BMMS April 1996

The death of Dr Kalim Siddiqui of a heart attack occurred on 19 April in South Africa (Teletext p321, 19.04.96). Dr Siddiqui, leader and founder member of the Muslim Parliament, was born in July 1933, near Hyderbad in India. He spent his teens with his ten brothers and sisters in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh and after Partition he fled to Pakistan, aged 17. He remained in Pakistan for six years, then came to Britain, where he worked as a journalist. He was sub-editor of the Guardian from 1964 to 1972. He married in 1960 and from then on began to study in the day and work as a journalist at night. He started with O-levels and finally gained a PhD from University College London. In 1972 he left journalism to found the Muslim Institute. His Muslim Manifesto was launched in 1990. This called for the establishment of a Muslim Parliament, which he eventually founded in 1992 and led until his death. The Muslim Parliament had as its background the publication of Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses and Dr Siddiqui had been in the forefront of calling for the fatwa on the novelist to be enforced. Dr Siddiqui had been attending an Islamic conference in Pretoria when he died. He leaves three children and a widow. Dr Siddiqui lived in Slough, where at one time he was a reporter with a local paper.

Funeral prayers for Dr Siddiqui were held at an outdoor service in Stoke Poges on 21 April.The service was attended by hundreds of people and lasted two hours. Many people paid tribute to this Muslim leader. Yaqub Zaki, a member of the Muslim Parliament, said: "It is a comment on the sad state of the Muslim world today that such a man was not at the helm of a Muslim nation and had to do his work here in exile" (The Guardian, 22.04.96). Yusuf Islam, founder of the Islamia School, described the deceased as "the leading Muslim of his generation " (The Scotsman, 22.04.96). Ibrahim Hewitt of the Association of Muslim Schools also paid tribute to Dr Siddiqui: "He was always controversial and will certainly be missed. His formidable intellect kept us all on our toes" (Guardian, 19.04.96).

Q-News (19.04.96) published five pages of tributes to the deceased leader of the Muslim Parliament, from Islamic writers, scholars and activists all over the world. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 1]

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Hajj and Eid reports

In its 6 April edition, Q-News devoted several pages to Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah. One article discussed the advantages of going as a group, and interviewed Abu Umar, who organises Hajj trips from South London: "When you go with a group, the larger responsibilities are on the group organiser. When intending Hajjis go as a group, they do not have to worry about things like food and accommodation or transport. They just go and perform their Hajj, that is all they need to worry about." Q-News also reviewed a history of the Hajj in the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, Pious passengers - the Hajj in earlier times, by M N Pearson. In this book, Pearson describes the dangers and privations that earlier Hajjis had to face and how the Hajj was seen by contemporary non-Muslims. The same edition of Q-News interviews four members of the New Muslims Project who went on Umra to the holy places last year. The New Muslims Project hopes to make Umra trips a biannual feature of their activities, and may even organise a Hajj group. For more details on the New Muslims Group, contact Batool Al-Toma on: 01530-244944/5.

There was also local news of Muslims going to Hajj. 240 people are going from East Lancashire, flying with Royal Jordanian Airlines from Manchester (Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 06.04.96). Thousands more are booked to leave from Manchester Airport (Manchester Metro News, 05.04.96). In Peterborough, hundreds of members of the Muslim community gathered to give a send-off to 200 of their friends and relatives who are going to Hajj (Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 19.04.96).

As at the time of Eid-ul-Fitr (see British Muslims Monthly Survey for February 1996), Q-News (19.04.96) published an editorial condemning the conspicuous consumption of some British Muslims at this festival of Eid-ul-Adha. The same edition carried a description of the pilgrimage to Makka by Daud Chale, a convert to Islam, in 1934. This account was taken from Owen Rutter’s biography of Chale, Triumphant Pilgrimage. Fuad Nahdi, Q-News’ editor, also wrote about the significance of Hajj for Muslims in an article in the Guardian (27.04.96). He concludes with the words of the famous Western Hajji, the civil rights campaigner Malcolm X: "On this pilgrimage what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to rearrange much of my thought patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds."

Local celebrations of Eid were also reported on. In Southampton, Muslims prayed their Eid prayers in a local sports centre, the mosque being too small for the numbers of women and men expected to attend (Southern Daily Echo, 27.04.96). In Birmingham, the boxer Prince Naseem Hamid was a guest of honour at the Eid celebrations at the Muath Welfare Trust (Daily Jang, 02.05.96). An article in the Bolton Evening News (26.04.96) reported some families and groups of young people going to Blackpool or the Lake District to celebrate. Priory School in Southsea celebrated Eid with a feast prepared by a local restaurant and served by the pupils. The school celebration has become an annual tradition (Portsmouth News, 02.05.96). In Manchester, there had been clashes , as predicted, between fans of the pop group Oasis, as they came out of the concert held in the Maine Road stadium, and groups of youths celebrating Eid on the streets of Rusholme (Manchester Evening News, 26.04.96, 29.04.96).

A motion was passed at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) calling for the TUC to produce a guide for employers and unions to the festivals of Britain’s minority faiths. Farouk Hider of the union MSF pointed out that the day before marked the beginning of Eid, which presented Muslim workers with difficulties in participating in the TUC conference and in the black workers conference (Morning Star, 29.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 1/2]

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Short Reports

Sarwar aids abducted girls

More details have emerged regarding the alleged abduction and forced marriages of Nazia, 13, and Rifat, 20, by their father, Abdul Haq, and the part that the Glasgow politician and businessman, Mohammed Sarwar, played in their safe return to Scotland (see BMMS for March 1996). On arrival at the airport in Multan, Mr Haq had his wife, Fatima, and daughters kidnapped by a group of men armed with hockey sticks. They were then held captive for ten months, subjected to physical violence and two of the daughters were forcibly married (Asian Times, 18.04.96). Mr Sarwar was criticised by the Pakistani Media Relations Committee, whose spokesperson, Ali Syed, said: "The meeting was extremely angry. Almost everyone felt he (Mr Sarwar) had shamed Islam and Pakistani culture. It was agreed that they will urge all their friends and relations to observe a social boycott". The Committee claimed that Mr Sarwar had used the case to further his own political career (Daily Record, 16.04.96). The Haq family, however, issued a letter expressing their gratitude to Mr Sarwar, in which they stated: "We know that Councillor Sarwar’s concerns were not for himself but for the freedom and safety of our family, and that he put his own safety at risk to get us out of Pakistan. We were not given any safety until Councillor Sarwar intervened and used his influence. Without him our family would not have been reunited" (Daily Jang, 18.04.96). Regarding the allegations of his detractors, that he had manipulated the media for his own ends, and that he had brought Pakistan and Islam into disrepute, Mr Sarwar said: "It was the press who approached me for assistance and brought the incident to my knowledge. The press was already actively involved in the affair. Moreover, the question of bringing disrepute to Pakistan and Islam doesn’t arise. Firstly in Islam there is no concept of marriage without consent. Secondly, it is not Pakistani culture to force juveniles into forced marriages with spouses three times their age (the 13 year-old was forced to marry her father’s cousin who was 40). And thirdly, it is simply against Pakistani and also British law" (Daily Jang, 18.04.96).

