BMMS January 1994

The visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury to southern Sudan featured in all forms of news media at the time. The impact on the British Muslim community is typified by the report in Q News (07.01.94). Passages from this report indicate the way in which the visit was perceived. "Dr Carey's insistence on rejecting the hospitality of the Sudanese Government, choosing instead to fly into rebel-held territory in the South, for his four-day visit ending on 2 January, could not but give a political flavour to the tour." "By deciding to be a guest of the South... Dr Carey rushed in where angels should fear to tread." "The Archbishop of Canterbury must be naive if he ever thought that he could be the exclusive guest of the South, tour rebel-held areas, be present in rallies where "Banners demanding that Sudan be split in two" (The Observer 2 January), have talks with both rebel leaders of the SPLA, whose aims include overthrowing the Khartoum Government, and expect Muslims in the Sudan, and outside, to believe that this was an innocent episcopal tour, not a clumsy incursion into Sudanese politics, at best, or, at worst, his Church's bid to destabilise further - and split - the country." "Now that he has committed himself to "focusing Christian world attention on Sudan"...will the Big, White Father from Canterbury now give some attention to the tragic victims of Christian genocide - Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina?"

The perceived attack on Muslims in the Sudan was linked with Pope John Paul II's words concerning militants in Algeria in which he "condemned the campaign of killings carried out by Muslim militants in Algeria, saying Christians appeared to be the target of particular hostility" (International Herald Tribune 24.12.93). It was pointed out in the Q News article that of the 2,000 or so people killed in Algeria since January 1992 when the General Election was cancelled, 24 were non-Algerians whilst most of the rest were Algerian and Muslim. It was clearly stated that there was no Islamic excuse for these killings which were perpetrated for political reasons. The article concluded by asking if the Pope would "bear witness to the suffering Muslims there [Bosnia] and make some efforts to calm the crusading demons of Greater Croatia and Greater Serbia? Or [is] their mercy and compassion only meant for fellow-Christians?"

Likewise the following quotations from the Muslim News (28.01.94). "Dr George Carey's illegal trip to south Sudan earlier this month is a continuation of the Church of England's crusading against Islam and the Muslims. This is being done as an extension of the policies of the British government". The Archbishop's comments on human rights abuses carried out by the "northern Islamic" government were noted but so too was his perceived lack of comment on human rights abuses carried out by Armenian and Serbian Christians. This was held to strengthen the claim of a Church of England crusade against Islam. "If one wants to be respected and believed if one speaks out against human right [sic] abuses then one needs to be consistent."

The same issue of Muslim News carried a report on comments made by Dr Carey after his return from the Sudan. Dr Carey was reported to have said that he did not intend his visit to be provocative but to turn the world's attention to the Sudan. He acknowledged that human rights abuses were being committed in the fighting which was taking place between the government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army and that neither party was blameless. The Archbishop was quoted as saying, "I hope that reasonable Muslims will not see me as a threat or a foe", and expressing the hope that British Muslims would see him as someone with whom they could hold a dialogue.

Muslim leaders were quoted on the same pages. Dr Zaki Badawi, the principal of the Muslim College, said, "I regret very much that his visit did not include the whole of Sudan and that he also agreed to consort with military leaders, many of whom have committed tremendous atrocities not only against Muslims but also against other Christians". Massoud Shardja, spokesman of the Human Rights Committee of the Muslim Parliament, said, "We are extremely disappointed with Carey's selective human rights concerns. While he has been silent at the sufferings of Muslims in Bosnia, Algeria, Kashmir, he has chosen to go to Sudan and support a breakaway terrorist organisation and undermining [sic] the legitimacy of Sudan. We suggest Dr Carey should now visit Serbia and advise his fellow Christians on human rights".

The Muslim Parliament and the Young Muslims staged a vigil outside Lambeth Palace on the afternoon of 8th January. A spokesman for the Muslim Parliament said: "There is not very much we can do, but we decided that a vigil would be the bare minimum to show Dr Carey and his advisers how we feel." "The anger, hurt and distress Dr Carey has caused to Muslims both here in Britain and worldwide is both unprecedented and incalculable." Iqbal Sacranie, of the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, said: "Dr Carey showed clear lack of judgement and insensitivity by not going to Khartoum."

The thirty-eighth anniversary of the independence of Sudan was celebrated by six hundred Sudanese at a gathering in London on 9th January. They heard lectures about the history of the Sudan and calls for academics and professional people to return as soon as possible to help Sudan recover from the current devastation of civil war. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 1/2]

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Grant-maintained schools

On 29th December, the Department for Education published its latest proposals for expanding the provision of grant-maintained schools under the direction of the Funding Agency for Schools which will be set up directly. Such schools are under the direct control of the DfE, from whence they receive their funding, rather than the LEA in the area where the school is located. This is part of the government's policy of providing greater choice and diversity in education. This route to state funding will be open, from 1st April, to already existing independent schools or to groups who wish to set up schools. All the running costs of the school will be met at the standard rates set by the DfE but sponsoring bodies will have to provide 15% of the capital costs. This could amount to around £300,000 to £500,000 based on a building cost of £2m to £3.3m. The sponsorship of such schools is open to religious bodies, business groups or those wishing to specialise in a particular area of the curriculum.

Every school thus funded will have to show that it has suitable premises, properly qualified staff and can deliver the whole of the National Curriculum. If it is a co-educational school, it will have to show that it provides equal opportunities for boys and girls. It will be open for such schools to be single-sex, especially in areas where such schools are not currently available, or selective, whether on purely academic grounds, a return to the old "grammar schools", or on the grounds of particular specialities such as music, drama or technology. In every case it will be necessary to show that a school of the type proposed is in demand and that there are not surplus places in existing schools in the surrounding area.

It is generally agreed that religious bodies will be in the vanguard of groups proposing schools under this legislation. There have been indications that Muslim groups will come forward with proposals and applications are expected from Orthodox Jewish schools and Christian Evangelical schools. Profiles of schools which may well be in the first cohort of applicants have appeared in the press.

The plans have generally been welcomed by leaders of the religious groups which might be expected to benefit from the provisions. The Labour Party has expressed reservations about the provisions being used to re-introduce selective schools which were closed in the swing to comprehensive education in the 60's. The teachers' associations have also expressed concern that the provisions might lead to an unequal distribution of resources. There has been a cool response from the business community which has not been forthcoming with funding for the government's earlier plans for City Technology Colleges.

The stumbling block for religious bodies in establishing schools under these provisions is the question of surplus places. This was the basis for the rejection of state-funding for Islamia School in Brent as well as Orthodox Jewish and Christian Evangelical schools in other parts of the country. There is provision, under the draft guidelines, for some account to be paid to this concern. "They state that the Secretary of State will take into account, among other factors, the need for new places, including, where relevant, denominational need within the area" (The Guardian 31.12.93). The question then remains, whether the government has the political will to face the issue. An alliance of political lobbyists and religious groups has been formed to put pressure on the government to change that part of the draft provisions which relates to surplus places. Stuart Sexton, Director of the Education Unit, summarises the situation thus: "The national surplus of empty desks is matched in many areas by a shortage of the sort of places parents want" (Education 14.01.94).

Muslim groups have become targets for "Educational Consultants" who are offering their services to assist in the preparation of plans for grant-maintained schools in order to meet the government's requirements. Yusuf Islam commented on Islamia's position, saying that they were considering the situation regarding an application but he confirmed that Islamia Schools Trust are not in the process of relocating the present Islamia School to another borough but that they are looking at the possibilities of opening up another school in an area where there is a shortage of school places. He commented that there could be as many as four or five state-funded Muslim schools by the turn of the century (Q News 28.01.94).

The matter was discussed at a meeting of the Moslem Education Coordinating Council in London. The chairman, Nazar Mustafa said, "I estimate there will be at least 150 applications to set up Moslem schools. And that could be just the start" (Daily Mail 24.01.94). This comment has been widely reported in the Birmingham press and caused some reaction. Some Muslim leaders in Birmingham are reported to be in favour of the scheme saying that it is what they have been waiting for. There seem to be three areas in which these leaders indicate that their children are being failed at present, viz. in moral standards, through the loss of the pupils' cultural heritage and a failure to achieve their full academic potential.

The chairman of the Birmingham Humanist Group commented that they were opposed to the setting-up of any new religious schools which they felt to be divisive within a multicultural society. He reported research findings which indicated that "the majority of parents and children from the ethnic minorities [in Birmingham] do not want segregation by religion" (Birmingham Post 31.01.94). A spokeswoman for the Birmingham education department said, "The local authority is opposed to grant-maintained schools because of their divisive nature and the disproportionate funding they receive. We would oppose single-faith schools for the same reason" (Birmingham Post 25.01.94). The Birmingham Conservative education spokesman indicated that they would be open to Muslim schools provided that they delivered the National Curriculum.

The dominant issue of surplus places was highlighted by Rafique Malik of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, who indicated that in Lancashire there were many surplus places and so the scheme would not benefit local Muslims. Nationally, Muslim pressure groups are pressing the government to change the criterion concerning school places to reflect the demand for Muslim school places by parents in preference to places in state schools. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 2-4]

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Much Ado About Music

A report on the conference Much Ado About Music held on 18th December and arranged by the Association of Muslim Researchers (see British Muslims Monthly Survey for December 1993) was written by one of the organisers, Sabina Haulkhory, which was published in the Muslim News (28.01.94). A paper written by Dr Lois Lamya al-Faruqi, the wife of Isma'il Raghib al-Faruqi (both of them were murdered in the USA in 1986) was made available. This gave a positive outline of the important place which music has in Muslim society. The conference itself took the form of a series of addresses and a great deal of verbal exchanges.

It emerged that there was an informed discussion at the conference between those scholars who hold that music per se is forbidden by the Prophet except in the most strictly defined circumstances and those who hold that music is permitted as a thing of beauty provided always that it does not promote immorality or deviation from the straight path of God. It was agreed that Qur'anic verses on this issue were open to a variety of interpretations as they are indirect in their reference to music and therefore ambiguous in this context. The central discussion focused on the hadith from the collection of Bukhari which records Muhammad as having said, "There will be [at some future time] people from my nation who will seek to make lawful the acts of fornication, the wearing of silk [for men] and the use of musical instruments..." The authenticity of this hadith was questioned by some, who regarded it as weak, and upheld by others, who regarded it as strong.

