muslim and we are just reminding our worshippers of the consequences of ignoring this.
“We want them to take more responsibility for the state of the areas in which they live and work. Allah does not listen to those who are dirty, not just spiritually but also physically and this means how they treat their communities.
“Offering prayers in the mosque and then going outside and dumping rubbish is haram (forbidden).”
Among the several religious references Mr Chisty and other imams have based their fatwa on is one in the Koran that states: “Surely God is clean and loves the clean, so clean your courtyard.”
The fatwa was the idea of west London businessman Dalawar Chaudhry, 50, who felt it would be a good way to show how Islam can play a more meaningful role in tackling everyday London-wide problems.