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British Muslims Monthly Survey for March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3
Features Birmingham political and education enquiries
Short Reports Discrimination over council grants? 1993 Israeli assassination attempt: arrests Dispute at Luton Central Mosque Orientation of toilets in Blackburn Council of Europe supports writers Israeli bombing: suspects arrested Hounslow supports women's group City Councillor embraces Islam Leeds industrial tribunal verdict Pakistan blasphemy case: reactions Community centre grant, Batley Mentally handicapped immigrant Updates Education Nelson parents and Eid celebration Public funding for Muslim schools New Birmingham Agreed Syllabus Dewsbury madrassah application Mosques
Features Birmingham political and education enquiries A survey was conducted into privately-owned houses in Birmingham in 1994 which showed that 47,000 houses were unfit and 116,000 needed urgent repair. This has led to a four-year waiting list of applicants for a housing renovation grant. The matter came to the attention of two local Muslim councillors and the MP for Small Heath, Roger Godsiff. These elected representatives advised people of the most appropriate procedures for applying for grants through the official application form on receipt of which the council is obliged to act within six months. The involvement of these politicians has led to charges of political influence being used to curry favour with applicants which might be expected to result in winning their votes in the forthcoming selection procedure for the new parliamentary candidate for Birmingham Sparkbrook which will become vacant due to the present MP, Roy Hattersley, standing down at the next election. All the politicians deny any wrong-doing and any charges that they were trying to win votes; they were acting solely out of regard for the needs of their constituents. Mr Godsiff's seat will disappear before the next election due to boundary changes and so he is expected to be a candidate for selection for the new Sparkbrook consistency. The allegations have led to a Birmingham City Council enquiry, the suspension of four Labour Party constituency parties pending an investigation by the national headquarters and the involvement of the district auditor (The Guardian 04.03.95). Mr Hattersley has made it clear that he thinks his successor should be drawn from the minority communities which make up a substantial majority of the people of Sparkbrook. The chairman of his constituency party, Kevin Scally, has also given his own personal opinion that a shortlist for selection should be drawn up under the party's "affirmative action" policy so that it includes only members of minority communities which would ensure that Birmingham had its first MP from such communities (Asian Times 11.03.95). It has been noted that the current enquiry into housing renovation should not be allowed to impair this process. Mr Hattersley said, "Small Heath - like Sparkbrook - is the home of thousands of families popularly described as 'immigrants'. Most are now British citizens and many were born here. But they remain a distinct, and generally disadvantaged, community" (Q News 17.03.95). Birmingham City Council has admitted that "it spent some £41,000 on an unemployment project which 'never became operational'" (Daily Express 04.03.95). The project in question is the Moslem Unemployment Project based in Handsworth (see British Muslims Monthly Survey for January 1995). The project is closely linked to two Labour councillors. Another Birmingham Muslim Labour councillor, Abdul Malik, is also subject to an official city council enquiry after he admitted that he failed to disclose income from his council duties on his council tax benefit rebate form. Mr Malik said, "I was a new councillor and I knew nothing of this. I didn't know how much councillors got paid" (Daily Express 04.03.95). The enquiry will also examine Mr Malik's personal and family involvement in the Minority Resources Centre and Saltley Action Centre. Police are also investigating charges that Muslim educational and welfare centres have been taking money from Bournville College of Further Education for "phantom courses" which do not actually exist. The college had franchise agreements whereby courses were run on Muslim sites paid for by public money from the Further Education Funding Council channelled through the college. The centres named are the Muslim Education and Employment Training Centre in Small Heath and the Haroonia Islamic Centre in Alum Rock (The Observer 05.03.95). The accusations follow an anonymous tip-off which led inspectors from the college to make unannounced visits to the centres where registered classes were found not to be taking place. The reasons given by the centres included ill-health and bad weather. According to the head of the Further Education Funding Council for the West Midlands, "In almost all cases (95%) there was no evidence that classes had ever taken place. In other cases the students were under 16, although the register indicated otherwise, and in another case the students on the register were unknown to the establishment" (Daily Express 04.03.95). It is alleged that the centres also had links with the Labour Party and thus the investigations are being linked to those mentioned earlier. Sums of money up to about £250,000 are thought to be involved. Muslim leaders have denied any wrong-doing. The principal of Bournville College has said, "We will no longer franchise ethnic groups. We hope to broaden our work by employing extra ethnic minority lecturers" (The Observer 05.03.95). In the same way, a second Birmingham FE establishment, Handsworth College, which pioneered franchising, is adopting a similar policy. At its peak, franchising was said to increase funding for Handsworth College from £5.7m to £10.25m. The loss to the Muslim community if such policies are enacted will be considerable. They will lose control of courses which were run on their sites, and thus seen to be "safe" especially for Muslim women to attend, and will lose a considerable amount of income which was derived through the arrangement. A further investigation is to be launched into "strong allegations that a disproportionate number of Labour Party members in the city's Sparkbrook constituency have been awarded disability living allowance. It is being alleged that party members are being encouraged to claim the benefits - which do not normally require medical checks and are not means-tested" (The Observer 05.03.95). In this way, according to the allegations, disability payments were being used as an inducement to party supporters. Returning to the theme of the involvement of the community of Asian heritage in politics, The Observer (19.03.95) devoted a whole page to the place of clans or extended families in the election of political leaders in such communities. It found that the community structures of the subcontinent were still strong in Britain where people owed loyalty to their clan and to the particular region from which they originated. This can lead to designated welfare structures and ensure the election of favoured candidates. Such patterns were explored in both Birmingham and Bradford as well as amongst other subcontinent religious groups in London. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 1/2]