Another hadith which was debated was that from the collection of Malik in which the playing of music is associated with intoxicating drink and dancing girls. This too was the subject of divergent opinion with some arguing that music was only condemned by association with the clearly forbidden activity of consuming alcohol.

The conference did more to inform participants of the complexity of the arguments and the importance of the subject rather than to expound a commonly agreed position on the question. As a practical outcome, the Association of Muslim Researchers is planning to work on the question of which forms of music can be explored within the teaching of music in the National Curriculum which makes music a compulsory subject. There is a possibility of another conference on this subject later in the year. The proceedings of the 18th December conference are available on video and audio cassettes from the Association of Muslim Researchers on 081.443.3779. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 4/5]

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Islam on Fostering and Adoption

A one-day seminar on The Islamic Perspective on Fostering and Adoption was planned for 9th February by the Ra'aya Project which is backed by the An-Nisa Society and Q News. The conference set out to discuss the implications of the White Paper on fostering and adoption in the light of an Islamic understanding of these issues with particular reference to the rights of the child in Islamic law. It hopes both to raise the awareness of the Muslim community on this issue and to give guidance to the professionals who are involved in the fostering and adoption of Muslim children in care.

Leading up to the conference, a two-part series of background articles was carried by Q News (13 [sic] and 21.01.94). Having outlined the tragedy of children in care in Britain, the article suggested, "It is crucial, nay, an obligation, that Muslims get involved in the struggle to protect children; to safeguard their fragility, to complement their innocence and safeguard their childhood". To inform the debate about fostering, a lengthy article was contributed by the National Foster Care Association which underlined the shortage of foster parents from all minority groups.

There was a profile of a Muslim woman who had fostered 11 children during the past three years. A Muslim social worker who is responsible for assessing families for their suitability as foster parents or to adopt children, gave a frank account of the way in which the process operates and the kind of information which is required. The Children's Act 1989 urges all local authorities to give due consideration to a child's race, religion, culture and language before selecting a suitable foster or adoptive home. There is often a difficulty here as there is an acknowledged shortage of minority community potential foster parents and adopters. However, it was argued that the manner of selecting potential foster parents or adopters is biased against the cultural and religious world-views of many Muslims. A stereotyped form of answers is expected to fit the pattern of responses expected by the authorities. The overall tone of the articles was to inform and alert the Muslim community to the desperate need for action to support and take care of Muslim children, especially, who are taken into care as a result of neglect, inadequacy or abuse. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 5]

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Re-stating the role of collective worship

Most of the emphasis on education recently has been on RE syllabuses and the provisions for grant-maintained schools, but at the same time the role of collective worship has been re-stated by the DfE. The Secretary of State for Education, John Patten, was reported to have said: "I am very concerned that RE and collective worship have received less attention than they deserve... Collective worship helps schools to develop community spirit, promote the school's ethos and shared values, and reinforce positive attitudes" (Wolverhampton Express and Star 31.01.94).

The issue of collective worship is schools was taken up with a primary school headteacher in Greater Manchester from a school where 85% of the pupils are Muslim. The school has received a determination from the local SACRE which relieves it of the obligation to provide an act of collective worship which is mainly Christian for all the pupils. This was reported by the headteacher to allow staff "considerable leeway in making assemblies which are multi-faith and multi-cultural in character" (The Guardian 29.01.94). She was quoted as saying, "I don't expect my acts of collective worship to be overtly religious. To me, the purpose of religion is to look at our egocentric universe and then look out to our wider responsibilities. I don't necessarily incorporate God or Allah or any other deity into those assemblies".

An important contribution to this debate is made in the booklet British Muslims and Schools (see separate item). If children are withdrawn by their parents from collective worship in a school, then they may make arrangements for the children to engage in (for example) Islamic worship at that time but at no cost to the school or the LEA. However, when a determination has been granted, the school has a statutory obligation to provide daily acts of collective worship for the children on whose behalf the determination was obtained, e.g. Muslim children. This (for example) Islamic worship now becomes alternative statutory worship. "In the case of alternative statutory worship, any costs involved must be borne by the school, as the school is discharging its legal duty to provide worship for the pupils involved. This was confirmed by the then Minister of State for Education, Mrs (now Dame) Angela Rumbold MP in a letter to the Director of the Muslim Educational Trust in November 1989" (page 6). The letter referred to is printed in the booklet and says, "The responsibility for organising all statutory collective worship - which includes any alternative worship provided as a result of a determination by a SACRE - and for meeting any necessary costs, lies with the LEA or the school, depending on whether or not the school has a delegated budget" (page 42). The letter is signed by Angela Rumbold and dated 24 November 1989. From this it is clear that if a group of Muslim parents succeed in gaining a determination, the school (or LEA) must pay any necessary costs involved in providing those children with a daily act of Islamic collective worship. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 6]

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Dispute over school assemblies

Two primary schools in the Perry Barr district of Birmingham have become the focus of a protracted wrangle between Muslim parents and the school authorities. Canterbury School has about 80% Muslim children on roll and Birchfield School about 70% Muslims. Parents of children at the two schools have been asking for a determination for more than a year but without success. A determination would enable the children to attend Islamic assemblies instead of the mainly Christian ones required by the Education Act. In order to gain a determination, the headteacher must apply formally to the local SACRE. In the case of these two schools the headteachers have withheld their co-operation in this matter and thus the determinations have not been forthcoming.

In the light of this failure, Muslim parents decided to organise a mass withdrawal of their children from school assemblies. To date the parents of 650 children at the two schools have signed formal letters asking for their children to be withdrawn from assemblies. By so doing the parents are exercising their absolute right under the law. The headteachers at the two schools have withheld their co-operation in this matter too and there have been allegations that the mass withdrawal has been orchestrated by "fundamentalists". The impasse remains.

In an effort to resolve the situation, local Muslims organised a conference on 30th January which was attended by around 500 local Muslims. They were addressed by Muslim educationalists, the Chief Education Officer for Birmingham and the Chair of the Education Committee.

The first person to speak was Ibrahim Hewitt of the Muslim Education Trust. He explained the position regarding collective worship and the law making it clear that the parents' right to withdraw their children from assemblies was not an invitation to enter a debate but an absolute right which they are entitled to exercise under the law and to which the headteacher must accede. He spelt out the possibilities of arranging alternative acts of collective worship in an Islamic tradition and called for leaders from the community to come forward and reliably undertake to take such assemblies. Finally he drew the attention of the educationalists present to the intolerable pressure which headteachers brought to bear on parents to persuade them to change their minds on this vital question.

Akram Khan-Cheema, the national co-ordinator of the Muslim Education Forum and formerly schools adviser in Bradford, spoke about the partnership between parents and teachers which is at the heart of education. Parents are charged with responsibility for the well-being of their children and teachers exist as public servants to bring those wishes to fruition in the best professional manner. He too said that it was not acceptable for intolerable pressure to be used to make parents change their minds as to what is best for their children. Finally he advised parents present to exercise their rights under the law with dignity.

Yusuf Islam, of the Islamia Schools Trust, spoke about the heavy responsibility which was placed on parents by God to guide their children on the straight path. Ultimately all education is an acknowledgement of the universality and sovereignty of God. Parents must accept their responsibilities and stand up to the increasing wave of secularism.

In his address, the Chief Education Officer, Prof Tim Brighouse, did not address the question of collective worship but focused on the need to raise standards in education so that the next generation would exceed the attainments of the present one.

Likewise, the Chair of the Education Committee, Councillor Andy Howell, did not address the question of collective worship but spoke about rasing standards, ensuring equal opportunities for all and creating partnerships between parents and teachers.

The conference did not achieve any signs of a resolution of the current issue but there was a general agreement amongst parents present that they wanted collective worship in these two schools to be conducted in accordance with Islam. The community leaders are continuing their struggle. [ [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 6/7]

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Focus on Hizb ut Tahrir

The Hizb ut Tahrir, or Islamic Liberation Party, has come under a strong spotlight in two major organs of the press. The Sunday Times (23.01.94) carried a report that Hizb ut Tahrir was operating and recruiting in more than 50 universities across Britain. The situation has been monitored by the National Union of Students for some years. It was claimed that they infiltrate University Islamic clubs and "preach the benefits of the Khilafah Ruling System. It is claimed that the system is strongly sexist, homophobic, anti-Semitic and anti-Western".

Hizb ut Tahrir is banned in many countries of the Middle East where it is reputed to have been involved in plots to overthrow governments. "Three members were sentenced to death in Jordan for their part in an alleged plot to kill King Hussein." Some universities in Britain have banned meetings which were due to be addressed by members of the group.

A meeting of the Islamic Society at University College, London, at which Farid Kassim, "one of the group's leading members in Britain, was due to speak had to be transferred to another venue. The subject of his talk was Peace with Israel - a Crime Against Islam. "A leaflet advertising a meeting at which Mr Kassim was speaking included a quote that has twice led the group to be investigated for inciting racial hatred. It said: `The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them, until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree, and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him'."

"Ted Nield, spokesman for the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals, said many university authorities were aware of Hizb ut Tahrir infiltration." "The Union of Jewish Students said that the group had become more active in the past year." "A spokesman for Hizb ut Tahrir, who refused to be named, said that the organisation was being misrepresented by enemies of Islam and that there was no reason for any university to ban the organisation from its campus."

A full broadsheet page was devoted to a study of the organisation in the Guardian (07.02.94). This included a listing of some Muslim organisations in Britain which are held to have overseas connections. Given the status of Islam as a world-wide community and the proximity of links to countries of family origin, it would be hard to think of Muslim organisations in Britain which did not have "overseas connections". A short paragraph description was given of a range of bodies which included the Palestine and Lebanon Relief Fund, the Muslim Welfare House, Finsbury Park and Al Muntada Al Islami, through the Young Muslims and Islamic Foundation, to the Murabitoun and Islamic Studies Centre, Birmingham. The descriptions did not display an extensive knowledge of the groups in question.

The article also included extracts from Hizb ut Tahrir leaflets. These called upon Muslims to remain faithful to the teachings of Islam and not be led away by alliances with the West or secularism. They opposed the state of Israel and called for society to be founded on Islamic principles rather than any other ideological system. In what can hardly be regarded as impartial reporting, the following extract, which expresses sentiments not found in the other quotations, was printed within the same box as the extracts from Hizb ut Tahrir leaflets: "From an unidentified leaflet in verse, distributed outside the Regent's Park mosque in central London: Do something to prove that on your shoulders there stands a head not a piece of cheese. Throw a stone, trigger a bomb, plant a mine, hijack a plane, do not ask how".

