|
British Muslims Monthly Survey for March 1997
Features
Reports
Community Boston Spa library prayer room Attempt to ban street drinking Oxford workshop on British Pakistanis British-based Muslim charities
Education Bradford supplementary schools changes Feversham nearer to state funding
Politics
Women
Youth
Interfaith Support for Pakistani Christians Islam to overtake Christianity? Heathrow and Birmingham controversies Bishop’s Lenten Qur’an reading
Halal
Health
Employment
Mosques & Burials London, Manor Park, High Street North
Features Q-News (14.03.97) devotes at least 13 full pages to the subject of Muslims and the elections (see British Muslims Monthly Survey for February 1997). There are statements from each of the three main parties, Brian Mawhinney for the Conservatives, Doug Henderson for Labour, and Aina Khan for the Liberal Democrats (page 17). Beginning on page 18, there are four pages headed ‘Advertisement feature’, produced by the UKACIA (UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs). This is its statement, ‘Elections 1997 and British Muslims’, which it is distributing throughout mosques and Islamic organisations, and it is reproduced in full. It deals with Muslim priorities such as: political representation; education; protection against religious discrimination; incitement to religious hatred; socio-economic deprivation; the National Lottery; Islamophobia; family and morality; international and humanitarian concerns; aid and development; health; and environment. Nine of these sections are headed with photographs of nine of the twelve women and men the paper considers to be ‘the main Muslim candidates’ but it is unclear if they are the authors of those sections. The main candidates for the Liberal Democrats, according to Q-News, are: Syed Nural Islam, Bethnal Green and Bow; Yasmen Zalzala, Manchester, Withington; Aina Khan, Ilford South; and Ali Qadar, Sheffield Central. The Labour Party is putting forward: Ali Syed, Argyll and Bute; Mohammed Sarwar, Glasgow Govan; Qaisra Khan, Aberdeenshire and Kincardine; and Javed Arain, Derby South. The Conservative candidates who are Muslim are: Mohammed Riaz, Bradford West; Rashid Skinner, Bradford North; Kabir Choudhry, Bethnal Green and Bow; and Bashir Khanbal, Norwich South. The only one of these which Q-News believes is likely to win is Mohammed Sarwar. There is also a list of constituencies where the ‘Muslim vote’ could be significant, where there are more Muslims than the sitting MP has a majority. These are: Battersea; Croydon North East; Leicester South; Leicester West; Blackburn; Bradford West; Birmingham Small Heath and Birmingham Sparkbrook, now merged into one; Ilford South; and Coventry South East. [For this to be significant presupposes homogeneity of political viewpoints and a high degree of Muslim voting unity and organisation]. There is also an essay by Iqbal Sacranie, joint convenor of the UKACIA, on ‘Why you should exercise your vote’ followed by one by Jahangir Mohammed, deputy leader of the Muslim Parliament, entitled ‘And why you should not’. Several other papers (Times, 24.03.97, Muslim News, 28.03.97, Awaaz, 01.04.97) continue to express views on Muslims and the general election: on how Muslims are likely to vote; what criteria will influence them; if they should or should not vote; and about the various parties’ recognition of issues of concern to Muslims. The Times (24.03.97) quotes the report edited by Dr Zaki Badawi of the Muslim College which views participation as a duty: "Taking part is a religious as well as a civic duty. The consequences will affect all of us and to remain aloof can be regarded as a lack of concern for the community". An opposing view is given by the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain [109 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8JA, phone: 0181 563 1995, fax: 0181 563 1993]. The text of their policy document, The 1997 British General Election - should Muslims vote? is reprinted in its entirety in Muslim News (28.03.97). The same paper gives a roughly equal amount of space to the view that Muslims should vote, expressed by Azzam Tamimi, where he argues against thinkers such as Mawdoodi and Qutb, founders of the Jama’at-i Islami and the Muslim Brotherhood respectively, who considered that democracy was shirk [associating other partners to God]. Other articles in Muslim News (28.03.97), written by the owner/editor Ahmed Versi, seek to show political opportunism on the part of the Labour Party regarding Muslim schools and state funding, and how, although the major parties are very willing to discuss racism, they have not targeted incitement to religious hatred. An article in Awaaz (01.04.97) reports on the document by the UKACIA (UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs). The Glasgow Herald (31.03.97) reports on a meeting on 30 March between Alex Salmond, leader of the SNP and Scots Asians for Independence, a cross-party political grouping, which includes amongst other prominent Scottish Muslims, Haji Mohammed Sadiq, former president of the Glasgow Central Mosque. Muslim News (28.03.97) claims that the Home Secretary, Michael Howard, deliberately misled Muslims by claiming that the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) had completed its current investigation into religious discrimination (see BMMS for March and June 1996) and found that, according to Mr Howard "there is little evidence to suggest that individuals in Great Britain are discriminated against on the grounds of their religious belief". The Home Secretary made this statement at a meeting of the Union of Muslim Organisations. Syed Aziz Pasha, General Secretary of the UMO, said: "I was surprised that Mr Howard said that the CRE had completed the work as Zakaullah Khan, Commissioner of the CRE, told our conference that the report will not be completed before the end of July as the consultation process was still continuing". Iqbal Sacranie, spokesperson for the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, contrasted the CRE’s survey of two years ago with the present, more thorough research and consultation exercise: "The statement by the Home Secretary is most unhelpful as the [first] exercise that was carried out by the CRE was haphazard and was conceded by the CRE to be ineffective and not proper". In contrast, he considered that the current CRE research project’s results "are showing that religious discrimination is very much alive and measures are being taken to collate evidence about these cases". The editorial in this edition of Muslim News accuses British politicians, in particular John Major and Michael Howard, of ignoring Muslims and their concerns. It concludes: "We hope Michael Howard will now apologise to the Muslim community for misleading them. Muslims might not be as influential as the Jewish community, but they have the voting power and this time round they should not be taken lightly". Awaaz (01.03.97) has a short article noting that Mr Marsha Singh, a Sikh, has been confirmed as Labour’s candidate for Bradford West (see BMMS for February and May 1996; January and February 1997) in the forthcoming General Election. According to Awaaz, Mr Singh won 56% of the votes cast, beating the trade union leader Mohammed Taj by 13% and leaving Max Madden MP in third place. Mohammed Sarwar, the Labour candidate for Glasgow, Govan (see BMMS for August and December 1995; January, February, March, April, May and June 1996), has increased his personal security measures and that of his supporters, following threats by the British National Party. He explained: "The BNP are putting a challenger in the seat and I can understand the fears of my supporters who may feel threatened. I have to ensure that when campaigners are out on the streets, they have protection and there are no fewer than three of them working together. My main worry is their safety. I am confident Govan will reject the BNP and they will lose their deposit" (Sun, 07.03.97). On 7 April, Robin Cook, the shadow Foreign Secretary, visited the constituency of Glasgow Govan, to give his support to the Mr Sawar. He promised that: "Labour will get tough on race crime with new specific offences of racial harassment and racially motivated violence. Our measures will make sure race hate crimes carry higher sentences. Labour will scrap the primary purpose rule [which is used to keep out the foreign spouses of British citizens and residents, particularly Asians] and we will reinstate the right of appeal for those who have had visa applications for family events such as weddings turned down". On Kashmir, Mr Cook reiterated that, once in government, Labour would "be prepared to use its good offices to help bring about a negotiated solution to all the peoples of Kashmir" (Daily Jang, 08.04.97). The Daily Jang (07.04.97) carries a feature article on Dr Abdul Rashid Skinner, an English Muslim who is standing as Conservative candidate for Bradford North. Dr Skinner, a 46-year-old clinical psychologist, embraced Islam in 1977. The article gives Dr Skinner’s views on state funding for Muslim schools; on the need to ensure that the state schools Muslim children attend are not only "culturally and religiously acceptable but to make them academic achievers as well"; on the Kashmir issue; and on religious discrimination. On this latter topic, he said: "There is a need to protect against religious discrimination. While I believe the state must allow the people to get on with their lives with minimal interference, I am definitely not in favour of a state of laissez faire. If elected, I hope to raise the issue of religious discrimination along with like-minded MPs". The Daily Jang (02.04.97) appears to be the first paper so far to report on the formation of the Fourth Party. This new political party has its headquarters in Birmingham and is so named because they would be the fourth largest party if every eligible black and Asian in the country voted for them. They believe that, for the number of seats in parliament to be proportionate to the ethnic minority population of Britain, then it should be 55 seats, but in fact, it is only a fraction of this number. The Fourth Party’s spokesperson, John Bradshaw, said of the need for a party like theirs: "The other parties don’t offer policies and also don’t offer opportunities to ethnic candidates". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 1/2]