Riffat Haq, one of the young women, has replied to those Muslims who accuse her and her sister Nazia of bringing Islam into disrepute because they spoke out about their ordeal. She said that it was her father who by his actions had "brought the name of Islam down" and that "nowhere in the Qur’an can you find a justification for what happened" (Muslim News, 26.04.96).

The inquiry into the Labour Party selection process for Glasgow Govan (see BMMS for August and December 1995; January, February and March 1996), which Mr Sarwar lost by one vote to Mike Watson, has recommended a re-run. So far, the Party has made no decision on this. Mr Sarwar was confident that, if there were a re-run, he would win the candidacy selection (Asian Times, 18.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 2/3]

Continued tensions in Slough

The newly formed Sikh-Muslim Association of Slough is patrolling the Queensmere shopping centre (Slough & Langley Observer, 19.04.96), noting the identities of Asian youths involved in any gang activities (see BMMS for July, August, September and December; February and March 1996), and then contacting their parents. Mahboob Khan, a founder member of the association felt that it had already had some success: "The parents will be talking to their children about what happened. Some of them were quite surprised to hear what they had been up to. The parents we have spoken to were very pleased that the scheme was getting something done" (Slough & Langley Observer, 04.04.96). Police opinion in Slough appeared to be divided regarding this initiative. Chief of Slough police, Superintendent Peter Loughborough said: "Patrolling the streets is a function of civil servants...However, we would support and encourage all other types of initiatives to tackle crime and improve relationships between Slough’s different communities if they did not involve patrols." Another view was that of DI Steve Neale: "We do welcome this effort but hope that they do not put themselves in danger. I would urge them to ring us and we may be able to put them in touch with other people working within the community" (Slough & Langley Observer, 29.03.96). Following the incident in the Queensmere centre when a security guard was attacked, there are now increased police patrols and closed-circuit television cameras, which the town centre’s managers and the police believe are already having an effect in making it a safe place to shop. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 3]

Hamas support leads to threats

Posters in support of Hamas were taken down from the windows of the School of Sharia in Tottenham after the principal, Omar Bakri Mohammed, received death threats (Hornsey & Crouch End Journal, 04.04.96). The School’s premises are also the headquarters of the political group lead by Mr Mohammed, al-Muhajirun (see BMMS for March 1996). According to this edition of the Hornsey & Crouch End Journal, Mr Mohammed had urged his followers to support Hamas in an interview with the cable television station, Channel One. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 3]

Reaffirmation of Rushdie fatwa

At the eleventh session of the Muslim Parliament, the late Dr Kalim Siddiqui called for the enforcement of the death sentence issued by the late Ayatollah Khomeini on the British Muslim author, Salman Rushdie (see BMMS for March 1996). He said: "We must not take up a defensive position on the fatwa describing it as merely a religious decree, as Iran does today" (Eastern Eye, 05.04.96). In Slough, a former Labour councillor, Declan Alford, had asked police to prosecute Dr Siddiqui on charges of incitement to murder. Dr Siddiqui was formerly a journalist with the Slough Express (Windsor & Eton Express, 04.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 3]

Bradford disturbances investigation result

The former mayor of Bradford, Mohammad Ajeeb, has expressed his disappointment at the results of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) investigation into the policing of the disturbances in Bradford last year involving Asian youths (see BMMS for June, July, August, September and October 1995; February 1996). Councillor Ajeeb said: "There was an expectation in the community that there would at least be some form of action against two or three officers. That hasn’t happened and we’re very disappointed...There is a belief that when the police deal with ethnic minorities they are not fair and that perception has not changed". Originally 19 allegations of police misconduct were made to the PCA by Asian community leaders. Of these, only nine were eventually investigated. As a result, one police officer was sent for re-training. The Assistant Chief Constable for West Yorkshire, Norman Bettison, denied that there had been a conspiracy: "I’m saddened by allegations of a whitewash...The thing we’ve always said, which has now been reflected by the PCA, is that the police were not responsible for the events of that weekend. Many police officers felt personally saddened that their good work suffered setbacks as a result of the disturbances. They view it as an isolated and shocking incident" (Daily Jang, 11.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 3/4]

Waiter eye injury complaints

Protests are continuing over the case of Amer Rafiq, who lost an eye during his arrest in Manchester on Eid-ul-Fitr (see BMMS for February and March 1996). His uncle, Azar Iqbal said of the delays in publishing an investigatory report that: "It is nearly two months now since he suffered his injuries but there seems to be little progress. The police officers involved have not been suspended. We would hope that a report by the Police Complaints Authority is ready by the end of the month. That is our deadline or we will consider further protests" (Manchester Evening News, 12.04.96). The human rights organisation Amnesty International has taken up the case and is calling for a full and independent inquiry, proceedings against any police officer found to be responsible, and full compensation for Mr Rafiq. Amnesty International gave publicity to the case in its newsletter, which has a world-wide distribution (Manchester Evening News, 15.04.96). Supt David Birch has been brought in from Merseyside police to carry out an investigation into the incident. Manchester police are now asking for witnesses to the incident to come forward (Manchester Evening News, 02.05.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 4]

Complaint over halal meat

Donald Jay of Nelson complained to his local trading standards office when he bought a frozen chicken which he later discovered was halal. He said: "I think it’s cruel to slaughter animals for halal meat, and I would not have bought it if I’d known. If you’re Moslem it’s all right, but I’m not". Rejecting the complaint, Lancashire trading standards officer Jim Potts said: "As long as there is no misleading information about weight or content on the package, it is fine. The only difference with halal meat is that it has been slaughtered in a ritualistic way, possibly by a religious leader. I think most people would find any method disturbing" (Burnley Citizen, 05.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 4]

Al Mas’ari to stay in Britain

The Saudi dissident, Mohammed al-Mas’ari has been granted exceptional leave to remain in Britain. He was also invited to appear on the BBC’s satirical news quiz, Have I Got News For You, and accepted the invitation. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 4]

Muslim Parliament changes

Following the death of Dr Kalim Siddiqui, there was some concern expressed in the press that the Muslim Parliament might have difficulty in appointing an appropriate successor (Asian Times, 25.04.96). However, a new leader, Dr Muhammad Ghayasuddin, was appointed on 6 May and one of his first actions was to confirm the position taken by his predecessor on the continuation of the fatwa against Salman Rushdie (see BMMS for March 1996). Dr Ghayasuddin lives in Chesham and was a founder in the early 1970s of the Muslim Institute for Research and Planning. The parliament’s deputy leaders will be Jahangir Mohammed from Manchester and Haroon Kalla from London (Daily Jang, 07.05.96). At the funeral of Dr Siddiqui, Abdul Jabbar Alvi, imam of the Stoke Poges Lane Islamic Centre, told mourners in his funeral address that he would support the fatwa even more vigorously than Dr Siddiqui himself (Slough & Langley Observer, 26.04.96). Det Insp Steve Neale, community partnership officer for Slough police, commented that: "the police position is behind the government and all the rights and wrongs of it should be heard in diplomatic circles. Our view is that this is just a religious comment, unless specific actions were taken and obviously we would then have to look at that. This issue has been around for a long time and most Muslims in this country understand the laws and are prepared to abide by them rather than this proclamation" (Slough & Langley Observer, 26.04.96).

