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British Muslims Monthly Survey for December 1994 Vol. II, No.12
Features Muslim winner of national lottery The many "statements" made by hijab Short Reports Newark school: planning decisions English Muslim killed in India Churches and Islamic movements Updates Education Bradford pupils without English Islamic Studies recruitment drive Minority Governors' Conference Brunel Islamic Society suspended Mosques
Features Muslim winner of national lottery The press made a great deal out of the success of a Muslim man from Blackburn in the national lottery in the second week of December. His notoriety was increased because of the size of the win, almost £18m, due to the jackpot not being won in the previous week. Much was made of the fact that gambling is haram [forbidden] for Muslims and that Muslims had been advised in many mosques throughout the country that they should have nothing to do with the lottery either as a participant or an agent involved in selling tickets. Countless examples were noted of Muslims who had been involved in the lottery in addition to the winner. Leading Muslims were sought for comments which generally reiterated the Qur'anic prohibition on gambling and then went on to say that each individual must make a decision over whether or not to obey the injunction. It was also noted that there seems to be a distinction in some people's minds between betting and taking part in a lottery as is evidenced by the fact that Pakistan also has a monthly national lottery (Bolton Evening News 14.12.94). There was particular concern that the identity of the winner was confirmed in a report in the News of the World (18.12.94). Given the variety of pictures which were reproduced of the man and his wife, including wedding photographs, it would seem clear that the newspaper had assistance from someone within the winner's close circle of family or friends. The winner is reported to have offered some of the money to his local Muslim community who are currently raising money to pay for a mosque and community centre but the money was refused on the basis that it had been raised by illicit means (Today 16.12.94). It was also pointed out that the man could not give any of the money to his family (Daily Mail 16.12.94). He is reported to have offered £1m to the Birmingham-based charity Islamic Relief, which was rejected, although this is denied by the charity itself (Birmingham Evening Mail 16.12.94). This led Islamic Relief to make a statement to the effect that they would be willing to accept a gift to be used for charitable purposes if it were offered but they were not asking for the money (Lancaster Evening Telegraph 21.12.94, Q News 23.12.94). The man is reported to have approached the chemical factory where he worked and asked the management to arrange for each person on the pay roll to be given a gift of £40,000 from the winnings but the management are said to have declined the request for fear of problems over income tax. The management denied that they had had any formal approach but said that such a gift ought to be made directly to beneficiaries rather than through the company (The Observer 18.12.94). There was no shortage of advice from Muslim leaders as to what the man should do with his winnings. Dr Kalim Siddiqui of the Muslim Parliament advised that, "The local leaders should accept the money for their community. But the man should not use it for himself or his family. And on no account should he give it back to Camelot" (Daily Star 16.12.94). The President of the Kokni Muslim Welfare Society in Blackburn, to which the man belonged, said, "Local hospitals need so much money, local charities, homeless people, elderly people. People would respect him if he gave it all away" (South Wales Evening Post 16.12.94). A further factor concerned with the national lottery is that a portion of the money raised is to be distributed to charities. This led to a question being posed on the subject to the al-Azhar-trained expert in fiqh [jurisprudence], Sheikh Darsh, who runs a regular fortnightly column in Q News applying Islamic law to people's queries. The question asked if Muslim organisations should accept money from lottery receipts. Sheikh Darsh answered, "Money coming out of the lottery is considered illegal gain. Now if the government is to distribute this money between different charities without application from Muslim organisations, they are allowed to take it and use it to any good cause except for building a mosque and printing the Qur'an. It must be stressed however that Muslims are not allowed to solicit for the money" (Q News 23.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 1/2]
The many "statements" made by hijab The journalist, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, wrote an article exploring the many levels of meaning and the "statements" involved in the wearing of hijab amongst European Muslims under the title Sex, veils and stereotypes (The Independent 22.12.94). The article began by describing the experience of some young Muslim women who had taken to wearing the hijab as an assertion of their Islamic identity but who discovered that they were so plagued by men who found them to be an irresistible object of desire in their apparent purity and unattainability that, for their own protection, they decided to cease the practice. The author traced this back to stereotypes in both East and West of "taking the veil" as a sign of purity and erotic intrigue. Thus, the veil is associated more with titillation in contemporary Europe rather than as an indication of modesty. According to Alibhai-Brown, when the Muslim woman in Europe dons the veil it carries with it all these sexual overtones as well as a public statement about being a Muslim. "For a society consumed on the one hand by Islamaphobia and by the commercialisation of sex on the other, the hejab is an affront on both counts... Hence Muslim women's motivation for wearing the hejab - to feel connected to their religious roots, to de-sex themselves in order to be taken seriously, to avoid being molested - is being thwarted." In addition to the sexual overtones conveyed by wearing the hijab, there is also the fact that women thus clothed may "become inadvertently identified with militant Islamic groups". The relationship of feminism to the hijab was also explored. Some feminists see it as a sign of male oppression and there are Muslim feminists who would agree with