Papers which continue to report on the Runnymede Trust’s discussion paper, Islamophobia, Features and Dangers (see BMMS for July, August and December 1996; February 1997), include the Asian Times (06.03.97), East, Eastern Eye, Birmingham Evening Mail (07.03.97), Q-News and East (14.03.97). The Asian Times (06.03.97) quotes the director of Runnymede, Sukhvinder Stubbs, explaining the need for such a document now: "There has been a marked shift in our society away from colour-based to culture-based discrimination which has lead to an increase in racial violence and prejudice against Muslims. We want this document to act as a starting point for more discussion on public representation of Muslims and how we can change the negative stereotypes attached to the Muslim community". Dr Zaki Badawi, echoed these sentiments, and warned of the anti-Islamic mood in many parts of Europe, especially France and Germany: "We’re part of this European culture. The wave of feeling from there could engulf us too" (East, 07.03.97). Islamophobia, Features and Dangers can be obtained free from the Runnymede Trust, by sending an SAE to; Runnymede Trust, 133 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4JA. The Trust welcomes responses to the report, if possible sent in writing before the end of April. Wycombe Race Equality Council is organising a public meeting to respond to the consultation paper, reports Raja Amir Dad in his weekly column in the Bucks Free Press (21.03.97). In Bradford, school students from the Grange Upper School and Feversham College Muslim Girls’ School reacted angrily to a report in the Observer about Asians in Bradford. They have written letters of complaint to the Observer and some have also written to the Press Complaints Commission. Rukshana Ajmal, an arts teacher at Feversham, said: "This also gives Bradford a bad name and does not look favourably at the positive aspects of a multi-cultural city. We are offended by this and feel it is just a stereotypical view of Asian people and Muslims in particular" (Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 22.03.97). In her letter, Bano Shabnam, aged 16 and a student at the Grange, wrote; "I am studying maths, chemistry and biology at A-level. I consider myself proud to be a Muslim and to be British and in my age group, I am not in a minority". In Harrow, Asad Omar, secretary of the local Islamic Society, has written a letter of complaint to the Harrow Observer (20.03.97) about their feature article on Muslims in Harrow (Harrow Observer, 20.03.97). He said that he had been misquoted, and had said nothing about excluding fundamentalists from mosques, as "I am neither a trustee nor on the management committee of a mosque and so I have no authority to exclude anyone from the mosque...Also, I never said anything about ‘insinuating into the mainstream mosques’ or ‘allowing unauthorised teachers’ or ‘we are the real Muslims’." An article in the New Christian Herald (22.03.97) interviews Dr Patrick Sookhdeo about his reactions to the document on Islamophobia. Dr Sookhdeo, the director of the London-based International Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity, believes the Trust’s document fails to distinguish between race and religion. He also appears to be opposed to legislation against incitement to religious hatred, saying: "If we ever arrive at a situation where a law links religion and race together, so that to attack a religion is deemed to be a racial attack on those who profess it, then we will have fashioned a situation of censorship of what we say, think and write". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 2/3]
Reports
Community The sisters of Amer Rafiq (see BMMS for February, March, April, May, June, August and November 1996), Bushra Rafiq, Ruxshana Rafiq, and Rizwana Iqbal have gone on hunger strike in reaction to reports that the police have paid £50,000 into court, believing that this is an attempt to force an out of court settlement. Amer Rafiq’s family have secured an injunction against the Manchester Evening News preventing the paper from publishing further information which might prejudice a fair court hearing. Sue Beesley, Amer Rafiq’s solicitor, said: "We feel the Manchester Evening News should provide full details of the source of the information so that these parties whose sole aim seems to be that of ensuring that a fair trial [of those responsible for Mr Rafiq’s injuries] cannot take place are exposed. This will hopefully ensure that any further attempts to prejudice the trial are minimised". Musurut Doast, of the Justice for Amer Campaign, which recently held a demonstration to mark the first anniversary of his arrest and injuries, said: "We want a trial in court, not a trial by media. No amount of money can compensate for the physical and psychological scars that Amer will endure for the rest of his life" (Area News Today, 07.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 3]
Police were called to a disturbance at the Brighton Islamic Centre and Mosque after a worshipper was injured. The management of the mosque is currently the subject of a county court case (see BMMS for February 1997). The dispute apparently arose when the present director of the centre, Abduljalil Sajid, wanted to lead mid-day prayers and his opponents in the struggle for control of the Centre disagreed. Police mediated in the dispute and Dr Sajid stayed but did not lead the prayers (Brighton Evening Argus, 10.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 3]
Atia Idrees (see BMMS for March, May and June 1996), the young Pakistani woman who is appealing against deportation in order to be able to stay in Britain to care for her elderly, frail grandmother, Alum Bibi has won the right to a judicial review of her case. Her solicitor, Paul Johnson, said: "It was an unusual ruling. The judge told the Home Office that they had not given due consideration to Alum Bibi. The Home Office conceded that and agreed to consider Alum Bibi’s needs in assessing Atia’s application to stay. As a result, he gave us liberty to apply to the court again should we have any grievance when the decision is finally made." Atia Idrees said: "It’s by no means final but it’s a step in the right direction. I can only hope that the Home Office eventually sees my point of view" (Q-News, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 3]
The Scotsman (17.03.97) carries an article celebrating the first year’s successful operation of Oasis, Fleming Bank’s Islamic equity investment fund (see BMMS for January and May 1996), which is run with the advice of a Shariah board. A spokesperson for Flemings said: "There have been some surprises along the way. For example, we knew investing in areas like brewing or gambling was prohibited, and also financial services because of its connection with the payment of interest. But you don’t realise that, for instance, supermarkets, airlines and hotels are out because part of their profits come from alcohol. We thought that tobacco would be out, but it isn’t. They see no problem with tobacco; it is pretty prevalent in the Middle East. Equally with defence. Our guidance is that there is nothing intrinsically wrong with defence industry investment". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 3/4]
Eastern Eye (07.03.97) carries a late article about Aftab and Nagina Ali, the Muslim couple in Walsall who have refused to accept interest on their Halifax Building Society savings account (see BMMS for February 1997). T Mehmood of Walsall has written to the Walsall Express & Star (03.03.97) commenting that: "This is OK, but the bank is only going to keep that money as profit. Since there are a good many people in the world without even the bare necessities of life, I would follow Mohammed Islam’s advice - chairperson of the Walsall branch of a Muslim organisation - pay your interest to charity or something else that may benefit". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 4]
The subject of the so-called "Muslim mortgages" or interest-free loans for house purchase (see BMMS for February 1997) continues to be reported. Mohammed Addel-Haq, of the Islamic Investment Banking Unit of the United Bank of Kuwait, one of the few banks in Britain to offer the service, said: "For a Muslim it is a sin comparable to killing or committing adultery to take or pay interest. The Koran instructs us not to acquire each other’s property wrongfully. The law is designed to eliminate exploitation in business transactions" (Highbury & Islington Express, Ham & High, 21.03.97). Mr Addel-Haq was reported in the Daily Telegraph (26.03.97), however, as saying: "We are not seeking to judge people or say that someone who has a conventional mortgage is a bad Muslim - actually I have one myself, because no other arrangement was then available. We are seeking to offer an alternative service, and one which will offer peace of mind, to those who are worried they could be breaking an important code of Islam". Faisal Bodi, writing on the subject in Q-News (01.04.97) believes that, because the "halal" mortgage scheme requires a deposit of 25 per cent, the scheme is likely to appeal only to wealthier home buyers. Even so, he calculates that a conventional mortgage at 7.5 per cent over 15 years would work out much cheaper, and that over 25 years an ordinary mortgage could still be marginally cheaper. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 4]
A year after officiating at the opening of the Jinnah Day Care Centre for elderly Asian people in Bury, the mayor, Councillor Trevor Holt, returned to see the work the centre is doing. He was presented with a copy of the Qur’an, a gift which he said he was honoured and privileged to receive (Bury Times, 28.02.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 4]
The World of Interiors(01.04.97) lists several auctions of Islamic art in its ‘Saleroom Diary’. These include: Islamic Art at Christie’s on 22 April; Islamic Works of Art at Bonhams on 23 April; Persian rugs at Christie’s on 24 April; and a whole Islamic Week at Sotheby’s. This week of sales begins on 23 April with Oriental Manuscripts and Miniatures, about which the World of Interiors writes, "the illustrated Moghul Kitab-i-Sa’at (Book of Hours), copied in 1583 by the scribe Muhammad Yusuf, is particularly impressive". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 4]
Boston Spa library prayer room The British Library at Boston Spa has provided a meditation room where Muslim staff and visitors can pray. One of the members of staff who had been asking for this prayer space, Harun Bhaijee, said: "I am delighted that the library has been able to provide this facility. It is essential for Muslims to pray five times a day at specific times and in the past it has been difficult to find a private space for staff and visitors to carry out their daily devotions. The meditation centre is ideal for Muslims and has been very much appreciated." The Equal Opportunities Officer at the library, Lucy Evans, explained that, following research into the need for such a room, she had persuaded library managers to provide it. She commented that the library had a good equal opportunities record, providing a nursery, holiday playscheme, and help for the disabled (Wetherby, Boston Spa and Tadcaster News, 28.02.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 4]
Prince Charles’ visit to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and extracts from the speech he made at the exhibition on Muslims in Britain at the British Council Library in the city have been widely reported. At the opening of the exhibition he expressed the need for more tolerance and mutual understanding: "Really what I wanted to emphasise today is how much Moslems in Britain add to the economic prosperity and cultural richness of our country. They contribute in an irreplaceable way to so many of our professions and they also form a very important part of our modern society. But it doesn’t need me to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, I’m sure, that there remains a great deal of prejudice, ignorance, intolerance and misunderstanding on both sides between the Islamic and the Western worlds...I believe we must work hard to eradicate this misunderstanding - at least to overcome the misunderstanding - otherwise out of ignorance so easily comes resentment and indeed fear" (Birmingham Post, Western Mail, Glasgow Herald, Western Morning News, Aberdeen Press & Journal, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Journal, Daily Telegraph, Dundee Courier, Scotsman, 01.03.97). The Prince also spoke of his respect for the Bangladeshi community in Britain, and of his recent meetings with members of that community. The Guardian (03.01.97), in a report by Kamal Ahmed on the Bangladesh visit, did not quote the Prince directly at all, but nevertheless, saw the Prince’s words and behaviour as evidence of a change for the better in his relations with the press and his public image. The Prince’s sensitive attitude to Islam and Muslims and the consequent reporting of these themes is partly attributed to new advisors. The new advisors mentioned are: Tom Shebbeare, chief executive of the Prince’s Trust; Mark Bolland, a member of the Prince’s personal staff, Stephen Lamport, private secretary to the Prince, and Sandy Henney, his press secretary. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 4/5]
Awaaz (01.03.97) publishes an anonymous letter criticising a Ramadan radio station in the north of England, Fast FM. The main criticism made by the correspondent appears to be that Fast FM was a mixture of cultures. Awaaz then asked Muslims from the Batley and Kirklees area for their views on the station. Unfortunately, no names are given for these listeners. Ashad Khan, one of the workers on Fast FM, pointed out that they were a new group and still learning from their mistakes: "We weren’t really prepared well enough. But we were pleased at the level of response from the community. We’ll be back next year and we’ll be bigger and better". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 5]