For several years, it has been customary for Muslim young people from a wide area of northern England to congregate in Manchester to celebrate Eid. One of the contemporary forms of celebration is to hire performance cars which are then driven with a deal of exhibitionism along Wilmslow Road, or "Curry Mile" as it is known on account of the number of restaurants serving food from the subcontinent. This prompted the Muslim weekly Q News to run a centre-page spread on the state of Muslim youth as exemplified by the "Wilmslow Road experience" (17.03.95). The driving of performance cars was seen to be indicative of the need for credibility and prestige amongst peers and also as some relief from the economic depression which affects many northern Muslims. Statistics of Muslim youth unemployment were published which indicated that the figures for Manchester, Oldham and Bradford are even higher than the national figure which stands at around 40%. Even those people with advanced and higher level qualifications are commonly unemployed. Unemployment is obviously part of the cause of Muslim youth disenchantment but other causes were explored too including the failure of parents to give children adequate guidance, the refusal of community leaders to acknowledge the extent of the problem and a lack of recreational facilities for the young. Several examples of community centres without adequate youth programmes were evidenced which included those run in purpose-built premises with public supplementary funding. The poor standard of education in Islam was also noted. The director of Burnley Racial Equality Council, Sabia Shahzad, commented that mosques are being used as dumping grounds for children, "Parents who don't know how to deal with their children simply take them to the madrassah to get them off their hands... But they don't teach them much of any relevance there. The maulvis simply teach them the Qur'an by rote so they are unable to apply in their daily lives what they've learnt." There was a family funfair in Manchester for Eid this year but is did not attract the "Wilmslow Road crowd". The need for a rethink of facilities and attitudes towards developing an appropriate youth culture for Muslims was summarised in an extensive quotation from one car-driving youth: "They say we are all trying to become like goras [white people] and that we're gonna go to hell for it. I'm not a gora. I'm a Muslim, and an Asian one at that... I don't drink, I don't play the lottery and I try to read all my namaz [prayers]. But they've got to realise that we're hammered every minute God sends with images of people having a good time and enjoying life. I'm not saying that all Muslims should be looking to do that, but on the other hand I don't want to spend my Eid getting bored sitting around at home or attending some kiddies' festival with childish nasheeds [devotional songs] and dramas. I just want to be able to enjoy myself on Eid day. Is there no way I can do that without offending my parents or Allah?" [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 3]
The visit to Britain of Zia Ur-Rehman Farooqi, the head of Sipah-e-Sahaba [also known as the Soldiers of Islam], has caused concern throughout the country (see BMMS for February 1995). The organisation has been implicated in attacks on Shi'ites in Pakistan which have led to more than 20 deaths. Mr Farooqi has apparently been in Britain since the middle of February and has spoken to audiences in the Birmingham, Glasgow, London and Manchester areas (Sunday Telegraph 19.03.95). The purpose of his visit is to enlist supporters and raise money for his cause. Leading Muslims, both Shi'a and Sunnis, have condemned his presence in this country and questioned how he was given a visa. Thus, the Shi'ite, Sayyed Yousif al-Khoei, director of the al-Khoei Foundation in London, "I am amazed the British Government has let this man in" and, the Sunni, Gai Eaton, who is associated with the Regent's Park Mosque in London, "It is appalling that this wretched man should be given a platform in this country". Muslim leaders, such as Dr Kalim Siddiqui of the Muslim Parliament (The Guardian 10.03.95) and Dr Syed Aziz Pasha of the Union of Muslim Organisations (Q News 17.03.95), have spoken publicly against the visit which will serve to inflame Sunni/Shi'a relations which have always been good in this country. The Sipah-e-Sahaba have spoken of Shi'ites as kafirs [rejectors of belief]. Mr Farooqi has denied that he came to Britain to stir up divisions. He said, "Islam is a peaceful religion and we want to be peaceful... There must be punishment in order to bring peace... If anyone insults our religion they should be punished. If you give a hard punishment, nobody will do it again. Justice must be done. When you are not imposing justice the people become criminal." (Sunday Telegraph 19.03.95) Dr Shuaib Hasan, a leading member of the Ahl-e-Hadith in Britain, has said that the issues which separate Sunnis and Shi'ites should be discussed in a scholarly fashion and not become the subject of public platforms (Q News 17.03.95). A correspondent to the Daily Jang (10.03.95) lamented the tensions and violence which have erupted in Pakistan and traced the way in which great Sunni scholars of the past have shown their respect for the Shi'a. He cited the respect shown to the Shi'a by the great jurists Abu Hanifa and Malik as well as more modern figures such as Shah Wali Ullah and Maulana Maududi. Similarly, great works of Sunni scholarship are studied in the Shi'ite universities of Iran. Finally, he called for peaceful co-operation between the two great schools who together form the one Muslim ummah [community]. A demonstration was organised by the Majlis Ulema Shia [Council of Shi'a Scholars] of Europe in London on 26th March to protest against the activities of the Sipah-e-Sahaba organisation. The protesters handed in a petition to the Pakistan High Commission demanding the restoration of law and order in Pakistan and strong action against extremist groups in that country. Leading Sunni and Shi'a representatives were associated with the demonstration (Q News 31.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 4]
The National Union of Students' campaign against racism was launched at a meeting at University College, London, which was addressed by a representative of the Union of Jewish Students and Shah Alam, the victim of a racist attack in the East End last year, amongst others. The Jewish speaker was heckled by Hizb ut-Tahrir activists and Mr Alam was accused of "dealing with the devil" (Ham & High 03.03.95). Demonstrators accused the Jewish speaker of propagating filth, being a fascist and denied the reality of the Holocaust (Jewish Chronicle 10.03.95). Trade Unionists, gay rights campaigners and anti-fascist speakers were likewise heckled at the meeting which was due to be addressed by Bernie Grant MP who was advised not to attend when the meeting became rowdy. The death of an African student at Newham Community College (see BMMS for February 1995) has caused continued concern in the press (Weekly Journal 09.03.95). The fatality came as the climax of conflicts with Muslim students and followed four days after a meeting at the college addressed by Omar Bakri, the leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain. "However, Omar Bakri has denied allegations that his members had anything to do with the murder. 'It is not possible. No one from HT will do such a thing. I have asked my people to help the police to find the killers because this was pure murder. In Islam this behaviour is really disgraceful' [attributed to Mr Bakri]" (Q News 10.03.95). A Somali Muslim, who is not a student at Newham College, has been arrested and charged with unlawfully killing the Nigerian student. According to a report in Q News (24.03.95), he is "rumoured to belong to Islamic Jihad, a radical Islamic group based in South London". He has been remanded to appear before magistrates again on 13th April. The rise of militant students associated with anti-Semitic, anti-homosexual and racist groups was reported at some length in an article in The Independent (09.03.95). Two Muslim groups were noted, the Nation of Islam and Hizb ut-Tahrir, along with right-wing groups such as the National Front. It was even suggested that there is evidence to defend a link between some Muslim groups and white racists, such as the Ku Klux Klan, especially in the United States. Students at the University of Central England in Birmingham have approached the university authorities to have Hizb ut-Tahrir banned from the campus. The case has also been taken up by Warley West MP, John Spellar, who has written to the Home Secretary. Farid Kassim of Hizb ut-Tahrir responded to these moves by saying, "It doesn't deter us because we believe all the prophets were vilified by their own people... We believe intellectual thought changes human beings and we must discuss things in order to change society" (Birmingham Post 14.03.95). The Students' Union