The main body of the article featured a report from a Hizb ut Tahrir meeting in Ilford. The meeting was addressed by Farid Qassim [sic], who was reported to have said, "It will be better for the Jews to become Muslims if they want to live in peace in the land of Muslims" and, in answer to a question about how a British Muslim can show commitment to jihad, "There is no such thing as British Muslims. There are only Muslims".

It was noted that this kind of radical Islam is appealing to young Muslims in Britain who want to break out of the "clan" politics of their elders. They are afraid of what their future might hold after witnessing the ravaging of Bosnia, the overthrow of a democratic election in Algeria and the imposition of what they feel to be an unfair settlement in Palestine. There is a racial dimension too in that there is a fear of growing racism and an inability to break into mainstream British society. The radical Islamic groups are attractive because they provide the young with an identity with which they can identify.

The fear was expressed that radical groups are taking more power in mosques where they can intimidate those who do not allow them a platform. One cause was held to be a leadership vacuum which was caused by inept management, under-educated imams and a general absence of understanding of that with which a young British Muslim is faced. Two solutions were indicated to work towards filling this vacuum and thus cutting off the "oxygen" of the radicals. Firstly, to have imams fully trained in this country; the course at the Muslim College in Ealing was lauded but it mainly caters for overseas students due to a lack of funding for British applicants. Secondly, to establish a national Muslim representative body which could speak on behalf of the whole community with one voice; the pattern of the Board of Deputies of British Jews was extolled.

The article concluded by noting some of the groups whose attention had been drawn to Hizb ut Tahrir by their actions and writings. These ranged from the National Union of Students to the government of Jordan and from the police to the Board of Deputies of British Jews. One sentence reflects the final sub-heading, "Among the young, the party operates almost like a cult and many parents now fear their children coming under its influence". [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 8/9]

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Model RE syllabuses

The government has launched two model syllabuses through the School Curriculum and Assessment Council. These are aimed at Agreed Syllabus Conferences which must draw up an agreed syllabus for RE in every LEA. The model syllabuses are intended to be used to exemplify the law as interpreted by the DfE. They are not binding but show the kind of syllabus which is likely to be approved by the DfE when it is submitted for ratification by each LEA.

The syllabuses reflect the current law on the predominance of the teaching about Christianity which must occupy between 50% and 75% of time available. Targets are set for the "key" ages of 7,11,14 and 16. There is some flexibility as to the order in which faiths other than Christianity are to be taught but the five listed must have been studied by the age of 16. The study of Christianity runs throughout the four key stages.

Comment on the model syllabuses has been rich and varied. The fact that it is another move away from locally determined and accountable policy-making has been noted by politicians, teachers and religious leaders. The potential for confusion which could result from primary-age children being expected to study a total of four religions and everyone having to study six during their school career has caused concern. The term "mish-mash" has been used widely indicating that children will be unable to distinguish any clear teaching from a single religion as a result of their studies. It is also feared that religions other than Christianity will be devalued in that they must share the minority time which is left between them. Christian comment has ranged from being dissatisfied that 50% is insufficient time, to being unhappy that teaching so many other religions will devalue the truth of Christianity.

The Muslim working party which produced the agreed component on Islam in the model syllabuses was reported to be angry at the tiny amount of time which they felt would be devoted to Islam. One commentator had calculated that Islam could only get 18 out of a total of 467 hours of tuition during a pupil's school career. The importance of having one Islamic syllabus agreed by both Sunni and Shia Muslims must be stressed. As Umar Hegedus put it, "For the first time, the content of agreed syllabuses for religious education will be free of ethnic customs, misconceptions about rituals and will, Insha-Allah, bring new standards of accuracy and respect to the teaching of Islam in schools" (Q News 28.01.94). Representatives of the five religions other than Christianity are grouping together to apply pressure for a more equitable sharing of RE time. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 9/10]

Association of Muslim Schools' conference

The Association of Muslim Schools, together with other concerned educationalists, organised a conference entitled Educational Opportunities, Principles and Policies for British Muslims at the Al-Khoei Foundation in London on 5th February. The conference was open to public registration and the audience of around sixty people was made up mainly of Muslims with a significant representation of Christians, Secularists and others who were interested in questions of education.

The first topic for consideration was "Religious Education, Worship and Observance". Mashuq Ally, from the Centre for Islamic Studies, Lampeter, described how the climate of multi-faith co-operation had declined since the 70s when many teachers had recognised that the presence of a plurality of religious traditions in a school was an enriching experience. The political climate is now different and the educational schemes which were pioneered then were not now popular. He called for greater co-operation between supplementary schools and state schools, indicating that the former had done a great service to Muslims in Britain by retaining and strengthening the cultural cohesion of communities. He spoke of the need for more Muslim teachers and for a multifaith approach to the training of teachers.

Addressing the same topic, Dr Ghulam Saqeb, indicated that the government had failed to convince professional educators or academics of the wisdom of their changes since the Education Reform Act of 1988. He painted a bleak picture in which the same devices which had been used to reject applications for voluntary aided schools would be used to reject those for grant-maintained status. Muslims were under-represented on SACREs, he said, and there was a correlative lack of determinations. He objected to the dictatorial and proprietorial attitude of headteachers and complained of a lack of cultural understanding and goodwill on the part of the government, the establishment and the media.

Lord Skidelsky, of the Social Market Foundation, spoke about the National Curriculum and its impact on Muslim needs in education. He rehearsed the areas in which tensions are known to arise and asked if there is a possibility of compromise within the state system or if separate Muslim schools are the only solution. Following on from the Dearing Report on the revision of the National Curriculum, he indicated ways in which two separate schools could share a common building which would make it possible for them to share a common curriculum for core subjects and go their separate ways for the remainder of the curriculum which is to become more flexible.

Stuart Sexton, of the Independent Primary and Secondary Education Trust and a former adviser to Sir Keith Joseph and other Secretaries of State for Education, spoke about the proposals for grant-maintained schools. The criteria on which an application will be judged had not then been released but if they are the same as apply for voluntary aided schools almost all applications will be rejected on the grounds of surplus places. He called for concerted pressure to be applied to the government to make them introduce a criterion which would ask "if there is a surplus of places of the type being proposed". This would also require the government to use its powers to close schools with surplus places where there was no demand from parents for those schools.

The final contribution was given by Moeen Yaseen of the Association of Muslim Schools who spoke about "Parental Choice and Underachievement". He said that parents must be allowed to express a reasoned preference for the type of education which they wished their children to receive. He blamed underachievement mainly on under-education, indicating that schools have low expectations of Muslim children and that same expectation reflects in the allocation of school places. His chosen solution to this problem was a voucher system whereby parents had a voucher to pay for their children's education in the school of their choice. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 10/11]

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Short Reports

Unrest in the Turkish community

There have been sporadic reports of unrest within the community of Turkish origin in Britain for some time. The Sunday Telegraph (02.01.94) featured a report on "two Marxist terrorist groups" which were reported to be "extorting tens of thousands of pounds from businessmen in Britain's Turkish community". The groups were named as the PKK (Kurdish Workers' Party) and Dev Sol (Revolutionary Left). It was reported that violence had escalated over the past two months with premises being firebombed and people being assaulted. Blackmail letters were handed to the newspaper and a victim has been prepared to speak openly. It is believed by the police that the two organisations have a loose alliance so that they can extort money over alternating three-month periods. Dev Sol is apparently seeking a national revolution in Turkey and the PKK want a Kurdish homeland. The latter group are reported to have about 700 members in London and an annual turnover of £2.5m in Britain. The former are reported to be about 150 strong with a £350,000 turnover. So far only eight people have been charged variously with blackmail, arson and possessing firearms. The police say that it is impossible to gauge the extent of the problem but local Turks feel that not enough is being done and have resorted to retaining their own armed bodyguards. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 11/12]

Al-Dawaah - The Invitation

The BBC2 "Open Space" television programme entitled Al-Dawaah - The Invitation, attracted a subdued review in the Muslim weekly Q News (24.12.93). The programme was billed as an all-Muslim achievement not only in terms of content and presenter but also in its research, direction and technical production. It was in these technical aspects that the programme was extremely weak. The balance and focus of the programme were called into doubt as there seemed to be a deal of internal politics on display. Praise was earned for the programme's attempt to present a facet of Islam on prime-time television but sorrow was expressed that it was a potentially distorted image of da'wah in Britain. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 12]

New inter-faith adviser in Blackburn

Following the appointment of Dr David Thomas to the staff of CSIC, his former post as inter-faith adviser to the Bishop of Blackburn has been filled by the Revd Colin Albin who speaks Urdu, has spent some time in Pakistan and has made a special study of Islam. The diocese of Blackburn has substantial Muslim communities. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 12]

Training project gets £40,000

A grant of £456,000 from the European Regional Development Fund to Middlesborough Council has enabled it to consider funding some proposed schemes in the area. One is for £40,000 towards a training project at the Park Road North Mosque which would enable them to tackle unemployment amongst the Muslim community. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 12]

Technology award

The Ion Vac Technology Company has won a stage 2 award from the Department of Trade and Industry's Small Firms Merit Awards for Research and Technology. Dr Nadir Ahmed, the Managing Director, said that the £60,000 award would enable them to develop a working prototype of their continuous air-to-air vacuum plating system which is used for putting a protective coating on high value items such as aircraft parts. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 12]

Need for an Islamic bank

Since the closure of the Albaraka International Bank last year, there has been some discussion about the possibility of re-establishing it as a mainly British owned and based bank. It is hoped that plans will be formulated later in 1994. The importance of such a scheme, as an "Islamic" bank rather than an "Asian" bank, was stressed in response to an interview given by the Governor of the Bank of England, Eddie George, to the Gujarati weekly magazine Garavi Gujarat, in which he said that he could see no need for a special bank catering for the Asian community after the collapse of several banks which had hitherto done so. Whilst he would not oppose such an institution if it met all the usual requirements, he hoped that the special needs of the Asian community would be met by existing institutions including the High Street banks, all of which are reported to be going out of their way to attract wealthy Asian customers at present. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 12]

Job equality in NHS

The government has announced a plan to encourage equal job opportunities in the NHS. The Health Secretary, Mrs Virginia Bottomley, said that people from black and ethnic minorities were under-represented in the senior levels of the health service, even in areas where such groups are heavily represented in the local population. There is no question of quotas being set or of positive discrimination but guidelines will be issued to health authorities and trusts to break down the barriers to advancement. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 13]

How best to spend Christmas?