The eleventh session of the Muslim Parliament took place on 31 March in London, before the death of Kalim Siddiqui. Highlights of the session were debates following reports by the leader of the parliament, Dr Kalim Siddiqui, and the deputy leader, Jahangir Mohammed. In his report, Dr Siddiqui mentioned the open letter he sent to the prime minister, John Major (see BMMS for March 1996). He also referred to the imprisonment for life of Shaykh Omar Abdul-Rahman in New York for conspiracy and terrorism, arguing that: "When a self-proclaimed superpower becomes afraid of a 57-year old, diabetic preacher then we know that they have no confidence in their own much-vaunted power. The West in fact has feet of clay, made softer by vodka, scotch and coke" (Q-News, 06.04.96). Jahangir Mohammed’s report and the resulting debate was concluded with a motion passed by the Muslim parliament concerned with the Home Office’s "hidden agenda to manipulate and control Islam and Muslims in Britain". The 34-page paper’s title is: The Home Office Strategy for Islam and Muslims in Britain, and is an account of policies pursued by governments throughout the European Union concerning Muslims (Q-News, 06.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 4/5]

Crime prevention video

Hertfordshire police’s crime prevention video, As safe as houses, has been translated into Urdu. The Urdu version was jointly sponsored by Watford borough council, Hertfordshire police, and the Watford Muslim Community Project. Maqsood Ahmed, an advice worker with the community project said: "The video will provide invaluable crime prevention advice to hundreds of Muslims who do not have English as their first language" (Hertfordshire Mercury, 29.03.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 5]

NUS conference report

Details are emerging in the Muslim press about this year’s National Union of Students (NUS) conference held in Blackpool on 25-28 March. FOSIS (Federation of Islamic Student Societies) has demanded an explanation of why it was not allowed to have a literature stall at the conference. Prior to the conference, they were told that there was an NUS ‘protocol’ which meant that all literature for sale, distribution and display had to be vetted. FOSIS were never shown this ‘protocol’ and suspected that it was not being applied to the literature of other groups, only Muslim ones (Muslim News, 26.04.96). Fahad Al-Awadi, president of FOSIS, in an interview with Muslim News, pointed out the lack of involvement of committed Muslims in student unions and the NUS, which leads to a lack of Muslim input in NUS decision-making.

Further details are also emerging about the tactical alliances and activity behind the scenes which led to the joint statement, apparently condemning Hamas, issued by the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS) and the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), which was marked by a ‘historic handshake’ of the presidents of these two groups. After more than eight hours of talks, the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS) finally agreed on the wording of a joint statement on the Middle East for presentation at the AGM of the National Union of Students (Jewish Chronicle, 05.04.96). Two Jewish students were elected onto the executive of the NUS, Gina Baylin from Leeds and Lee Petar from De Montford. Mr Petar expressed a commitment to fight against fascism and against any harassment of students by Hizb ut-Tahrir (Jewish Chronicle, 12.04.96). Q-News (06.04.96) devoted two pages of reporting and comment to the NUS conference and related student affairs, pointing to a lack of Muslim representation and alleging that there was a pact between the UJS and the Labour Students faction which served to further marginalise Muslim students.

Muslim News printed the following note at the end of one of its articles on the NUS conference: "For those Muslim students who may be interested in finding out more as to how they may be able to help or get involved, or even if they may have any advice or experiences to share regarding ‘student politics’, their views would be most welcome". [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 5]

Shaykh Nazim Slough visit

Shaykh Nazim Al-Haqqani, a leading exponent of Sufism, visited Slough at the end of March. He addressed an audience of more than 300 people at Lea First School in Slough. Preaching on the theme of peace, the Shaykh said: "For peace to be attained between people, a primary condition is that they look to each other with benevolence and tolerance. Look at our gardens. One and the same soil and so many hundreds of different kinds of trees and plants" (Slough & Langley Observer, 29.03.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 5]

Muslim pop group formation

Q-News (06.04.96) reports on the formation of a Muslim pop group, playing mainly in East London, called The Kaliphz. Their lyrics, according to the newspaper, consist mostly of eulogies to the boxer, Prince Naseem Hamed (see BMMS for February 1996). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 6]

Stockport consultations

A consultation has been carried out between Stockport council’s equal opportunities and anti-poverty working party and members of the borough’s Pakistani community. Areas where better facilities were requested were: a community facility where the Qu’ran and community languages could be taught; day centre facilities and halal meals for elderly Muslims; more interpreters, English language teaching, and books and videos in the home languages in the public libraries. A concern was also raised about racially motivated bullying in schools. The problems raised by the consultation are being passed to the relevant council committees to deal with (Stockport Express Advertiser, 03.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 6]

Ahmadiyya TV service starts

Muslim Television Ahmadiyya International (MTAI) recently inaugurated its international, 24 hours a day television service in London. MTAI was launched in January 1991 with three hours of programmes for Europe and 12 hours for Asia (Eastern Eye, 12.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 6]

Centre opens in Harrow

A new advice centre and youth club aimed at Muslims in Harrow is starting. The new Harrow Islamic Society’s resource centre was due to open three days a week in April and hopes thereafter to expand its activities and to have a telephone advice service by the summer (Harrow Observer, 11.04.96). Further information is available from the Harrow Islamic Society on: 0181-868-0847. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 6]

Danish social work visit

The Muslim Community Centre in Ilford has had a visit from Danish social work students. The centre’s chair, Bashir Chaudhry, commenting on the usefulness of this interchange of ideas and experiences said: "Gradually Denmark is getting more people from a variety of ethnic minorities and they wanted to see how somewhere like Redbridge copes...It was very interesting speaking to the people and learning how they are coping with more asylum seekers coming into the country...There is always room for improvement, but I certainly think Redbridge is on the right track and this is something the students appreciated" (Ilford Recorder, 04.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 6]