this view arguing that the decision to wear it is "often the result of brainwashing or disenchantment with the West". Others would say that feminism ought to be about promoting the freedom to make choices "even when the choices are unacceptable to other feminists". Again, "there are independent women who do not find their sense of self confirmed by the hejab". In addition there are also women who are forced to wear the hijab by their family, by the society in which they live or by male militants such as in Algeria and Iran. Further, there are Muslim women who decide either to wear it or not at different times in their lives according to the statement which they wish to make at that particular time. The complexity of the hijab issue stands in need of exploration and re-thinking according to the article. "The hejab is not as strictly Islamic as it is professed to be. It was a practice taken on by middle-class Muslim women in the seventh century partly because that was the tradition of the (Christian) Byzantines, who wanted to keep themselves aloof from the masses". It was stressed that the Qur'anic injunction is for modesty in dress which can be interpreted in a variety of creative ways. "Thus Muslim women can achieve a definable identity while remaining part of the occidental world - enabling them to move into desirable careers and take opportunities which might otherwise be denied to them." The newscasters Zeinab Badawi and Shanaz Pakravan were cited as examples. The hijab was held potentially to give a sense of dignity and belonging, to be a sign against materialism and the idea that freedom comes through flaunting oneself and to free women from the dictates of fashion. Also, "some women feel it is empowering to be in a position to observe men whilst keeping themselves hidden... But despite all this, the hejab is now so invested with different (and sometimes appalling) connotations that it is not possible to extract the meaning you wish to promote and hope the world will understand... Even more important, many of those involved in the struggles to negotiate a legitimate place for Islam in the new Europe feel that the hejab is becoming a damaging distraction, a crude emblem that polarises people and helps to justify - as in France - the exclusion and maltreatment of Muslims". The article drew a degree of criticism from one correspondent to Q News (06.01.94), who described Yasmin Alibhai-Brown as "an apologist for misogyny" and her article as "proving that the politics of hijab have challenged the status quo in the European world". [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 2/3]
The Manchester office of Islamic Relief has appealed for gifts of money to finance a convoy of food and medicine to Bosnia due to leave Britain on 15th January. The aid is specifically targeted at those who will suffer most with the onset of winter. The Union of Muslim Organisations in Walsall held a festive lunch on 26th December to raise money for a forthcoming aid trip to Bosnia. The Bradford branch of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association staged a 24-hour peace vigil outside Leeds Town Hall to draw attention to the plight of Bosnians and raise money for their next aid convoy. The Association has now sent more than £500,000 in aid to Bosnia. As part of an article devoted to exploring how various religious and ethnic groups celebrated Christmas in Coventry, the Rugby Telegraph (22.12.94) focused on some of the 150 Bosnian refugees which have been settled in the city. In particular, they featured a Christian family which had been airlifted out of Sarajevo as part of Operation Irma in August 1993 so that one member could receive treatment for a brain tumour. Two 45-minute documentaries on the future of the United Nations were scheduled by BBC2 television for transmission on 7th and 14th January. The programmes, A Soldier's Peace, were presented and compiled by General Lewis MacKenzie who commanded the UN troops in Bosnia before his resignation. General MacKenzie has been the subject of a good deal of criticism for his alleged support for the Serbian cause in the Bosnian war. Much of this was rehearsed and supported by references in an article in Q News (06.01.95). The same newspaper published a full page of extracts from answers which the General had given before armed services committees in the USA. Several leading Muslim commentators were quoted in a further article in the same paper as being "shocked" by the BBC's choice of "an alleged war criminal" to present such high-profile programmes. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 3/4]
Clifford Longley, the former religious affairs correspondent to The Times and now an occasional columnist for the Daily Telegraph, contributed an article for the latter newspaper under the headline "When Blair has the choice, can we deny it to Muslims? (09.12.94). He began by outlining the Islamist tendencies which are current throughout North Africa and the Middle East and went on to comment on the impact which such groups are having in continental Europe. By contrast, he saw the situation in Britain currently as being more stable due partly to the success of our education system. "For all the criticism directed at it, our state education system has proved a powerful instrument of social harmony and integration." The power of the English language in this situation was acknowledged with its ability to absorb large cultural differences into a multicultural whole. Thus, English is the dominant language amongst British Muslims. Given that Mr Blair has been able to defend his choice of a Catholic grant maintained school for his own son, Longley asked how much longer this choice can be denied to Muslims. "So far the Government and local authorities have held this demand at bay, on the surface for pragmatic reasons, underneath because they do not yet have sufficient trust." Longley states his position on this question thus, "Some Muslims see such schools as essential to the cultivation of a clear Muslim identity. That aim is legitimate, provided that the separate identity they want to cultivate is firmly attached to fundamental British values such as democracy, free speech, respect for conscience, sexual equality, pluralism and accountability". "The crucial question, which cannot be postponed much longer, is how to guarantee that a state-funded Muslim school would foster respect for such values... A well-balanced educational environment, fully in accord with the national curriculum but administered by professionally qualified Muslim teachers for Muslim pupils, could hasten integration." He cited the Catholic example of education and the way in which it has integrated Irish immigrants so that they have become "loyal British subjects. Muslim schools could do the same". Longley concluded, "In all fairness, the time is fast approaching when the proposition will have to be put to the test. It could be the best of all answers to extremism". [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 4/5]
