King’s Cross: Network Rail removes Ramadan message following objections
Network Rail has removed a sign at London King’s Cross station that displayed an Islamic message for Ramadan, the company confirmed.
Photos of the message were shared by passengers on social media, sparking a range of reactions from both criticism to appreciation.
According to Network Rail, the message should not have been shown on the main train departure board, prompting an investigation into why “general Ramadan celebratory messages weren’t used”.
A spokesperson for Network Rail stated: “We acknowledge and celebrate all major religious festivals, including Christmas and Ramadan, at King’s Cross, in recognition of our diverse passenger and employee community.”
However, they added: “The main departure board should strictly provide train-related information, and our usual Ramadan celebratory messages were not displayed for some reason, which we are currently investigating. This issue has now been rectified.”
‘Clearly Inappropriate’
Some individuals expressed their dissatisfaction on X and objected to the display of the passage, known as a Hadith.
Humanists UK issued a statement on the social media platform, stating that public train stations should refrain from encouraging “sinners” to repent.
The advocacy group stated: “It is evidently inappropriate and highly misguided to broadcast hadiths or any religious scripture to passengers. We intend to write to the transport secretary to express our concerns.”
On the other hand, some people appreciated the messages, which had been previously displayed on other days of Ramadan at King’s Cross. The Islam Channel shared with its followers on X: “The unexpected presence of Ramadan at King’s Cross Station.
“A Ramadan hadith spotted at King’s Cross Station serves as a reminder of the blessings and wisdom brought by this sacred month.”