Housing scheme plan

A sheltered housing scheme for Afro-Caribbean elderly people in Gloucester is to go ahead, even though a similar scheme in the city, Apna Ghar Court, attracted only one couple (see BMMS for March 1996). Donna Baddeley, manager of the project for Gloucestershire Housing Association, denied that targeting would lead to the creation of ghettoes: "We are aiming to have a mixed client group in the flats. Just Afro-Caribbean elderly or just Asian elderly in the flats would not work" (Gloucester Citizen, 15.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 6]

Batley community centre plans

The Pakistan and Kashmir Welfare Association of Batley is hoping that work will start at the end of this year on their new community centre, £95,000 of whose funding has come from the national lottery. There has been considerable debate as to whether, under Islamic law, the PKWA could accept such funding (see BMMS for January and February 1996). The PKWA’s spokesperson, Mahmood Akhtar, defended the decision on the grounds that the centre will be used for inter-denominational social and welfare purposes, but with no religious application (Batley News, 04.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 6]

Housing decision in Westminster

The Times (15.04.96) has reviewed a recent legal decision concerning the application of the Housing Act 1985, Regina v Westminster Council, Ex parte Benniche. It was decided that Mr Kamal Benniche’s claim to have a priority need for housing in Westminster through having a local connection with the borough was not established. The local connection that Mr Benniche claimed was that as a devout Muslim, he wished to attend the London Central Mosque daily, and to be near a Muslim school, that is, the Islamia School in Brent. Mr Benniche’s housing application was referred to the borough of Elmbridge. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 6]

Glasgow "mosquing"

In Glasgow, there has been a "mosquing", the equivalent of a kirking, or service of blessing on the city’s councillors and their work. The Very Reverend William Morris, who performed the kirking, had been critical of the idea of a mosquing last year, had now changed his views, and in his address called upon Glasgow citizens to concentrate on that which united them rather than on divisions (The Scotsman, 15.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 7]

Birmingham disturbances meeting

On 10 April the police and Asian community leaders met to discuss the causes of rioting by Asian youth in the Alum Rock area of Birmingham the previous week. Police see the cause as being problems over parking restrictions on Alum Rock Road. Many community leaders, such as Councillor Abdul Malik, see inappropriate policing methods as one of the causes. Councillor Malik said of the demonstration which turned into a riot: "We were finally getting the crowds to disperse and police to reduce their presence when all of a sudden the police charged with riot gear...We see Asian people being deliberately victimised despite being more consistently law-abiding. Other ethnic minority groups do not seem to have the same kind of trouble because maybe they don’t allow police to push them about" (Daily Jang, 11.04.96).

Q-News (06.04.96), reporting on the troubles in both Bradford and more recently, Birmingham, concluded pessimistically that: "Coupled with the recent increases in police powers from the Criminal Justice Act and the new Prevention of Terrorism Act, which will allow officers to stop and search anyone ‘in designated areas’ suspected of being a terrorist, the abuse of powers by a force unsympathetic to a rising underclass of discontented youngsters will inevitably be a cause for mounting friction in months to come." [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 7]

Health awareness training

Brent and Harrow Health Authority has trained 30 representatives from various Muslim and refugee communities in health awareness and using the NHS (Kilburn Times, 28.03.96). Those taking part included Somalis, Tamils, Bosnians, Iraquis and Iranians. The training coordinator, Aisha Khan, explained: "The aim is to reach out to the Muslim and refugee communities in Brent and Harrow. The project broke new ground in that it used peer education to raise awareness, inform communities about health services, and facilitated an exchange of views and concerns between health workers and community representatives." She also said that the course’s intake challenged the stereotype of refugees being uneducated and unqualified: "The majority of the participants were professional people - a few were highly qualified in health, including doctors". The project has lead to the setting up of advice clinics run by the Harrow Islamic Society and members of the Iraqi community. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 7]

Quail fight video seized

A video has been seized by West Yorkshire police and the RSPCA which shows quail fights taking place in Britain (Sunday Times, 21.04.96). Mike Butcher, the RSPCA officer who led the raid in which the video was seized, but which has not as yet led to any prosecutions, said: "We have had dozens of reports but it (quail fighting) is confined almost entirely to the Asian community and that makes it very difficult to find out when fights are happening and to infiltrate the organisers". The Sunday Times reports that, as the practice grows in Britain, it is dying out in Pakistan due to heavy penalties of up to 10 years in prison. They quote an officer at the Pakistani high commission in London, Kamran Shafi, who said: "Quail fighting is horrifying and it is certainly nothing to do with Muslim culture because Islamic law forbids cruelty to animals". [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 7]

Campaign against circumcision

Dr John Warren, who was himself circumcised as a child, is now leading a campaign against circumcision performed for religious reasons, as is customary with Jewish and Muslim boys. The British Association of Paediatric surgeons says that circumcision for medical reasons is only necessary in very rare cases. Dr Warren’s campaign to persuade the General Medical Council to forbid doctors to perform ritual circumcisions comes at a time when Muslim and Jewish parents are increasingly asking doctors rather than religious officials to perform the rite (The Independent, 07.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 7]

Election guidelines report

Q-News (06.04.96) carried a discussion article by Parveez Syed, who argues that when, on 3 April, the five main political parties agreed to abide by guidelines on good conduct in elections drawn up by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), an opportunity was missed to obtain a similar pledge on religious discrimination and religious hatred. The agreement is called Free Speech and Race Relations in a Democratic Society and has been signed by the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Scottish Nationalists and Plaid Cymru. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 7/8]

An-Nisa health course

The An-Nisa Society, a women’s group working for the welfare of women in Brent, has begun a course called "Healthy living - the Islamic way". The course consists of discussions and practical demonstrations, for example, of massage and stress reduction techniques. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 8]

Student discrimination case

Fasl Bodi’s legal case against Manchester University students union, alleging discrimination against Muslims (see BMMS for March 1996), has been temporarily postponed (Q-News, 06.04.96). Mr Bodi is a former student who claims that his attempts to have measures benefitting Muslim students discussed and adopted were consistently blocked by the union. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 8]

Muslim Youth League seminar

The Muslim Youth League recently held a seminar in Oldham, attended by over 100 people, to discuss the question of identity. The Muslim Youth League plans to launch a newsletter and to have more of these gatherings in the future, in pursuit of its aims of "uniting the Muslim Ummah and bringing about a revival of Islamic values amongst Muslims" (Daily Jang, 23.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 8]

Malaysian prime minister lecture

The prime minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, gave a public lecture at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies on 17.04.96. The title was: Islam - the misunderstood religion. Dr Mahathir said, regarding anti-Muslim prejudice that: "When a non-Muslim commits the most heinous of crimes, his deed is not linked to his religion. But the terrorism by people of Christian faith in Northern Ireland pales into insignificance when compared to the brutality of the Christian Serbs in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Yet at no point have the massacres and terrorism by the Christian Serbs been described as Christian terrorism" (Daily Jang, 17.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 8]