Short Reports The application from the Bhatti family to build a new abattoir on their farm at Upper Whiston, Rotherham (see British Muslims Monthly Survey for November 1994), has been rejected by the planning authority because of concerns over the size of the plant in a proposed conservation area (Rotherham Advertiser 16.12.94). The family will continue to be allowed to slaughter 500 birds per week but will not be allowed to expand or bring in chickens to be slaughtered. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 5] The four defendants, who were found guilty of the manslaughter of Farida Patel of Ilford who died as a result of beatings inflicted during an exorcism in December 1993 (see BMMS for October and November 1994), were sentenced at the court in Old Bailey on 20th December. Mona Rai, who conducted the exorcism, was sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Siraj Tutla, her assistant, was gaoled for three years for manslaughter. The brother and sister of the dead woman were sentenced to one year in prison in spite of the fact that the jury entered a plea of mercy for the former and the latter pleaded guilty and was the prime prosecution witness throughout (Daily Mail 21.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 5] A new company has been created, based in Blackburn, called Quality Halal Meals Ltd. It is an Enterprise Development Partnership between Lancashire County Council and the Muslim community with additional funds from the Prince's Trust and the European Social Fund. The company will employ six formerly unemployed young people from Asian families initially. They will produce around 800 meals daily using halal food and distribute them as meals-on-wheels to elderly Muslims throughout Lancashire (Leyland Citizen 15.12.94). It has been pointed out, in response to an enquiry, that the meals cost no more to produce than other meals-on-wheels and the same scale of charges will be levied on patrons (Lancashire Evening Telegraph 21.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 5] According to a report in Q News (09.12.94), the gay rights pressure group "Outrage" is concentrating its campaign on religious groups at present in an effort to expose the perceived hypocrisy of certain leaders being homosexual but supporting condemnatory positions against homosexual activity. This was instanced by the picketing of the General Synod of the Church of England's meeting in December and the release of helium-filled condoms during a service in Westminster Cathedral. This campaign prompted the newspaper to elicit statements on homosexuality in the Abrahamic faiths from various religious leaders. All those quoted were opposed to homosexual practice. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 5/6] Madina House, the only Muslim children's home in the country, which opened in 1981, is in danger of having to close because of lack of funds. For some years, the project was funded by the wives of Muslim ambassadors in the UK but this source of funding has dried up. The home has a trained paid staff of seven and is able to cater for a maximum of six children, girls and boys under the age of eleven. The children come through Social Services and have been taken into care through the usual combination of circumstances. As the criteria used in selecting a foster home for such children are based on ethnicity and not religion, it is important that there should be a Muslim children's home which can support them whilst in care in a Muslim atmosphere and hopefully act as a reference point for future placement. The Madina House Home for Children can be contacted through 146 Gloucester Place, London NW1 6DT (0171.262.5314). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 6] A delegation from the Islamic Council of Europe and the Muslim Solidarity Committee went to the Russian embassy on 22nd December to hand in a letter of protest over the Russian bombardment of Chechnya. The letter likened the current Russian regime to the Tsarist or Soviet era. It called for an immediate cessation of violence and the right of the people of Chechnya to self-determination. The delegation was received by a political counsellor who defended the Russian action as maintaining internal order (Daily Jang 23.12.94). The fact that Muslim countries had not spoken out in defence of their co-religionists was likened to their silence over Bosnia and lamented by Q News (06.01.95). The Muslim Parliament has launched a "Chechnia Jihad Fund" to channel money to assist those suffering under "another example of Europe's hatred for Islam and Muslims" (Q News 06.01.95). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 6] A mosque in the Little Horton district of Bradford was badly damaged by fire on 25th December. The mosque had recently been refurbished at a cost of £300,000 which had put substantial strains on the local community which is now facing a bill for an estimated £10,000 to repair the fire damage. There is no indication as to how the fire started but, after initial investigations, the police are not treating it as suspicious. Although a fire certificate had been issued just one month before the fire, alarms failed to sound (Bradford Telegraph and Argus 29.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 6] The Iranian artist and former architect, Esfandiar Ahmadi, who has a solo exhibition currently in London entitled Inner Void, was profiled in the Asian Times (10.12.94). He stressed the mystical Islamic roots of his work in which he seeks to express the energy-charged void which is at the centre of the contemplative experience of sufis. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 6] Professor Sir Norman Anderson (born 29 September 1908), died on 2nd December and was the subject of an obituary in The Independent (10.12.94). Anderson was a lawyer by training who saw missionary and military service in the Middle East where he learnt Arabic and developed his life-long passion for Islamic law. He taught Islamic law at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, for thirty years, holding the chair for twenty of them, and was consulted on contemporary Islamic law in the constitutions of several countries which gained their independence from Britain during the last fifty years, particularly Nigeria. He was also active as a Christian theologian contributing to the field of comparative religion. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 7] Mohammad Salas Khan, a member of the Pakistan Muslim Association in Swindon of 28 years standing, who has been vice-chairman of the local Racial Equality Council and a tireless worker for racial harmony and community development, has been awarded the Whitbread Volunteer Action Award for the West of England. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 7] David Atkinson, the Conservative MP for Bournemouth East, made a speech at the Western European Union assembly in Paris, in which he predicted that there would be considerable trouble between Muslims and European countries in the near future. He said that, "North africa will within a year be 'swept by revolution'... Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt would be toppled by 'mob' unrest incited by Muslim radicals and refugees would destabilise Morocco... Western troops would be sent to Morocco, Israel would mobilise and NATO warships would guard the Mediterranean... Meanwhile waves of boat people will descend upon the shores of southern Europe... As a precaution, governments throughout Europe will order the immediate arrest of known Islamic exiles and sympathisers... Demonstrations both for and against the new regimes will follow. There will be riots in the cities of Europe, with much bloodshed." (Bournemouth Evening Echo 07.12.94) Muslim leaders both locally and nationally have condemned the remarks and spoken of a "hate campaign". Mr Atkinson defended his speech, which he said was widely accepted by the assembly, but made it clear that he was talking about "Islamic fundamentalists" rather than all Muslims and further, he thought that Britain was less likely to see riots than other European cities with larger North African communities. He said, "Many countries, such as Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, are on the brink of having their secular governments overthrown by fundamentalists, which would pose a very grave threat... We should be aware of this and be prepared for it." (Bournemouth Evening Echo 08.12.94) The speech was made in the context of calling on the WEU to co-operate with the USA in developing a multi-layered anti-missile defence system to protect Europe from attack by ballistic missiles. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 7] Five police officers from Harlesden, London, are hoping to raise £3,000 by a sponsored 350-mile cycle ride from Bangladesh to India. The money will be used to set up a library in a village school in rural Bangladesh. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 7] The Islamic Culture and Information Bureau staged the "Yawm al-Zahra World Conference" in London on 10th December which attracted around 1,000 people and was timed to commemorate the birthday of Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, as such it was perceived to have a particularly Shi'ite attraction. The thrust of the speakers was to outline the position of Muslim women in contemporary western society. It was noted with regret that such a relevant conference was advertised in a way which did not attract large numbers of Sunni women, thus leaving the auditorium half-empty (Q News 16.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 8] A three-day High Court hearing concluded on 1 December 1994 to arbitrate in the long-running dispute over management structures and the handling of money at the mosque in Bury Park, Luton (see BMMS for June, July and August 1994). The High Court ruled that a provisional election for a management committee must be held on 22nd January with a further election in July 1995. Thereafter, there must be elections every two years. A seventy-point constitution for the mosque was enacted by which the mosque must be run in future. One of its provisions was to raise the membership contribution from £10 for life to £35 per year. Concerns have been raised over the state of the electoral roll to be used in January and there are fears that the High Court's provisions will not bring a permanent solution to the dispute (Luton Herald & Post 08.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 8]
Newark school: planning decisions Decisions have been reached on the planning applications made by the Al Jamia Al Islamia to convert a playing field into a cemetery and to install five portable classrooms at the school in Flintham, Newark (see BMMS for August 1993; January, August and September 1994). The application to convert the 70m by 60m section of playing field into a cemetery was rejected by the planning committee on the grounds that it would cause increased traffic in an adjoining housing area. The application for five portable classrooms was reduced to three. The classrooms are needed to provide alternative accommodation whilst permanent rooms are refurbished inside the main building. The council planning committee had received a petition and letters against the proposals and it was pointed out that an enforcement order had recently been served because the school had failed to comply with several minor details of its original planning permission (Nottingham Evening Post 17.12.94). However, the planning committee decided unanimously that it was quite normal for a school to be allowed to install temporary classrooms whilst refurbishment took place. Accordingly, temporary planning permission was awarded to the school for the three classrooms which must be removed by 21 January 1996 (Newark Advertiser 23.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 8]
The RSPCA has published the obituary of Al-Hafiz Basheer Ahmad Masri who was for twenty years a leading figure in the RSPCA branches in Tanganyika and Uganda. It stated that he "consistently argued that the Islamic religion preaches compassion towards animals and believed ritual slaughter should be replaced with humane methods" (Lancashire Evening Telegraph 27.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 8/9]