At the beginning of March, the Cambridge University Islamic Society organised the city’s first Islamic Awareness Week. The Cambridge University Islamic Society has been in existence for over 30 years and currently has about 350 members. Raghib Ali, president of the society, explained: "There are many misconceptions about Islam, widely held and perpetuated. The aim of the week is to convey the true message of Islam, and increase the public’s understanding of it. There are several public talks, and we are urging local people to go along and hear what is said" (Cambridge Evening News, 04.03.97). One of the talks forming part of the week’s events is about the status of women in Islam. On this, Raghib Ali pointed out that: "Muslim women are usually presented as being oppressed, and yet the majority of converts to Islam in Britain are women". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 5]
The Wanstead & Woodford Guardian (06.03.97) carries a very positive review of the play ‘East is East’, which was showing at the Theatre Royal in Stratford, east London in early March. The critic writes: "As the five sons and one daughter grow up, their Islamic roots are constantly bombarded by the influences of the Western world with which they are so familiar. And when the two eldest sons are old enough to marry, the trouble boils over... ‘East is East’ deals with all these serious issues with a pinch of salt and sharp wit, never wallowing too much in the darker side of life. And it provides a hilarious window on the world of mixed marriages". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 5]
On 5 March Pir Allauddin Siddiquee visited Peterborough and addressed a crowd of about 70 people in the Town Hall (Peterborough Herald & Post, Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 06.03.97). Pir Allauddin Siddiquee was formally welcomed by the mayor, Mohammad Chaudhary, and the council’s chief executive, Bill Samuel. Speaking through an interpreter, the Pir [spiritual master] said: "...it’s a great honour that we have a Muslim, Pakistani and Kashmiri mayor of Peterborough. I’m pleased to see the Muslim community is well established here and is very much involved in the political scene. I’m pleased to see the mayor setting a very good example for Muslims" (Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 06.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 5]
The Sufi teacher and leader Shaykh Nazim Al-Haqqani drew a large crowd when he spoke in Slough recently. Shaykh Nazim spoke of the importance of leading a simple and humble life and called on his followers to live in peace, harmony and understanding with others. The Shaykh is of Turkish origin and now lives in Cyprus. The movement he leads has set up a Sufi centre and a mosque in Tottenham, north London (Slough & Langley Observer, 07.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 5]
Attempt to ban street drinking A Lye resident, Abdul Qadus, is trying to get the drinking of alcohol in the street banned in the centre of his town. He organised a petition with over 1,500 signatures, which he is handing to Dudley Council. The move is being supported by the Halesowen and Stourbridge MP, Warren Hawkesley, who discussed the situation with local Muslims at a meeting at the Lye Mosque on 7 March (Dudley Express & Star, 08.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 5]
The Southampton Daily Echo (08.03.97) carries a full-page article on Abdul Wajid, a local Muslim community leader. Helen McGiveron, the interviewer, writes: "His contribution to cultural relations in the city reads like a CV - as co-ordinator of the Hampshire Islamic Cultural Association he spear-headed the drive to build the city’s first mosque, set up the city’s first black community organisations - the Southampton Community Congress and the Council for Racial Equality and was spokesman for the Southampton Jamia Mosque in Northumberland Road. It all sounds so easy and straightforward - but behind his achievements, like so many people who arrived in Britain in search of a better life - life has been a struggle. Racism, the language barrier, straddling two cultures - a particular problem for first generation children, victims of racial stereotyping, lack of respect and incomprehension are some of the problems Moslems have to overcome". On the question of identity, Abdul Wajid concluded: "I am Muslim first and then British. My loyalty does not go with my former nationality, it goes with my present nationality and above all my faith. I would not sacrifice my faith for any worldly things - be it job, land, property. It is my life". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 5]
Oxford workshop on British Pakistanis Salman Asif, writing in the Daily Jang (12.03.97), begins his article by showing a diversity of views held concerning British Pakistanis: "British Pakistanis attracted various descriptions, ranging from being a forward looking, progressing and prosperous diaspora, to an underachieving community ghettoised in an abyss of unemployment and riven with internal conflicts, from a group of academics and researchers who debated issues concerning British Pakistanis at a day long workshop on ‘Pakistanis in Britain’ at St Anthony’s College Oxford recently." Kingsley Purdam, a political scientist from Manchester University, discussed the progress being made by Britain’s 160 Muslim councillors. Yunus Samad of Bradford University, was reported by Salman Asif as maintaining that: "Whilst there was a general ambivalence amongst the Pakistani British youth regarding their British identity, young British girls in particular have adopted assertive and unapologetic views - informed by the Qur’an and Islamic history, rather than cultural traditions - about their identity as young Muslim women. Vociferously rejecting patriarchy and gender oppression, they speak of sisterhood and freedom within Islam". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 5/6]
The grandfather of a Bosnian child rescued from under her dead mother and then smuggled into Britain is attempting to regain custody of his granddaughter Edita. Hasan Keranovic, who now lives in Switzerland, said: "We are not asking for what is somebody else’s, but our own. It is our child that has been baptised. The ruling [of the High Court that the child should remain with foster parents in Britain] is totally unacceptable...We cannot allow that she loses her faith, Islam, and her mother tongue, Bosnian". Although the court was presented evidence showing that the foster parents, Alan and Deborah Fowler, had misled the court on 22 separate counts, Sir Steven Brown, presiding, decided that it was in Edita’s best interests to remain with the Fowlers, although permission to adopt was refused. Mr Keranovic believes that the Fowlers deliberately lied about Edita’s surviving relatives in order to bring her to Britain and adopt her (Q-News, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 6]
Hamdy Shahein, the founder of the Network for Porn Free News and Convenience Stores believes that his campaign is beginning to bear fruit, with the decision by WH Smith to withdraw so-called ‘adult magazines’ and ‘top-shelf titles’ from its retail outlets. However, he pointed out that WH Smith’s continues to distribute pornography to independent retailers: "People don’t know how deeply a household name like WH Smith is involved in the porn business because they can’t see the distribution process. It’s image is protected by the hidden nature of the trade" (Q-News, 14.03.97). Mr Shahein began his campaign in 1989 when, as a newsagent in Stoke Newington, WH Smith’s refused to meet his request not to send him pornographic magazines to sell. He was finally successful in 1996, when the wholesalers agreed to let retailers opt out of pornography. Even so, the wholesalers continued to circulate retailers with a letter outlining the high profits which could be made from the sales of such material. Mr Shaihein wants customers to be given a clear indication of which shops stock porn, in order to avoid them: "Each newsagent should have a clear sticker to inform customers whether they sell pornographic material. Many people feel offended and embarrassed at having to go into newsagents’ and see this material whether they want to or not". The Network for Porn Free News and Convenience Stores can be contacted at 167 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 0BD, phone 0171 254 0681. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 6]
The Financial Times (14.03.97) carries an article on proposals by the Turkish government to monitor and control the activities of businesses run on Islamic rather than secular principles and those which fund religious movements, such as the tarikats. One such finance house is Ihlas Holding, which has 25 branches in Turkey, an office in Frankfurt, and is shortly to open a London office. Nevzat Yalcintas, chief adviser to Ihlas, condemned the proposals: "We are suffering just for ideological reasons. [Secularists] have a very fanatical attitude. I do not think the government would be so foolish as to abide by the council’s advice. None of us has anything to do with sectarianism". John Barham, reporting from Ankara for the Financial Times, concludes: "Even if the government is serious in enforcing the generals’ demands, cracking down on these companies may be difficult in practice. Tarikats have operated for more than 70 years. As well as funding religious education and foundations, they provide networks of contacts for Islamic businessmen and have good political connections". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 6]
The Express (24.03.97) carries an article in its music review section concerning Yusuf Islam’s forthcoming album of Bosnian songs and poems (see BMMS for January 1997). The launch of the album in Bosnia will be Yusuf Islam’s first major public appearance as a singer since 1978, when he was known as Cat Stevens. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 6]
Additional news has appeared in Q-News (01.04.97) concerning the controversies around the Pakistani Muslim Centre, which incorporates the Pakistani Enterprise Centre, in Sheffield (see BMMS for February 1997). Concerning the large pay rises received by the PMC’s Chief Executive, Shahid Malik, Councillor George Matthews, a board member of the PMC, claims that he did not know about the pay rises until after they were made: "The Chief Executive and the rest of the paid staff are responsible to the board. I was not made aware of the increase. Since May last year, I have sent out memoranda requesting financial information from the executive but it would be true to say I have not had anything back". The paper comments: "The dispute has cleaved a rift in Sheffield’s Pakistani community. Punches were thrown and seats smashed at the company’s AGM before police arrived to restore order. The conflict will no doubt also raise questions about why a centre which purports to be ‘Muslim’ is serving only the Pakistani constituency when nearly half of Sheffield’s 40,000 Muslims are from other ethnic groups". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 6]
Several papers (Guardian, 28.03.97, Q-News, 01.04.97, Radio Times, 05.04.97) carry preview notices of a documentary on Channel Four, 8 April at 9pm, about Omar Bakri Mohammed (see BMMS for February, August and September 1996; February 1997), leader of the group Al-Muhajiroun. The programme, entitled The Tottenham Ayatollah purports to show the internal organisation of the group, and climaxes with the preparations for the Rally for Revival and its eventual cancellation. It was made partly with Omar Bakri Mohammed’s co-operation. When he read the Guardian article and also the film review page on the Internet, he realised that he had been misled by the film crew and researcher, and wrote giving details of this deception in a long letter to the Daily Jang (04.04.97), posting the same text on the Internet on uk.religion.islam newsgroup. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 6/7]