at North London University has frozen the funds and activities of its Islamic Society after complaints that a speaker at a meeting of the society had spoken disparagingly of homosexuals which violated the university's commitment to equal opportunities. Muslim student leaders have reacted to the ban by saying that they will challenge it through the courts if necessary. They claim that the Students' Union is using the equal opportunities policy to stifle free debate of this question and particularly targeting Muslims. Such a reaction against student Islamic Societies has been noted in other universities around Britain by the Federation of Students' Islamic Societies (Q News 31.03.95 and Daily Jang 24.03.95). The annual conference of the National Union of Students is to take place in Blackpool during the Easter vacation. The Federation of Students' Islamic Societies will be under-represented "because Islamic Societies continue to be embroiled in petty parochialism" (Q News 24.03.95). This is particularly noticeable by contrast to the substantial number of Jewish delegates sent by the Union of Jewish Students who have had an impact in previous years in influencing the NUS towards a "pro-Zionist" agenda. Calls were made for Muslim student bodies to become more involved in NUS affairs to provide a voice of moderation against both Islamophobia and the sentiments of groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 5/6]
Short Reports Gloucester City Council has agreed to a request from the local Muslim community to allow burials to take place on Sundays (see BMMS for February 1995). This follows on from permission which was granted four years ago for Muslims to be buried on Saturdays although no such burials have yet taken place (The Gloucester Citizen 15.03.95). Six hours notice of an intended burial must be given via a designated emergency telephone number and Muslims have offered to pay an additional £100 to offset the costs of overtime work by cemetery staff. The request for permission to erect a funeral prayer shelter at the Coney Hill Cemetery (see BMMS for February 1995) was deferred for further enquiries. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 6] Mohammed Afzal, a trustee at the Diamond Road mosque which was the scene of a public brawl on 30th January, has been arrested following his return from Pakistan. He joins seven other leading Muslims who have been arrested following the incident. Control of the mosque has been central to the ongoing dispute between the Slough Islamic Trust and the Slough Pakistan Welfare Association (see BMMS for April, August, September, October, and November 1994; January and February 1995). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 6] The Environmental Services Department of Birmingham City Council has successfully brought charges under the Trades Description Act 1968 against Salah Mohammed Shaibi of Handsworth, Birmingham, for selling haram [forbidden in Islam] meat as halal. The defendant pleaded guilty to seven charges and was fined £500 by Birmingham magistrates with costs of £304 (Daily Jang 10.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 6] The success of temporary radio stations set up to broadcast during the month of Ramadan in London was celebrated by those responsible. Both Ramadan Radio, based in Edmonton (Enfield Independent 08.03.95) and Ramadan Radio, based in Hanwell (The Gazette Ealing & Acton 10.03.95), have declared their desire to be given a permanent licence to broadcast. The Edmonton station says that it has the support of some local businesses and the Hanwell station is petitioning the Home Secretary. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 6] Dr Z U Khan, a commissioner with the Commission for Racial Equality, called on the Home Secretary to introduce specific legislation on racial violence and to amend the Public Order Act to make it easier to bring charges of incitement to racial hatred. He was speaking at the launch of a hotline for victims of racial violence in the London Borough of Merton which has jointly been organised by the police, Crown Prosecution Service, probation service and voluntary groups (Daily Jang 17.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 7] Employment/Women A Muslim woman has apparently been dismissed from her job as a dressmaker after ten years service because she started wearing a headscarf according to a report in Q News (17.03.95). A litany of complaints were recorded in her letter of dismissal, which were all new to the woman, which concluded with the statement that "In addition to the above we understand that you have started to wear a black scarf during working hours which you knew would offend the other employees for religious reasons". The case drew strong comments of condemnation from Muslim spokespeople. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 7] The barrister, Frances Webber, has published a book entitled Europe on Trial: an indictment of the violation of the human rights of refugees and asylum-seekers which is the result of a three year investigation into the experiences of asylum-seekers by contrast to the rights enshrined in documents such as the Geneva Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The book was greeted by the director of the Institute of Race Relations, who, according to a report in Q News (17.03.94), "describes the document as a very damning piece of evidence in the midst of a 'hysterical political climate' where politicians from both sides of the political spectrum are calling for curbs on immigration, refugees and bogus social security claimants". [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 7] Sayyed Dheyauddin Makki, one of the founding members of the Islamic Culture and Information Bureau in London, was profiled by Q News (17.03.95). He grew up in Kuwait and studied in Qom, Iran. He sees his work in London as being part of an approach to the youth of Britain, both Muslim and non-Muslim, who he sees as being in need of a complete understanding of Islam and the inspiration to practise it in every facet of their lives. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 7] The Member of Parliament for Glasgow Hillhead, George Galloway, was heavily involved in the organisation of a visit by 52 Muslim businessmen to Palestine to learn about the situation of the people there and to look for ways of developing business links. The very presence of such comparatively wealthy men made an impact on the foreign currency earnings of Palestinians. A further visit of around 200 people is oversubscribed. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 7] The release of former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson from prison after serving three years of a six year sentence for rape has provoked considerable attention in the British press. One feature of his time in gaol is that Tyson is reported to have become a Muslim. In this respect he shares a common history with Muhammad Ali (formerly Cassius Clay) and the London-born but New York-bred British boxer Michael Bentt. The role of Islam in these men's lives was explored in an article in The Observer (19.03.95). Tyson was quoted as saying, "It's helped me a great deal. You know, if it wasn't for Islam, I don't know what I'd be into. I would become part of society in this place [prison]". Bentt also commented, "I converted to Muslim and I know it provides you with a lifeboat in life. It gives you order and strength, a purpose, a discipline. If Michael truly has embraced Islam it will be for that reason, to restore some order to his life. I think he means it. I know he needs it". [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 7/8] Fifteen direct flights from Manchester have been provided to take 4,000 pilgrims from the north of England to perform the hajj [pilgrimage to Mecca]. To help them prepare for the pilgrimage, a Muslim member of the airport security staff, Tala'at Mahmud, has written a book explaining the significance of the hajj. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 8] Nottinghamshire County Council has agreed a grant of £13,000 to the Muslim Women's Organisation in Nottingham to allow it to refurbish its property in Ilkeston Road. The grant will permit the organisation to improve access for the disabled, refit the kitchen, provide baby changing facilities and install a new heating system so that their work can be extended to include a luncheon club, crèche and girls' group. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 8] Muslims in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne celebrated Eid ul-Fitr by staging a safety exhibition and competition for children. They visited a local fire station where safety precautions were demonstrated and fire safety equipment available through the Equipment Loan Scheme was exhibited. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 8] A fast food burger restaurant in Bristol was encouraged by local Muslim young people to supply halal burgers so that they could partake of his provender. In this the owner happily obliged his potential customers only to find that no-one bought the burgers. Upon investigation, he found that he had chosen to begin his new venture on the first day of Ramadan and so had a slack month's trade to contend with before his customers materialised. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 8] Hartlepool Central Library has combined forces with the local Ahmadiyya community to mount a two-week exhibition about Islam which aims to dispel some of the commonly held myths about Islam and thus to promote better community relations. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 8] The chairman of the National Hindu Students' Forum has denied that there is a substantial number of Hindu and Sikh students who are converting to Islam in spite of sustained pressure on them (see BMMS for February 1995). The small number of conversions which do take place tend to be in the context of marriage when a Hindu or Sikh woman wants to marry a Muslim man (Q News 10.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 8] A Muslim meat supplier from Oldbury, West Midlands, was fined £2,500 with £916 in costs after admitting breaching the Health and Safety Act. Quasid Mahmood Khan appeared before Warley magistrates following an inspection by environmental health inspectors in November 1993 which found that the floor and walls of his premises were dirty and his electrical installations were defective. Two further inspections in 1994 found that the ceiling was also dirty and he did not have an adequate hot water supply in the slaughter house (Birmingham Express & Star 15.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 9] Discrimination over council grants? A row has broken out in Camberley, Surrey between a Labour councillor supporting a Muslim group and Conservative councillors after the Islamic Language and Cultural Association was refused a grant of £1,500 to help it run educational classes for children immediately after the same meeting approved a grant of £13,000 to help a local church pay for heating and decoration work. The fact that the Muslim group had been applying unsuccessfully for help for fourteen years and that a leading Conservative suggested that they should apply to wealthy sheikhs for assistance led a Labour councillor to suggest that this was a case for the Commission for Racial Equality (Sandhurst & Crowthorne Mail 28.02.95 and 07.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 9] A partnership between the An-Nisa Society in Brent and the Brent & Harrow Health Authority has won a prize in the North Thames Regional Health Authority. The £500 prize will be spent running a feasibility study into setting up a Muslim café in the area which will serve healthy halal food and dispense advice on health education. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 9] The High Court has upheld the decision of South Ribble magistrates to fine a Muslim community worker from Blackburn for comments which he published in a pamphlet before the last general election in which he described the Labour MP for Blackburn, Jack Straw, as a "Muslim-hating mobster". [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 9] American-born basketball coach, Jim Brandon, currently the coach to the Sheffield Sharks, attracted press attention when he announced that he had taken a second wife. Brandon married his first wife in Leeds in 1988 after which time he and his wife converted to Islam. His second wife, permitted under Islamic law, is believed to live in Stockport and is associated with the leisure industry. His first wife has moved away from Sheffield and is living in Leeds. She says that she knew nothing of the arrangement until after it had happened and is hoping that her husband will return exclusively to her (Doncaster Star 14.03.95). A Home Office official was quoted to the effect that the marriage is non-existent in British law until it is officially registered, "A wedding ceremony is the religious side of marriage but legally it means nothing until the marriage has been registered with a registrar" (Yorkshire Evening Post 14.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 9] A Muslim woman, formerly a school teacher, was killed in a road accident on the M8 near Edinburgh. As the accident took place during Ramadan, when she was fasting, there has been speculation that she was weak and tired when she wandered into the path of a lorry and several cars after abandoning her car on the hard shoulder (Edinburgh Evening News 06.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 10] The Christian churches in Skipton have combined forces with local Muslims to celebrate Victory in Europe Day with a stall in the town's High Street on 8th May. The chairman of Churches Together said, "In a symbolic way, we wish to affirm our commitment to work together for a future based on the dignity and worth of every human being" (Craven Herald & Pioneer 10.03.95). The project is primarily about raising awareness but any funds forthcoming will be donated to the Red Cross. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 10]
Residents in Batley Carr, Dewsbury have been complaining about streets being blocked and access to shops denied by worshippers attending two mosques nearby. The problems have been worse during Ramadan when cars have been parked there every evening and residents have been disturbed by talking in the street and the banging of car doors when worshippers return after night prayers. Mosque leaders have pronounced themselves willing to deal with any complaints made to them (Dewsbury Reporter 03.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 10]
The place of art and music within Islam was explored again in a centre-page spread in Q News (10.03.95). The focus of the discussion was on Britain and the way in which such artistic expression can be seen as a measure of the cultural soul of a civilization. The author, Ziba Fannouni, reflected on the place of Calvinism within the cultural and artistic heritage of Europe and referred to those who limited the scope of Islamic art to geometric patterns and calligraphy as "Muslim Calvinists". A struggle was perceived to be taking place for the soul of Islam between these "Puritans" and the traditions of Islam which live on now particularly amongst the more mystical schools. Her comments prompted letters to the edition of 17.03.95 which took exception to her terminology, analysis and understanding of the place of music and art within Islam. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 10]
1993 Israeli assassination attempt: arrests Three Muslim former students from Manchester have been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to assassinate the Israeli ambassador during his visit to Manchester University in 1993. The validity of the evidence against the three was questioned in an article in Q News (10.03.95) and the whole issue was seen as part of a police/MI5 conspiracy to make Muslims into scapegoats. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 10]
