Features

Q News (No319, 01.05.00) carries an article on the attraction of Muslim matrimonial sites on the Internet. It shares the story of one Muslim woman, Sara, who was finding it difficult to find a husband in the "conventional" way because people could not forget her former lifestyle. She said: "I know I’ve changed drastically in the last few years, but every time I thought of marriage I felt the past would always be there to haunt me. I was trapped in a vicious circle because I knew I had to marry someone pious and Islamically educated in order to improve myself and yet I felt no such man would be willing to marry me." On the verge of giving up, Sara turned to the Internet, and found that this medium became more appealing to her than she had imagined. The fact that she could ‘meet’ potential partners while retaining her anonymity was the greatest appeal, so even if someone did not think they were compatible after hearing her story, they would never know who she was. She goes on to say: "At first the sheer number of Muslim matrimonial websites is overwhelming, not to mention all the general sites with special sections reserved for Muslims. But after a while you can easily feel your way through and find the ones that suit you. If you know how to use the internet it’s probably the easiest and most private way of finding a partner." She said it took very little work on her part to find a handful of suitable partners as she sent one standard letter to all the advertisers she was interested in, and when they replied she printed their letters out and showed them to her parents so they could be involved as much as they would be if it was happening in a conventional way. She adds: "I think e-mail is the perfect way to communicate with your fiancé. As long as the content of the e-mails is acceptable there’s no real danger of temptation. In some ways I think it’s even more impersonal than writing a letter."

However, not all scholars think that an impersonal method of communicating is necessarily the best. Dr Zaki Badawi, Principal of the Muslim College, London, believes that the ideal is still for the couple to meet personally. He said: "There is an assumption among Muslims that Islam doesn’t allow people to meet before marriage but this is a misconception. Whilst we should welcome any medium that facilitates marriage for our youth, we cannot say that the internet or e-mail is the perfect way of introducing people if there is no actual meeting involved." Although Sara is now engaged to someone she found on the internet, and both sets of parents have met and arranged a date for the wedding, some scholars advise that extra care should be taken when using the Internet, and Muslims should thoroughly investigate the information provided by people advertising on the sites. Shaykh Ismail Mahgoub of the Islamic Cultural Centre, London, said: "There is nothing wrong with using the internet to get married but not everyone using it has the same genuine intentions. There are people who are seeking worldly benefits and we have to take precautions against falling into their traps." Q News also provides a list of some of the matrimonial sites available on the Internet, including: www.zawaj.com, www.islamicmarriagebureau.com, and www.matrimony.org. [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 1]

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Many newspapers have reported on the visit by the Prince of Wales to the first Muslim state school, Islamia Primary School in Kilburn, London (including, Belfast Telegraph, 10.05.00, Edinburgh Evening News, 10.05.00, Oxford Mail, 10.05.00, Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 10.05.00, East Anglian Daily Times, 11.05.00, Belfast Irish News, 11.05.00, Dundee Courier & Advertiser, 11.05.00, The Scotsman, 11.05.00, The Daily Telegraph, 11.05.00, The Sun, 11.05.00, Church Times, 12.05.00, Asian Age, 13.05.00, Hello Magazine, 23.05.00). The Prince paid tribute to the school, founded by Yusuf Islam in 1981, at morning assembly saying: "I really do believe that the Islamia school is an important model and it is interesting to see how many more develop in the future." He added: "You are ambassadors for a much misunderstood faith. You have much to tell people in a secular society like ours. It is individuals that really make the difference in the long run - I wish you all real success." Prince Charles was clearly delighted with his visit to the school, aswere many of the pupils. He told the pupils during assembly: "I was enormously impressed by the warm welcome you gave me," and said that he believed they were "much more likely to be able to contribute to the society when you grow and leave school." Saba Siddiqui, 15, from Islamia’s Girls Secondary School said: "The visit of Prince Charles to the school shows that the Muslim community is now acknowledged as part of the society." Asma Ahmed, 15, said: "I think he is interested in Islam." Sumayya Abdurrahman agreed and added: "He is going to convert to Islam" (Muslim News, 26.05.00). Abdul Mumin, 11, said of the Prince: "He is very smart, he is very good because he thinks that all religions are good. He was very friendly" (Evening Standard, 10.05.00). Most of the papers headlined with the news that the Prince told Mr Islam that he was a fan of his previous music. Mr Islam said: "He told me he was a Cat Stevens fan. I think he has some of my albums" (The Times, 11.05.00). Pupils from the school had performed a song for the Prince, written by Yusuf Islam, then gave him some gifts, including a photograph of a mosque and a piece of specially commissioned Arabic calligraphy (Wembley & Brent Times, 18.05.00).  [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 1/2]

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A recent BBC programme ‘Arena - the Veil’ received varying reviews in national newspapers. The Guardian (22.05.00) said: "In what set out to be an exploration of Muslim women and their attitude towards "hijab", the covering of the head and face, lost itself in a welter of visual trickery…This was a shame because the subject of hijab is intriguing to Muslim and non-Muslim viewers alike, arousing puzzlement and passion in equal measure." The Financial Times (20.05.00) adds: "the programme never makes clear exactly why Muslim women do wear it. Instead we get more insalata caprese: three white women chatter inconsequentially about the veil while having a manicure, and end by admitting that they have little idea of what they are talking about…It is as though the programme maker is terrified of making anything clear and is even hostile towards the viewer." However, Daily Telegraph (22.05.00) said the programme, "despite its flaws, had done a pretty good job of unravelling the hijab’s various meanings over the centuries."

The Evening Standard (12.05.00) carries an interview with three of the women featured in the Arena programme, and asks them why they have chosen to hide behind the veil. Um Ishaaq said she was not a practising Muslim until she sent her son to a Muslim school, not because of the religion but to get a good education, and became curious about the faith and decided to learn more about it. She says she was surprised to learn that Islam does not repress women, and when she began to cover herself out of respect when she went to the mosque, she "was so comfortable not having to worry about what I looked liked, I began to wear a hijaab and abaya [long coat] all the time." She gradually began wearing the niqaab, which covers her face, as she became more involved in the faith, and although it was sometimes difficult to walk down the street and face abuse, she felt liberated because she had her own privacy and her own space. Nasreen tells a similar story, of being born to non-practising Muslim parents. It was after she was forced into an arranged marriage, and her fight to leave that marriage, that she began learning more about Islam. She said when she first began practising, she would leave the house for work and go around the corner to put on her niqaab. Naima grew up in South Africa with her non-Muslim family, but learnt more about Islam on a trip to Egypt. She gradually wore the veil after first wearing the headscarf for some time, and says that "now it feels the most natural thing in the world." The women agree that they are not oppressed in wearing the veil, but rather feel Western women with the pressures they face of looking attractive are being oppressed by this society (Evening Standard, 12.05.00, Time Out Magazine, 17.05.00, Evening Standard, 19.05.00, The Independent, 20.05.00, The Times, 20.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 2]

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A Muslim soldier who was racially abused by his regiment during the Gulf war has won a five-figure pay-out from the Army in an out-of-court settlement (See British Muslims Monthly Survey for September 1999). Nasar Khan, 35, will receive less than the £150,000 he was claiming, but substantially more then the £10,000 the Army had originally offered. Mr Khan, who helped to interrogate Iraqi prisoners for the Allies, was told he was fighting for "the wrong side." The former lance bombardier alleged that he had been subjected to endless discrimination from when he joined the Army in 1988, including taunts and obstruction of his career. During his service, he was routinely referred to as a "black" and "Paki bastard" and a "Muslim shite". In 1992, Khan says his supervisor, Staff Sergeant Ivan Smith, ripped up and threw in the bin a transfer application he had made to join the Royal Military Police. His claim for race discrimination established a legal precedent by being the first to go to a civilian tribunal last year under the 1997 Armed Forces Act, which gave military personnel the same employment rights as civilians.