An Islamic poetry recital was planned to take place at Accrington Library on 15 March (Blackburn Citizen, 13.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7]
An exhibition celebrating the achievements, contribution to the community, and diversity of the Muslim communities of Brent was on display at the Barham Park Library in Sudbury, moving to the Ealing Road Library, Wembley, for April. It has been researched and created by Neasden’s Grange Museum and is entitled, Golden Thread of Unity (Paddington Times, 13.03.97, Wembley Observer, 13.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7]
Charnwood Bangladesh Society has been given planning permission to create a distinctive Islamic archway to decorate the entrance to its premises in Rendell Street, Loughborough. Nine local residents had criticised the proposals claiming that the design was out of character with the rest of the street and would devalue their properties (Shepshed Echo, 21.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7]
Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, was the guest of honour at the Pakistan Day reception held in the Dorchester Hotel, London, at the end of March (Daily Jang, 26.03.97). According to the Daily Jang (26.03.97), the Prince "...emphasised his endeavours to create better understanding between ‘your faith and mine’, and lauded the part played by the over half a million strong Pakistani community in various spheres of British life. He hoped that soon the United Kingdom would replace the United States as the largest single foreign investor in Pakistan". The Birmingham reception had as its guest of honour the Birmingham mayor, Ms Marion Arnott-Job, who also talked about Pakistani participation in public life and said that 12 of the city’s councillors were of Pakistani origin (Daily Jang, 28.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7]
British-based Muslim charities Muslim News (28.03.97) carries an article detailing the aid work undertaken by Islamic Relief and Muslim Aid, particularly around the time of Ramadan and also more recently. Both charities were quick to respond to the emergencies produced by earthquakes in Iran and Pakistan, and floods in Bangladesh. Iqbal Sacranie, vice-chair of Muslim Aid, went to see the charity’s work in Bangladesh and said: "I was impressed by the Muslim Aid financed cyclone shelters and skills training programmes which enabled 1,500 people to start small businesses last year". Q-News (01.04.97) reports that Islamic Relief has been successful in its legal action against the French newspaper Le Figaro, which claimed in an article in 1995, that the charity was a cover for political and religious activists and was organising volunteers to fight in Bosnia and attempting to destabilize the regime in Morocco. Le Figaro has apologised and agreed to pay £10,000 in compensation to Islamic Relief, plus about £10,000 legal costs. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7]
Nine special charter flights are leaving Manchester Airport to take 4,000 pilgrims from the north west to Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Airport chief executive Geoff Muirhead said: "The charters have proved very popular and we have also added halal foods to our menus at the airport" (Manchester Evening News, 29.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7]
The April 1997 edition of Q-News (01.04.97) marked the paper’s fifth anniversary. The paper’s editorial column explained how, during that time, the quantity of news about Muslims and Islam has vastly increased: "When we started our main concern was ‘how are we going to fill up the pages’. Now it’s what are the most relevant things to publish". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7]
Abdulkareem Gheewala, chair of the Muslim Welfare Trust of Leicester and of the town’s Al-Fallah Mosque in Hillfields, welcomed the production and distribution of a government leaflet warning young Asians about forced marriages while they are on holiday. He said: "It is entirely wrong that people should be hijacked and compelled to get married". The Foreign and Commonwealth Office leaflets will be on display at airports. They advise potential victims to tell a reliable friend about their expected date of return to Britain and to make a note of their passport details and how to contact British diplomatic missions abroad (Leicester Mercury, 01.04.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7]
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association planned a sponsored cycle ride on 6 April between Slough, Hounslow and Southall, in aid of the Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital Trust (Windsor & Eton Express, 20.03.97). The Slough Ahmadiyya Association has been the subject of controversy after the mayor, Maureen Atkinson, attended an Ahmadi function and then apologised to "mainstream" Muslims. This has provoked a lively correspondence in the local press. A T Mobashir wrote of the mayor’s apology: "The mayor said that she was unaware that Ahmadis are not ‘true believers’. I ask one question. If someone says he is a true Muslim, Ahmadi, true Christian, true Hindu, true Sikh and true Jew, does someone have the right to say he is not? I am a true Muslim Ahmadi and am shocked to read that the council’s Labour group held an emergency meeting and passed the resolution that Ahmadis are not part of Slough’s Muslims. We are a Muslim community and nobody has the right to say we are not" (Windsor & Eton Express, 20.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 7/8]
Education According to Muslim News (28.02.97) the question of the National Curriculum (NC) and music at the Islamia Primary School remains unclear (see BMMS for March, April, June and August 1996). Ahmed Versi, editor of Muslim News, writes: "The HMI (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate) criticised Islamia for not delivering the music syllabus. However, last year, Islamia made proposals to the HMI on the type of music the school would be delivering. They met the HMI inspector for Muslim schools, Mrs Meg Buckingham, and Janet Mills, HMI specialist on music. They explained to the inspectors what Islamia was intending to do to comply with the NC on music within Islamic guidelines. This was accepted as part of the Action Plan which Islamia would put into effect once the proposal was approved". Some confusion apparently arose following an HMI visit to the school on 19 February and the subsequent report concerning the National Curriculum’s implementation at the school. On the question of Islam and music, the Association of Muslim Researchers has just published a book, Much ado about music. This contains contributions from: Dr Zaki Badawi, Shaikh Suhaib Hassan, Ibrahim Hewitt, Abd al-Rahman Johansen, Abd al-Latif Whiteman, and an Introduction by Sabina Haulkhory. It costs £17 and is available from: AMR, PO box 8715, London SE23 3ZB. [A classic text on the theme of music and Islamic spirituality is Inayat Khan’s Music, 1973, published by Sufi Publishing Company Limited, New Dehli, India]. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 8]
The investigation into allegations of racism and religious prejudice by teachers towards students at Howden Clough Girls’ High School has still not published its findings (see BMMS for January and February 1997). In an editorial, Awaaz (01.03.97) calls for greater parental and community involvement to avoid such problems: "Parents need to be fully aware of what their children are learning at school. They should find this out by discussing with their children what they are doing...they must also take an active role in the running of the school by considering becoming parent governors. We keep asking for greater representation on governing bodies but don’t do anything about it... Above all and very importantly, community organisations (i.e. masjids and madressahs) need to establish a regular dialogue with high school students". On 12 March an anonymous student at the school accused the LEA of "brushing the problem under the carpet" in an interview with the Yorkshire Post (Yorkshire Post, 12.03.97). The Yorkshire Post (26.03.97) reports that although the Local Education Authority (LEA) has produced an internal report into racism at the school, the students are unhappy because teachers have not discussed its findings with them. They are also concerned because no disciplinary measures appear to have been taken against any members of staff. A spokesperson for the LEA believed that the investigation had been thorough and that the report was useful: "In the light of the report, the LEA is happy with the investigation. Where the report identifies issues, disciplinary action has been taken according to agreed LEA and school procedures. The full investigation report has been presented to the governing body and it has agreed the recommendations". Awaaz (01.04.97) reports that a teacher has apologised to students for his racist remarks, but that students and parents are sceptical in their response to the report and its recommendations. The Kirklees Muslim Parents Association organised a special meeting on 5 April to discuss the report and the substantive issues. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 8]
The Birmingham Evening Mail (05.03.97) has a feature article on the Al-Furqan School in Warwick Road, Birmingham, which is hoping to be given grant maintained (GM) status soon (see BMMS for November 1996 and January 1997). Zahida Hussain, the headteacher, said: "As long as there are other religious schools for Christian and Jewish faiths, then it’s only right that there should be one for Moslems. We are in an area with a high Moslem population and our parents are more and more beginning to feel that there should be this choice and this diversity. Above all, it would be the acknowledgement which grant-maintained status would give us that is important - more so than the financial benefits. They are obviously important, but the school would still continue without the money...A lot of parents wish to send their children to a school like this because there is no provision for an Islamic school in the state sector. There seems to be choice in all other things except this". Mrs Hussain had taught in two local state schools before coming to Al-Furqan and she explained that: "We have always been committed to the National Curriculum because the children are learning everything that everyone else is learning, making a move to an outside school more easy". The school is currently negotiating with a developer to buy the former Birmingham Women’s Hospital in Sparkbrook in order to expand. Planning permission has been applied for. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 8]
Sixth form students at Zakaria Girls’ High School have put together an exhibition about the history and culture of various European countries, which was displayed at the school in March (Batley News, 06.03.97). In a letter to the editor of Awaaz (01.03.97), Peter Ward, press officer of the local Labour Party, expresses concern that Elizabeth Peacock, Conservative MP for the area, may be merely "vote-catching" in her expressions of support for the Zakaria Muslim Girls School (see BMMS for February 1997). According to Mr Ward: "Mrs Peacock also supported measures, the so-called ‘Educational Reforms’ which made life much more difficult for everyone in school i.e. the measure which required that the daily act of worship be predominately Christian, despite protests from all sections of the community, both religious and secular. If Mrs Peacock was genuine in this matter [state funding for the Zakaria school] she would have done something before. She has had thirteen years to do it!" The school, has however, apparently been told by the Shadow Education Secretary, David Blunkett, that if Labour come to power, the school could become state-funded. The prospective Labour candidate Mike Wood, led a deputation of Zakaria school governors to meet Mr Blunkett in Sheffield to discuss the need for state funding. Mr Blunkett promised to ask members of Kirklees Council to help the Zakaria school prepare an application for state funding (Batley News, 13.03.97, Awaaz, 01.04.97, Muslim News, 28.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 8/9]