Maulana Sheikh Nazim al-Haqqani, a leading sheikh of the Naqshbandi Order, has been on a visit to Britain. Centres visited included Sheffield and Oxford where 150 people gathered in the Asian Cultural Centre to hear a talk stressing humility and spiritual rather than material values. Sheikh Nazim called for members of his community in Sheffield, who are trained in the arts of self-defence, to form vigilante groups to combat crime and protect property in the area (Sheffield Star 28.03.95). A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police disagreed with the advice saying, "We want people to be involved in the fight against crime but vigilante groups are not the way to do it... We cannot have people taking the law into their own hands. They should always report crime to the police". [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 10/11]
A leading member of the Leamington Spa Muslim community, Abdul Ghafoor, died suddenly of a heart attack recently and was praised in the local press (Leamington Evening Telegraph 09.03.95) for more than twenty years service to race relations in the town. He had been instrumental in setting up the Warwick District Racial Equality Council and its predecessor, the Community Relations Council, as well as a drop-in centre for young adults in the area. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 11]
The Pakistan Muslim Centre in Sheffield has proudly opened its latest venture, the Pakistan Enterprise Centre which is the first phase of a £1m development. This phase consists of a community restaurant and training centre, the second phase which is scheduled for completion in the summer includes a technology and business support centre, workshops and offices. The scheme has been pioneered by a total of 30 Pakistani organisations in the city and hopes to address the unemployment rate within that community which currently stands at 40% by comparison with 11% generally. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 11]
The Muslim community attending the mosque in Bury Park, Luton are angry that many of their cars which were parked in contravention of the parking restrictions were booked by traffic wardens during Eid celebrations. Leaders are claiming that they had a verbal agreement with the chief traffic warden which was not honoured (Luton on Sunday 05.03.95). The problem must be set within the context of several untaxed cars being booked by the police during a funeral in January and frequent parking tickets being issued whilst people are attending Friday prayers. Now Muslim leaders are asking for the restrictions to be lifted permanently so that the area becomes a free parking zone (Luton Leader 08.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 11]
After the violent disturbance between Muslims and Sikhs at West Thames College in January (see BMMS for January 1995) which resulted in seventeen arrests and the suspension of five students, an air of calm has returned to the area and the students were re-instated after the college set up a forum to work for harmonious relations in future (Brentford, Chiswick & Isleworth Times 10.03.95). Extra security cameras have been installed around the site and spot checks have been conducted to ensure that only registered students are permitted to enter. The leaders and the vast majority of those arrested for causing the disturbance were not students at the college. The idea of fitting security gates to the grounds through which students only would be allowed to pass upon production of their ID cards was rejected by college officials as an overreaction which would be liable to cause a hostile atmosphere (Hounslow & Chiswick Informer 17.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 11/12]
The Arts and Leisure committee of Manchester City Council has voted £708,000 for the extension of the city's Southern Cemetery to extend provision for Muslim and Jewish burials. The council's policy is that each section of the cemetery should have sufficient capacity for 25 years at the current rate of burials but the Jewish and Muslim sections had space only for about three to four years which resulted in the extension plans. The work, which will include clearance and landscaping, is scheduled to begin in 1997 and to be ready for burials by April 1998. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 12]
Dispute at Luton Central Mosque As part of the dispute over the constitution of Luton Central Mosque (see BMMS for January, April and September 1994), the imam Abdul Aziz Chishti was relieved of his duties. A new imam has now been installed and is reported to be experiencing considerable success in drawing the opposing sides together and developing the Islamic life of the community (Luton News 22.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 12]
Orientation of toilets in Blackburn Muslim council tenants in Blackburn petitioned the council to reorientate their toilets last year when they found that they were facing towards Mecca (see BMMS for March 1994). The council decided then that the work could not be done at public expense but it agreed that individual families could apply for permission to carry out the work themselves. Those same houses are now being improved as part of a council scheme and when there is a toilet on the ground floor it is being reorientated as part of the improvement work which involves the fitting of new doors, windows and porches (Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24.03.95). Council spokesmen have been careful to point out that no additional expenditure has been involved in this work but there have been some complaints in the press (Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 12]
Council of Europe supports writers The Council of Europe passed a resolution to extend support to authors who have been censured by Muslim leaders for their writings which are held to be critical of Islam. Three authors mentioned by name were Tasleema Nasreen, Naguib Mahfouz and Salman Rushdie who addressed the meeting. The resolution condemned the fatwa issued against Rushdie as a grave violation of the right to freedom of expression granted by the European Convention on Human Rights. The decision was denounced by Muslim commentators such as Iqbal Sacranie of the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs and Kalim Siddiqui of the Muslim Parliament (Q News 24.03.95 and Muslim News 24.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 12]
Israeli bombing: suspects arrested Following the bomb attacks on Israeli targets in London in July 1994 (see BMMS for July 1994), a Lebanese woman, Samar Alami, and two others, Jawade Botmeh and Nadia Zekra, have appeared at Bow Street Magistrates' Court charged with "unlawfully and maliciously conspiring with other persons to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause injury to property" [sic] contrary to the Explosive Substances Act (Q News 31.03.95). According to the same report, all three are, at least nominally, Muslims. The three appeared for a second time on 30th March and were further remanded in custody to reappear on 6th April (Daily Jang 31.03.95). There is speculation that the three are associated with a Marxist Palestinian group and questions have been raised as to whether the security forces have arrested the right people. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 12/13]
Hounslow supports women's group Hounslow Borough Council has voted a sum of £30,000 to support the work of various small women's groups in the borough in spite of cash shortages. One of the groups to receive financial support will be the Centre for Asian Women particularly for its work in education, victim support, cultural activities and support for single mothers, the elderly, unwaged and those living with disabilities (Daily Jang 24.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 13]
The North Staffs Pensioners Convention, Age Concern and the Racial Equality Council have launched a drop-in centre in Stoke on Trent for lonely and isolated elderly Muslims. The scheme was prompted by a belief that such elderly people are not involved in the general provision of welfare support for the elderly in the area (Stoke on Trent Evening Sentinel 27.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 13]