The settlement came weeks before the case was due to be heard by an employment tribunal. An internal Army inquiry into Mr Khan’s allegations found evidence of racial discrimination in 10 out of 13 allegations made over an eight- year period. In nine out of the ten cases, Staff Sgt Smith was the perpetrator. The report concluded by saying: "We find that Sgt Smith, in particular, persistently behaved toward Mr Khan in a manner which Mr Khan and we consider to be racially motivated and discriminatory. We are satisfied that there was continuing discrimination against Mr Khan." Although Sgt Smith has been disciplined he has kept his rank. After the settlement, Mr Khan said: "I didn’t want this to end as it has. I wanted everything to come out in the tribunal. It’s had an effect on my marriage and my health, and these things are going to take years to repair." He added that the Army would never have taken his complaints seriously if he had not gathered evidence himself: "Without this evidence the Army would never have admitted to any of this. In fact, all that’s happened now is they’ve folded up the file and put it away." The case could seriously damage the Army’s recently launched campaign to recruit more members of ethnic minorities, who make up only 1.1 per cent of the British Armed Forces (The Independent, 26.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 2/3]

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The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) have elected a new Secretary-General, Yousuf Bhailok. The 43-year old businessman from Preston was elected at the third Annual General Meeting of the MCB on May 13 at Brent Town Hall in London. A press release issued by the MCB said the AGM expressed appreciation for the dedicated work of the outgoing Secretary General, Iqbal Sacranie, who had completed his two year term, the maximum allowed under the MCB constitution. The newly- elected office bearers of the MCB, who will serve for the next two years, are: Yousuf Bhailok, Secretary General; Mahmud Al-Rashid, Deputy Secretary General; Mohammad Afzal Khan, Assistant Secretary General; and Fadi Itani, Treasurer. The press release also gave brief details of the new Secretary General. Mr Bhailok is Managing Director and CEO of a property investment company. He is a member of the inaugural Central Working Committee of the MCB and has been active in the organisation since its beginning. He has also worked on other Muslim organisations, locally and nationally, including the Lancashire Council of Mosques and Preston and West Lancashire Racial Equality Council. Mr Bhailok said: "I believe we must participate in the mainstream of British society at all levels, local and national. Our task is to work constructively and positively for change from within. Muslims are part of British Society, lets make our mark" (MCB Press Release, 17.05.00, Muslim News, 26.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 3]

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Reports

Community

Hajj pilgrims hit by virus
Following the death of four Britons who contracted a rare strain of meningitis on Hajj, the Department of Health is considering reviewing its vaccination recommendations for pilgrims (See BMMS for March and April 2000). Around 16 other people were struck down with the rare form of the disease, known as W135, the largest number ever known. Currently, pilgrims travelling from Britain are required to be vaccinated against the A and C strains of meningitis but not against W135, and are not advised to be vaccinated against it. A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "Because it is very rare in this country we don’t keep great amounts of the vaccine. But after any outbreak like this the department does look at the processes in place to see how it could be prevented." The W135 strain is common in sub-Saharan Africa and it is thought that the infected Britons may have contracted it from fellow pilgrims in the crowded and confined spaces of Makkah and Madinah. The Public Laboratory Health Service said that the close proximity of hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world provided fertile territory for the disease to spread. A spokesman said: "If strains of bacteria are circulating in the same place then that gives the organism potential to transmit more widely" (Q News, No319, 01.05.00, The Independent, 02.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 3]

Protest at Zionist celebrations
Around 70 Muslims protested outside Brent town hall during the Zionist Federation’s Israel Independence Day celebrations. Two demonstrators were arrested for "displaying or distribution of racist literature," but were later released without being charged (Jewish Chronicle, 12.05.00). Earlier, members of the Islamic Human Rights Commission had written to Brent Council saying that the borough’s venues were an inappropriate location "to applaud 52 years of racial and religious discrimination, murder and oppression" (See BMMS for April 2000). The letter, written to all 66 councillors, said the event would be promoting racism, but was condemned by many councillors as being "an incitement to race hate against the Jewish State and therefore against Jews." However, the fact that the councillors aired their comments to a local newspaper, instead of replying directly to the Commission, escalated the row. The IHRC said their chosen form of communication was "intemperate and insulting and likely to incite hostility between the Jewish and Muslim community." Chairman Massoud Shadjareh added: "This smacks of a set-up. The letter was a genuine complaint - we haven’t said anything that Amnesty International haven’t said already - but councillors selectively leaked it to the press so they could demonise Muslims ... It makes you wonder if their responsibilities lie as they should in the first instance with their constituents or to a foreign country." A Jewish resident, born and raised in the borough, also wrote to the council saying that the council’s decision to allow the event to go ahead was against the council’s commitment to equality and justice. He also said that the council was confusing Judaism and Zionism, saying the event was not celebrating Jewish culture or religion but rather was praising a regime which in any other country would be termed apartheid (Q News, No319, 01.05.00, Jewish Chronicle, 05.05.00, London Jewish News, 05.05.00).

Dozens of offensive posters which appeared in north London before the celebrations, are being investigated by the police. They read: "Israelis. God says ‘And kill them wherever they are’" and are signed "the Khilafah Movement". Officers in the area were alerted by members of the public who saw the men, in their 20s, putting up the posters. The posters have since been removed by police who are studying them for forensic clues. Sgt Ian Glover of Whitefield Police said: "The wording on the posters is threatening. A particular organisation is named on the posters and we are taking this seriously" (Bury Times, 12.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 3/4]

Oxford Centre
Oxford residents fighting the building of a £20 million Islamic centre are taking their campaign to John Prescott. They will urge Mr Prescott to reject the plans, despite the fact they have been approved by Oxford City Council (See BMMS for June, August, September, October and November 1999, March and April 2000). The centre was recently given the go-ahead by the city’s planning committee. However, residents said the fight would continue. Landscape designer David McQuitty who is opposed to the plans, said: "We still believe this is a wrong decision and we will be writing to Mr Prescott, who now has the final say on the scheme, to ask him to throw it out. This green space is a precious asset we cannot afford to lose" (Oxford Times, 05.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 4]

Islam lecture
Essex Humanists welcomed Shariq Ali Khan to talk about Islam at their meeting on April 9th. Shariq, a biologist by training now working in IT, grew up in Germany but has lived in the UK for five years. Shariq began by outlining some basic facts about Islam. He then spoke about criticism Islam faces in the West through issues such as the Taliban’s regime in Afghanistan, polygamy and the subjugation of women. The remainder of his talk was taken up explaining the scientific nature of the Qur’an, after which he answered questions from the audience (Essex Chronicle, 21.04.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 4]