Israeli embassy demonstration

It is reported that about 100 Muslims held a demonstration outside the Israeli Embassy in London on 15 April to protest against the Israeli bombing of Lebanon. The demonstration was called by Al-Muhajirun, the organisation lead by Omar Bakri Mohammad, former leader of Hizb-ut-Tahrir. The organisation is likely to continue its protests until the bombing ceases (Evening Standard, 15.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 8]

Labour home affairs visit

The Vale of Glamorgan Muslim Welfare Association Mosque and community Centre was visited by Labour’s spokesperson for home affairs, Doug Henderson, on 17 April. The visit was part of a tour to look at race relations in the area, and Mr Henderson praised the Muslim Welfare Association’s work in this field (South Wales Echo, 18.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 8]

Minister praises Muslims

Home Office minister Timothy Kirkhope praised Muslims for their moral values at a recent Muslim community development conference in Leicester (see BMMS for March 1996). He said: "The Muslim community reinforces important values in our society - the importance of the family, the need for a sound ethical framework to govern our conduct, and a belief in our ability to make a better life for our children through education and work" (Leicester Mail, 11.04.96, Oadby & Wigston Mail, 14.04.96). The New Christian Herald (06.04.96) printed the same quote from Mr Kirkhope, but saw the government’s position on "family values" as being inconsistent, given what the paper sees as the haste with which the government wishes to bring in divorce reforms. The same front page article also quotes Dr Patrick Sookhdeo of Servants Fellowship International, concerning Dr Siddiqui’s recent pronouncement on Salman Rushdie: "Muslims must act decently in our society as a whole. But the government acts as if it is afraid of Muslims." [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 8]

Community development conference

As a result of the first national Muslim community development conference held at Leicester on 28-30 March (see BMMS for March 1996), a Muslim Standing Conference for Community Development has been set up. This is modelled on the National Community Development Standing Conference based in Hull. The Standing Conference aims to work on the recommendations from the weekend’s workshops. These include: facilitating communication with a newsletter and a WWW (World Wide Web) bulletin board; organising future conferences, including on a regional basis; providing access to a database of personnel with expertise, for instance on funding, and who could act as a support network to isolated Muslim community workers (Muslim News, 26.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 9]

Local elections and Muslims

Batley and Spen MP Elizabeth Peacock was thanked by Heckmondwicke Muslims for her work for the constituency over the past 13 years, by a party in the mosque. Under boundary changes, Heckmondwicke will no longer be a part of the Batley and Spen constituency after the next general election but will come under Dewsbury, and so this was a farewell party (Spenborough Guardian, 19.04.96).

The impending local elections on 2 May were the occasion for reporting and comment in several local papers on issues concerning Muslims and politics. In Derby, stickers and posters had been seen, urging Muslims not to vote for non-Muslim candidates. One sticker said: "A vote for kufr - A vote for hellfire" and adds "Voting for kufr is haram". Similar stickers appeared last year in the town at election time, and police had been unable to trace those responsible. Derby police inspector Kevin Cassidy said: "We’ve got no idea who has put them up. Certainly it could be the same people both years". Masud Akhtar, a local Labour candidate said: "These people have a very narrow view of Islam. I don’t think any Muslim voters will take them seriously" (Derby Evening Telegraph, 30.04.96). The editorial in the same paper commented: "...this nonsense is a deliberate scare tactic to disenfranchise thousands of voters. So if you see one, why not exercise your right to freedom of expression - by tearing it down and throwing it in the nearest bin." Awaaz (01.05.96) remarked on the record number of Asian candidates, standing for different parties in Kirklees, amongst them several Muslims.

The Daily Jang (01.05.96) interviewed five council candidates of Pakistani origin standing in different wards for various parties in Bradford. Two of them specifically mentioned a belief that their parties’ value systems were close to Islamic values. These were Chaudhry Abdul Rashid for the Conservatives and Nighat Taimuri for the Green Party. Mr Rashid said: "I feel that the Conservative party’s values and thinking are close to my own Islamic values. The party is good for Asians, especially Pakistanis. I suppose you could call me a Muslim Socialist but the Labour party’s socialism doesn’t appeal to me." Ms Taimuri said of the Green party: "The party has values similar to Islamic values in that we are the custodians of the earth’s resources". [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 9]

Muslim chefs at Lands End

Two trainee chefs from France, Nadji Benyounes and Younes Badri, are on a placement at the Land’s End Hotel in Cornwall. Since Nadji Benyounes is a practising Muslim, the hotel has had to adapt. Richard Smith, Land’s End hotel’s commercial manager said: "...he had to pray every day from 1pm to 1.30pm, which was often one of our busiest periods of all! There was no way round it; he had to say his prayers at that time. He was also not allowed to eat anything at all from sunrise to sunset for the duration of Ramadan. At the end of each day, he was so hungry he would eat huge amounts of food!" (The Cornishman, 18.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 9]

Anti-abortion campaign

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), has launched a renewed campaign against abortion in Britain and abroad. Christians of various denominations, Muslims and others have come together to start a Worldwide Family Campaign for the Right to Life. The National Organiser of SPUC Muslims, Dr Majid Katme, in supporting the new umbrella organisation, said: "In this great cause Muslims and Christians must stand together" (Daily Jang, 25.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 9]

Muslim association elects new members

The United Muslim Association of Beckton have elected 20 new members to their management committee. The association runs a welfare benefits advice service, a mosque, community centre and a library (City of London Recorder, 19.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 9/10]

Cardiff workshop

A one-day workshop to raise awareness about Muslims and Islam is planned for 18 May at the University of Wales, Cardiff. The guest speaker at this event is Farooq Murad (South Wales Echo, 27.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10]

Pakistanis in Britain conference

A two-day conference organised by the Pakistan Forum, titled Pakistanis in Britain in the 1990s and beyond was held in Birmingham at the end of April. It was opened by a recitation from the Qur’an and prayers. There were twelve working groups: education; housing; employment, training and urban development; social and health services; politics; racial harassment; immigration and nationality; media; religion and identity; police and criminal justice; women’s issues. The conference was well attended and the participants enthusiastic (Daily Jang, 24.04.96). For further information, contact Professor M. Anwar or Tahir Abbas at the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, University of Warwick. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10]

Hospital prayer room refurbished

Following the attack on the prayer room in Dewsbury hospital (see BMMS for March 1996), in which copies of the Qur’an were destroyed, the room has now been refurbished and is once more in use (Awaaz, 01.05.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10]

Birmingham Qur’an competition

What claims to be the UK’s first Qur’an competition is to be held in Birmingham in June (Awaaz, 01.05.96). The Majlis Ahl-e-Sunnat UK is organising the competition which is open to students from age 5 to 22. More information and application forms may be obtained from the Majlis, telephone: 0181-558-5650. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10]