As a climax to the series of seminars organised jointly by the Calamus Foundation and the Leo Baeck College for Jewish Studies under the title "Where Muslim and Jewish civilizations meet" (see BMMS for September 1994), a party was held in the Sternberg Centre at which musical entertainment from the two traditions was provided for around 70 guests. The two partners intend to arrange further events. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 9]
Large numbers of British Pakistanis and Azad Kashmiris demonstrated outside the High Court in London on 8th December to protest against the decision of the Home Secretary to increase the sentence on the two Kashmiri men convicted of the killing of the former Indian High Commissioner in Birmingham in 1983 (Daily Jang 09.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 9]
To coincide with the December build-up to Christmas, when several schemes are run to feed and shelter the homeless, Q News (09.12.94) ran a special feature on homelessness in Britain. In addition to surveying the general plight of the homeless and reproducing figures, the report asked the question, "Where do Muslims fit in?" There is a significant number of Muslims who are refugees in Britain and therefore in temporary accommodation but no statistics exist to indicate what might be the total of Muslims who are on the streets or temporarily housed. The greatest perceived housing need amongst Muslims was held to be the over-crowding which results from multi-generational occupancy of small terraced houses. This was an element of homelessness which was felt to be in need of attention. Similarly, Muslims were encouraged to get involved in the feeding programmes which are run for the homeless as an opportunity to bring some human comfort to those in need. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 9]
Members of the London Mosque have been staging various fund-raising events in aid of the Royal Hospital and Home in Putney including a five mile sponsored run on Wimbledon Common and collections at neighbouring railway stations. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 9]
English Muslim killed in India The case of the young English Muslim convert who had settled in India and was killed in suspicious circumstances near Lucknow in 1993 reached the British press when his father, a food manufacturer from Leckhampstead, drew attention to his efforts to gain justice for his dead son (Daily Telegraph 09.05.94). The young man bought a parcel of land from a local Indian prince and his agent with the intention of building a house for himself and his young Indian wife. He received threats concerning the land and attempts were made to drive him from it. In addition, he fell foul of a local Muslim religious leader who did not agree with all the young man's views on Islam. The result of these two factors was that a gang of killers arrived at the house, attacked the servants, slashed the face of his wife and stabbed the young man in the stomach. He later died from loss of blood. His father has now made it known (Daily Telegraph 21.12.94) that three men are in custody charged with murder and that the prince, his agent and the religious leader have all been charged with conspiracy to murder. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 9/10]
After a three-year search for a suitable site, nineteen acres of farmland have been identified in the Borough of Redbridge which it is proposed to turn into a cemetery and garden of remembrance. The present cemetery's Catholic and Anglican sections are almost full and there is limited space left in the Muslim and Non-Conformist sections. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 10]
In an "exclusive interview with Sa'ad al-Faqih and Muhammad al-Masari", two "leading London-based Saudi dissidents", the Muslim weekly Q News (16.12.94) claimed that they were the subject of assassination plots initiated by leading members of the Saudi Arabian royal family. The report claimed that the plots had been opposed by the Saudi Arabian ambassador in London who had instead been given "a blank cheque to counter dissidency by peaceful means". "A spokesman for Scotland Yard confirmed that they are taking the threats seriously and have assigned protection to the two men" who are both founder-members of the Saudi opposition group, the Committee for the Defence of Legitimate Rights. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 10]
Petitions have been submitted in favour of and against the use of a room behind a butcher's shop in the Bakersfield district of Nottingham as an abattoir (see BMMS for November 1994). The butcher has applied for permission to kill forty chickens each day but bins containing the waste will only be removed three times per week thus giving rise to fears over smells from decaying material. Planning officers are recommending that the application is rejected as they believe the facilities to be unsuitable (Nottingham Evening Post 26.12.94). A decision is expected in January. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 10]
The ecumenical Church in Society Committee in Lincoln is celebrating their successful support for a Kurdish refugee who was being held in Lincoln prison but who has now been granted asylum in Britain. The man's plight was brought to the Christians' attention when they learnt that he was on hunger strike in the prison because of treatment which he had received before being brought there. The committee staged vigils outside the prison, sought the help of Amnesty International and other groups, put up bail for the man and finally pursued his case with him through the courts until it came to this satisfactory solution (Church Times 23.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 10]
The Policy Studies Institute has conducted a study on young people's confidence in the legal system. The sample was 2,500 16 and 17 year-olds living in five metropolitan areas. The study indicates that respondents from Asian families have the highest level of confidence in the courts and criminal justice system. (Q News 23.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 10/11]
The United Nations Human Rights Commission has announced that it is to send a special rapporteur to Britain to enquire into this country's race relations record. The enquiry is part of an assessment of the treatment of minorities in developing countries but Britain and the USA have been included. The particular areas addressed by the enquiry will be housing, education, health, employment and the legal system. The enquiry was noted by Q News (16.12.94) with some Muslim commentators reflecting on the record of the UN itself when it comes to anti-Muslim discrimination. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 11]