Muslims in Stafford
A new Muslim Community Group has been launched in Stafford, which will organise weekly meetings to teach young people about Islam and to organise activities for them. Dr Zafar Iqbal, whose children attend the gatherings, said: "Although their social lives are flourishing, many families feel that the opportunities for their children to obtain a religious education have been limited and they have lacked the religious and moral support which is traditionally available from mosques." He added: "The group is also keen to establish links with groups from other religious faiths to promote debate and find areas of common interest. We also plan to take the children camping in the summer." The group offers study circles for adults to discuss religious issues and is open to everyone (Stafford Chronicle, 28.04.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 4]

Keighley community centre to open
A large community centre is ready to open in Keighley following £100,000 of improvements. The Keighley Muslim Association has spent five years refurbishing the 135-year old former Baptist Chapel. The centre will provide meeting space and a cafe for all the Keighley community, as well as much-needed educational, prayer and social facilities for Muslims. Spokesman for the Association said the centre is ideally suited to serve the needs of the wider Keighley community as it is situated near the town centre. He said: "People from different nationalities will be able to come and enjoy traditional Asian food. It will be good for building cultural relationships. We want to build bridges. We’re in the year 2000 and people have to mix with other people." The cafe will be open through the day and run by volunteer staff (Keighley News, 28.04.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 4]

CRE to remove prayer room
The Commission for Racial Equality is said to be scrapping the prayer room in its London headquarters to convert it back into an office. A memorandum was sent out to staff to canvass opinion, which said: "It should be clarified that very few individuals used the room during the past year and we can ill-afford to keep it vacant on the presumption that it may be used." The prayer room was designated in 1994, primarily for use by Muslim staff and visitors, but is also a retreat for Hindus and Christians. Annoyed staff at the CRE told Q News that managers have taken to using the room as a storeroom for old furniture. One staff member said he was forced to complain when he saw the head of management services, Maurice Forsyth, standing on a prayer matt with his shoes on. Another staff member, who did not want to be named, said: "This is the height of hypocrisy. Here is an organisation that preaches equal opportunities and good practice to employers doing exactly the opposite." The CRE defended their proposal, with spokesman Chris Myatt saying: "Currently we have a prayer room in a part of the building which is being reorganised. This room has been used very little in the past year. No decision has been taken about the future of the room. If that room is converted into an office we would seek to ensure suitable facilities are made available for people who need them." However, Muslim employees say they were not made aware of this new information (Q News, No319, 01.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 4]

"The Mosque" documentary
The BBC is producing a one-off film which will supposedly give viewers an intimate look at the lives of Muslims in Britain. The film, which is entitled "The Mosque", will follow characters around Birmingham’s Central Mosque, in an attempt to penetrate the ‘closed and mysterious world of British Muslims’. The series is to be directed and produced by Fatima Salaria who also made the documentaries "Black Britain" and "Southall Stories" (Q News, No319, 01.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 4]

Interview with Sarah Joseph
Woman Alive magazine has an interview with Sarah Joseph, a convert to Islam in her late teens. The article, written by Anthony McRoy who is researching British Muslims at London Bible College, says that it may be disturbing for some to find a white woman happily living as a devout Muslim especially as Islam is thought of as being oppressive to women. But the 28-year old mother of two undermines this stereotype. Ms Joseph was a former editor of the Muslim magazine Trends, and currently edits the Muslim Council of Britain’s newsletter The Common Good. She frequently speaks at Islamic events and in universities about Islam-related issues. Sarah came from a non-religious background, but became a devout Christian after attending Catholic school. She was devastated when her brother converted to Islam to marry a Muslim woman, but her views changed after she started studying Christian and Islamic history. She always had problems with ‘Papal infallibility’ and the Trinity, and says: "I had never believed in original sin...only later when I realised the necessity for original sin in upholding other doctrines of immaculate conception, crucifixion, resurrection and salvation did the whole house of cards come tumbling down." Consequently she left the Catholic Church, and was increasingly attracted to Islam’s presentation of Jesus as a prophet of God. When she was 17, she says, "I was impressed by the prostration of a Muslim girl at prayer, and decided at that point to convert." Sarah’s conversion was difficult for her parents to accept, particularly when they saw her wearing the head-scarf, which they took as a foreign symbol of female subjugation. They later reconciled when seeing how dedicated a wife and mother she was after her marriage to a Bangladeshi-born barrister. Sarah explains that wearing the head-scarf is a sign of modesty not subjugation: "It allows me to be feminine without sexual...it is also a political statement; I am a Muslim!" She feels that Islam allows her to have an all-round identity as a human being, as British and as a woman. In the article she also talks of other issues of Islam including polygamy and the importance of interfaith relations. [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 4/5]

Saudi VIP treated to fish and chips
Members of Saudi Arabia’s Royal Court were treated to fish and chips from a local chippy, as there was no halal meat available at Rotherham Town Hall. The delegation, which was in Britain to open two mosques in Yorkshire, was invited to the town by Lord Nazir Ahmed. His Excellency Dr Abdullah Bin Abdul Muhsin Turki, advisor to the Royal Court of Saudi Arabia, and Abdur Rahman Sudais, the Imam of the Holy Mosque in Makkah, said the feast was wonderful. Lord Ahmed said: "It was an honour to have them here. They were very pleased and delighted to come to Rotherham - a historic place for the Muslim community. And we were happy to serve up a traditional Yorkshire speciality for lunch - and they thought it was wonderful. Because it was difficult to find halal food we settled on the traditional Yorkshire dish and it went down well. We hope they will come back soon and help our communities here" (Sheffield Star, 03.05.00, Barnsley Star, 03.05.00, Yorkshire Post, 04.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 5]

Dinner with Lord Patel
Members of the Muslim community in Leicestershire hosted a reception and dinner in honour of Lord Patel, who was visiting the city. The Muslim Circle, an apolitical group, aims to honour the achievements of Muslims. Lord Patel recalled the tough time he faced when he first came to this country in 1965, but he worked hard in the foreign environment he was in and took up accountancy before starting his own hosiery business. He has been a member of the Labour Party since 1966 and he was one of four Muslims appointed to the House of Lords this year. He said: "My main pre-occupation is good race-relations" (Leicester Mercury, 04.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 5]

Death of Mohammed Arshad
An ambassador for his community and faith in Ribble Valley for 35 years has died. Mohammed Arshad was a prominent figure in the area arriving to North East Lancashire in 1964. Mr Arshad worked for many years in the clinker department at Ribble Cement, and was then a shop steward for 18 years. Recently he was well known for his efforts to establish a mosque in Clitheroe, but became very ill in the last few years of his life. The week before he died he went into hospital for an operation after becoming ill while on holiday in Pakistan. The operation went well but he contracted pneumonia and died within a few days. Mr Arshad was 56 when he died, and left behind a wife, a son and six daughters (Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, 04.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 5]