The Muslim Girls' and Young Women's Association at the An-Nisa Centre, Coventry, has been staging a series of events to raise awareness of health issues amongst the community of Asian heritage in that city. They have run screening sessions for breast cancer and keep fit classes and have mounted a play to promote interest in these matters. A session on healthy cookery is also planned. The project is being sponsored by the Coventry health promotion team (Coventry Evening Telegraph 29.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 13]
As part of the general fund-raising efforts associated with Comic Relief, the Brent Adult and Community Education Service together with local Muslim groups organised an "eat-in" to coincide with the celebration of Eid ul-Fitr (Wembley Observer 09.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 13]
The British National Party has announced its intention of fielding candidates in the local elections in Scunthorpe next May. This led to a leading councillor pledging that the BNP will be banned from holding meetings in council-run premises. The pledge was given by Councillor Brian Vessey at a public meeting held in the Pakistan Social, Cultural and Islamic Centre and was backed by the local MP, Elliot Morley, and representatives of the local Christian and Jewish communities (Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph 25.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 13]
City Councillor embraces Islam A senior Labour politician and former leader of the city council in Southampton, John Truscott, has embraced Islam and taken the name of Ali Ahmed. His decision was announced by the leader of the Muslim community at a tree planting ceremony at the site of the city's new mosque in the presence of the local MP, the mayor and the current leader of the city council. The announcement and the convictions expressed by Mr Truscott evoked considerable comment in the local press (The Southern Daily Echo 25.03.95 and 29.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 13/14]
The Court of Appeal has returned its judgement in the case of a Liverpool man who was born of an English Catholic mother and a Kuwaiti Muslim father (who were not married) but who was adopted by an Orthodox Jewish couple and brought up as a Jew. The couple were led to believe that the baby was Jewish and only discovered the truth when he was aged nine at which time they had him formally accepted into Judaism. When the man, now aged thirty-six, found out the facts of his parentage, he applied to the courts to have his adoption order set aside so that he could develop his life as an Arab Muslim rather than as a Jew. The Family Division refused to set aside the order in May 1994 and on 17 March 1995 the Court of Appeal upheld the judgement on the grounds that "the adoption order itself was regularly made" even though it was based upon a fundamental mistake. According to the court's judgement "...there was no previous case in which the court was held to have an inherent power to set aside an adoption order for misapprehension or mistake. To allow considerations such as those put forward in this case to invalidate an otherwise properly made adoption order would undermine the whole basis on which adoption orders were made, namely that they were final and for life as regards the adopters, the natural parents and the child" (The Independent 22.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 14]
The Islamic Cultural Community Centre in Halifax has lost the grant which it received from the council after its management committee failed to co-operate with the Community Education Training Unit which had been charged by the council with overseeing elections at the council's expense (see BMMS for December 1994; January and February 1995). The dispute centred around earlier contested elections and an agreement had been reached by all parties that a fresh electoral roll would be drawn up and the elections scrutinised by the training unit. In the event, the management committee failed to co-operate with attempts to draw up an accurate membership list and refused to take advice (Halifax Evening Courier 27.03.95). This resulted in the council withdrawing its grant but the management committee declared their intention to hold their own elections on 6th April and to keep the centre open. The situation was criticised in a letter to the same newspaper (30.03.95) which pointed out the high incidence of depression and suicide amongst women from the Asian community in the area which could be relieved by the expenditure of council money rather than it being used to pander to internal disputes within the community. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 14]
Leeds industrial tribunal verdict An industrial tribunal in Leeds heard a catalogue of complaints about abusive treatment meted out to a Muslim man in a castings factory including being sprinkled with pig's blood, being urinated over in the showers and receiving verbal abuse at the time of the Gulf War. The man has been vindicated. The tribunal found that senior management at the company failed to take adequate account of the serious insults aimed at him. A further hearing will decide the level of compensation and whether any further action is to be taken against the company (Q News 24.03.95). The case has prompted a member of the Bradford Racial Equality Council to warn that there is an increasing wave of Islamophobia in the area which is causing pressure particularly for the young (Q News 10.02.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 14/15]
Pakistan blasphemy case: reactions The Urdu/English daily newspaper, the Daily Jang (31.03.95), published the results of a survey amongst Muslims in Britain to the trial and subsequent release of two Christians on blasphemy charges in Pakistan (see BMMS for February 1995). There was general support for the decision of the High Court in Lahore to overturn the earlier death sentences on the grounds of weak evidence. The fact that the youth concerned was only eleven years old at the time of the offence was cited by many and questions were raised about the validity of a death sentence for blasphemy by non-Muslims. The report concluded, "Clearly, the general consensus indicates that people found the decision of the High Court to acquit the Christians to be right and proper. The allusion to a death sentence for blasphemy many found erroneous and said that the Qur'an nor its interpretations in any way stated death to be a form of punishment". [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 15]
The London Borough of Lambeth is to run a four-day course for current and intending childminders from the Asian communities in the area. The course will run in four community languages and will cover such aspects as the legal position, child development, anti-discrimination practices, food and diet, child protection and health and safety concerns. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 15]
In an address to a special conference on Britain's place in the world, the Prince of Wales "urged Britain... to learn from Islam and appreciate some of its spiritual tenets to create a unique international role as the 'bridge-builder' between the Muslim world and the West" (Daily Telegraph 30.03.95). The Prince continued, "This could not be done without a willingness on our part to learn from the world of Islam and to balance our innate pragmatism with an acute awareness of the vital importance of the things of the Spirit... I would like to see Britain using her traditional assets - the great strengths inherent in our diplomatic service, in our academic institutions in their vast residual knowledge of the world and its great cultures and religions - in order to help to act as a bridge between the world of Islam and the West". [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 15]