Calderdale Council is threatening to withdraw public funding from a community centre in Halifax which is at the heart of a division within the Muslim community. One faction is alleging that the Islamic Cultural and Community Association executive has been guilty of mismanagement and nepotism in the running of the centre. The council has attempted to draw the two sides together and warned them of the consequences of their failure to resolve the dispute (Halifax Evening Courier 20.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 11]
Two Muslim youths have been convicted of committing an indecent assault on a 12 year-old girl in the Oldham Youth Court. The youths were part of a gang of six or eight boys who were on their way to the mosque when they attacked the girl and dragged her to a grassy area where the assault took place. The magistrates said that they could not consider a custodial sentence because of the boys' ages but they imposed a 12 months supervision order on them and ordered each to pay £500 to the victim (Oldham Evening Chronicle 19.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 11]
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has assembled a travelling exhibition on Muslims in Britain. The exhibition, together with an accompanying booklet, covers the history of Muslim immigration and settlement in Britain, Muslims' contribution to society, profiles of prominent individuals from various walks of life and has specialised sections on work, the media, education, prayer facilities, burial and Muslim organisations. Particular emphasis is given to the interaction of Britain with Bosnia and the potential for pursuing Islamic Studies in British institutions. The exhibition will be taken to a variety of countries around the world especially ones with a Muslim population where there might be a natural interest in the situation of co-religionists in this country. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 11]
Council planning officers are opposing an application to convert a former motor cycle repair shop on the Stoney Stanton Road in Coventry into a halal fish and chip shop on the grounds that it is situated on a dangerous road where there is no provision for customers' parking. The need for such a shop has been recognised by the officers, "In the absence of such provision a lot of young people are deprived of the pleasure of such a symbolically British food and may feel disadvantaged to their peer group" (Rugby Telegraph 20.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 11/12]
Churches and Islamic movements A conference was organised jointly by the Churches' Commission on Mission, the Churches' Commission on Interfaith Relations and the International Affairs Desk of the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland to explore Christian-Muslim relations under the title "Movements in Islam: Implications for the Churches". The conference stressed the right of all religions to "witness to the faith". It called for Christians in Muslim countries to be accorded "the rights enjoyed by Muslims in this country". The importance of South Asian Islam was stressed as a means of understanding the dominant Muslim population of Britain although emphasis was also being placed on the situation of Christian-Muslim relations in Africa and the Middle East (Baptist Times 22.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 12]
A 32 year-old taxi driver in Luton from the Chawdry clan originating in Kashmir was killed in a violent disturbance in which around twenty drivers were involved. Three men of Kashmiri extraction have been charged with offences ranging from murder to unlawful violence relating to the incident. There is considerable speculation in the town as to whether this was merely a dispute between taxi drivers stemming from there being too many cabs for the level of custom or whether this crime had an inter-clan element (The Independent 30.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 12]
The Muslim Parliament's Halal Food Authority has withdrawn their licence from ten Muslim butchers' shops after it was discovered that they were selling meat which did not carry the HFA's tag which guarantees that it is halal. This amounts to around half of the HFA's total number of approved outlets (Q News 23.12.94). According to an article in the same newspaper (06.01.95), nine of these shops, based in London, have together formed the Al-Halal Traders' Association claiming that the HFA meat was too expensive, the supply unreliable and that the HFA was making too much money. It was noted in the report that the new group was supported by two of the largest Muslim wholesalers in Britain and that they had not indicated in any way how they were going to guarantee that the meat which they sell is genuinely halal. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 12]
Crown Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan is to become the first person who is not a Christian to address a congregation in the famous Christ Church, Oxford. The Prince is a former student of the college and has a daughter there at present who is due to graduate in the summer. The Crown Prince's invitation, which is expected to cause some little controversy amongst more traditional Christians, comes from the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church and is backed by the Bishop of Oxford and the university Vice-Chancellor. The date for the Prince's appearance will be published later but it is thought to be in June 1995 (The Times 19.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 12]
The leading Pakistani philanthropist and social worker, Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi, is reported to have fled Pakistan in fear of his life following many political machinations surrounding him. The welfare worker has been placed under extraordinary pressure to enter the political arena and his refusal so to do resulted in an increase in pressure on him to the extent that he felt he might be killed. Mr Edhi flew to London and expected to remain in Britain for some time raising money for his charitable work in Pakistan (Daily Jang 09.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 13]