Money raised for Mozambique
Worshippers at a Birmingham mosque have raised £132 to help the victims of the Mozambique flood disaster. A series of events were held at the Madrassa Mosque in Albert Road, Stechford, over a few weeks and the money was then handed over to the fund managers (Birmingham Evening Mail, 04.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 5]

Seminar in Leeds
A seminar was to be held at Leeds Civic Hall to look at the contribution made to society by the Muslim community. The Islamic Social Action seminar was being staged by the Leeds Faith Communities Liaison Forum in partnership with Leeds City Council. The event was to include prominent Islamic speakers and the MP for Leeds West, John Battle (Yorkshire Evening Post, 04.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 5]

HSBC offers new halal funds
HSBC has launched its first investment product for Islamic investors, the HSBC Amanah Global Equity Fund, which will offer a strict screening process to ensure the fund complies with Islamic Shari’ah. Mark Dickson, head of product development, said: "The fund is ring-fenced. We have a supervisory committee made up of some of the most prominent Islamic scholars in the UK. They oversee the screening process to ensure that all companies we invest in are 100 per cent compliant." Iqbal Khan, managing director of the fund, said: "Commercial banks have been involved with Islamic finance for more than 25 years now. HSBC is responding to customer demands." But this fund is only for serious investors, as the initial investment is $25,000. Recently a new website was also launched, IslamiQ.com, which offers Muslims the opportunity to trade shares, buy investment and insurance products as well as paying Islamic tax online. The Islamic capital market is thought to be worth close to £100 billion and is growing at the remarkable rate of 30 per cent a year, so it is not surprising that big financial companies are keen to cash in (The Sunday Telegraph, 07.05.00, Cardiff Western Mail, 09.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 5]

Money raised for Trust
Members of the Stoke-on-Trent Islamic community donated £241.33 to the Douglas Macmillan Hospice, raised by the Islamic Centre in Bedford Street, Shelton. Spokesman Rana Tufail said: "We feel that we are part of the community and the Douglas Macmillan cares for the community in many different ways, particularly those with terminal illnesses. We raise money for many charities throughout the year. We are currently trying to raise cash for flood victims in Pakistan and for Ethiopia but we also help local charities and as well as the Douglas Macmillan Hospice we have donated money to the Donna Louise Trust." The Douglas Macmillan Hospice is a self-funding organisation which needs to raise £1.5 million each year (Stoke-on-Trent Sentinel, 11.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 5/6]

Seminar on science and technology
A seminar was to be held in Bradford on how Muslims can use technology to predict the sighting of the moon. The guest expert was expected to be Monzur Ahmed from Birmingham, who would describe how science and technology could be used to predict sightings of the moon. Abu Bashir, president of the city’s Bangladesh Porishad said: "We are delighted to hold this seminar and already there is a tremendous response from the Muslim professionals" (Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 12.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 6]

Charity broadcast raises cash
Listeners to Blackburn Radio Ramadan, which broadcast during the holy month from December 7 to January 7, raised more than £7,499 for charities. Presenters and managers of the station presented the money to eight charities at an event attended by local councillors and community leaders. The charities which will benefit are: Islamic Relief’s flood appeal for Mozambique; Muslim Hands Chechnya Appeal; Hashim Welfare Hospital; Muslim Aid; Edhi Foundation; Kashmir Welfare Relief Fund; Imran Khan Cancer Appeal; and Iklaqs Charity. Radio Station director Talat-Farooq Awan said: "The station has been more successful than we anticipated, and being able to raise money for charity was an added bonus. The idea was instigated by the community and we thank them for their efforts" (Lanca shire Evening Telegraph, 13.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 6]

Swindon Islam exhibition
An exhibition has been designed in Swindon aimed at educating non-Muslims about Islam. The Islamic Awareness and Education Project holds an exhibition fortnightly at the Broad Green Community Centre in Salisbury Street. The organisation hopes to break stereotypes of the religion, while educating people about the culture, arts and literature associated with the faith. The exhibition includes informative displays for adults, calligraphy, artefacts, a book stall, an IT section, TV section and a children’s section. Ali Omar, division co-ordinator for the organisation, said: "It went quite well. Those who were there seemed to appreciate the message we were trying to get across. We are trying to introduce Islam to as many people as possible and help them understand our religion." The next exhibition was to be held on the 10th June (Swindon Evening Advertiser, 16.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 6]

Deportation battle
The Home Secretary, Jack Straw, has won an appeal against an immigration commission’s decision that Shafiq ur-Rehman was not a threat to national security (See BMMS for June, August, September, October, December 1999 and April 2000). The Court of Appeal has ruled that the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) has applied the wrong legal test when overturning the ruling by Mr Straw that Mr Rehman could be deported. The court sent the case back to the SIAC for redetermination but gave permission for an appeal to the Lords for a ruling on the meaning of national security. Last September, the SIAC heard that Mr Rehman was alleged by the Home Office to be raising funds for recruiting rebels for fighting in Kashmir and for the Lashkar Tayyaba Mujahideen group while working in Britain for its political wing, MDI. Mr Rehman admitted he raised funds for the MDI - Centre for Invitation to the Divine Teachings - but insisted the money was for the building of schools and hospitals in Pakistan. He believed he was singled out for expulsion after MI5 unsuccessfully tried to recruit him as an informer.

After the decision, Mr Rehman who is the Imam of Ross Street mosque in Oldham, said he was "very upset". He said: "My case was heard by the commission and I won. Now this court has changed the meaning of national security." The Master of the Rolls, Lord Woolf, the chairman of three judges who considered the case, said the commission had adopted too narrow an interpretation of national security. He said: "It cannot be the case that if a course of conduct would adversely reflect on the security of this country, it is not open to the Secretary of State to regard the person’s presence in this country as not being conducive to the public good because the target for the conduct is another country. Increasingly, the security of one country is dependent upon the security of other countries." He added: "Here, there were terrorist activities to which [Mr Rehman] was giving encouragement, which were directed against India’s links with Kashmir, then the involvement of individuals coming from this country could damage relations between this country and India." Sibghat Kadri QC, representing Mr Rehman, asking to take the case to the House of Lords, said: "Your lordships’ decision may have put the clock back, giving carte blanche to the Secretary of State to decide what is national security. This group of people is suffering from Islamophobia." If the SIAC does re-hear the case, it will have to take into account the Court of Appeal’s interpretation of National Security (The Independent, 24.05.00, Walsall Express & Star, 23.05.00, Manchester Evening News, 23.05.00, North-West News, 24.05.00, London Metro, 24.05.00, The Guardian, 24.05.00, Cardiff Western Mail, 24.05.00, Daily Mail, 24.05.00, Asian Times, 30.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 6]