Bradford directory withdrawal

The withdrawal of Bradford’s Global Village Directory after protests by the Ahmadiyya community that they had not been included as Muslims (see BMMS for March 1996), has been criticised by the president of Bradford Council of Mosques. A meeting has been arranged for the council of Mosques and Bradford City council to discuss the issue further (Muslim News, 26.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10]

Mosque founder death

The founder of the East London Mosque, Suleman Mohammad Jetha, died on 30 April. His support for the mosque began in 1943 and continued up to his death (Daily Jang, 02.05.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10]

Muslim Aid anniversary

The charity Muslim Aid recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. Founded in November 1985, when 23 Muslim organisations came together, it aimed to: provide short-term relief to the victims of conflicts and natural disasters; and provide long-term aid by giving the poor skills and resources to enable them to build their own future. In its first four years, the charity expanded into Asia, Africa and Europe. Explaining their fund-raising strategy, the director, Mahmood al Hassan, said: "It is a war against time. We have a very small committed team which spends most of its time locating and pursuing donors who will ultimately help save someone, somewhere. Don’t you think it’s better than sending pictures and reports to the media and waiting for their publication?" (Q-News, 19.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10]

Brighton mosque protest

A crowd of about 250 people gathered outside a mosque in Brighton. They had found their way into a meeting about the mosque’s management barred by security guards. Sussex police intervened and a debate about how the mosque is being run continued outside on a lawn (Brighton Evening Argus, 02.05.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10]

Peterborough attack

A Muslim in Peterborough was attacked after leaving prayers at one of the city’s mosques by a gang of about 15 men armed with bricks, iron bars and clubs. The victim was driving his car along Russell Street when he pulled over to talk to two friends. Then two vehicles pulled up and 15 Asians got out and proceeded to attack the three men. The police were called but the attackers escaped, leaving their victim badly injured. Police have no idea as to the motive for the attack (Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 26.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 10/11]

Poverty report review

In a recent edition (19.04.96) Q-News carried a review of a report by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), entitled Poverty: the facts. This report showed that people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani origin, the vast majority of whom are Muslims, are amongst the poorest in Britain, being disproportionately unemployed and, when in work, having the lowest average earnings. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11]

Bristol Arthritis Care group

The Bristol area now has six branches of Arthritis Care, including one Muslim and one Sikh branch (Bristol Observer, 18.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11]

Anti-Racist Alliance meeting

The Anti-Racist Alliance (ARA) has reaffirmed its commitment to working with Muslims to fight religious discrimination and Islamophobia (see BMMS for March 1996). At ARA’s AGM on 13 April, the chair, Narendra Makanji commented on the need for a strategy to address religious discrimination: "It is an important issue because large numbers of people who should be within the ambit of the anti-racist struggle and the anti-racist movement are feeling they are out of it" (Q-News, 19.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11]

Birmingham women’s meeting

The UK Islamic Mission held its first women only conference on 7 April in Birmingham Town Hall. The conference was attended by women from all over the UK and speakers came from Birmingham, London, Oxford, and Pakistan, who talked about Muslim women in Britain and abroad, in the present and in history (Q-News, 19.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11]

Calamus Foundation trustee speech

Mr M Risaluddin, a founder member and trustee of the Calamus Foundation, which is based in London, gave a Muslim perspective on current affairs to the plenary session of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe at its recent summit in Warsaw. Affirming an Islamic commitment to human rights, religious freedom, and democracy Mr Risaluddin said: "I and a majority of Muslims are fully committed to peace and justice for all peoples, whether in the Middle East, Bosnia, Chechnya, or any other conflict zone in the world, and we base that on our Muslim faith" (Daily Jang, 25.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11]

Interfaith Council inauguration

A meeting was planned for 18 May to inaugurate the North Kirklees Interfaith Council, which will have equal numbers of Muslims and Christians on its management committee (Awaaz, 01.05.96). This follows a conference of local Christians and Muslims last year when it was decided that such a council should be formed and a steering committee was set up (see BMMS for February 1996). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11]

Charlemagne Institute lecture

The Charlemagne Institute, established in Bath in 1994 with the aim of promoting the European ideal, will be hosting a lecture in June to be given by Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan. The theme will be Islam and civil society (Bath Chronicle, 25.04.96). For more information on the Charlemagne Institute, phone: 01225-424070. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11]

Bury interfaith meeting

In Bury, the Interfaith Council held a meeting which was well attended by Muslims and Christians, on the theme My faith in the new millennium (Midweek Times, 23.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11]

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Updates

Education

Islamia school inspection report

The Islamia School in Brent has received a mixed report from the school inspectors, Ofsted (see BMMS for March 1996). As a result, some aspects of the school’s practice, such as corporal punishment and the lack of any teaching of music, are under review. Regarding the absence of music, school administrator Muhammad Zamir explained that music was not taught at the request of parents, but this was being discussed with Islamic scholars. He said, "There is always going to be a variance of opinion as to its lawfulness or unlawfulness within an Islamic school" (Paddington Times, 04.04.96). Ibrahim Hewitt, general secretary of the Association of Muslim Schools, argued that state funding would alleviate the problems: "If you are trying to run a school on a tight budget, there may well be things which slip through, which otherwise would or should not happen" (Asian Times, 11.04.96). An article in the Wembley Observer (04.04.96) used the Islamia inspection as an example of how stressful an Ofsted inspection can be for teachers. Former Brent NUT president, Hank Roberts said: "I spent months working weekends and late into nights to prepare for our school’s report". Islamia principal, Dr Azam Baig commented: "The inspectors visited us for four days in December...The inspection days were not normal days. They were difficult for the staff. Everything is under the microscope." [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 11/12]

Lancaster hospital conversion

The sale of the Lancaster Royal Albert Hospital to a Muslim educational organisation which is going to convert it to a girls’ boarding school finally went through at the end of March (Lancaster Guardian, 04.04.96). It was bought by the Al-Badr Islamic Trust of Blackburn for an estimated £500,000 Blackburn Telegraph, 11.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 12]

RE debate continues

Discussion continues in the press on the question of Muslims and religious education in schools (see BMMS for February and March 1996). An article in the Guardian (09.04.96) by Madeleine Bunting claims that the dilemmas which are now becoming prominent because schools have pupils from many faith traditions have their roots in "the 1944 Education Act when it was deemed both a compulsory subject and also one from which parents could withdraw their children. RE provokes intense disagreement, mirroring the wide range of belief and increasing disbelief in Britain."