In an article devoted to the work of the Anglican chaplain at Armley Prison, Leeds (Yorkshire Evening Post 29.12.94), during the Christmas period in particular, notice was made of the multi-faith chaplaincy centre in the prison, in which an imam is brought in to lead prayers for the "nearly 100" Muslim prisoners out of a total of 960. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 13]
In order to provide different sidelights on the celebration of Christmas and New Year, various newspapers sought interviews with Muslims and members of other world faiths to find how they would pass this festive season. In general, the important place ascribed to the Prophet Jesus and his mother within Islam was stressed along with clarification of where the Islamic and Christian notions as to his "divinity" differed (The Gloucester Citizen 23.12.94). The Times Educational Supplement (23.12.94) conducted a survey of the way in which Christmas was commemorated in various schools in the multicultural Midlands. An imam from High Wycombe published Christmas greetings to local Christians in the free press (Bucks Free Press 23.12.94). The commemoration of New year prompted the Birmingham Post (30.12.94) to review new year traditions in Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and for the Chinese community. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 13]
The Association of Muslims with Disabilities has arranged a series of activity days for disabled Muslims including volunteer training, disability awareness, respite care and courses for carers and helpers. The days will be held at the offices of the Brent Association of Disabled People. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 13]
Updates Education Staff and pupils from the King Solomon High School in Barkingside, Essex, have teamed up with Bangladeshi pupils from the Daneford School in London's East End to explore their common heritage as immigrant communities who settled originally in that part of London. Most of the Jewish pupils can trace their origins in Britain back to grandparents or great-grandparents who lived in the Brick Lane area which is now home to the Bangladeshis. An exhibition of photographs has been mounted to show what the area was like when it was a centre for Jewish living. The Daneford pupils have been sponsored by LinkAge, an organisation which tries to bring generations together, and City Challenge to develop resources based on the history of the area. By sharing in the Jewish experience of making good and moving out from the area, many of the pupils have been reinforced in their aspirations to move out themselves and create a new life in better surroundings. There has been a price paid by the Jewish community in terms of the breakdown of neighbourhood solidarity. Many older Jews who moved out from the area say, "there was a very strong community and that they were never isolated in the way that they are now" (The Independent 29.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 14]
Bradford pupils without English Bradford Council has released figures to show that 300 children joining their schools each year do not speak English and 1,000 children from Asian families beginning in the city's first schools each year need intensive help with English to bring them up to a standard fully to benefit from their studies. These data have caused the council to re-affirm their support for specialised language support teaching in the classroom (Q News 09.12.94) [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 14]
Islamic Studies recruitment drive The Milton Keynes Islamic Society's School of Islamic Studies has launched a recruitment drive to attract pupils from 4 to 14 to learn Arabic and Islamic Studies. One innovative feature is a mothers' and children's group which aims to teach mothers and children together and offer support to Muslim mothers. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 14]
Eaton Hall, a listed regency mansion with 180 bedrooms which saw service as a maternity hostel during the 1939-45 war and subsequently became a teacher training college, is situated near Retford, Nottingham. It became redundant as a teachers' college in 1977 and was used for overseas students studying English and engineering. Rising maintenance costs have forced the County Council to sell the building at a price of £910,000 to a Muslim educational charity Jamia Al Karam who plan to convert it into a boarding school for up to 200 children aged 11 to 18 which will open next September. The school will teach the full National Curriculum in an Islamic atmosphere where children will also learn Islamic manners and to serve the Muslim community. It hopes to attract children from across the Midlands (Nottingham Evening Post 22.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 14]
Minority Governors' Conference A full report of the Ethnic Minority Governors' Conference held in Leicester on 19th November (see BMMS for November 1994) was published in the Asian Times (10.12.94). The conference was organised by the Federation of Muslim Organisations and the Afro-Caribbean and Asian Forum. The conference stressed the need for governing bodies to be in touch with the local community which the school serves. Often minority groups are under-represented on governing bodies partly through lack of awareness of the opportunities but also because some governing bodies act like closed shops which do not make new members welcome. It was stressed that the task of a school governor is highly responsible as they have oversight of the running of the school and are charged with setting overall policies. This takes time and training. Too often minority governors feel themselves to be subordinate to the "professionalism" of some more experienced governors and do not remain in post long enough to learn all that is involved so that they can make a really worthwhile contribution. The key to this situation was held to be training both for prospective governors and for those in service so that schools can fully enact the equal opportunities programmes which many children from minority communities need. The Leicester Racial Equality Council is to set up an advice line to support governors in their work. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 14/15]
Girls from Bolton Muslim Girls' School joined with Year 8 pupils at Lowton High School to explore issues of gender, race and class in a special Equal Opportunities Day organised at the latter school.