Census 2001
Despite the campaign by various faith groups, a question on religion may not appear in the 2001 Census (See BMMS for January 2000). The 1920 Census Act needs to be amended if a question on religion is to be included, but as the second reading of the Bill was delayed in the House of Commons until the 9^th June, it would not make the deadline of the end of May required for the Bill to be ready for the census next year. The 2001 Census Religious Affiliation Group, made up of representatives from Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist communities, said they were extremely disappointed that the government did not take seriously the request from the faith communities for an amendment to the 1920 Census Act, especially as the Scottish executive recently agreed to make the change to include the question in Scotland despite opposing it initially. The outgoing Secretary General of the Muslim Coun cil of Britain, Iqbal Sacranie, said he was "utterly dismayed" that "there is a pos sibility that a campaign which has the support of all the faith communities would come to failure because the Government did not allow legislation time for a debate." However, the Home Office has denied that June 9^th would be too late for the religion question to be included, despite a Treasury spokes person telling the Muslim News that even if the Bill passes in the Commons on June 9^th, the timing "may be very tight" to include it in the "regulations" (Muslim News, 26.05.00). Writing in The Guardian, Faisal Bodi also tackles this issue. He says that the campaign began positively, with the pilot census in 1997, sent out to 74,000 homes, being des cribed by insiders as "very positive…it worked quite well, got good information and did not raise much disquiet." He believes that until we have a better idea of the numbers of Muslims in Britain, the community will continue to bear dis crimination (The Guardian, 27.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 6/7]

Reflections on Muslim News’ Awards
Sameera Mian, writing in the Muslim News (26.05.00), gives some positive reflections on the Awards for Excellence held on March 30 (See BMMS for April 2000). She says that because the Muslim community is poorly represented or faces discrimination, it becomes "reac tive when in fact we need to be thinking ahead, gauging social trends and antici pating the problems that face society -Muslim and non-Muslim - and offer solutions to the numerous challenges that face us in Britain and around the world." She says that it is also important to praise Muslims for the good work they do and to bring out role models which we all need: "The Muslim News Awards for Excellence served as a re minder that there is excellence out there - just that it also needs to be acknow ledged by those who have not had the chance to experience it first hand." She adds: "The Awards gave us the oppor tunity to experience a small amount of the excellence which we can look for ward to in the future and enabled us to reflect upon the real potential to do good works that Muslims are always exhorted to." Muslim News also includes some more pictures of the Awards ceremony held in Knightsbridge. [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 7]

Private-members club for Muslims
The Sunday Express (14.05.00) reports on a new private members’ club which is opening in London, aimed at the Muslim community and hoping to bridge a gap in the market. ArRum, Arabic for "the coming together of people", is a private members’ club complete with juice bar, Internet bays, and pool tables, as well as exhibition space and a prayer room, and has already registered more than 3,000 members before its launch in August. Reedah Nijabat, founder of ArRum, believes companies have largely ignored the considerable spending power of Britain’s three million Muslims. She said: "Moslems are simply not targeted as a consumer group at the moment. There is so much negative publicity about Moslems that perpetuates the stereotypical images of bomb-makers and terrorists, that I think some busi nesses are wary of getting involved." According to Ms Nijabat, the club is the first of its kind in the UK and is intended to cater for the rapidly growing number of young, Muslim professionals. Events already organised under the banner of ArRum have proved popular: "I thought it was about time there was something that catered for Moslems within a very loose framework, embracing Islam in its widest sense. ArRum is about providing positive elements of Islam, such as art, culture and music, without people having to justify whether they practice or not. We’re in the midst of a whole renaissance of Islamic art and culture and I want to open that up to our members."

Ms Nijabat also hopes to launch an Internet community site later in the year, offering services for Muslim businesses and entrepreneurs: "The site [www. ArRum.co.uk] will be pan-European and we’ll also roll out ArRum clubs in key European cities which have a significant Moslem population. The shopping part of the site will offer a whole range of niche products, in areas such as travel and consumer goods. On the business side, we’re ideally placed to put entre preneurs in touch with people who are looking to invest, kind of in the First Tuesday model." However, something Ms Nijabat will have to consider is the possibility of offending stricter Muslims in the community. One Muslim scholar believes such organisations have a place in the community as long as they adhere to he Islamic tradition. He said: "Any club that promotes better understanding and enhances community life is to be welcomed. But we don’t want Moslems to be lost in greed and the pursuit of profit, or caught up in dancing, alcohol or sexual activities as prohibited by Islam." This is a concern Ms Nijabat has already encountered, and says: "Being a Moslem isn’t just about observing strict elements of Islam, it’s about helping each other out and giving something back to the community. If people don’t like what we do they don’t have to come. At the end of the day, this is my business and I’m in it to make a profit and provide a service that no one else is offering." [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 7]

Mosque opens to job seekers
As part of a £4.6 million campaign to help the unemployed get back to work, job seekers in London are being encour aged to pop down to the local café, library, pub or mosque. The Getting London Working campaign is holding advice workshops in unusual places to try to reach more of the city’s unemployed. Regent’s Park Mosque has been chosen as one of the venues where job less Muslims can go to get free advice on preparing CVs and interview techniques. The workshops in the mosque are held between 9:30am and 4:30pm on Fridays. Faruk Noor, of Getting London Working, said: "This project is generat ing huge interest - people love the ser vice and it gets them back to work" (Camden Chronicle, 18.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 7/8]

Community honours policeman
Members of the Muslim community in Ilford have honoured a policeman who they say has served the community extremely well for the past ten years. A ceremony was held at the Muslim Com munity Centre in Eton Road, for Sgt George Hintz, where he received a copy of historian Norman Gunby’s A Potted History of Ilford and a pen. Community centre chairman, Bashir Chaudhry, said: "He was a dedicated individual and in volved in a lot of issues involving the local community. He helped and advised us whenever he could and he was a very caring officer who always listened to the community." He added: "We are going to miss a very good friend. He was good to the community and he was good to Redbridge. Now he will be good for Hackney" (Barking & Dagenham Recorder, 18.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 8]

Holy tomato found
A Muslim woman in Wakefield has been blessed with finding the word ‘Allah’ in Arabic inscribed in a tomato for the second time in a month! When Nasrin Razzaq, 22, saw the word for the first time, she called her relative, who is also an imam at the Duke of York Street Mosque, to take a look. He confirmed that the inscription in the tomato clearly spelt out the word ‘Allah’. He told Ms Razzaq that this was a blessing and that she could continue to use the tomato for cooking, but she chose to preserve it in ice instead. Three weeks later she cut open another tomato, only to find the word Allah written in it again. This time she was so amazed she could not take her eyes off it, and her sisters and niece all agreed that they could see the word ‘Allah’. Ms Razzaq said she would ask the imam to come over and recite prayers over the food. She said: "I am surprised and shocked that it has happened a second time. My husband Mohammed and I are practising Muslims and I feel very lucky that this has happened twice. It is a miracle" (Wake field Express, 19.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 8]

Community centre plan may be rejected
Plans to create a new community centre next to an Islamic school have been turned down by planners. The Islamic School, Queens Cross, submitted an application to Dudley Council to convert a disused factory building next door, into a community hall. But officers recommended that the council’s deve lopment control committee should reject the plans (Wolverhampton Express & Star, 22.05.00, Dudley Express & Star, 23.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 8]

Shi’ites mark death of Imam Hussain
Scores of Shi’ite men and women from all over the country marched through the streets of Leicester to mark the anniver sary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who along with 72 companions was massacred in Karbala (now in Iraq). The followers were taking part in an annual procession organised by the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Community at the Husseini Mosque, Loughborough Road. President of the mosque, Muslim Rajani paid tribute to the volunteers and sponsors for making the event successful. He said: "Every individual of any religion should be respected. Our intelligence teaches us to love each other and respect the religious faith of others" (Leicester Mercury, 25.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 8]

