A BRADFORD community figure has paid tribute to the Queen following her death on Thursday, and is hoping that King Charles III will help to improve community cohesion in Bradford and beyond.

Dr Javed Bashir, from Keighley, said that King Charles III will help to continue the Queen’s legacy, after he was proclaimed king today.

Dr Bashir was keen to note the “extraordinary changes” the Queen oversaw in her 70-year reign.

“The Queen devoted her life to public service and sought unity among all communities in Britain,” he said.

“Over seven decades, the UK has become a multicultural and multi-faith society. The Queen’s reign has been marked by her spiritual leadership and engagement with faith groups across the spectrum of belief.

“The throne has been a golden era of interfaith dialogue and her personal commitment has been clear to everyone.”

Dr Bashir says that the Queen was the first monarch to engage with newly-established migrant communities when they arrived in the UK.

“Although Muslims, for example, have been in the UK since the 16th century, the Queen was the first to connect with them here,” he said.

“Though the first British mosque was seen in the Victorian era, the Queen was the first monarch to visit a mosque here, during her jubilee celebrations in 2002. 

“King Charles III will continue with legacy of the Queen and promote better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims.”

Dr Bashir cited King Charles III’s travels across the world as evidence that his reign will help to bring communities closer together.

“King Charles III also said that Ramadan provided time to reflect on one’s own blessings and to give gratitude for them, winning the hearts of British Muslims,” Dr Bashir added.

“He encouraged people of faith around the world to reconnect with their sacred teachings, saying that all faiths are rooted in an understanding of the fact that man is a part of nature, and must always live within nature’s means and limits.

“King Charles III approached Islam not through the lens of security threats and international crises, but rather as a body of spiritual teachings.

“In a speech at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in 1993, he identified the importance of the need for greater understanding between the west and Islam, and he today began his speech by reaffirming the need to help minority communities and faith groups integrate into British society.

“We hope that he can continue the hard work the Queen did for so many years.”