The Asian Times (06.03.97) reports that the results from last year’s Islam GCSE examination show both increased numbers taking the exam and that in 1996 58.9 per cent of entries scored grade C or above. The new syllabus has been developed jointly by the Muslim Educational Trust (MET) and the University of London Examinations and Assessment Council. In 1995, 383 students took the exam; in 1996 it was 750. Not only did 58.9 per cent gain a grade C or above, but 13.2 per cent gained an A grade. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 9]
Bradford supplementary schools changes Bradford is refining and clarifying its policies concerning financial aid to Muslim supplementary schools (see BMMS for December 1996). Funds will be granted to supplementary schools for the teaching of community languages such as Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali and also for those classes which teach mainstream school subjects, particularly English and maths. There will be no finance available for religious education. Rangzeb, spokesperson for the Pakistan Forum for Bradford, said: "I think it makes sense to encourage supplementary schools to provide, not only their own community languages, but also additional support to children who may not be doing so well in other mainstream subjects" (Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 07.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 9]
Richard Thompson, headteacher of The Grange School in Bradford, has written to the Bradford Telegraph & Argus (17.03.97) complimenting the paper on its positive coverage of Muslims and Islam in Bradford. He gives as an example a visit to his school by the Runnymede Trust, in connection with their investigation into Islamophobia. He writes of the visit: "They met some of my students who were proud to be from Bradford and proud to be Muslim. My students were also confident, very articulate and gave an excellent impression of Bradford. During their interview with me, I showed them a photograph from the T&A (03.03.97) of five girls, preparing for a jazz concert, not from Grange, but from Belle Vue Girls’ School and said: ‘Who could see this picture and be Islamophobic?’ I added that the T&A played a very important role in presenting the Bradford public with positive images of young people of all races". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 9]
The girls’ football team at John Gulson Primary School, Foleshill, Coventry has been given a specially designed football kit of leggings and long-sleeved shirts by a Coventry restaurant.Teacher Ray Wilson explained: "The school is mostly Muslim and the girls who are turning up for football practice are Muslim, so we needed a kit that would respect their faith. They have to be modest and so cannot play in shorts. We have got them leggings which fit the bill and the white and black kit was sponsored by the Royal Bengal, which has been very good to us. The girls had seen the boys playing football in the playground and it looked a lot of fun to them. They wanted to give it a go and we got a team together...we have two or three that look very good indeed. The main thing is that they are enjoying it and we have had some great support from parents" (Rugby Evening Telegraph, 13.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 9]
Feversham nearer to state funding Bradford Council’s education department has agreed to support Feversham College’s bid for state funding (see BMMS for November and December 1995; March, September and December 1996). If the Department of Education agrees, the school would be almost completely funded by the local authority, only having to buy its own building. This means that parents would no longer have to pay fees (Yorkshire Post, 21.03.97). However, there has been opposition from some residents in Cottingley to the school moving there from its present, inadequate premises. John Yeadon, chair of the Cottingley Community Association, said: "We are not objecting to the school moving out here in principle. We are just asking that the powers-that-be look at the possibility of doing something about the traffic. We feel that the area will become very highly saturated with traffic and could be dangerous" (Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 24.03.07). The chair of governors, Mohammed Ibrahim, whilst acknowledging that the next hurdle to be overcome would be gaining permission for the move to larger premises at Cottingley Manor saw the education committee’s support as an important turning point. He said: "It has taken us a long time to get thus far and we have tremendous support from all Bradford communities. I hope we can build on that support and go on from strength to strength" (Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 19.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 9]
Prince Charles and Prince Khaled Al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (see BMMS for February 1997) and the King Faisal Foundation in Riyadh, have created two scholarships (Oxford Times, 14.03.97, Q-News, 01.04.97). Prince Charles announced the scheme during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia. He said: "...the key feature of the scholarships is that they will promote the study of what is positive in both the Islamic and Western worlds. We have deliberately kept the fields of study as open as possible; the only requirement is that they conform to the spirit of the scholarships - the spirit of seeking new ways in which the Islamic and Western traditions can benefit from a better understanding of each other’s experience, outlook and values" (Q-News, 01.04.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 9/10]
An Islamic primary school and community centre in Fulham has had its expansion plans rejected by the council’s planning sub-committee after opposition from some local residents. The objectors gave reasons such as increased noise and traffic, parking problems, and the additional height of the proposed building blocking their light. The Al Muntada Islamic Centre in Bridge Place wanted to build a second-floor extension, so that girls and boys in the final year of primary school could be taught separately. The centre’s manager, Baraq Al Bayati, explained that the plan was not to increase the number of pupils, but to provide better facilities for the existing school. The report of the planning officers to the sub-committee said: "The council generally welcomes the improvement of existing educational and community facilities but not to the extent of allowing overdevelopment that might be harmful to other interests. The site is already intensely developed" (Hammersmith, Fulham, and Shepherds Bush Gazette, 21.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 10]
Bradford Council has decided to leave the choice of when to allocate the five additional, non-allocated days holidays to the head teachers and governors of individual schools. In this way, they could use the days for Muslim religious holidays, as and when appropriate, or for other reasons (Keighley News, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 10]
Yusuf Islam, the founder of the Islamia Schools in north London, recently delivered a lecture on the ideals of Islamic education at the Westhill College in Selly Oak, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail, Black Country Evening Mail, 27.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 10]
An analysis of a survey of the results of the Standard Assessment Tests of 11-year-olds, written by Nadeem Azam, is published in Q-News (01.04.97). In his article, he appears to confuse ethnicity with religious allegiance, as in his statement: "The survey of 600,000 pupils in 14,500 schools put Muslim children firmly at the bottom of the class. Like their secondary school counterparts, primary school Muslim pupils did considerably worse than whites in all three subject areas assessed:English, maths and science". He argues that the 21 Muslim primary schools in England and Wales, were they to be included in the league tables of test scores, would have done better on average than state primary schools. He gives the following example: "In Brent in north London, for example, the mean results for state schools were 53.3% for English, 51.7% for maths, and 54.2% science, tallying up to an average of 53.1%. The Islamia Girls’ School attained 66.6 for English, 70.3% for maths and 66.6% in science - an average of 67.8%. Had it been in Brent’s league table, it would have ranked third out of 32" (Q-News, 01.04.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 10]
Politics Several councillors in Hackney, among them the Liberal Democrat Iain Pigg, who is gay, and Howard Hyman, are considering organising a public protest demonstration against the Nation of Islam’s propaganda activities in the borough (see BMMS for January and February 1997). Hackney Council unanimously supported a motion to make the Nation of Islam, which they believe to be anti-Jewish, anti-gay and Black separatist "as unwelcome in Hackney as the British National Party" (Hackney Gazette, 06.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 10]
The Harrow Observer (06.03.97) carries an article on Hizb ut-Tahrir and how they are seen by other Muslims in the borough. It gives some details of instances when the group has tried to hold public meetings but has not been rented premises, such as a meeting at the Harrow Teachers Centre (see BMMS for February 1997) and a women’s meeting due to be held at the Victoria Hall in July 1996. The reporter, Simon Rogerson, interviewed Ashad Omar, secretary of the Islamic Association of Harrow. He said: "When these people [Hizb ut-Tahrir and similar groups] ask questions in meetings they are answered by experts in Islam who tell them why they are not following the true path of Mohammed. That is pretty much the only contact we have with them. These people have tried to insinuate themselves into the mainstream mosques but our simple reply is that we don’t allow unauthorised teachers. Muslims have been living in Harrow for 50 years and we take part in most mainstream activities. There is little segregation and that’s the way we like it". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 10]
Although this year’s National Union of Students’ annual conference had the biggest ever number of individual Muslim delegates, FOSIS (Federation of Student Islamic Societies) failed to turn up until half way through the final day. This was too late to make any impact on the debate concerning the renewal of the campus bans on groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir and Al-Muhajiroun (see BMMS for October and December 1995; January, February, March, May, August and September 1996; January and February 1997). Q-News (01.04.97) reports that, for most of the conference, the FOSIS stand was unattended and that Khalid Ali, the president of FOSIS, refused to be interviewed by the Muslim paper. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 10]
The mayor of Newham, Shama Ahmed, was accused of breaking mayoral custom when she refused to welcome a new councillor attending his first meeting. The councillor concerned was Sardar Ali. The precise details of the reason for Shama Ahmed publicly refusing to greet Mr Ali are not certain, but the City of London Recorder (14.03.97) believes that: "...in 1984 a complaint was made to Muslim leaders by Sardar Ali and others concerning Mr Ahmad’s [the mayor’s husband’s] interpretation of some aspects of the Koran. A Muslim scholar from an east London mosque investigated the matter and issued a condemnation of the Mayor’s husband". Councillor John Thorne, the council’s Labour chief whip, said the mayor would be reprimanded for bringing personal matters into the chamber, as would Councillor Amarjit Singh, who publicly condemned the mayor’s actions at the time, because he had publicly embarrassed a colleague. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 10/11]
