THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
Abdul Halim Khan was an imam, a religious leader who people trusted. For over 11 years, from 2004 to 2015, he used that trust to harm seven women and girls in east London. Some of his victims were just children.
On February 14, 2025, a court found him guilty of 21 serious crimes, including rape and sexual assault.
Khan used his position as a respected religious leader to control his victims. He told them he had supernatural powers. He claimed that when he abused them, he would be possessed by a jinn, a supernatural spirit. He convinced them that if they told anyone, black magic would harm their families.
The victims stayed silent because they were afraid. They feared their families would be hurt. They felt shame. They didn’t think anyone would believe them over a respected imam. This is how abuse can continue for years, even when many people are being harmed.
The abuse only stopped when one victim, then just a child, was brave enough to tell a teacher at her school in 2018. Even then, it took five more years before Khan faced trial and was convicted.
Why Communities Stay Silent
Silence around abuse by religious leaders is a real problem in many faith communities. There are several reasons why this happens.
First, religious leaders hold tremendous power. People see them as spiritual guides who connect them to God. Questioning them can feel like questioning faith itself. When someone respected in the community is accused, many people find it hard to believe.
Second, victims face enormous pressure to stay quiet. They worry about bringing shame to their families. They fear being blamed or not believed. In some cases, they’re told that reporting abuse goes against their faith or that they should forgive and move on. This creates a culture where protecting the community’s reputation becomes more important than protecting victims.
Third, there’s often no clear system for reporting abuse. Many victims don’t know where to turn. They might fear that speaking up will get them expelled from their community or cause problems with immigration authorities. Some worry that internal religious processes will protect the abuser rather than help them.
Fourth, abusers are often skilled manipulators. They choose vulnerable victims and build trust over time. They isolate victims from support systems. They use religious teachings to justify their actions or to silence victims.
In Khan’s case, he used supernatural beliefs to make his victims think they had no choice but to obey him.
The Cost of Silence
When communities stay silent about abuse, the harm multiplies. Abusers continue hurting more people. Victims suffer alone, carrying trauma that affects their entire lives.
The silence also damages faith communities themselves. When people see abuse being ignored or covered up, they lose trust in religious institutions. Some lose their faith entirely. Young people especially may turn away from religion when they see it used as a weapon rather than a source of comfort and guidance.
Breaking the Silence
Communities need to make it clear that no religious position gives anyone the right to harm others. Leaders should be held to high standards, not placed above questioning. When someone reports abuse, they should be believed and supported, not shamed into silence.
The seven women who testified against Khan showed extraordinary courage. Their willingness to speak the truth led to justice. Now, Khan will be sentenced in May and will likely spend many years in prison.
Their example shows that silence can be broken. When victims are supported and believed, abusers can be stopped. Every community—religious or not—has a responsibility to protect its most vulnerable members and to create spaces where truth can be told without fear.
References
1.https://www.stratford-herald.com/national/former-imam-found-guilty-of-multiple-rapes-and-sexual-assaults-162779/
2.https://www.perspectivemedia.com/former-imam-found-guilty-of-multiple-rapes-and-sexual-assaults/
3.https://www.fakenhamtimes.co.uk/news/national/25855735.former-imam-found-guilty-multiple-rapes-sexual-assaults/
4.https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/top-stories/abdul-halim-khan-former-east-london-imam-guilty-of-child-sexual-abuse-after-claiming-he-had-supernatural-powers/
5. https://www.gbnews.com/news/london-news-former-imam-found-guilty-multiple-rapes-sexual-assaults