The East London Mosque staged a "Christmas Alternative" in the shape of a two-day conference. The conference consisted of a mixture of lectures and video films on a variety of Islamic topics. Over 500 young people attended the conference which was organised by the Young Muslims Organisation and the East London Somali group (Noor al-Islam Society). One aim was to hit back at the growing tide of crime, drunkenness and drug-taking in the East London area. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 13]

International Women's Week

Falkirk District Council is going to mark International Women's Week in March by scheduling an event run for and by women co-ordinated by the Women's and Equal Opportunities Committee's "Focus on Women" forum. Muslim women's organisations, who are part of the forum, are appealing for more Muslim women to join in the celebrations. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 13]

International Year of the Family

To mark the start of 1994 as the United Nation' International Year of the Family, the Bradford Telegraph and Argus asked national religious leaders to comment on the importance of the family for their faith community. Dr Syed Aziz Pasha, of the Union of Muslim Organisations, commented: "We believe Muslim family law is of divine origin and will contribute a lot to family peace and harmony, which is crucial to the welfare of society as a whole". [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 13]

Political wrangle over re-organisation

The vice-chairman of the Kirklees Conservative Muslims, Khan Baig Malik, has called for the Council's plans for re-organising its equal opportunities committee to be scrapped. The council intends to set up three forums for dealing with race, women and disabled people but Mr Malik says that this will duplicate work done by Muslim groups and has recommended that the money should be spent on health, housing and education. Mr Malik, a former member of the Labour Party who left them to join the Conservatives, has been accused of speaking only for himself and fellow Conservatives rather than for Muslims. It has been noted that, when he was a member of the Labour Party, he spent years asking for more money to be spent on equal opportunities and that his change of mind coincided with his joining the Conservatives. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 13]

Relief work for Bosnia

Food and money collected by the Gujarati Sunni Moslem Society enabled two lorries loaded with provisions to be dispatched to Bosnia in convoy with three lorries from Blackburn. Twenty tons of aid were sent under the auspices of the charity Muslim Aid from Leicester. This is the second of three cargoes planned by local Muslims. Sixteen tonnes of medicines, clothing and food were sent by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association UK from its Bradford branch. Muslims in Derby are organising a major collection amongst the people of the city to provide aid for Bosnians. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 13/14]

Provision for Muslim burial

Gateshead Council has given permission for a section of the Saltwell cemetery to be set aside for Muslim burials. The plot will initially accommodate 10 to 15 burials per year but there is sufficient land available for it to be extended when necessary. The Southern Cemetery in Manchester has had a section set aside for Muslim burial since 1985. New regulations have now been introduced which will allow for the building of mounds on all Muslims' graves there and for burial without a coffin in future. The Bradford Council for Mosques is opening discussions with the coroner's office with a view to facilitating speedier permissions to release bodies for burial. The problems are particularly acute when someone dies over a weekend or bank holiday when it is impossible to make contact with coroner's officials.

A final decision has been delivered in the case of the burial of people who lived outside the area of the High Wycombe District Council (see BMMS for December 1993). The Council has decided that the current policy, which is followed in many parts of the country, of charging double fees to people who lived outside its area would remain. This discussion was occasioned by the family of a Muslim man, who lived in an adjoining district which had no provision for Muslim burial, being charged double the normal fee after his tragic death. The Council is encouraging its neighbouring authorities to make adequate provision for all who live within their areas.

Scunthorpe Borough Council has agreed to Muslim requests that it should speed up its administration of burials. In future burials can be arranged within 24 hours during the week and 48 hours at weekends. In Bolton, Muslims have successfully petitioned for the register office to have someone on call during weekends so that deaths can be recorded. Bolton has a weekend burial and cremation service but death certificates have to be issued before noon on Saturday when the office now closes. At present, Muslims are having to transport their dead to Preston where a weekend registration and burial service already exists. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 14]

Muslim wins racial bias case

A Leeds industrial tribunal has found the Employment Service, a government department, guilty of racial bias and ordered it to pay compensation to a Muslim woman who worked at a Job Centre in Bradford. Mrs Bajwa Ali had been off work through illness for a period up to 1 March 1993. She then returned to work and applied for a day off to celebrate Eid later in the month. She was told that the maximum quota of eight people had already been given leave for that day and so was asked to work the minimum hours of 1000 to 1500 on that day. Later a white employee had asked for two weeks' leave to go on holiday. This request was granted in spite of the maximum quota rule. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 14]

Grant for Ramadan

The Falkirk Muslim Women's Development Group, in concert with the Stirling Muslim Women's Group, has received a grant of £450 from the local council to help them organise events during Ramadan and at Eid ul-Fitr. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 14]

Bangladeshis vote for equality

The Bangladeshi Welfare Association, at its annual meeting, decided to enact a constitution which would give equal rights to the women in its ranks for the first time. From now on all Bangladeshis, irrespective of sex, colour or creed, will be equally eligible to take part in the affairs of the association and to stand for election. This ends twelve years of disharmony and acrimony. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 14/15]

Halal food for councillors

The Labour-controlled Birmingham City Council has decided to revise its menus during council meetings so that they are both halal and cater for the tastes of councillors from Asian families as well as everyone else. There are 12 Muslim members on the 117-strong council. There has been some opposition to the idea, both in principle and on economic grounds as the changed menu will alter the cost of meals. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 15]

Prayer room in council offices

A proposal is under consideration by Sheffield council to set aside a prayer room in the council offices where people of all faiths could spend some time in prayer. The suggestion has come from Mahroof Rashid, an equal opportunities officer, who wants washing facilities included so that Muslims can perform their ritual ablutions before praying. The council has called for a feasibility study and some costings. One problem is that workers are spread around the city and so facilities may be needed at more that one site. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 15]

Christmas goodwill

The Anjuman-E-Islam Association in Blackburn, which has traditionally distributed EC surplus butter to its members, undertook the distribution of Christmas food this year for the benefit of the wider community even though its own members did not partake of the non-halal foodstuffs. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 15]

Guy's Hospital meals

Following a series of complaints from ethnic minority organisations about the provision of food at Guy's Hospital, Southwark, a visit was carried out by the Southwark Community Health Council. They found that no halal food was provided and that kosher food, which was available, was not noted on the menus. Apparently, the staff were supposed to notice if someone was not eating and then enquire if they wanted kosher food. The visitors were told that "providing food to suit Muslims, Vietnamese and Chinese patients was no more important than giving white people chips and baked beans" (Q News 07.01.94). The Community Health Council is calling for an urgent reassessment of the situation. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 15]

Divorce law reform

In December 1993, the government introduced a Green Paper on reform of the divorce law. Its aims were to support marriages whenever possible and to remove the acrimony and financial burdens of divorce when this was inevitable. The publication of the Green Paper occasioned an extensive report on divorce in Islamic law and consideration of the proposed reforms in Q News (17.12.93). The Islamic procedure for divorce was explained in a series of steps and guidance was given on the ways in which either a man or a woman could begin the procedure.

By contrast to the British law, Islamic law allows for a much quicker divorce under certain circumstances. This was thought to be of value especially when a year's waiting period with the constant threat of violent abuse could render the woman's life unbearable. It was felt that if the government really wanted to protect marriages they ought to take steps to make marriage more attractive, e.g. tax benefits for married couples, financial incentives for women who stay at home with the children and a general improvement in employment opportunities. The increase in divorce amongst Muslims in Britain was noted and the relevant factor was held to be the lack of community support for many families. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 15/16]

Does fasting do harm?

A paper was presented at the annual conference of the British Psychological Society written by researchers from the universities of Manchester and Birmingham. The paper indicated that patterns of fasting during Ramadan made it more likely that Muslim girls from Asian families would suffer from eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Another factor in the development of these conditions was held to be the over-protective maternal influence in many Muslim families.

The results were dismissed and heavily criticised by Dr Jafar Quraishy, a Midlands psychiatrist and former president of the Muslim Doctors and Dentists' Association. He said that all other research had indicated that fasting is good for the individual's health. Whilst accepting that sometimes the Asian-Muslim family model could be "faulty" he blamed this on misguided Muslims rather than on Islamic ideals. A spokeswoman for the Muslim Women's Helpline said that they rarely receive calls from anorexic girls but that those who did seek professional help were often responding to restrictive conditions at home. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 16]

Muslims and the law

The lack of response on the part of the government to the UK Action Committee for Islamic Affairs' document Muslims and the law in Multi Faith Britain (see BMMS for August 1993), has been blamed on the "clumsiness" of the campaign according to a "Home Office source". The campaign was "sloppy, ill-thought out, amateurish and out of focus" according to quotes from the "source" in Q News (10.12.93). The fact that the campaign was focused on the Rushdie affair did not help, it would have been better to concentrate on the fact that, under the present race laws, Muslims are open to discrimination in employment and education. The lack of political knowledge about who to lobby and the way in which government operates was blamed for the failure, as well as the fact that those who "fronted" the campaign were tainted from their skirmishes with the Home Office over the attempt to have The Satanic Verses banned and lacked the support of first-class lawyers, race workers and academics. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 16]

No anti-Muslim racism?