Police visit mosque
Police officers from Walsall visited a mosque in Darlaston to help bring together the force and Muslim communities. The scheme, led by PC Ramesh Kumar, aims to teach officers more about ethnic minority cultures and religions. The first ten officers to take part in the scheme visited the Bills Street mosque in the town in a bid to break down barriers. Also, as part of the initiative, Willenhall superintendent Mike Layton was starting a regular weekly meeting with community leaders to discuss their concerns (Walsall Express & Star, 25.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 8]

Baishakhi Mela
The Bangladeshi community in Brick Lane, East London, celebrated the Bengali New Year on May 7 with a Baishakhi Mela. The name of the festival comes from the first month of the Bengali calendar, Bhaishakh, which is in the year 1407. The calendar is based on an ancient sub-continental calendar which began from March 16, 1586 CE, by the Moghal Emperor Akbar. The basis of the calendar is a combination of the Hijri lunar year, beginning from the Prophet’s migration to Madinah in 622 CE, and the Bengali solar year which contains six seasons and revolves around the zones’ agricul tural cycle. People of many different cultural backgrounds attended and enjoyed the Mela, which had numerous food stalls as well as stalls for traditional Bengali arts and crafts. There were also children’s performances, a sport’s tour nament and traditional song and dance at the festival which was held at three venues: Brick Lane, Allen Gardens and Altab Ali Park (Muslim News, 26.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 8]

Muslim Aid headquarters vandalised
Investigations are taking place at the north London headquarters of Muslim Aid after it was vandalised on April 17. Defecation was found on the doorway of the office block, which is also used by Yusuf Islam’s media company, Moun tain of Light. The material used was mixed with wood glue to ensure maxi mum damage, and they are considering it an Islamophobic attack. The waste was removed by specialist hygiene experts, and staff are baffled by the possible motive for such an attack. As a result of the attack, CCTV and security systems have been installed in the building. Yusuf Islam said: "It shows that some people are totally deranged in their blindness towards certain religious communities. There is no gain in this kind of thing for anyone, I just wonder why they don’t do something more positive with their lives" (Muslim News, 26.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 8]

Photography exhibition
An exhibition by one of the leading photographers of the Muslim world has opened at the Brunei Gallery in the London School of Oriental and African Studies. In The Shade of the Tree carries 30 years of the work of British Muslim Peter Sanders, and will run for five months until September 15. The exhibi tion includes photographs from across Africa, throughout the Arab world, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent and features rare portraits of some of the greatest Muslim saints of the 20^th century. Peter Sanders’ photos have appeared in many international publications, including Time magazine, Paris Match, The Observer, and the London based pan-Arab new magazine Al Jadida, which published his work as a cover story.

Sanders began his career in the 1960s, covering London’s rock and roll scene, and has photographed legendary music icons such as Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Who and the Rolling Stones. Towards the end of the decade, Sanders turned his attention to his spirit uality which took him to India, which led him to the Muslim world. He says: "Since the 1960s my work has been a parallel to my own journey of spiritual discovery." His deep commitment to and love of traditional Islamic culture has allowed him contact with people and places very few photographers reach. He said: "My photography has always been an extension of my life. Photography is a wonderful process - a gift from God - that has allowed me to learn so much about myself and the world around me. It’s like chasing a moment, trying to capture a beautiful bird in flight." Japanese art critic, Tsuyoshi Kawasoe, said: "The photographs are extremely, extraordinarily beautiful." American writer Michael Sugich said: "One should not under-estimate the importance of Peter Sanders’ work. He is the only photographer working today who has systematically and with great devotion to the task, covered vast areas of the Islamic world as an insider. Because of his deep understanding of the culture and his impeccable spiritual courtesy, he has been able to photograph places and people that virtually no western photographer would be able to access. He has left an indelible, poetic and ravishing record of an extraordinary time and a rich and fascinating culture." Sanders’ intimate photographs of the sacred cities of Makkah, Madinah and Jerusalem are of those in greatest demand (Muslim News, 26.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 9]

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Education

Rochdale centre gets backing
Councillors in Rochdale having given the go-ahead for a house to be used as a religious worship and teaching centre for children, despite being recommended by planning officers to refuse the proposal. Officers recommended refusal for the application, by the Mustafa Islamic Centre, because of noise and disturbance religious worship could cause to neigh bouring properties, and because of a possible increase in traffic. But coun cillors argued that as the house had been used as a teaching centre for the past five years without any serious objections from residents, there was no reason to refuse. A condition of one meeting per week for parental meetings was applied (Rochdale Express, 28.04.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 9]

Lord Ahmed calls for more involvement
Lord Nazir Ahmed has called for members of the community to become more involved in schools and tackle low achievement of pupils. Lord Ahmed was speaking in Birmingham at the launch of pioneering new guidelines set out for schools on the religious and cultural needs of Muslim children. The guide lines follow concerns expressed by Mus lim and other ethnic minority parents that their children’s needs are not being addressed properly. Lord Ahmed told a meeting of the Muslim Liaison Commit tee in Balsall Heath: "As British Mus lims we are the lowest achievers with half the pass rates at GCSE of the indi genous population. It is not because Muslim children are not clever enough, because if you look at private Islamic schools they have a pass rate of 80-100 per cent. State-run schools need extra resources." The guidelines, approved in partnership with the Birmingham Education Department, are aimed at schools with a high intake of Muslim pupils. The booklet acknowledges that many schools have taken account of Muslim parents’ wishes regarding their religion, but adds: "A significant number of Muslim and other ethnic minority parents are still expressing concern that the religious and cultural needs of their children have still not been properly addressed." It lists problems with music classes, sex education, prayer facilities and the dress code for pupils in PE and swimming. Lord Ahmed added: "It is important that the local community gets involved and that Muslim women in particular become involved in governing bodies." The meeting was attended by more than 50 community leaders (Birmingham Evening Mail, 09.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 9]

School has fees waived
An Islamic school in Carmarthenshire may have its building hire fees waived by councillors. The parent-run group held at Richmond Park Community School in Carmarthen has applied to the council for the exemption of fees. The school says it should be considered in the same light as a Sunday school and not be liable for the payment (Carmar then Journal, 11.05.00, Cardiff Western Mail, 12.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 9]

Children learn about Islam
Pupils at Clevedon House in Ilkley have been learning about the importance of prayer to Muslims. Youngsters in Year 6 used Islamic prayer mats as part of their Religious Studies course, and studied the symbolic designs of prayer mats and the postures adopted by Muslims when praying. Revd Alex Munro, head teacher of the school who teaches Religious Studies, said: "It is an important aspect of learning to understand from where other people are coming and to look at the world from a different perspective, as someone once said "to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes". By doing this I hope my pupils will appreciate the beliefs of others and explore their own understanding of life. Above all I hope they will develop a tolerance and respect for others that is so vital in today’s society of cultural diversity" (Ilkley Gazette, 11.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 9]

