Sadiq Khan, a Muslim, being elected Mayor of London, topples a pervading narrative and in its wake leaves behind unparalleled opportunities. The son of Pakistani immigrants rising to run one of the leading cities in the globe is almost as remarkable as the more celebrated story across the pond, that of a Black man rising to lead the world's most powerful country. The parallels are uncanny. Both Barack Obama and Sadiq Khan were lawyers who met their wives while working as colleagues at a law firm. Both have two young daughters. Both were wrongly accused of palling around with terrorists and against heavy odds succeeded in beating back a dog-whistle campaign laced with racism and Islamophobia.
The isolated Muslim immigrant impervious to the secular values of Western societies is a ubiquitous media storyline. The alienation of Muslim youth is pinpointed as fertile ground for indoctrinating terrorists. These hackneyed story lines, even when true, mask other compelling narratives. Many Muslims have achieved extraordinary success in Europe and enriched the lives of others in the process. Khan's success validates the dreams of migrants who come to Europe and America tantalized by the promise of freedom and opportunity.
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