The Labour Party campaign against racism in Europe, which ran for two weeks in December 1993, remarkably had no special focus on anti-Muslim racism even in the light of attacks on Turks in Germany, expulsions of Muslims from France and violent attacks on Muslims in Britain, not to mention the anti-Muslim thrust of the war in Bosnia. A spokesperson for the European Parliamentary Labour Party said that the Afro-Caribbean community in Haringey "would feel that the racial attacks they were suffering were no different to those being suffered or perpetrated on Muslims". [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 16]

Genetic modification

Dr Abdul Majid Katme, the President of the Islamic Medical Association, has announced that an official Islamic response is to be prepared on the subject of the genetic modification of food and sent to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (see BMMS for September 1993). He has asked that anyone able to contribute relevant Islamic information on the subject contact him at 31 North Circular Road, Palmers Green, London B13 5EG (081.345.6220). [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 16/17]

Police link with community

Police in Slough have set up a seminar to forge closer links with the community in an effort to stamp out the growing trade in drugs and the violence which is associated with it. Often these drugs-related attacks have a racial overtone and there have been a spate of such attacks during the last twelve months. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 17]

Segregated housing policy

A formal investigation by the Commission for Racial Equality into Oldham's housing policy has shown that parts of the town were officially designated as "whites-only" areas since 1986. Investigations showed that Muslim families of Asian origin were directed to two particularly run-down council housing estates whilst on the much better estate there were only two Muslim households out of a total of 600 properties. This represented 1% of the Muslim tenants and 79% of white tenants. The council had an equal opportunities policy in writing but it was not being implemented. The council has been ordered to provide compulsory training sessions on racial equality for Councillors and housing staff and to provide regular half-yearly updates on housing allocations. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 17]

The science of fertility

Dr Abdul Majid Katme contributed an article to the Daily Awaz (10.01.94) on the use of eggs from aborted foetuses and the artificial impregnation of post-menopausal women. He stated that it is forbidden in Islam for the sperm of a man to fertilise any egg except that of his wife, thus ruling out artificial insemination by donor, surrogate motherhood, egg donation and the use of eggs from an aborted foetus. He made it clear that all human bodies are the possession of God, the creator, and so no-one has the right to dispose of part of their body. He cautioned against interfering with God's "blueprint" of human life which has been designed with divine care to execute its functions perfectly at the most appropriate times. Once the female body is no longer naturally capable of bearing children, this situation should not be interfered with unnaturally by doctors making a woman able to conceive and bear a child. This is against the "blueprint" of God. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 17]

Pakistani boy attacked

A 13 year-old Pakistani boy was attacked in the vicinity of the British National Party Headquarters in Kent. The attackers were four white men who assaulted the boy, racially abused him, drew a beard on his face and doused him in white spirit. Police have appealed for witnesses. The attack took place as the boy was delivering papers at 0700. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 17]

Bosnians open mosque

The first mosque in Britain for Bosnian refugees who have fled here has been opened in London. It will be known as the Bosnian Masjid and consists of two rooms in the same building as the Bosnian Embassy off Regent's Street, London. Apart from being a place for prayer, the mosque will also serve as an education centre were children will learn Bosnian language and culture and their parents will learn English in addition to the religious studies which are so necessary after years of state-suppression of religion in Yugoslavia. It is hoped that the scheme might be repeated in other centres around Britain and perhaps funds will be forthcoming for the purchase of a building which can serve as a central mosque. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 17/18]

Attack on Exeter mosque

Four men in their twenties admitted throwing a petrol bomb at the Exeter Islamic Centre on 2 December 1993 (see BMMS for December 1993), when they appeared before magistrates. They had been drinking and the attack was unpremeditated. A milk bottle had been filled with petrol and the mosque happened only to be a coincidental target, they said. There was no racial motive according to the men. The magistrates have called for pre-sentence reports. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 18]

Doctor removed from register

Dr Farooque Hayder Siddique (Farouk Siddiqui), who was summoned to appear before a disciplinary board of the General Medical Council for conducting female circumcision operations (see BMMS for November 1993), has been struck off the register of doctors. He had been permitted to continue to use the facilities of the Marie Stopes Whitehouse abortion clinic in Cricklewood until shortly before his hearing. No criminal charges are currently expected, although female circumcision is a criminal offence in Britain, because there have been no official complaints to the police. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 18]

Commons reception on abortion

Following the appointment of Dr Abdul Majid Katme as the co-ordinator of the Muslim branch of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child, there was a reception for about 100 Muslim leaders held at the House of Commons hosted by SPUC and some pro-life MP's on 29 January 1994. The MP's and representatives of SPUC praised Muslims for the defence of family values and urged them to join the ranks of those who were protesting against abortion and euthanasia. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 18]

Confusion over calendar

Sixty delegates representing more than 120 organisations attended a meeting at the Balham mosque in London to discuss the principles for fixing the date for Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr this year. They agreed to follow the formula set out at the 1984 meeting of the Ruyatul Hilal Committee of scholars. This formula laid down that the moon should be sighted by the naked eye when possible but, if it cannot be sighted, then, "provided that the birth of the moon has taken place in the UK and that the moon is on the horizon at sunset then the committee will accept news from any Muslim country around the world of the sighting" (Muslim News 28.01.94).

The subject of date fixing was taken as the topic for the twenty-first winter conference of the Union of Muslim Organisations which took place in Leicester. They debated the importance of unity in the Muslim community and called for an agreement to ensure that Ramadan started and therefore Eid was celebrated on the same day nationwide.

Agreements of this kind have been reached for many years but they have never succeeded in bringing about a unified date for Ramadan and Eid. In practice the celebration of Eid is often spread over three days. The Ahl-As-Sunnah have been the first group this year to declare that they will set their own dates independently of any agreement. The Director of the Central Mosque, London, tried to bring about some unity by declaring that the dates will be fixed by moon-sightings in Makkah. Local attempts to fix the dates have been a little more successful. In Luton an agreed calendar was drawn up by the Imam of the Central Mosque but this was disputed within days. In Birmingham, for the second consecutive year, the dates were fixed by an agreed calendar which is expected to be observed by almost every Muslim in the city. These dates have been communicated to public authorities and employers who have responded favourably to the advance notice which was given. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 18/19]

Ramadan T.V.

To coincide with Ramadan, the BBC are broadcasting a series of four half-hour programmes on Thursday nights. The series, under the title "A Way of Life", sets out to explore the roots, traditions, evolution and diversity of Muslims in Britain. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 19]

Research into civic religion

The Church of England, together with the Leverhulme Trust, is to finance a research project, over two years, to look into the changing character of civic religious provision and publicly funded chaplaincies in England. The project will be based at the University of Warwick and will be directed by Prof James Beckford. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 14]

Selling the Qur'an

An insurance salvage firm in Birmingham has been the subject of protests from local Muslims after they began selling copies of the Qur'an which they had bought after a Leeds cash and carry warehouse had been damaged by fire. The Muslims were complaining about the copies of the Qur'an being handled and sold by unbelievers. The firm's owner said that he felt this was an over-reaction as many Muslims had been visiting the company to buy the Qur'an and, as they had come from a warehouse, they would anyway have been distributed by non-Muslims. Local Muslims have indicated that their fellows have been buying up as many copies of the Qur'an as possible to prevent them being sold by the company. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 19]

Islamic Conversations

Channel Four are broadcasting "Islamic Conversations" on six consecutive Saturdays. The programmes last for thirty minutes in the middle of the day and take the form of conversations between the writer and broadcaster Ziauddin Sardar and six leading Muslims. The plan is to focus on a particular theme each week, so: Women and Islam (with Leila Ahmed) 12/2; Islamic State (Dr Hasan Turabi) 19/2; Islam and Christianity (Hujattual-Islam M. Masjed Jame'ie) 26/2; Islam and War (Syed Fadallah) 5/3; Authority and change (Sheikh Syed Tantavi) 12/3; Islam and Pluralism (Anwar Ibrahim) 19/3.

The programmes have received a cool reception in anticipation in Q News (04.02.94) where they have been regarded as a rehashing of exhausted topics with people who are not always very representative of Muslim thought. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 19]

"Brains and Brawn"

The Ahmadiyya Association in Keighley was host to a "brains and brawn" competition in which teams from other Ahmadiyya communities were invited to compete at five-a-side football and a quiz. Eight teams participated from across the north of England. It is hoped that the event will become an annual one. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 19]

New chairman for Muslim Aid

The London-based charity, Muslim Aid, held its Annual General Meeting at which Dr M. Darsh was elected as chairman. Dr Darsh was a founder trustee of the charity and has served on its executive committee since its inception. The charity aims to bring relief to the poor and needy throughout the world. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 19/20]

Burns-Iqbal Supper

The Scottish Pakistani Association, which is made up of an equal number of Scots and Pakistanis, held its annual Burns-Iqbal Supper as a means of honouring the two great poets of their cultural heritage and drawing the two communities closer together. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 20]

Petition against deportation

Ten per cent of the residents of the town of Blyth, Northumberland, have signed a petition asking that a Muslim family be allowed to remain in their community in the face of a deportation order from the Home Office. The order was served on 23rd December but half the allotted fourteen days during which an appeal had to be lodged had elapsed before it arrived with the family on New Year's Eve. The wife, Mrs Tahir, had permanent right of residence in Britain but this lapsed, without her understanding, due to a prolonged overseas visit. The trauma of her impending deportation has led to Mrs Tahir becoming ill and being admitted to hospital for observation. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 20]

Festival of culture

Muslims in Trowbridge hired a local school to stage a weekend festival of Islamic culture for local people so that they would better understand their Muslim neighbours. There were video and slide shows as well as exhibitions of Islamic art and books. Children were provided with suitable activities and there were specially prepared foodstuffs for refreshments. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 20]

Islam and democracy

The Oxford Union staged a debate on the motion, "This House believes that Islam and Democracy are incompatible". The motion was to be proposed by Ray Honeyford, a former Bradford headteacher, and opposed by Yusuf Islam and Dr Kalim Siddiqui, however, Dr Siddiqui withdrew from the debate when he compared notes with Mr Islam and found that they would be putting forward discordant positions. The original proposition to which Dr Siddiqui was to speak was that, "Islam is right to challenge the West's ambitions to global hegemony", but this was later changed to the question of Islam and democracy. Mr Honeyford's position was that democracy is based on universal franchise in which issues are decided by free ballot but he saw Islam as incompatible in that it seeks a government which represents the will of God and not of the majority of the population. The opposition drew attention to the long history of Muslims struggling for democracy and the egalitarian nature of Muslim society in which rich and poor line up for prayer side by side. The motion was carried by a vote of 273 in favour with 128 against. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 20]

Looking on the dark side

Following on from the November conference on Islam and the Media, organised by the One World Broadcasting Trust (see BMMS for November 1993), one of the Muslim participants, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, wrote an article for the New Statesman (28.01.94) in which she accused "the TV maharajahs of peddling tabloid trash". The thesis of the article was that some television programme makers from the ethnic minorities had sunk into the trap of exposing only the disreputable side of community life whilst doing nothing to represent the genuine fears of growing racism and powerlessness which are the real concerns of minority communities in Britain. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 20/21]

Future planning for community centre

The annual meeting was held of the Islamic Cultural Community Centre in Halifax at which a report was given of events during the past year and a survey of future development. A £5,000 grant had been made towards building a new kitchen in the basement and building repairs had been put in hand. The future of the elderly's lunch club is in doubt as the Centre has been turned down for a grant from Calderdale Council. The two thrusts of future development are to be to provide more activities for local women and to establish a programme of properly organised and supervised activities for the youth. It was hoped to forge links with the council's youth and community services to promote the latter aim. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 21]

