As a Muslim, I consider it my duty to pray for Boris Johnson. I'm shocked by my peers who don't think the same

Personally and politically, I worry for what would happen if the PM succumbed to this cruel disease

Johnson was admitted to Guys and St Thomas' hospital in London over the weekend and moved to the ICU Monday night (Getty)

As a TV writer specializing in political satire, I’ll look for any opportunity to ridicule the powerful. In fact, I recently wrote a sketch about Boris Johnson that was set to be broadcast in the coming days. But when the news broke over the weekend that Boris had been admitted to hospital, we decided to pull this sketch.

I was immediately concerned about Boris’ hospitalisation as Downing Street communications tend to be a lagging indicator under such circumstances. I wasn’t convinced by Number 10’s suggestion that the PM’s hospitalization was entirely a precautionary measure; so I privately prayed for BoJo.

Then yesterday the news broke that Boris had been admitted to the ICU — a deeply worrying turn of events. With a heightened sense of concern about Boris, I encouraged my Muslim friends and family to pray for the prime minister. However, this request generated some significant pushback. People who opposed Boris’s politics and policies had decided that praying for his health wasn’t on their agenda, something which I frankly found shocking.

To be clear, I oppose Boris’ politics. For example, his position and disingenuity on Brexit and undercutting of the NHS are not policies I can ever support. Even though I no longer reside in Britain, I voted against him in the last general election. Beyond his policies, I’m offended by Boris’ politics; especially his casual (and well-documented) racism. After all, this is a public figure who has asserted that Islamophobia is a “natural reaction” to Islam and that Africans have “watermelon smiles”. That sort of rhetoric could easily appear on Breitbart.

But I’m also offended by the pushback I got, fed by the idea that Boris's rhetoric and policies make him a villainous character who does not deserve prayer. This argument represents a frighteningly basic form of reasoning that essentially categorizes people into goodies and baddies and doesn’t recognise political leaders as complex characters. For example, it’s perfectly possible to recognise that Winston Churchill presided over some horrific policies in India but also acknowledge that he heroically guided Britain to victory in the Second World War. There’s no inconsistency in recognizing both of these aspects of Churchill’s leadership. Doing so is, in fact, historically sensible and appropriate.

Praying for the man leading Britain’s fight against a deadly disease in his moment of need shouldn’t be remotely controversial. How incredulous it is that educated people in civilised society need to be convinced that Boris Johnson’s survival is good for every single person in Britain, no matter what your political preferences are?

Heaven forbid, if we lose Boris to coronavirus it would be an unmitigated disaster. In the short run, the cabinet would be operating without a leader in a high-stress environment, which risks infighting and a lack of clear direction at a time when every hour counts. Longer term, losing the chief executive could derail Britain’s continued public health and economic response to the coronavirus. Given the stakes of this moment, policy decisions made today will have ramifications for years to come.

Those on the left frequently (and often fairly) decry the callous nature of Conservative politics: Theresa May’s bungled reaction to the Grenfell disaster springs to mind. But indifference to Boris’s struggles with Covid-19 is callous too and smacks of hypocrisy if it’s coming from those who lament Tory policies.

Even if you oppose Boris on Brexit, immigration, healthcare or any other matter as I do, losing him doesn’t change the policy agenda of this Tory government. The Tories will forge ahead with the core of their political agenda, whoever is in charge. There’s also a personal element: it’s tough to see any individual struggle with and/or succumb to this virus, but in Boris’s case the stakes are even higher, as he has a baby on the way.

Some may argue that the prime minister’s decision-making has exacerbated coronavirus in Britain; that he should have enforced a lockdown far earlier. I’d agree that Britain should have acted earlier but would add that Britain’s response has been far better than that of the US, where I currently reside. No Briton was forced to hear the nation’s chief executive promote potentially fatal measures as cures for coronavirus. In fact, Boris’ Treasury has responded to coronavirus admirably, with a bailout for affected individuals and enterprises. Sadly, here in the US, the $2 trillion bailout tilted in favour of large corporations, so is set to exacerbate inequality which is already worryingly high.

To me, praying for Boris isn’t remotely controversial, as it is so very clearly the right thing to do. I will continue to pray for the prime minister and urge you to do the same. Get well soon, Boris. Britain is counting on you to lead us through this challenge. I look forward to voting against you at the next election. Godspeed.