Community centre grant, Batley Batley Action, the local funding council, agreed last year to grant £250,000 from the City Challenge project to the Indian Muslim Welfare Society to pay part of the costs of refurbishing their community centre in Taylor Street, Batley, but the grant is in danger of being lost due to a dispute with the Muslim group. The dispute focuses on two clauses which are required by the Department for the Environment which require that the group raise 20% of the necessary funds themselves and that they undertake that the building will not be sold for private gain after the refurbishment. The group claims to be unable to raise their share of the funding even though it has been pointed out that it can take the form of free labour and gifts in kind from local businesses. Further, they are objecting to the clause which allows the government to reclaim part of the grant if the building is sold at any date in the future. They have asked for the clauses to be waived (Batley News 23.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 15/16]
A Turkish Muslim woman from Bethnal Green, London has written to the local press expressing an interest in starting a Muslim women's group which will cut across all ethnic divisions. She said, "I think that many Muslim women tend to socialise only with women from their own ethnic group. My aim is to bring together Muslim women from all nationalities including Arab, African and Asian" (East End Life 20.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 16]
A new multi-agency body called the Burton Anti-Racist Harassment Forum has been launched by the East Staffordshire Racial Equality Council. It will aim to give a forum for victims of racial harassment in the area free from language and cultural barriers in a trusting and non-intimidatory environment. The move has been pioneered by Amir Kabal, the director of the East Staffs REC. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 16]
A group called "Christians Aware" from Leicester has published a book entitled Meeting Muslims (available from 10 Springfield Road, Leicester, LE2 3BD priced £4.20 plus 80p p&p) which it describes as a resource for Christians in Britain who are seeking to understand their Muslim neighbours with a view to developing mutual friendship. The book covers topics including human rights in Islam, Muslim women in Britain and the possibilities for Christians and Muslims praying together. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 16]
Five new trustees, including Mufti Aslam and Sher Azam of Bradford and Iqbal Sacranie, have been appointed for the Muslim charity Muslim Aid which works to alleviate the hardship and suffering of victims of poverty, war and natural disasters around the world. They were drawn from around the country. Yusuf Islam was re-elected as chairman (Muslim News 24.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 16]
Mentally handicapped immigrant Lawyers have asked the Home Office for a judicial review in the case of a forty year-old Muslim man who has the mental age of a child and who needs constant care and supervision from his family but who has been denied British citizenship as he was born before his father, a former employee of the British High Commission, came to this country. The man's sister and mother have the right to remain in Britain (Q News 24.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 16]
According to a report from the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, University of Warwick, housing associations and local authorities are not adequately meeting the needs for housing of elderly people from the visible ethnic minorities. The report revealed that many people from minority communities are unaware of the provisions of such organisations which are under-represented in areas of minority concentration. "In response to the report, the Commission for Racial Equality and the Refugee Council have asked housing associations to take 'special steps' to avoid discrimination when checking the status of homeless applicants" (Q News 24.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 16/17]
Syed Emran Ali, a restaurant owner from Tynemouth who is on bail charged with three others of perverting the course of justice in the case of the murder of a Muslim woman from Washington, Tyne and Wear, has been allowed to retain his passport so that he can make the hajj. He was granted bail on a surety of £5,000 (Newcastle upon Tyne Evening Chronicle 29.03.95). The woman was stabbed and beaten to death in front of her children in December. Her brother is currently on remand awaiting committal to the crown court charged with her murder (Manchester Evening News 25.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 17]
The London Borough of Hounslow has been exploring the possibilities of twinning with the city of Lahore in Pakistan. This has provoked a deal of comment in the local press questioning the wisdom of such an arrangement particularly in the light of the recent trials of Christians in Pakistan and the shortage of money for local community development. This prompted a local councillor who supports the proposal to comment, "A primary objective of international twinning is to develop mutual understanding and respect between communities with different cultures and religious beliefs" (Brentford, Chiswick & Isleworth Times 10.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 17]
The Home Secretary, Michael Howard, launched a new European youth campaign against racism under the title "All Different, All Equal". Mr Howard said, "Most British citizens respect their fellow neighbours regardless of race or religion. However, there is still a small number of people who do not... Background, race or religion should not be artificial barriers. Everyone in Europe should be able to make the most of their talents... Today's society is multicultural and all the richer for it. This is the society which our young people will grow up in. And it is a society which they should be proud to be part of... Racism has no place in the UK or in Europe" (Daily Jang 24.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 17]
Updates Education In an effort to affirm Muslim children and raise the awareness of others within the community, several schools throughout the country staged special celebrations around the time of Eid ul-Fitr at which children dressed in traditional cultural costumes, shared food, mounted exhibitions, told stories and enacted playlets. Such celebrations were recorded in Bolton, Doncaster, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Preston, Rochdale and Southall. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 17]
Nelson parents and Eid celebration Non-Muslim parents at the Bradley County Primary School, Nelson, in which 80% of pupils come from a Muslim background, complained to the local press about what they perceived to be an excessive concentration on Eid ul-Fitr and Muslim culture in the school at the expense of their Christian heritage. Many claims were made about the school's failure to celebrate Christmas and an excessive concentration on Islam in assemblies and religious education lessons (Nelson Leader 17.03.95). Upon investigation and after consultation with the headteacher and chairman of governors, these accusations were demonstrated to be substantially factually inaccurate and largely groundless. The school exemplified the way in which Christmas was celebrated and defended its RE programme as being in conformity with the agreed syllabus giving a central position to teaching about Christianity (Nelson Leader 24.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 17/18]
Four years of legal wrangling over the Muslim Girls' School in Preston have ended with the grant of registration from the Department for Education and the grant of planning permission by Preston Council. The school opened in 1990 with a few girls and has grown to a current roll in excess of 80. The school is housed in the former Deepdale Mill but it did not enjoy planning permission. Three enforcement notices had been served by the council and a public enquiry was scheduled for May of this year. The final hurdle was surmounted when the school's governors complied with all the necessary arrangements for the grants to be given. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 18]