Gift for Architecture Institute

The Oxford speech by Prince Charles on "Islam and the West" continues to have an impact in the Muslim world. The speech has been translated, published and broadcast in many Muslim countries where it has be greeted enthusiastically. King Fahd of Saudi Arabia has responded by presenting a cheque for £2.5m to the Prince's Institute of Architecture which opened in 1992 with a brief to promote building with traditional designs and materials. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 21]

Clash at mosque

The Bangladeshi community in Luton, which numbers around 6,000, has been split for some time about who should control the Jame Masjuid in Bury Park Road. It had been run by one organisation for some years but a rival group tried to gain control. The dispute went to the High Court and elections were ordered. About 500 people participated in the elections which were peaceful and control passed to the "rival" group. This led to further disquiet which culminated in a "riot" involving about 700 people outside the mosque at 2 am on the morning of Thursday 27th January. The mosque was overcrowded with around 2,000 to 3,000 trying to gain admission. The crowd outside began to fight and 120 police officers were called to the dispute. In the ensuing fracas six police offices were injured by stones and bricks. Several police cars were damaged. The troubles were blamed on a small minority and three arrests were made. The Luton Muslim community is said to be shocked after the affray. The three men arrested, all aged around 20, were charged with unlawful violence and were released on bail provided that they do not enter the mosque and observe a 10 pm curfew. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 21]

Free newspaper

There was consternation amongst some Muslims in the Witton area of Birmingham when the local Aston Villa Football Club entered into a promotional campaign with the Daily Star. This campaign included the free distribution of the newspaper to homes in the area over a seven-day period. Some Muslims complained about this newspaper, which they considered to be distasteful, and their case was taken up by the local Labour MP, Jeff Rooker. The Daily Star agreed that such a promotion would not be undertaken again but the decision was defended by Aston Villa's commercial manager, Abdul Rashid, who said that he had consulted widely before launching the campaign. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 21]

UKACIA on Bosnia

The United Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs sent a ten-man delegation to speak to the Foreign Office Eastern Adriatic Unit to demand an explanation of the government's persistent refusal to sanction measures to halt genocide in Bosnia. Iqbal Sacranie, who led the delegation, said that he was seeking clarification of Britain's contradictory stance. He said, "While the government claims it is actively trying to promote peace, all its actions point to the opposite" (Q News 04.02.94). [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 22]

Seeing is believing

A survey was commissioned by the Independent Television Commission into religious broadcasting. The report, Seeing is Believing: Religion and Television in the 1990's, recorded the decline in organised religion in Britain and criticised the shift of religious broadcasting away from "prime time" to late-night slots (The Independent 26.01.94). A total of 1200 viewers were interviewed for the survey from many religious traditions in Britain. The Muslims were reported to be generally in favour of more religious programmes and "nine out of ten Muslims said they believed that without religious beliefs life was meaningless" (Daily Awaz 09.02.94). Many Muslims were reported to have said that they felt that the Church of England "owned" religious broadcasting in Britain. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 22]

Housing the homeless

The scandal of empty houses in Bradford, in the light of the many people seeking housing, was highlighted in a report for the local council. It revealed that 700 council houses were empty (2.2% of the housing stock) and 8,900 private homes (6% of the total) were unoccupied. The council is to seek more money to repair their empty houses and are contacting building societies with a view to making repossessed houses available for rent. The chairman of the housing committee, Councillor Rangzeb, said that they would try to acquire empty houses needing repair through compulsory purchase orders. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 22]

Building with a history

The London Jamme Masjid, in the East End, was visited in the regular Times feature on places of worship (22.01.94). The mosque was originally built in 1743 as a Huguenot chapel and was later used as a Methodist chapel and a synagogue. It became a mosque in 1976 and now serves an area in which 23% of the population are from Bangladeshi families. The reporter, a woman, was not allowed to enter the mosque during prayers but listened in through a sound system in the president's office. She recorded her sense of being "present" at a spiritually uplifting service. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 22]

Pak-UK hospital

Residents in the London borough of Brent collected a total of £22,000 to help flood victims in Pakistan following the Punjab floods of 1992. The funds were not available in time for immediate flood relief and so were used to build the Pak-UK Women and Children Hospital in Jhelum. The 25-bed hospital will serve the people of the area and is expected to be completed by September '94. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 22]

Father seeks his son

A man from Catford in south-east London is appealing for access to his six year-old son whom he has only seen twice since 1992. The child's mother separated from his father soon after he was born and in 1992 married a Muslim man who belongs to the Islamic Mosque in Brixton. In spite of a court order requiring them to make the boy's whereabouts known to his father, he has been unable to get any information about him. A warrant was issued for the arrest of the mother on 18 November 1993 and a "seek and find" order for the boy. The boy and his mother were last seen by a private investigator employed by the father on 8th December as they were leaving the Brixton mosque. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 22/23]

Judge Nazreen Pearce

Britain's first woman judge from an Asian family took her oath on the Qur'an on 18 January 1994. She is Mrs Nazreen Pearce who is a widow with two grown children. Judge Pearce was born in Aden, educated in Pakistan and moved to England at the age of seventeen where she later married an Englishman. She was called to the Bar in 1963 where she has concentrated on family matters until she was appointed a full-time recorder in the Family Division in 1983. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 23]

Call for a national voice

Muslim leaders in Bradford have launched an initiative to establish a national consultative body to provide a regular forum for the exchange of ideas. "The idea behind the unification meeting was for Muslims to be able to act with one voice on major issues", said Sher Azam, President of the Bradford Council for Mosques (Q News 21.01.94), but the initial meeting, scheduled for 29th January, clashed with two other major conferences of Muslims organised for the same weekend. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 23]

Anti-smoking campaign

Muslim male cigarette smokers are being targeted by the Coventry council health department. A survey shows that about 50% of Muslim men are smokers which is higher than for any other minority group and well in excess of the national average of 30%. The council has sponsored the printing of Ramadan calendars for use by local Muslims which contains a strong anti-smoking message. The calendars are being distributed with the assistance of mosque leaders with the hope that Muslims who give up smoking during Ramadan can be persuaded to make their rejection of cigarettes final and complete. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 23]

Paperback bestseller

Seyyed Hossein Nasr, the Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University in the United States and author of many books on philosophy, science and spirituality, has published a new paperback book in America which has sold out its initial print-run of 3,000 copies in just four weeks. The 270-page book, A Young Muslim's Guide To The Modern World, has now been published in Britain by the Islamic Texts Society, Cambridge, CB2 3JU. It is intended for two audiences: firstly, the adult children of parents who were born in the east but now live in the west, and, secondly, students from Muslim countries who come to the west to study. The book aims to give its readers the self-confidence and knowledge necessary to withstand the onslaught of secularism in the west. It is reported that a substantial proportion of the American sales have been to Christians and Jews searching to combat secularism. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 23]

Hospital tries to improve

The Pinderfields hospital NHS Trust in West Yorkshire has set up a special study to assess the accessibility of its premises for patients from the minority communities. The study has already highlighted five areas for particular attention, viz. improved signposting around the sites, greater cultural and religious awareness, overcoming language barriers, improving patient information and setting-up monitoring systems to improve patient care. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 23/24]

Interfaith roundup

The Concord Interfaith Society in Bradford has arranged a panel discussion with Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh speakers entitled Faith and Fasting. It has been scheduled to coincide with the lead-up to Ramadan and Lent. The latest in the series of Christian-Muslim dialogues which are arranged in Leicester by Gordon Sealy and Ataullah Siddiqui (both associates of CSIC) will have the theme Liberalism and Religion. The speakers will introduce the subject and then preside over audience participation.

The second annual interfaith gathering in Crawley took the form of a conference on getting "back to basics" in family values. The conference, which included Muslims, Sikhs, Jews and Christians, aimed to increase understanding between religions and raise moral standards. Birmingham Cathedral staged a half-day seminar on Christianity and Islam. The two speakers were staff members of CSIC. Dr David Thomas spoke about how the Christian world looks at Islam and Dr Khalid Alavi explored how Muslims see Christians in Birmingham. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 24]

Iranian celebrations

To celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, an exhibition was mounted of the work of top Iranian women artists. The exhibition, which contained paintings, pastel drawings, miniatures, handicrafts, photographs and calligraphy, was attended by nearly 1,000 Iranians and their guests. The major address of the event was given by Dr Hojjat, the former head of the Cultural Heritage Organisation of Iran. He quoted Ayatollah Khamenei as saying, "a thought needs artistic expression to be able to last long" (Q News 04.02.94). He also stressed that, contrary to widely held expectations, cultural and artistic expression in Iran is regarded as one of the most important mediums for the transmission of the Islamic message. The celebrations concluded with a two-hour concert of classical and folk music performed by male and female ensembles. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 24]

Halal bakery project

The Luqman bakery project, Liverpool, which aims to set up as suppliers of halal bread to Muslims in the North-West, has received promises of support from the Liverpool council, City Challenge, Merseyside Task Force and other similar bodies. This support is based on plans and a feasibility study carried out by business consultants. The organisers are now appealing to the Muslim world to come forward with the remainder of the £300,000 needed to fund the project. The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Dubai as well as other Gulf states have been contacted. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 24]

Muslims and the Establishment

An article in the Catholic Herald (21.01.94), prompted by the Duchess of Kent's decision to become a Roman Catholic and the wave of people seeking to join that church after the Church of England's decision to ordain women priests, traced the history of Catholics in England from the 16th century reformation onwards. For 300 years, until Catholic Emancipation in 1829, there were penal laws which, to varying degrees, proscribed the practice of Catholic Christianity in Britain. Having traced this history, the article went on to look at who might be the subject of penal laws today. "It is an unpleasant fact that Islam has taken the place of Catholicism as something "foreign", "creepy", "autocratic" and "feared". Whilst Muslims in this country are not subject to penal laws they have, for example, been denied the right to have the state-aided schools that the Catholic and Jewish communities have. If an established Church [the Church of England] survives, it will probably be because the Establishment deems it politically still useful. Perhaps to keep the Muslims in check, in the way Catholics once were - for Muslims are still very much outside the Establishment." [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 24/25]