As schools returned after the Easter holidays, there was speculation in the press as to whether the boycott of RE in state schools by Muslims would spread beyond Kirklees, where it began (see BMMS for January, February and March 1996). Masood Shadjareh, speaking on behalf of the Muslim Parliament, called for more schools to adopt the solution of Birchfield Primary: "Parents want Muslim teachers to teach Islam from a Muslim perspective, instead of a teacher giving children hotch-potch information on all different religions without being true to any of them" (Nursery World, 25.04.96). The Education Secretary, Gillian Shephard, in an interview with the Birmingham Evening Mail (25.04.96), also expressed cautious approval of the arrangement at Birchfield: "In that particular case, the law was being observed. The important thing is to be certain that the National Curriculum requirements are being delivered correctly. We have been assured by the local education authority that this is the case, but it is a very delicate area..."

In Walsall, Mohammed Aslam, speaking on behalf of the town’s Union of Muslim Organisations, was reported as saying that he thought the spreading of the boycott to Walsall was unlikely (Walsall Express & Star, 22.04.96). The Muslim News (26.04.96) believed that the boycott would spread, at least to other parts of Yorkshire, and estimated that with more withdrawals from Huddersfield and Ravensthorpe, the total would be about 3,300. Eastern Eye (19.04.96) reported that over 600 pupils were withdrawn from RE in Dewsbury [It is not clear if these are new withdrawals or not]. Mohammed Asfar, chair of the Saville Town Community Centre in the Dewsbury area, was reported as saying that RE in schools was irrelevant to Muslim children as they received teaching from mosques. He said: "Many parents don’t feel that RE is very important. Rather than doing RE they should be doing something that is more appropriate to them like computing or maths. These subjects will increase the economic prosperity of the country" (Dewsbury Reporter, 19.04.96).

A meeting of the North Kirklees Muslim Association and Kirklees education service resulted in a joint statement which attributed the local dispute to national legislation: "Both sides wish to stress the principal issues relate to legislation and there is no dispute as such between the local community, schools or the local education authority. The solution can only come at national level" (Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 25.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 12]

Nelson girls’ school plan

A plan is being formulated to start a girls secondary school in the autumn term 1997 in rooms behind the Islamic bookshop in Forest Street, Nelson (Nelson Leader, 12.04.96). Initially the school would have just 50 girls and three teachers, expanding to 250 students. The school’s spokesperson is Ajaz Ditta, who went to school in Nelson. He then went on to obtain a B.Ed. degree at Huddersfield and is currently a lecturer in information technology and mathematics at Leeds. He said: "Nowhere as small as Nelson has a Muslim girls’ school, but they are well established in towns like Blackburn, Bolton and Huddersfield and we are learning lessons from them. Our community is keenly aware of the value of education and will find whatever money is necessary not to compete with other schools in terms of facilities and staff, but to be ahead of them. Computers, for instance, will be very important. and we will be aiming for a high academic standard - there will be an entrance examination". A Saturday school is starting on the premises, offering tuition in mathematics, science, Urdu and Islamic studies. It is open to any child of either sex. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 12/13]

Help with homework in Sheffield

A scheme which helps school children and unemployed graduates has been set up jointly by Sheffield’s Pakistani Muslim Centre and the town’s TEC (Training and Enterprise Council). Graduates are helping children aged 11 to 16, whose families are not native English speakers, to do homework and encourage them to consider further education or training. The project has also had the effect of increasing the involvement of parents and helping them to understand the school system (Barnsley Star, 11.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 13]

Yusuf Islam meetings

Yusuf Islam, founder of the Islamia High School in Brent had meetings with Professor Tahir-ul-Qadri, in London at the beginning of May. Professor ul-Qadri is the founder of the Minhaj-ul-Qur’an International University in Lahore, which has links with the University of Punjab and with Al-Azhar University in Cairo. Minhaj-ul-Qur’an University also has six graduates on placement in Britain. Yusuf Islam discussed funding strategies with Professor ul-Qadri and the possibility of future co-operation between the Islamia School and the Minhaj-ul-Qur’an University (Daily Jang, 03.05.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 13]

Good report for Batley school

In a recent inspectors’ report, Warwick Road Primary School in Batley was praised for its high standards of behaviour, outstanding results in science and maths, and the way it responds to the needs of Muslim pupils (Awaaz, 01.05.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 13]

School governors needed

Awaaz (01.05.96) reports on a new government campaign to encourage more people to become school governors. The paper interviewed two Muslims who are school governors in Kirklees, Saleha Sayed who is on the governing body of two infant schools in Dewsbury, and Saied Laher, who is a governor at two of Dewsbury’s high schools. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 13]

A’ Level Islamic Studies

Muslim News (26.04.96) carried an article by Ibrahim Lawson on a training seminar recently held at the Muslim College in west London. This practical seminar was one of a series organised by the Association of Muslim Researchers Education Society looking at GCSE and A level Islamic studies syllabuses. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 13]

Mosques

Beckton

A petition with over 3,000 signatures protesting against a mosque being built in Tollgate Road has been received by Newham Council. A spokesperson for the council said that a site had been reserved for a mosque project, but that no formal application had been received. If and when it were received, it would be considered in the normal way (Docklands News, 01.05.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 13]

Blackburn

Planning permission has been granted to the Cutchi Muslim Association to expand its premises in Newton Street, Blackburn, in spite of objections from some local residents (see BMMS for January 1996). Councillors made their decision after being informed of amendments to the original plan (Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 23.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 13]

Chichester

Muslims in Chichester are hoping to raise money for a mosque. So far, £70,000 has been raised but a total of between £150,000 and £200,000 is needed. Anwar Miah, a spokesperson for the community said he believed there were about 300 Muslims in the Chichester and Bognor area, plus Arab students at the city’s college. Mr Miah said: "We have no plans to build a traditional sort of mosque because this would be far too expensive. We are thinking of a small hall, or a building like you get on an industrial estate, which would be cheaper. Whatever sort of building it was, it would be consecrated as a mosque for use by Muslim people" (Portsmouth News, 25.04.96). Support has been sought from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait via their London embassies. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 13/14]

Croydon

A scheme put forward by Imara UK Ltd, based at the Ismaili Centre in Kensington, for the conversion of the former Winton School in Croydon, has met with some local opposition. Steve Collins, chair of the Canning and Clyde Residents’ Association, felt that there would be objections to the demolition of one of the three buildings on the site, which he claims is of historic merit, although now derelict. The mosque would comprise a prayer hall, school rooms, library and study area, a function room, play areas and two nurseries (Croydon Advertiser, 19.04.96). Karim Mohammed, a member of the Ismaili National Council, claims the mosque would be a valuable asset to the locality: "The site of the former Winton school in Addiscombe Road, Croydon, is to be used as a place of gathering for local members of the Ismaili Muslim community and also for social, cultural and educational activities" (Croydon Guardian, 25.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 14]

Haringey

A decision is expected in May on planning permission for a new mosque in Haringey. The borough’s Islamic Cultural Society has applied for permission to build a mosque with a minaret and dome in front of its existing building in Wightman Road, which is too small for the community’s present needs (Hornsey & Crouch End Journal, 11.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 14]