Women Safeways supermarket in Chorlton, Manchester, has agreed to allow sales assistant Shamma Ahmed to wear a headscarf at work (see BMMS for February 1997). Ms Ahmed was originally suspended whilst the store consulted with their headquarters (Manchester Metro News, 28.02.97). Ms Ahmed told Q-News (14.03.97) that she was relieved that the difficulty had been resolved: "Everything is back to normal now. The staff and management have come to accept my religious needs". In an article in Muslim News (28.03.97), Ms Ahmed said: "Many of my friends with hijab cannot find jobs". She added that wearing hijab "gave me more confidence and helped me to understand who I am". East (14.03.97) cites the cases of Ms Ahmed and Farida Khanum (see BMMS for November and December 1996), the engineer at IBC, Luton, and Amna Mahmood at Hounslow Body Shop (see BMMS for January and February 1997), all of whom have had difficulties wearing hijab at work, in its article on a code of practice for employers in dealing with Muslim employees. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 11]
Shaheen Chaudhry has been awarded an honorary degree of the University of the West of England in recognition of her work in helping mothers-to-be from the Asian community of Bristol. She founded the South Bristol Muslim Women’s Group and acted as an interpreter for friends and colleagues. In 1984, she joined the former Bristol and Weston Health authority and later became a worker on the English for Pregnancy Home Tuition Scheme (Bristol Evening Post, 06.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 11]
The Daily Jang (02.04.97) has an interview by Salman Asif with Yasmin, the lead singer and song-writer from the all-girl, British Pakistani pop group, Trickbaby (see BMMS for September and October 1996). She reflects on her situation as an artiste of the Asian diaspora, examining through her songs the influences of many cultures on her identity: "We (British Asians) are genuinely privileged, amazing people aren’t we? We are claiming spaces in both territories. Embracing both the territories. I listen to ‘Billo they ghar’ [a hit by Birmingham’s Bally Sagoo] or ‘Bol tara ra ra ra’ with an interest that never dissuades me from my other favourites like Bob Marley, Skunk, Anansie, Toots. Similarly my music claims both the territories, and claims interest from both the sides of the ethnic spectrum...You have to open up your soul as you write songs...For instance the line ‘Parde ke piche kiya hai’ [‘What is behind the veil?’, a bowdlerized version of the song banned in India and Pakistan in 1994, ‘Choli ke piche kia hai?’] often seen as sensually suggestive, reminds me of a higher Truth. The presence of Invisible Truth behind the visible veil". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 11]
Q-News (01.04.97) carries an article on abortion which attempts to put a female perspective. It relates the story of an anonymous Bangladeshi Muslim woman who was married at 16 and immediately became pregnant. Her husband was denied a visa to join her in Britain. Three years later he still did not have permission to enter Britain and the wife went to visit him in Bangladesh and became pregnant again. Because the couple were appealing against the decision to refuse him entry, his wife had to be working. Reluctantly, they decided that abortion was the only option. Humera Khan, a health researcher in London who is often approached by Muslim women with unwanted pregnancies, believes that the issue of abortion needs more discussion amongst Muslims: "It seems to have been swept under the carpet - nobody talks about it - they think it never happens". This was echoed by a spokeswoman from the Muslim Women’s Helpline, who explained why it was an issue on which their service was rarely contacted: "Just one or two women contact us every week. But that is the tip of the iceberg...most women fear being ostracised by the Muslims in these organisations. They go to their GP and a clinic and get the abortion done". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 11]
Bajra Ismail, a Muslim from Savile Town, Leeds, has gained a degree in maths from the Open University. She started the Open University degree course because her father did not want her to go to college where she would have to mix with boys. Ms Ismail now intends to pursue a career teaching in an all-girl school or to teach from home (Dewsbury Reporter, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 11]
Muslim News (28.03.97) carries a review of an exhibition of the works of Ruksana Ikram at the Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery. Ms Ikram said: "It (art) is a huge industry, especially in the West, and is unfortunately undervalued and also ‘under represented’ in the Muslim community. Indeed, highlighting the arts and the impact they have in Western culture tells us that Muslims do have an important role in making a positive contribution". Ruksana Ikram is the organiser for the Association of Muslim Researchers’ conference on Islam and Art to be held in mid-1997. To register for the conference, or for further information, contact the AMR on: 0181 699 1887, e-mail: amr@amrnet.demon.co.uk. Ms Ikram can be contacted on 0181 863 0862 for information on her art and craft work, including the ceramics she produces for sale. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 11]
Raghib Ali, president of Cambridge University’s Islamic Society, has written to the Cambridge Evening News (21.03.97), congratulating the paper for its coverage of the Islam Awareness Week, and simultaneously offering a correction. Raghib Ali quotes from The Lawful and the Prohibited by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, to show that Muslim women can initiate divorce. Al-Qaradawi states: "The woman who cannot bear to live with her husband has the right to free herself from the marriage bond, by returning to her husband the mahr (required marriage gift) and gifts he has given her, or more or less than that according to their mutual agreement." [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 11/12]
Youth In a feature in the Independent (05.03.97) Yasmin Alibhai-Brown interviews three young people, one a Muslim, the other Jewish and the third from a family which is not religious. Her article begins: "This country is in the grip of interminable anxiety about the young...But the panic has obscured the fact that many children are brought up to be personally and socially responsible, often by balancing freedom and choice with set codes of behaviour. Do they agree there is a crisis? What do they make of the solutions offered by politicians and other leaders? And what are their views on what it takes to bring up children who are not disruptive?" Leila Kassim, a 16-year-old student at St Paul’s Girls’ School, London, says: "My parents are very religious, though people who are not can be just as strong and moral. Not all parents are like my parents and I realise that. There are so many other people we know who think and behave like us. And it makes you strong. I don’t sit around wishing I could go to clubs, for example. In fact, it makes me very sad to see how many young people are wasting their lives doing Ecstasy and all that. I think what makes a difference is if children are taught that there are limits to freedom and the difference between right and wrong at a very early age". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 12]
The Birmingham Post (07.03.97) has an article by Wasim Khan, the Warwickshire County professional cricketer. Birmingham-born Wasim argues that there are opportunities for British Asian youngsters in professional cricket, which they should be taking up. He writes: "Generally, children, through lack of family support, develop inferiority. Cricket, more so than anything else, dissipates this feeling as you develop character and self-belief through a sense of achievement. Integration is one of the biggest fears Asian youngsters encounter today. Self doubt and non-belief in themselves stem from a much deeper-rooted problem that comes from home. Integration broadens horizons and it allows you to keep your values and channel them positively and to your benefit. In cricketing prospective [sic] ‘mixing’ does not mean sacrificing your beliefs; this is something Asians as a whole need to be made aware of". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 12]
Bournemouth’s Muslim Youth Association recently raised £2,500 in aid of the town’s Heart Club, by holding a sponsored 26-mile marathon walk. The club is for people who have had heart attacks or heart surgery and has 600 members. Some of the donation will be used for new equipment for the club’s gym and the remainder will go towards general running costs (Bournemouth Evening Echo, 26.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 12]
Interfaith Support for Pakistani Christians Christians and Muslims in Britain have come together to protest against recent attacks on Christians in Pakistan and against that country’s Blasphemy Laws (see BMMS for February 1997). Dr Philip Lewis, the Bishop of Bradford’s Inter-Faith Adviser, said: "We are concerned about this dangerous descent into sectarianism. The present Blasphemy Laws seem to be abused as a vehicle of personal vendetta" (East, 07.03.97). Ishtiaq Ahmed, director of the Bradford Race Equality Council added: "There is no conflict between Pakistani Muslims and Christians in Bradford. This is why our communities are sending this message of solidarity to Pakistan" (East, 07.03.97). The Islamic Front for the Rights of Non-Muslims in Pakistan, meeting in London recently, issued a press release condemning the attacks on Christians and churches in Pakistan, describing these as: "...mass hysteria fuelled by unfounded sectarian allegations... displayed in the name of Islam, by an unpardonably irresponsible and utterly ignorant group of disruptive zealots". At the same conference, Ms Shama Ahmed, mayor of the borough of Newham, reminded her listeners that Islam guarantees the rights of non-Muslims: "The very existence of Pakistan was put at stake by those who perpetrated such atrocities on the victims of Shantinagar," she said (Daily Jang, 11.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 12]
In an interview in the Tablet (15.03.97), Dr Zaki Badawi, principal of the Muslim College in London, and a founder member of the Three Faiths Forum (see BMMS for January and February 1997), explains how he feels that ideally, such a forum should have been set up years ago. He also believes that Muslims should be represented on the Council of Christians and Jews. On this point, the author of the Tablet article writes: "Some of those involved in the Council of Christians and Jews would agree. The council was set up in 1942, at a time when anti-Semitism dominated the European political landscape. Some of those who participate in it feel that anti-Jewish prejudice is now much less of an issue, whereas anti-Muslim sentiment urgently needs to be tackled. In this sense, incorporating the Islamic cause into the council would give it a new direction, and a renewed sense of purpose". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 12]
Awaaz (01.04.97) carried a detailed article about the first public event organised by the North Kirklees Inter Faith Council. There were recitations of Islamic poetry, Christian and Muslim prayers, and a discussion about the meaning of prayer in various religious traditions. Moulana Abdullah Bham, introducing the day’s events, explained: "The theme of the day is ‘together in faith’. I hope, today, we can express that. If you are a Muslim it’s about being a better Muslim, and if you are a Christian, it’s about being a better Christian". Rev Barter added: "There are also many local issues we need to address. Issues like religious education, where we need to look at how we can develop a framework for teaching religion that is acceptable for everybody. To move forward we need to communicate". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 12]