Women prepare for work

Fifteen women from the minority communities in east Oxford have just completed a ten-week training scheme in industrial sewing and business awareness. The scheme was organised by the Oxfordshire Co-Operative Development Agency and the Ethnic Minority Business Service and funded by the Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council. Transport, childcare and an interpreter were supplied to assist the women who, it is hoped, will now go on to employment or further tuition. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 25]

Mixed-sex wards

Fear has been expressed that the NHS may be embarking on a policy of creating more mixed-sex wards. These were originally introduced in the 60's and 70's to optimise the use of specialist equipment, now they are being proposed to allow greater utilisation of beds and thus greater efficiency. It is also thought that there may be economic considerations behind the move. The plans have been criticised by Dr Shameem Quraishy and Dr Jafar Quraishy of the Muslim Doctors and Dentists' Association. The mixing of the sexes in this way when people are at their most vulnerable is held to be reprehensible and to lack sensitivity to Muslim religious and cultural needs. The distress which such a system would cause to Muslim patients is held to be detrimental to their recovery. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 25]

Muslim youth sentenced

A sixteen year-old Muslim youth, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting a girl of the same age and sentenced to six months in a young offenders' institution by the Eastbourne Youth Court, has had his appeal dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The youth had waylaid the girl in a secluded alley and touched her over her clothing. The youth's barrister said in court in mitigation that "He comes from a strict, orthodox Muslim family. One of his problems is that he is not allowed to have any contact with girl friends... The problem is that he has grown up in a multi-cultural society and there is a clash of cultural identity. He has difficulty in coming to terms with his cultural identity" (Eastbourne Gazette 12.01.94). Rather than a custodial sentence, the court was told that the youth was willing to undertake a course of treatment arranged by the Eastbourne community health authority. The barrister said, "The effect on his family has been absolutely appalling. In that sense, the young man has been punished enough, because he has strayed from the straight and narrow path". In dismissing the appeal, the judge said, "The message has to go out from this court that this kind of assault, premeditated in an isolated place, on a young girl, will inevitably attract a custodial sentence, even in the case of someone with a previously good character". [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 25]

Career in journalism

The University of Central Lancashire has won government backing for a special course in journalism aimed at members of the black and ethnic minority communities. It is acknowledged that people from these communities are under-represented in journalism and often receive only a low level of training. A specialist lecturer, Shaheen Aktar, has been appointed to develop the project. The University is presently able to offer two bursaries, paid for by Granada Television, for ethnic minority students to take up places on the postgraduate diploma course in radio and television studies. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 26]

Women reach a modus vivendi

The position of Muslim women within society was discussed in an article in the Daily Awaz (31.01.94). The recent social history of women was discussed, largely against a South Asian background, and emphasis was laid on the way in which they have taken a significant role in political life and the professions. It was noted that revivalism was sweeping the Muslim world and that this was causing additional pressures on some women who were being encouraged to remain out of public circulation. The rich variety of modest dress which Muslim women within different cultures are wearing was described and short biographical notes were given on Muslim women who had reached a modus vivendi which was both Islamic and enabled them to pursue their chosen careers. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 26]

Racially-motivated incidents

The number of racially-motivated incidents reported to police in Brighton increased from 52 in 1992 to 75 in 1993. Local Muslim leaders felt that the number was substantially, perhaps three-fold, higher. The police indicated that the increased figure betokens a greater willingness to report incidents but it is still felt that many incidents go unreported due to fear of reprisals. Muslim sources instanced a 21 year-old Sudanese student who was stabbed in the hand but was too frightened to go to the police or a hospital. Incidents reported include corrosive liquid poured over a car, abuse of a child in a play scheme and a violent attack on a youth near the pier.

A racial harassment sub-committee is to be set up in Croydon to monitor incidents which occur in their area. The number of reported incidents went down in 1993 to 80 from a figure of 120 in 1992. The new sub-committee is being set up by the Croydon Race Equality Council. Rochdale Racial Equality Council has reported that it has the second highest level of racially motivated attacks in the Greater Manchester area. Incidents have included the "torching" of a seven year-old white boy who was playing with children from the ethnic minorities. The REC has called for an increased effort to report incidents to the police as the only effective method of eliminating the problem. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 26]

Mosque fire

Around £2,000 worth of damage was done to the Ilford Islamic Centre when arsonists sprayed a flammable substance over the rear door and set it alight. There was extensive scorch and smoke damage and electrical cables were destroyed. A carpet and several paintings were likewise destroyed. A police spokesman said, "At the moment, we don't know if it is a racially motivated incident, but obviously that is something we are investigating" (Ilford Recorder 27.01.94). [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 26]

Strength in unity

Members of the Pakistani and Kashmiri communities in Slough have joined together to found the Federation of Pakistani and Kashmiri Organisations. One of the aims of the Federation is to do battle against racism, inequality and discrimination. Members feel that their needs have not been sufficiently represented by other anti-racist groups who have claimed to speak for all ethnic minorities (Slough and Langley Observer 21.01.94). [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 27]

Racism in the workforce

Nottingham City Council has enacted a new procedure to deal with racially motivated incidents amongst its workforce. This follows a report two months ago about unequal treatment based on race. The new procedure aims to put a support system in place which can readily be used when an incident is reported. It calls for an adjudication panel of at least three people which must include an external member. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 27]

New paper on racial equality

The Commission on Social Justice, which is sponsored by the Labour Party, has issued a paper entitled Racial Equality: Colour Culture and Justice which was written by Tariq Madood, senior fellow at the Policy Studies Institute (available from the Institute for Public Policy Research, 30-32 Southampton Street, London WC2E 7RA at £2.95). The paper calls for racial violence to be made a separate criminal offence and for the crime of incitement to religious hatred, currently applicable only in Northern Ireland, to be extended to the rest of the United Kingdom. "It says the country should go beyond "colour racism" to tackle the issue of "cultural racism" which affects wider groups whose customs and practises [sic] fall outside the majority white norm" (The Independent 24.01.94). This would be a particularly beneficial change for the Muslim community which falls outside current legislation. Quoting the paper itself, the same newspaper states "We now need to re-emphasise the connections between issues of race and other concerns of social justice, in particular that racial disadvantage compounds class inequality and social deprivation and exclusion". Judging by recent comments of the Home Secretary to the Commons Home Affairs Committee, there seems little chance that the present government will implement the recommendations of this paper.

Commenting on the Commission on Social Justice's paper, Iqbal Sacranie, of the United Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, said it was "the first time that the lack of rights for Muslims have been made integral to the case for racial equality". Ishtiaq Ahmed, Director of Bradford's Race Equality Council, said, "I know that such a high profile for religion might seem to be in conflict with the party's secular ethos. But if a Labour government chose to implement these conclusions, it would go a long way in improving the plight of minorities". Sir Gordon Borrie, Chairman of the Commission on Social Justice, said "If we are to bring social justice to the UK we must increase the opportunities for minority communities to contribute fully to society. And we must recognise the complexities and new challenges of racial and religious discrimination in the 1990's" (all Q News 28.01.94). [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 27]

Racial attacks should be criminal

The Coventry Racial Equality Council is campaigning for racial attacks and harassment to be made criminal offences. They have sent details of such offences in Coventry to the home affairs select committee which is investigating the issue. Their stance is backed by local MP's and the city council. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 27]

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Updates

Education

Birmingham headteacher dismissed

The six months' saga of Mrs Noshaba Hussain's appointment as headteacher at Springfield Junior School, Birmingham (see BMMS for September, October, November and December 1993) has reached a decisive point. The panel of three governors who were charged with investigating the case found that she had made "serious misrepresentations" to secure the position. Accordingly, she has been given three months' official notice of termination of her contract. Mrs Hussain was not present at the meeting and had ten days in which to lodge an appeal.

The Chairman of Birmingham Education Committee said: "Substantial inaccuracies and serious misrepresentations in the application form have brought about a complete breakdown of trust and confidence between Mrs Hussain and the governing body. We all knew Mrs Hussain had very little teaching experience. But she did purport to have a certain standing academically which has not been borne out." He said that it was "far too early" to say if she might be prosecuted for allegedly making false statements (Birmingham Evening Mail 14.01.94).

Mrs Noshaba Hussain has now announced that she is to appeal against her dismissal. The appeal will be based on the grounds that the panel was biased against her and acting outside its legal powers. Mrs Hussain is asking for a fresh hearing before a different panel of governors. Mrs Hussain is being supported by her union, the NAS/UWT, which is threatening High Court action if the council goes through with the dismissal procedure. Birmingham City Council are taking legal advice. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 28]

School places in Bradford

The group of parents who have been pursuing a case through the High Court alleging discrimination over the way in which Bradford Council had allocated places in secondary schools in the area (see BMMS for September 1993) has decided not to continue with their appeal against the High Court's decision in favour of the council. The school to which the pupils had been allocated, against the parents' wishes and which the parents had described as a "dustbin school", has recently been the subject of an official OFSTED report. Its academic standards, discipline and sports facilities were described as exemplary, the leadership was described as positive and purposeful and the governors as supportive. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 28]

Welcome for sex education proposals

The government has issued draft proposals for wide consultation on the question of sex education in schools. These require governors to publish their policy on sex education and make it available to parents so that a partnership may be formed between parents, teachers and the community. There is also a proposal that sex education should be delivered within a framework of moral values and stressing the importance of family life. It will become a separate subject on the curriculum rather than being subsumed into other disciplines like biology. The broad thrust of the proposals, especially their emphasis on morality, family values and parental responsibility, has been welcomed by Ibrahim Hewitt of the Muslim Education Trust. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 28]

Muslims join ATS

Ten students from the Al Jamia Al Islamia in Flintham near Newark have joined the local Air Training Corps. The school opened last September (see BMMS for August 1993) and is trying to integrate into the local community. The boys are accompanied to ATC meetings by two teachers who act as translators, the boys are currently learning English, and give guidance on the Islamic permissibility of ATC activities. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 28/29]

"Reading in the community"

The Muslim community in Sheffield is staging a one-day conference on the teaching of reading in schools. They are aware that this is a key area in which many children from Asian families fall behind their peers. Experts on reading development will speak at the conference and moves to improve the concerted efforts of parents, teachers and community leaders will be discussed. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 29]

VA application supported

The Muslim Girls' Community School in Bradford, which was given a new building by the LEA on a "peppercorn rent" (see BMMS for October 1993), has applied for voluntary aided status. The final decision will rest with the Secretary of State for Education but the support of the LEA will be of great importance. Bradford City Council has voted unanimously to support the application. The decision was taken at a meeting on 27th January after some initial hesitation by Conservative councillors who were worried about the school's ability to renovate the Feversham School site and finance their share of the costs involved. It is hoped that the school will move into the new building by September 1994. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 29]