Hornsey

The president of the Hornsey Islamic Cultural Society, Abdool Ali, has invited local objectors to the proposed new mosque (see BMMS for March 1996) to talk to him. Haringey Council has received 12 letters of objection, which focus on increased traffic, noise and parking problems (Hornsey & Crouch End Journal, 25.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 14]

Kirklees

The local government Ombudsman has found Kirklees guilty on two counts of maladministration regarding the granting of planning permission for the extension to a mosque in Dewsbury. The complainant was Michael Hadaway, who lives next door to the mosque. The Ombudsman found in his favour in that a site notice announcing the proposed development was placed where Mr Hadaway could not see it, and because he was not invited to the site meeting. However, Mr Hadaway is not entitled to any compensation as he did find out about the proposals, and because his presence at the site meeting would have made no difference to the final decision (Dewsbury Reporter, 29.03.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 14]

London

The Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Community wants to remove several internal walls in its building in Wood Lane, Harrow, and replace them with pillars. The Islamic centre, formerly known as Springbok House and carefully renovated by the Muslim group in the 1980s, is a Grade II listed building. Harrow Council has refused listed building consent, saying, "...these proposals envisage further alteration which will remove key remaining features of the layout of the building". The Islamic community group will be appealing against the refusal (Stanmore & Edgware Observer, 18.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 14]

Morden

Protesters who are against the proposed Ahmadiyya Muslim Association’s new national headquarters in Morden have written to the local government ombudsman demanding a public inquiry (see BMMS for December 1995; January, February and March 1996). The campaigners have denied that they have a racist motive. One Morden resident who is opposed to the mosque complex, Reg Perry, said: "We’re not racist in any way, we’re genuinely concerned about the mosque and our environment." Since Merton Council gave planning permission for the Ahmadiyya headquarters, literature has been circulated by the British National Party and the Anti-Nazi League (Wimbledon News, 22.03.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 14]

Northampton

The Institute of Islamic Studies has launched a campaign to build an Islamic community centre in the east of Northampton. No decision has yet been made regarding the precise location or cost of the scheme (Northampton Chronicle, 19.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 14]

Norwich

The dispute over the Norwich mosque (see BMMS for August, September, October, November 1995; February and March 1996) has been broadcast on Arab television (Norwich Evening News, 08.04.96). On 7 April researchers from the BBC World Service interviewed some of the members of the local Muslim community who have been locked out of the mosque since it was taken over by the Murabitun group. Abdullah Croft, speaking on behalf of those excluded from the mosque, said: "Our mosque is not only a religious centre, it is the focus of our social life too and to deny us entry amounts to a direct attack". [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 15]

Nottingham

Nottingham planning department has received an application from the Institute of Islamic Studies to use a building in Hyson Green as a Muslim Education Centre (Nottingham Evening Post, 01.05.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 15]

Rochdale

The director of a Muslim housing association, the Ashiana Housing Association, has written to the Rochdale Observer (17.04.96), explaining why they withdrew their plan to build houses on a site in the town. The housing association recognised that there was a more pressing need for a mosque and community centre in the area, and is confident of finding another suitable site for housing locally. [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 15]

Watford

Tensions continue around proposals for a mosque in Berry Avenue, Watford (see BMMS for March 1996). There have been accusations that those who are campaigning against the mosque are motivated by racism, which were denied by the North Watford Residents Action Group (West Herts & Watford Observer, 19.04.96). Councillors have asked residents to take a calm approach and pointed out that the application for permission to build a mosque is only in its initial stages. Councillor Rashid Choudhrey said: "We live together in harmony and I am proud to be a resident in Watford, where this can happen. Everybody has a right to express their views and I would urge both sides to be sensible and live with each other like they always have done." Councillor Maria Green added: "We will not build something that is going to create problems for residents and they need to be reassured of that" (West Herts & Watford Observer, 19.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 15]

Wolverton

Wolverton Muslims have been granted permission to convert part of their mosque premises into shops. The income generated by the shops would be used for the other facilities on the site, such as prayer halls, meeting rooms, offices and a community centre (Bletchley Citizen, 04.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 15]

Burials

Burton

Muslims in Burton want to build a cold storage room for corpses next to their mosque in Princess Street. Mohammed Afzal Qureshi, president of the mosque committee saw the causes of the problem as a big increase in the local Muslim population, and flight delays to Pakistan. He explained: "About 50% of people still want their body flown to Pakistan for a funeral because members of their family still live there. We wash the bodies and keep them ready for delivery to Heathrow when there is a flight. We need the extension and cold storage facilities as soon as possible because people are asking how long they will be praying next to bodies. We stick totally to English Law and the mosque is passed as a mortuary but it will be much better when we have more room" (Burton Trader, 10.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 15]

Crawley

Muslims in Crawley have won the right to be buried within 24 hours of death. Previously, Snell Hatch Cemetery would not carry out burials at weekends or public holidays. The leisure services committee also agreed to allow raised graves, to accommodate Islamic requirements (Crawley News, 24.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 15]

Hampshire

Following the recommendation of the environmental health officer for East Hampshire, Mike Hall, the council has amended their policy and decided to facilitate Muslims burials in the cemeteries the council operate. Councillor David Harrison said: "From my experience Muslim countries make every effort to conduct European burials according to our Christian customs, and we should obviously be prepared to reciprocate for members of the Muslim faith in this country" (The Messenger, 10.04.96). Other councils in the county, such as Fareham, Portsmouth and Southampton, already have facilities for Muslim burials. Bashir Rahim, religious instructor to the Wessex Shi’ite community commented: "I am very pleased about this. I think it is something else that will help bring members of different faiths together. We want to live in close harmony with our Christian friends" (Petersfield Post, 03.04.96). The council’s decision was unanimous (Alton Herald, 12.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 15/16]

Leamington

The relatives of a deceased Leamington Muslim leader, Abdul Ghaffoor, have asked permission to place kerbstones around his grave, as the family are worried that it may be desecrated by walkers and dogs. Permission was refused by the town council, as the Muslim graves are in a part of Leamington cemetery where this ban has operated for over 50 years (Warwick Courier, 29.03.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 16]

Walsall

Muslims in Walsall have won a two-and-a-half-year campaign for burials to be allowed on Saturdays. Mohammed Aslam, chair of the town’s Union of Muslim Organisations said that use of this facility would increase when news about it spread. He commented: "This is a big achievement for the borough’s Muslim community. When somebody dies, Islamic tradition says we should bury them as soon as possible. If someone died on Friday, we had to wait three days until the following Monday". Families will have to pay an additional fee of £275 if they call out the stand-by burial officer on a Saturday (Birmingham Express and Star, 13.04.96). [BMMS April 1996 Vol. IV, No. 4, p. 16]

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