Islam to overtake Christianity? Michael Brown, religious affairs correspondent to the Yorkshire Post (12.03.97), discusses some statistics on the growth of religions taken from a publication by Christian Research, called the World Churches Handbook. According to this book, more than a quarter of the world’s population is Christian, with approximately 1.614 billion adherents. Islam claims one fifth of the world’s population, or 1.057 believers. However, at a rate of 82,000 per day increase, Islam is growing faster than Christianity and, if the growth rates for both these major religions continue along present trends, then Islam could overtake Christianity in the year 2058. Roman Catholics constitute the biggest single denomination within Christianity, but Pentecostalists are the fastest growing. Although Europe is the continent with the largest number of Christians, being 430 million in 1995, Christianity is growing fastest in Africa and Asia. The photographs illustrating the article are of the Markazi Jamia Bilal Mosque in Leeds, and York Minster; the angles from which they are taken make them look remarkably similar. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 12/13]
Heathrow and Birmingham controversies Obstacles are apparently arising to the new space for worship at Heathrow Airport being a multifaith one, rather than exclusively Christian, reports Q-News (14.02.97). The opposition comes from an evangelical group based in Hayes, Middlesex, called Canaan Ministries, which is led by David Harrington. The Rev David Smith, one of the chaplains at Heathrow Airport, denied that any concessions would be made to the group, which he acknowledged was attempting to orchestrate opposition to the multifaith aspect of the prayer room. He said: "We are absolutely blazing mad with this bloke [David Harrington]. He is doing everything he can to stop this project and has nothing whatsoever to do with the airport. We are sweating blood to get this open. We invited someone from the Imams and Mosques Fellowship to discuss Muslim needs and one of us has been visiting the Muslim College for advice." Q-News also maintains in the same article that facilities for worship being planned for Birmingham International Airport are not likely to be multifaith, which would seem short-sighted if, with further expansion, there could be Hajj flights from there. The airport chaplain, the Rev John Eyles, has submitted a plan for an ‘airport chapel’ rather than a multifaith space. He said: "I use that terminology because it is the pictogram which is understood world-wide. There is a Christian chaplaincy here so any formal activities that go on within it are almost certainly going to be Christian." [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 13]
Bishop’s Lenten Qur’an reading The Bishop of Jarrow, Alan Smithson, who completed a reading of the Qur’an in translation during Lent (see BMMS for February 1997), told the Daily Telegraph (01.04.97) of the benefits of the exercise. He said: "One of the best things to come out of this is that people have been asking me about the Koran and what it is all about. I thought it would be like a journey, but that description didn’t apply very much. I didn’t feel to be getting anywhere. Whereas reading the Bible you have a progression as the whole history of the Jewish people unfolds, in the Koran you are brought back to recurring themes, the reader is always being recalled to the fundamentals. I found a lot of resonances with the Bible: themes like the compassion and mercy of God run through the Koran as well." [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 13]
The Sutton Baptist Ladies Fellowship recently paid a visit to the Sangat Centre and its mosque in Keighley. The importance of the Qur’an was discussed and many questions were explained (Keighley News, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 13]
The Boscombe inter-faith group, which has a wide range of groups under its umbrella, including Catholics, Mormons, other Christians, New Age people, a Scientologist, Sikhs and Muslims, has planned a practical joint project. They are re-paving the area outside Boscombe’s family drop-in centre (Bournemouth Evening Echo, 08.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 13]
Halal A butcher was fined £18,000 after the court was shown a film of rats climbing a fence to get into the shop. Environmental health officers also found evidence of dead pigeons, rat infestation and dirt when they visited J.R. Quality Halal Meats at 163 Upper Tooting Road in south London. The proprietor, Zahin Chawdhary, was warned and cautioned in May 1995 before action was taken by Wandsworth council. A council spokesperson said: "We would welcome the size of the fine. It serves as a lesson to other traders in the borough if they operate with dirty premises they face this kind of fine". Mr Chawdhary intends to appeal (South London Press, 28.02.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 13]
Selected meals from Boots’ baby food ranges have been given approval as halal by the Muslim Food Board (Crawley News, 05.03.97). The move has been made in response to a report on weaning from the Department of Health, which has encouraged manufacturers to offer a wider choice to families with special cultural or religious dietary requirements (Bucks Free Press, 11.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 13]
Q-News (01.04.97) has a feature article on halal slaughter and the increased demand for meat at certain times (see BMMS for January and February 1997), such as Eid ul-Adha. The writer of the article, Nadeem Azam, calculates that there are about 450 slaughterhouses in Britain, but only about five of these are exclusively halal, although some of the general abattoirs have a separate section. There is a considerable amount of halal slaughtered meat exported from Ireland to Britain and the rest of the world, and the slaughterhouse owned by Dean and Sons in Lancaster exports to Germany, Holland, Denmark and Sweden. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 13]
Health The Newham Muslims Group and Newham Youth Service have planned an eight-mile sponsored walk on 13 April to raise money for Newham General Hospital’s baby unit. The organisers hope that all communities will give their support to this fund-raising effort. For more information, contact Gavin Sealy of the Newham Youth Service on 0181 478 3668 (City of London Recorder, 28.02.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 13]
Dr Majid Katme, of SPUC (Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child) Muslims, was the main speaker at a meeting in Luton on abortion (see BMMS for July, September, October and November 1996; January 1997). The meeting was organised by the anti-abortion organisation SPUC, Luton Young Muslims, and the local branch of the Islamic Society of Great Britain. Other speakers were the Luton South Conservative MP, Sir Graham Bright, and the Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate for Luton North, David Senior. Both the politicians are practising Christians who are opposed to abortion (Luton News, Dunstable Gazette, 26.02.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
Employment The Society of Muslim Lawyers is drawing up guidelines for employers on how to avoid religious discrimination against Muslim employees. Makbool Javaid, chair of the Society of Muslim Lawyers, explained that, in the absence of legislation specifically outlawing such discrimination in mainland Britain, such a voluntary code was the best way to avoid industrial relations problems. He said: "The practical guide will explain to employers, for example, why female Muslim staff wear headscarves as well as informing companies when workers may need to take time off to observe religious festivals" (East, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
Moulana Kabir Ahmed has lost his fight to stay in Northampton as the imam of a mosque there and having had an extension of his visitor’s visa refused, may have to leave Britain and return to Bangladesh. His solicitors, Nelsons of Nottingham, had successfully defended a similar case where on appeal, an imam was granted leave to appeal against the refusal of an extension. Rejecting the argument of the defending solicitor, Stephen Vokes, Mr Justice Hidden said that the fact that the Home Secretary had made a mistake in the earlier case did not entitle Mr Ahmed to a right of appeal himself (Leicester Mercury, 19.03.97, Northampton Chronicle, 19.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
A new project to tackle unemployment amongst Keighley’s Asian community, the majority of which is Muslim, has been launched. It is called Business 2000 and aims to create between 60 and 100 jobs in the next five years, by means of giving support to new, small businesses. The directors of the scheme, restaurateur Javed Bashir and Ashraf Miah, of the Bangladesh Youth Organisation, told the Keighley News (21.03.97) that: "A problem in the Asian community is not just an Asian problem. It is Keighley’s problem as well. We want to create a healthy society, and for that you must have jobs. Asian businesses must diversify..." [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
Mosques & Burials At the beginning of March, representatives from four factions, each of which hopes to gain control of the Aylesbury mosque (see BMMS for January, March and December 1996; January 1997), met with a member of the Charities Commission and neutral observers brought in by the local police, to discuss future management of the mosque. Police Superintendent Paul Friday was chosen to sit on the committee as an observer. A date is to be set for mosque management committee elections (Bucks Herald, 12.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
The only mosque in the Irish Republic outside of Dublin (see BMMS for November and December 1996 on the Dublin Mosque) is in a serious state of disrepair. The 50 practising Muslims in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, are appealing for help from their Catholic neighbours.The mosque’s contact phone number is 00 353 907 30647 (Irish Post, 15.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
Permission for a new Islamic centre at Perseverance Street in Barnsley has been granted. Following the decision, Councillor Terry Bristowe, a member of the planning committee, apparently offered his services as a muezzin: "I hope that I am invited to the inauguration because I have always wanted to bellow out from one of those tall towers", he said (Barnsley Chronicle, 28.02.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
The Beckton Muslim Association have applied for permission to erect a temporary, portable building in Kingsford Way until councillors decide which of two groups can build a permanent mosque on the site (see BMMS for April, June, July, August, September and November 1996). The BMA, formerly the United Muslim Association (Beckton) have scaled down their original proposals for a mosque and decided not to include a tall minaret. The opposing Muslim group also currently negotiating with the Newham Council are proposing a mosque approximately twice the size of that which the BMA hopes to build (City of London Recorder, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
An editorial in the Blackburn Evening Telegraph (25.03.97) reports that relatives wanting to visit graves in Blackburn’s Pleasington Cemetery have been prevented from doing so when there have been Asian Muslim burials taking place attended by hundreds of mourners (see BMMS for May 1996). Approximately 11 people complained recently about being denied access to the cemetery by stewards at one such funeral. Part of the problem appears to be vehicular access to the cemetery. The editorial concludes: "In the past, the difficulties arising from parked cars choking the cemetery and reports of members of the public being turned away during Asian funerals, have been responded to both with the information that most mosques in Blackburn co-operated with the park ranger service to properly control traffic at big funerals and by the grant of money to the Blackburn Muslim Burial Committee for the purchase of radio equipment for the same purpose. Clearly, none of these is working if these incidents are still taking place". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14]