Pupils go to mosque
Pupils from Manor House School in Honiton went with their teacher to Exeter’s Central Mosque to understand different forms of religion. They met one of the elders of the mosque who spoke to them about Islam and demon strated some of the rituals of the Islamic faith. Adrian Pearson, the accompanying teacher, said: "They were fascinated by the rituals and I know the visit will be of enormous help in building up pupils’ understanding of other people’s ways of worship" (Axminster & Seaton News, 12.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 10]

Safety fears at madrasa
A Birmingham city councillor has warned that children attending a madrasa above a mosque after school may be in danger if there was a fire or other emergency. Councillors are being asked to agree to plans to enlarge the classroom and adjoining prayer room, but Coun cillor Ray Hassall told the development control committee: "If something hap pened with 40 kids upstairs we could have a fatality on our hands. I accept that there is a need for a Madrassa but there are schools all over who are geared for this. If the schools are sitting idle after 3:30pm then we should be looking at using them in this way." Former council leader, Cllr Theresa Stewart said: "This is a very small house for 40 children. We have a special responsibility to ensure the safety and comfort of these children." The committee agreed to defer plans for the madrasa for a second time to explore the conditions more closely. The applicants, who had reduced their original plans from a teaching capacity of 100 children to 40, said they would consider their position, but independent Small Heath councillor Shaukat Ali Khan, who sits on the development con trol committee, said: "This is totally wrong. The officers favoured the pro posals but this is political because they are losing Small Heath. It is their revenge" (Birmingham Evening Mail, 18.05.00, Black Country Evening Mail, 18.05.00, Birmingham Post, 19.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 10]

School policy called racist
A leading member of Northampton’s Muslim community has claimed that the education policy in Northampton is racist. Nazir Naji, president of the Pakistan Welfare Association, has claimed Northampton County Council is acting against recommendations from the Stephen Lawrence inquiry in allocat ing places at school. Mr Naji wants his 13-year old daughter to join a single-sex school in accordance with their beliefs, but the only local authority girls school in the town has refused to take her. The local education authority has refused Mr Naji’s appeal against the school’s deci sion despite having received letters of support from Labour MPs Tony Clarke and Sally Keeble and former leader of Northampton Borough Council John Dickie. Mr Naji said: "It is part of the Muslim culture. She values her culture and religion very highly and wants to go to a single sex school." The MacPherson Report, made in the wake of the murder of Stephen Lawrence, recommends that local education authorities and school governors have a duty to create and implement strategies to prevent and address institutional racism. Mr Naji said: "This is institutional racism. They are failing to meet the needs of a diverse society. I promote cultural integration. How can I do this if I am not allowed to integrate my child in a school. The LEA’s decision is damaging to the eth nic community." In a letter supporting Mr Naji, Mr Clarke said: "The LEA must have provision to cater for the needs of the Muslim community and to turn down an application because of what side of the river they live when an individual has established requirements for same sex schooling is not acceptable." Northampton County Council declined to comment (Northampton Chronicle, 27.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 10]

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Politics

Multi-faith council
Slough is set to have a new multi-faith council - said to be the first of its kind in Britain. The new forum, to include members of all local religious communities, was announced by Lord Nazir Ahmed and Councillor Nazar Lodhi during a conference at Slough Grammar School. Lord Ahmed said: "It is import ant for Slough to establish a multi-faith society or council, where people from all religions can meet. I hear that Cllr Lodhi wants to do that. This is an historic day in Slough. Slough could be at the fore- front of our multi-faith society by being the first town to have a multi-faith coun cil at a local level. This is about understanding, tolerance and living together; about making this town a good place to live together." Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Lodhi said: "After the elections the different religious groups will get to gether and talk at a similar event to this. People say that religion causes problems, but I think many of the problems are caused because too many people are forgetting the important lesson religion has to teach us. No religion tells people to steal or rape or hurt people, or to gamble. We need to talk about this sort of thing, and that is what this new multi-faith council will be for." Representa tives from other faiths were also present at this meeting and each gave a ten minute talk on the subject of "sacrifice" (Slough & Langley Observer, 28.04.00, Windsor & Maidenhead Observer, 28.04.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 10]

Lord Ahmed’s say on Terrorism Bill
The Terrorism Bill was recently the focus for discussion in the House of Lords, and Q News prints Lord Ahmed’s contribution to the debate. He said he was concerned that the Terrorism Bill could infringe civil liberties and have implications for international issues. He said that although he was supportive of the government’s stance to eliminate the threat of terrorism, he was worried about the interpretation of some of the clauses in the bill. He gave an example of himself, being a Kashmiri-born British citizen, supporting the right of self-determination for the Kashmiri people. He asked, if the Bill is passed, will "I break the law in future when I support the Kashmiri people or their right to self-determination and the implementation of UN resolutions on Kashmir?" He also said there was a need for an explanation of "terrorism" and he tried to clarify the word "jihad", saying it was wrongly associated with terrorism by the western media (Q News, No319, 01.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 10]

Prayer room at House of Lords
The House of Lords now has a prayer room for Muslims, thanks to its newest peer Lord Patel. Lord Patel was shocked that Muslims had to pray in the female peers’ resting room. The Blackburn peer requested a prayer room from Black Rod - the Westminster official in charge of the House of Lords - after he mistakenly disturbed a sleeping baroness who was having a quiet nap in the room. He said: "The House of Lords officials were very good, very courteous and very swift in responding to my request...We are a multi-cultural society and multicultural ism is the future of Britain. The Christ ian peers have their chapel, now we have our prayer room." A spokesman for Black Rod said: "It was a problem finding the Muslim peers a room. The whole Palace of Westminster was dreadfully overcrowded" (Eastern Eye, 05.05.00, Asian Times, 09.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 11]

Lord Ahmed to address Israeli Parliament
Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham is to address the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, later this year. Speaking on the subject of religious tolerance at a recent multi-faith conference in Slough, Lord Ahmed said: "The Koran says ‘do not ridicule other religions unless they ridi cule your God’. I never came across any Jewish members of the community when I lived in Rotherham. The first time I came across anyone was when I joined the House of Lords, and who better to meet than Lord Greville Janner." He added: "At the end of last year I visited Israel, Palestine and Jordan" (London Jewish News, 05.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 11]

Baroness Uddin on marriage
Baroness Uddin has written an article in The Independent based on a speech she gave to the Reunite Conference on the family aspect of Muslim law. She speaks about the importance of marriage in Islam, it being the cornerstone of the family: "In fact, according to a saying of the Holy Prophet it is considered as being the second half of completion of one’s faith. The purpose of marriage in Islam is that a man and woman build a home; live together in love, kindness, mutual and shared responsibilities as well as support, companionship; meet one another’s sexual needs and rear children together." She goes on to speak about marriage as a working partnership, with men and women having an equal, but not necessarily same, status. Since last August, Baroness Uddin, along with Lord Ahmed, have been leading the working group on forced marriage, and will be publishing their report shortly. In the meantime, she outlines two of the aims the report will have: "First, we want to build a shared understanding of what constitutes a forced marriage and that it cannot be justified. We need to reach an acceptance that forced marriage is not a Muslim problem. Second, we want to start a process of change for the better. The report is only the start of this process - the responsibility lies with us all to stop this abuse of trust and human rights. The challenge will be changing the cultures that condone forced mar riage" (The Independent, 22.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 11]