Public funding for Muslim schools According to a report in the Muslim News (24.03.95) several Muslim independent schools around Britain are considering various routes towards gaining public funding. Governors from Feversham College, Bradford are holding discussions with the Department for Education with a view to re-submitting their application for voluntary aided status. Islamia Schools Trust has been holding meetings with the Funding Agency for Schools to discuss the situation regarding grant maintained status. Islamia is also holding discussions with Labour Party education members to gauge their potential support for public funding of Muslim schools. The al-Furqan School in Birmingham is reported to be drawing up a proposal to apply for grant maintained status. The Norwegian government is also reported to have turned down an application for a Muslim school on the grounds that it would become a "ghetto" and hinder the children's integration into Norwegian society. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 18]
Avon County Council are being petitioned by Muslims in Bristol to give permission for the supply of halal meat to schools in their area. Such permission has already been granted for local prisons and hospitals but not, as yet, for schools. This means that Muslim children are forced to restrict themselves to a vegetarian diet for school meals. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 18]
The Consortium of Care for International Students staged a conference at the University of Central England, Birmingham to explore ways in which overseas students could be better accommodated in British universities. A particular concern for the conference was the adequate provision of prayer facilities for Muslim students. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 18]
New Birmingham Agreed Syllabus The Birmingham LEA, which pioneered multi-faith religious education over twenty years ago, has produced a new agreed syllabus which lays stress on exploring important values in the religions rather than just conveying information about each faith. The chair of the agreed syllabus conference said, "This new document... places a much stronger emphasis as to why things happen. It will help children think things through for themselves by reflecting and learning from religion rather than just learning about religion" (Birmingham Evening Mail 16.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 18/19]
Dewsbury madrassah application The Selbourne Muslim Welfare Association, Dewsbury has entered the fourth in a succession of planning applications to build a madrassah on a piece of woodland in the Thornhill Lees district of the town. The land is currently owned by the council which is negotiating a sale to the Muslim group. Originally it belonged to the Savile Estates but there was a covenant attached to it that it should remain public open space or amenity land. The council has applied for this covenant to be lifted and this has been granted. Local residents are opposing the plans as they fear that the erection of a building on the 965 square yard site would disrupt the ecology of wild life in the remainder of the wood (Dewsbury Reporter 03.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 19]
The Federation of Muslim Organisations in Leicester has combined with the Careers Service to stage a careers exhibition specifically aimed at the needs of local Muslims. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 19]
The trustees of Manchester Islamic High School for Girls have decided to reorganise the High School and its preparatory department by amalgamating the positions of head teacher. This meant that the head of the preparatory department took over both responsibilities and the former head of the High School was made redundant rather than accept a subordinate teaching post without loss of pay. The news was announced to girls at an assembly and was greeted by five girls fainting and being taken to hospital. A teacher also fainted and other girls were taken ill. Two girls organised a lunchtime demonstration against the move but it has now been widely supported by the Parent Teacher Association after initial protestations. The trustees noted the high quality of the former head's leadership and said that the decision had been made with great regret (Manchester Evening News 30.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 19]
Mosques The controversial plans to build a large new mosque on Peace Street, Bolton have continued to attract dissenting voices in the local community (see BMMS for October and December 1994; January and February 1995). As part of their contribution to the debate, the Bolton Evening News (27.03.95) sent an artist to examine the plans submitted to the planning department and then to produce a sketch of what the mosque might look like. This was in response to sustained refusal on the part of Muslim leaders to allow their artist's impression of the mosque to be published in the paper. The opposition centres on the "inordinate" size of the proposed building and the lack of adequate parking provision. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 19]
A former masonic lodge in Fife has been bought by the Fife Islamic Centre with a view to turning it into an education and community centre. Planning permission has been applied for and, if granted, the centre could open within two months as little work would be needed. A particular issue is the provision of car parking space. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 19/20]
Three of the four trustees of the Evington Drive mosque, Leicester appeared in court to answer charges that they had not complied with planning requirements which were imposed when they were given permission to use the house as a mosque in 1991. The charges allege that the trustees have failed to install adequate soundproofing, to provide a car park and to landscape the site. The court heard that the trustees did not understand English sufficiently to answer the charges and so an adjournment was granted so that they could re-appear on 29th March with an interpreter and the fourth trustee after they had taken legal advice (Leister Mercury 09.03.95). Subsequently, the trustees announced that they were applying for planning permission to erect a purpose-built mosque, expected to cost £400,000, on the land currently dedicated for car parking. The new plans would allow for twenty cars to be parked on the site. According to the trustees, the money could be raised and the building completed in two years (Leicester Mercury 18.03.95). [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 20]
Planning officers are recommending the planning committee to reject plans to convert a house on Browning Street, Leicester into a mosque on the ground floor and a madrassah on the first floor. The recommendation is based on a lack of parking and an increase in noise and disturbance in a residential area. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 20]
Preston Borough Council has approved plans to build a new mosque on the site of the former storage rooms at Preston Royal Infirmary, Noor Street. The Muslim community hopes to raise the £500,000 needed for construction from the local area and the Middle East. The first foundations of the mosque have been laid. It will eventually serve 1,000 worshippers and act as an education centre. Currently, Muslims meet for prayer in derelict buildings on the present site. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 20]
Local residents in Southport have begun raising a petition against the decision of Sefton Council to grant planning permission for a former Methodist Church to be used as a mosque. They are complaining that they have not been adequately consulted and are planning to take their appeal to the local government ombudsman in York. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 20]
Plans to extend the Darbar Unique Centre in Stoke on Trent have been rejected by the local council (see BMMS for January and February 1995). Permission was also refused to allow the centre to remain open beyond the current limit of 2330. The planners did indicate that they would be willing to consider an application for a smaller extension which is currently under consideration. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 20
Planning permission has been granted for the erection of a mosque on Binfield Street, Tipton in spite of local opposition. [BMMS March 1995 Vol. III, No. 3, p. 20]
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