In spite of formal objections from around 40 local residents (Blackburn Telegraph, 11.03.97) planning permission has been granted to use the madrassah in Eldon Road as a mosque. The Labour group of Blackburn council supported the application but attached several conditions. These include: that the situation is monitored over the next two years; that nine parking spaces are provided at the mosque; that there are no weddings or other similar celebrations; that there is no external call to prayer. The Conservatives on the council claimed the decision was influenced by the forthcoming elections. Their spokesperson Claire Forrest said: "This mosque will have a detrimental impact on the area and the local highways. At the end of the day this is just vote catching. We are coming up to a General Election and the Labour Party is desperate not to lose any votes." Councillor Mohammed Khan replied: "The issue here is that the mosque will be providing a service to the people who are unable to walk to other mosques" (Blackburn Telegraph, 17.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 14/15]
What is possibly the first undertakers in Britain specifically to cater for Muslims, has now opened in Brent. The director of the mortuary, Munawar Vankawala, explained that there was a real need for the service, as there are over 3,000 Muslims living in Brent (Eastern Eye, 21.03.97, Wembley Observer, 06.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
Representatives of the Ismaili community are currently negotiating with the owners of 205-209 Addiscombe Road to agree a purchase price for the buildings, which were formerly the Winton School (see BMMS for April, May, June, September and October 1996). After a long fight, planning permission was finally granted in October 1996 for the Ismaili community to turn the premises into a place of worship with community facilities (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
The Salfia Centre in Stoneybank Street, Scout Hill, is applying for planning permission to convert a carpet warehouse across the road from its present premises into a mosque and education centre. The centre’s chair, Mohammed Ishataq, explained that there would be no increase in traffic as many of the centre’s clients lived within walking distance. In addition to facilities for worship, the present centre offers welfare benefits and immigration advice, language classes, and other educational provision in collaboration with Dewsbury College (Dewsbury Reporter, 28.02.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
Plans for a new mosque for Dundee (see BMMS for November 1996) were recommended for approval at the council’s development quality committee on 31 March (Dundee Courier & Advertiser, 31.03.97). The mosque will cost £1 million and will be able to accommodate 1,000 worshippers. A new mosque is needed to cope with the growth in the local Muslim population, making the facilities at the city’s Hilltown mosque inadequate. [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
A fundraising show, including a local dancer performing Egyptian dance, Irene Parveen and Party, and Miss Ruby, was planned for 16 March in Kirkaldy to raise funds for burial preparation facilities in Glenrothes (East Fife Mail, 12.03.97, Glenrothes Gazette, 13.03.97). Body washing facilities are available in Glasgow and Edinburgh, but there are none available in Fife. Saeed Ahmed of the Fife Muslim Association explained: "A death in the family causes great distress anyway but to take the body some distance in preparation for burial is even worse. The body washing facilities are also vital because we believe it is wrong to carry a body before it is bathed" (Glenrothes Gazette, 13.03.97). Planning permission has been granted for the facility, and now the Fife Muslim community need to raise between £6,000 and £9,000 (Fife Free Press, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
London, Manor Park, High Street North The Madrassa Talimul Islam are converting the upper floors of a building in High Street North, Manor Park, London into an education and prayer centre for up to 70 children (City of London Recorder, 21.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
Luton council’s chief planning officer, David Watts, is recommending that the Madrassah-Noor-Ul-Islam should not be allowed to use its premises in Cromwell Road as a mosque (see BMMS for December 1996 and February 1997). In his report, Mr Watts explains that at present only 60 families use the centre for children’s Islamic education and for parents to pray whilst their children are at the supplementary school. He explains his reasons for rejecting the request for increased hours for prayers as: "...if the number of people associated with the premises increases in the same way as the congregations at other mosques in the town, there would be significant problems for properties near to the subject premises" (Luton News, 12.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
Members of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council’s consumer services committee voted to give some financial help to Muslims who have to bury their dead outside the borough’s area, in Leicester (see BMMS for March 1996). Mike Hibbett, assistant contracts and environment director, explained after the committee meeting that: "The original request by the Muslims was for an extension to Wigston Cemetery. However, most of the borough’s Muslim people live in Oadby, so they would prefer a burial site there. The problem is that residents have objected to the proposals". The £13,500 allocated for this expense for the coming year is based on 30 burials at about £450 each. The council is currently awaiting a report by a Government Inspector on the borough’s local plan, which includes a proposed burial site in Oadby (Oadby & Wigston Mail, 20.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
Muslims in Oldham have lost their fight to convert their Qur’anic school in Clydesdale Street into a mosque (see BMMS for May 1996). A government inspector found in favour of Oldham’s planning committee and local protestors, agreeing that any increased use of the premises would result in noise nuisance and traffic problems (Manchester Evening News, 19.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 15]
Mr Abdul Wahid has made an application for permission to convert the former Masonic hall in Easemore Road into a mosque (Redditch Advertiser, 12.03.97). The proposal includes community facilities and space for teaching children (Birmingham Evening Mail, 01.04.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 16]
Controversy continues over the possible sale of the site of the former Park View youth centre to the Abubaker Islamic Group, who were granted planning permission to use the premises as a cultural centre in January 1996. A local historian, George Twyman, accused the council of secretly agreeing to the sale, and asked: "With £360,000 regeneration money, can’t they [the council] rebuild Park View Youth Centre on the existing site?" The leader of the council, John Cudmore, explained that the Single Regeneration Budget money was insufficient, and only by selling or leasing the site could sufficient money be raised for the new centre (Southall Gazette, 07.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 16]
Hampshire County Council has agreed to donate an additional £10,000 to the Southampton Mosque Trust, because the building of the new mosque is proving more costly than had been anticipated. The council has already donated £60,000 (Eastern Eye, 14.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 16]
The Camberley Islamic Centre is now open. It offers Muslims in Surrey Heath facilities for worship and advice on religious matters. It is situated on the old St Gregory’s school site in London Raod, and can be contacted on 01276 670717 (Camberley News, 27.02.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 16]
Following the fire attack on 27 February on Britain’s oldest mosque, the Shah Jehan Mosque in Oriental Road, Woking (see BMMS for February 1997), the Imam of the mosque, Nisar Ahmed Sulaimani, told the Woking News and Mail (06.03.97) that he believed that the attack was not the work of racists, but religious fanatics. He said: "I was shocked it could happen in a community that is a multi-cultural society. We believe it does not reflect the feeling of Woking, but I know all the Muslims in the borough and the country will feel angry about it". Detective Chief Inspector Dave Cook confirmed that the incident was being treated as one of arson and said: "This is the third incident in eight years but there is nothing to link these three incidents. I appreciate there is concern in the local community and we are also concerned that such an act should be committed against the mosque. Every effort is being made by us to identify those responsible and to bring them to justice." Anyone with information which could help the police enquiry is asked to phone DCI Cook on 01483 761991 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Q-News (14.03.97) points out that repair work will be costly as the 100 year-old mosque is a Grade II listed building. It is a building which has close associations with the history of Islam in Britain, as two of the Qur’an’s translators, Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Marmaduke Pickthall worshipped there and are buried in the nearby Brockwood Cemetery. In an editorial, Q-News (14.03.97) gives the arson attack as a topical example of Islamophobia, as described in the report by the Runnymede Trust: "On the eve of the first ever report into Islamophobia, an arson attempt is made on one of the country’s oldest and most beautiful mosques. Hard proof, if more was needed, that the Muslim community despite its century-long presence, is still persona non grata in these hostile Isles". [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 16]
The Woking Review (01.03.97) and the Addlestone & Byfleet Review (01.03.97) carry the same feature article concerning the need for the restoration of the Muslim Burial Ground on Horsell Common. The planning and environment committee of Woking Borough council has suggested to the owners of the site, the Horsell Common Preservation Society, that they apply Heritage Lottery Funding to turn the site, which has not been used a cemetery since 1923, into a public garden with interpretative panels to explain its historic importance. The local papers explain that: "The rectangular structure, measuring 35m by 45m, was a Grade II listed building designed by local architect T H Winney, and built in 1917 for the internment of Islamic soldiers who fell during the First World War. It had been established by the War Office to combat rumours that Indians serving with the British Army were not being buried in accordance with Muslim custom. As Woking was the only town in the country to have a mosque at that time, it seemed an appropriate choice of location for the graveyard, which was constructed nearby" . [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 16]
A second retrospective application for permission by the Muslim Educational Trust of Wolverhampton (see BMMS for December 1996 and January 1997) to use the property adjoining that for which they do have planning permission, was rejected on 20 March by Wolverhampton Council’s planning sub-committee. Councillor Len Moore suggested that a meeting should be held with the trust’s leaders to explain the council’s decision in more detail. Councillor John Rowley, agreeing to the meeting, said: "...I cannot envisage us changing our position. It may well be that we can talk to the trust about the possibility of relocating to more suitable premises" (Wolverhampton Express & Star, 21.03.97). [BMMS March 1997 Vol. V, No. 3, p. 16]
|