Director of Education dismissed

Mrs Sari Conway, the Director of Education in Bradford, has been dismissed by the local council. Mrs Conway had only been in post for two years but had become a firm favourite of the city's Muslim population who were inspired by her genuine concern for the welfare and education of Muslim pupils. Mrs Conway was instrumental in the decision to lease the Feversham school building to Bradford Muslim Girls' Community School at a peppercorn rent of only £1 per year. She had been a supporter of the school, accepting invitations to distribute prizes, and was regarded as a warm and accessible friend. When appointed, Mrs Conway was given the twin tasks of removing the school budget deficit and improving the standards of Bradford schools. She achieved the former to a considerable extent and planned to introduce more traditional teaching methods to deal with the latter. This included concentrating on the teaching of English to younger age-group children, an idea occasioned by a visit to English language schools in Pakistan. The official statement communicating news of her dismissal indicated that there were differences in management style. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 29]

Tutorial help for children

Cambridgeshire County Council has extended a scheme aimed at helping children from minority communities to make better progress with their education. The scheme has been running in Peterborough and consisted of lunchtime "homework clubs" where additional teaching and support services were available. Now there will be a similar scheme after school hours in the Centre for Multicultural Education where teachers, bilingual assistants and members of the multicultural education service will be available to help pupils understand and tackle elements of the curriculum with which they are having problems. The scheme has received the enthusiastic support of Muslim councillors. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 29]

MEF annual meeting

The Muslim Education Forum, which aims to co-ordinate a Muslim voice on education questions, held its annual meeting in Leicester. The six year-old body has been guided by Fazlun Khalid since its creation but now he is stepping down to concentrate on environmental work and is to be replaced as national co-ordinator by Akram Khan-Cheema, a former schools' adviser in Bradford. It was reported at the meeting that the UK Islamic Education Waqf (charitable fund) had distributed £60,000 during 1993. Of this, £46,000 had gone to Muslim schools and the remainder had been divided between supplementary schools and teacher training initiatives. In addition to the Waqf, there had been a further £84,000 from private donations and an impending donation of £50,000 to the Waqf promised for 1994. A strong call went out from Khalida Khan for more attention to be paid to the 99% of Muslim children who are attending state schools. Similarly, the need for more Muslim RE teachers was stressed by the president of the Association of Muslim RE Teachers. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 29/30]

Halal meals for Peterborough

Two Peterborough schools, which both have about 95% Muslims on roll, look set to get halal meals served in the schools' canteens following a co-operative venture by the schools, the County Council and the Muslim community. The logistical problem of providing halal food prepared in accordance with Islamic law has been solved by a Bradford-based company which will supply ready-made meals at a cost which will only slightly exceed the norm for Peterborough schools. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 30]

Teaching about HIV and AIDS

A pilot project has been run in some London schools of giving intensive training to sixth-form students about HIV and AIDS and then using them as teachers for younger pupils. The project is being run by the Ibis Trust and involved a two-day intensive residential training programme in which the students learn both information and methodology for communicating it to others. It has been found that there is less embarrassment by using this method and communication is more open and frank. The Ibis Trust is using a different method in the South Camden Community School where many of the pupils are Muslims. There was no chance of taking them away for residential training so four teachers were given special training and now run a voluntary class after school. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 30]

Halal meals for Staffordshire

Following the success of a pilot project in the Trent Valley High School, Stoke on Trent, the Staffordshire county education committee are set to extend halal school meals provision to all schools where they are requested on a permanent basis. The only question yet to be resolved is the additional costs involved. The move has been welcomed by local Muslim leaders. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 30]

Mixed schools praised

Following a tour of schools in Islamabad, Karachi and Mirpur, the headteacher of a mixed comprehensive school in Bradford, with 80% of Muslim children on its roll, has praised the mixed, multicultural school as the best way for British Muslim children to get ahead through education. Mr Richard Thompson said that the schools which he had visited in Pakistan were mixed and achieved higher than average standards. Although he saw this as the way forward, Muslim leaders in Bradford reiterated the need for single-sex schools if parents there were to be persuaded not to keep their daughters at home or send them to Pakistan. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 30]

Section 11 reprieve

Parents from the ethnic minorities in Hertfordshire gave a warm welcome to the news that the County Council will make up the shortfall in Section 11 funding for English language support when the government reduces its contribution to the costs involved. In the past, central government has paid 75% of the cost of Section 11 projects with the local council making up the remainder. Last year the government announced that it would be reducing its contribution to 57% in 1994 and to 50% in 1995. This meant a substantial increase in the local council's contribution or a cut in Section 11 projects. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 30/31]

British Muslims and Schools

The Muslim Educational Trust has reprinted Ghulam Sarwar's booklet British Muslims and Schools in a revised edition (January 1994) which is available from the MET, 130 Stroud Green Road, London N4 3RZ at £2.00. The booklet gives a Muslim perspective on a variety of educational issues which touch Muslims in Britain, including: RE, collective worship, sex education, PE, Art, Music, uniform, provision for prayers, festivals and halal food, governors, SACREs, languages, single-sex schools and a whole range of educational topics. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 31]

Muslims & Conservatives?

The working alliance which many Muslim educationalists seem to have forged with the right-wing of the Conservative Party was attacked by Dr Ghulam Saqib speaking at the Muslim Education Forum conference. He tendered an analysis of educational policy which suggested that most of the legislation since the 1944 Act was "shallow, ill thought out and driven by a mix of mind-bending imperial nostalgia and an equally mindless adherence to the economics of the free market", according to a report in Q News (28.01.94), which went on to say, "Castigating as misguided those Muslim educationalists who had chosen the Christian right as their allies, Dr Saqib said Muslims should be wary of becoming pawns in an hypocritical and contradictory right-wing agenda". Dr Saqib went on to attack the Conservative government for shifting power away from local government thus diminishing the influence of local communities on policy issues and ultimately destroying the communities themselves. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 31]

Mosques

Bradford

An application to extend the Tawakkilia Masjid in the Manningham district of Bradford has been deferred due to problems over the fire escape. The plans call for a second floor extension with a domed roof but include two fire escapes which planners feel would be an unsightly blight on the building. They have sent the plans back for further consideration. There were also queries raised about the suitability of the dome design as it appeared to some councillors to look "almost like an after-thought". [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 31]

Burton on Trent

Plans to extend the Uxbridge Street Muslim community centre to provide accommodation for a prayer hall and minarets seem almost certain to be approved in spite of objections from neighbours about noise and a decrease in the value of their properties. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 31]

Chorley

Plans for a small new mosque on the corner of Brooke Street have been approved by the Borough Council planning committee. The mosque will have a prayer hall, small library and toilets. It will replace an existing mosque and is expected to cost between £100,000 and £150,000. It will be double glazed and insulated for sound. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 31]

Gravesend

Muslims in Gravesend and Dartford have realised a twelve-year dream by purchasing a former tavern and gaining permission to convert it into a mosque and community centre. The community has had no place of their own before and has managed to raise £100,000 through donations to make the purchase and restoration possible. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 31/32]

Harlesden

A former courthouse is to be turned into a Muslim community centre by the Al Bagadu Foundation. It is expected to be of particular service to Sudanese and Somalian families. The building will house a prayer hall, meeting and craft rooms, a creche and teaching facilities. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 32]

Keighley

The Muslim Association has been successful in finding suitable premises for a community centre after a 20-year search. They have purchased a former church, which had subsequently been used as a factory, in Highfield Lane. The centre will run an educational programme for its young members, training and job-creation schemes and a regular social gathering for the elderly. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 32]

Kidderminster

Muslims in Kidderminster, who had been using a terraced house as a mosque for some years without realising that they needed permission, have been given permission to continue using the building. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 32]

Kirklees

Permission has been given for an extension to the Jamia Mosque in Heckmondwike. The extension will be used as a day centre for the elderly. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 32]

Leeds

Work is scheduled to begin on the first purpose-built mosque in Leeds. The Sunni Muslim Community has purchased land from the council and raised the first £280,000 towards the projected cost of £750,000. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 32]

Leicester

The local council in Leicester has already agreed that land should be found for religious and community use and that it should be sold to religious groups at a 50% discount. Problems have now arisen over a specific site which the council wants to offer to Hindu and Sikh groups to build places of worship as well as the local Muslim Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat. The religious groups are happy with the site but there has been some opposition from Conservative councillors who are unhappy at siting places of worship outside the areas in which the religious communities live. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 32]

Newham

The Newham North Islamic Association has launched an appeal for £100,000 to complete the renovation and extension of their Forest Gate mosque. It was purchased by the donations of the community and they have raised £100,000 so far towards the present costs. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 32]

Southall

The Muslim community in Southall has made an offer for the former Town Hall which is currently on the market. It is understood that the Muslim bid is £29,000 more than the next highest offer and possibly three times the building's current market value. For its own reasons, the local council has decided to ask the two main parties who want the building to bid again. The Muslim community contested this decision in the High Court and won the case. There have been suggestions that using the site as a mosque will cause communal friction as it is right nextdoor to a Hindu temple which is the other party in the race to secure funds to purchase the building for an extension to its present temple. These fears have been refuted by local Muslims who have held public meetings to stress their desire and intention to live harmoniously with everyone. Everyone is now waiting to see which of the two bids will be accepted by the Ealing Council. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 32/33]

Wakefield

The planning committee has decided to postpone a final decision on the use of a mid-terraced house as a mosque (see BMMS for December 1993), pending reports from the fire service, education and highways departments. There are concerns about the risk to children using the mosque and the likely traffic congestion in the area. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 33]

Watford

The Muslim community centre on the former Scammell lorry site has been at the centre of political dispute on the local council for many months. The council has now decided to give them £16,000 towards the purchase of equipment, furniture and water and electricity costs. The equipment will help the community establish a centre which will in turn, it is hoped, raise money to complete the work of building a mosque on the site. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 33]

Worcester

In spite of an adverse recommendation from planning officers and significant local opposition from residents on the grounds of excess traffic problems (see BMMS for November and December 1993), the Worcester City Council planning committee has pledged support in principle for the plans to convert the former post office into a mosque, community centre and block of flats. [BMMS January 1994 Vol. II, No. 1, p. 33]

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