Brunel Islamic Society suspended The Islamic Society of Brunel University has been suspended for three months after holding a meeting judged to be illegal by the university authorities. A debate entitled, "Hands Off Muslim Land or Jihad" did not "ensure respect and tolerance for the views of other members of the university community" (Gazette Uxbridge & West Drayton 07.12.94). The meeting had been formally banned in advance by the university authorities (Uxbridge & London Recorder 14.12.94). The debate was linked to Hizb ut-Tahrir and the student chairman of the Islamic Society is to face a disciplinary hearing before the university authorities (The Independent 08.12.94). There have been reports that the chairman has been expelled from the university but these have been denied by the authorities, "Contrary to misleading reports, Firdaus Miah [the chairman of the Islamic Society] has not been expelled from Brunel University. He has been subject to disciplinary action for activities in breach of the University's disciplinary code. The University has made absolutely clear that Islamic [sic] students are free to practise their religion and provides facilities to make that possible" (Q News 23.12.94). [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 15]
Mosques Residents in Brondesbury Road are objecting to plans to turn a former youth centre into a mosque which will accommodate around 100 people. Fears centre on the increased traffic and parking problems in the street. There is also a concern over a 12 feet high tower but Muslim leaders confirm that this is for decoration only and there will be no access into it. Planning permission has been delayed for further consultation with neighbours. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 15]
Residents in the neighbourhood of the proposed mosque in Pearce Street, Bolton (see BMMS for October 1994), have complained about the "200% increase in the number of vehicles in the area with residents already facing problems" (Bolton Metro News 08.12.94). It is claimed that the new building, on a 1.3 acre site, will be a "super mosque". The application is currently under consideration by the planning authority.
Planning permission has been refused to convert the former brush factory in Bellingdon Road into a mosque (see BMMS for June 1993 and November 1994) on the grounds of insufficient parking and the loss of potential factory space.
The Islamic Association of Lincoln has been given planning permission to build a single storey extension to its present building in Orchard Street.
The Manor Park Islamic Centre has submitted plans to Newham Council to use the whole of their current building in Romford Road as a mosque and community centre.
The UK Islamic Mission has applied to use a building in Barking Road, Plaistow, as an education and religious centre.
Planning permission has been refused for the conversion of a terraced house in the Mansfield district into a mosque on the grounds that there would be increased traffic congestion and noise. The council has undertaken to assist the Muslim community in locating a suitable site. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 15/16]
The search for a suitable site for a mosque in Swindon continues (see BMMS for August and September 1993; April, May and July 1994). The policy and resources committee of Wiltshire County Council has agreed to sell a 1.5 acre site at the former Queenstown School site to the Muslim community for a mosque at less than the market value. The proposal must now be agreed by the Secretary of State for the Environment. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 16]
Muslims in Wakefield celebrated the topping-out of their new mosque and community centre which has so far cost them £245,000 and taken two years. They are now pushing ahead to complete the project, which is expected to cost them a further £150,000. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 16]
The community centre and mosque development in Tolpits Lane, which has been at the centre of much political intrigue (see BMMS for February 1993 and January 1994) has been granted a further instalment of £5,178 out of the £20,000 earmarked for the project by the local council. [BMMS December 1994 Vol. II, No. 12, p. 16]
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