Equal opportunities advisor appointed
As part of the government’s diversity programme Mo Mowlam, Minister for the Cabinet Office, announced the appointment of a new Senior Advisor. Museji Ahmed Takolia, 39, was to begin his role as advisor to the diversity and equal opportunities campaign on April 10. Takolia has been an independent management consultant since 1995, specialising in economic and social planning and equal opportunities, and has worked as an advisor to a number of public sector organisations. He also established a Race Equality Unit at Bristol City Council. Takolia will be responsible for tackling under represent ation of ethnic minorities, particularly at senior levels. Mo Mowlam said: "I am delighted to welcome the appointment of Museji Ahmed Takolia to take on this important and vital new role within Government. We are committed to building a Civil Service which reflects the diversity of the society which it serves, and which recognises the valu able contribution which people from all backgrounds have to make." When asked about religious awareness in the Civil Service, Takolia said that while working for the Department of Education and Employment he was aware that the department ran special annual con ferences on religious issues. He said he also knew of two Civil Service depart ments which had flexible working poli cies in terms of religious needs. Takolia will be looking into ways of recruiting ethnic minorities, which currently make up 5.7 per cent of Civil Servants in this country (Muslim News, 26.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 11]

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Women

Anger at women-only swimming nights
Special swimming sessions for women at Allander Sports Centre have caused some protest at the suggestion that the sessions are to only be attended by Muslim women. Staff at the centre in Glasgow made arrangements for a female only swimming session on a Saturday between 7-9pm, where only female staff will be in attendance and screens are placed at the glass doors on the pool. However, some people were angered at the suggestion that only ethnic-minority women would be able to attend the session. One swimmer who contacted the Herald said: "I went along recently and witnessed a Muslim woman asking the person on reception if it was right that non-ethnic ladies were per mitted to swim at the session. I was surprised at her less-than-pleased attitude when she learned that staff could not turn any ladies away. But my feelings turned to anger when I discovered that some of the ethnic women had their sons with them. I would think the oldest I saw was about 10 and it was quite off-putting - on a women’s only night you expect it to be all female." A council spokesman said: "Our position is that we operate a ladies only session - open to all colours and creeds of females. But aware that some ladies attending are of a particular religious following, we have made special arrangements to give them the privacy which their religion requires, like providing all female staff. While the sessions are for females of all ages, our rules are that mothers may only take boys up to the age of five with them" (Milngavie & Bearsden Herald, 05.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 11]

Sultana Syed interview
The Nottingham Evening Post (06.05.00) carries an interview with Sultana Syed, who recently won an Active Community Award for her work as director of the Nottingham Muslim Women’s Centre. In the interview she recalls the tough life she faced when she came to England in 1968 as a young bride. She had just completed a degree in science in Karachi when she married and came to England. She and her hus band first moved to London and she found life very lonely, without friends and family, and would argue with her husband a lot saying she wanted to go back to Pakistan. After a few years they went back to Pakistan for nine months, and when they returned, they settled in Nottingham. In Nottingham, she learnt about an organisation called the Paki stani Friends League which asked if she would teach Urdu to children. She agreed as it was a way of passing time, and she also got to meet other people. The first time she realised how big the Muslim community in Nottingham was, was when they celebrated Eid for the first time in 1975, and more than 100 women attended the celebrations. She found getting Muslim women out of the house a difficult task, and found a job as a home teaching co-ordinator through which she talked to women in their homes and taught them English. As she realised there was a specific need for Muslim women, as opposed to Asian women generally, she set up the Muslim Women’s Organisation, which led to the opening of the Muslim Women’s Centre, of which she is now director. [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 12]

New centre for elderly women
The Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking was the venue for the launch of a new drop-in centre for older women. The idea for the centre was initiated and developed particularly for women who speak little or no English, and is funded by Age Concern working in partnership with the mosque and West Surrey Health Promo tion Service. Named Khidmat, meaning ‘to serve’, the centre is open on Wednes day mornings for tea, coffee and a varied programme of interests designed to suit their needs. Following a short reading from the Qur’an, a commemorative cake was cut by Dr Salma Sulaimani from the mosque and Betty Agnes, a trustee from Age Concern Surrey. Dr Sulaimani said; "We welcome the opportunity which Age Concern Surrey has given us and hope that many older women will bene fit from the opening of Khidmat. The mosque is a place where these women feel comfortable, and where there is plenty of space to develop new and tra ditional interests. It is important that communities come together and that we all work together to make this project a success." She added: "We hope the centre will grow and develop and that the women will bring their friends along to the sessions and that in the future transport will be able to be arranged for some older women so that they too can participate in this new venture." Ms Ames said: "We hope this important development for the community will be recognised so that ongoing funding will be forthcoming to sustain it." The pro gramme of events will be decided by the group itself and will be recreational as well as educational. There will be craft activities, cooking demonstrations to promote healthy diets, music and move ment and gardening (Surrey Advertiser, 19.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 12]

‘Hijabi doll’ causes offence
An article which appeared in a news letter published by the Muslim Women’s Helpline has caused some offence in the Muslim community. The article refers to four fictional Muslim dolls which symbolise male and female attitudes in the Muslim community. Talking ‘Hijabi’ dolls have no eyes, ears, nose or mouth and have their ‘alluring features’ sculpted away to remove all traces of make-up and fitna. The article says: "Talking Hijabi wets herself whenever she has to greet asalam-a-leikum to someone. And Nodding Hijabi is great for those stressful moments that require advanced communication with brother dolls." Mr Jee Hard Man is the male doll, which represents the over-zealous Muslim’s call for jihad against the West. It adds: "At last, Nodding, Talking and Accident dolls can take it in turns to watch Jee Hard conquer the infidels with his remote control zapper and armchair." Author Rifat Yusuf, of the Muslim Women’s Helpline, defended the article saying: "It is not a religious issue. We are talking about a doll. There was a country which slammed the Barbie and Cindy as haram. You could say that this piece hits back at that. People are not offended by what does not exist. It is a quip. And it is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek. It is a regular newsletter and the back page always has a quip at something or another." Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, of the Muslim Parliament of Britain, said: "It was satire against Muslim men exposing the way they treat women in the community. It is, of course, critical. It is a portrayal of our society and this is the way women feel and we have to listen to them. I do not see why we should not criticise our selves as a society. Some Muslim men will take offence but only the male chauvinists" (Eastern Eye, 19.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 12]

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Youth

Youth employment initiative
A community initiative in Hull to tackle poor grades amongst Muslim youths has been launched to helped youths into employment. Hull Mosque and Islamic Centre is targeting 13 to 19-year olds by backing up their school work with extra lessons and extra-curricular activities. The centre is hoping that by increasing career opportunities it will prevent youngsters turning to crime. Chairperson Rahmat Aziz Salik said: "Education is poor in Hull especially in our community. We want to make youngsters good citizens and bring peace and harmony to young people. Many youngsters are not achieving their GCSE level or A-level results. Many have dropped out of college because they do not have opportunities. We want these things to change." The initiative has been funded with £30,000 from the Neighbourhood Support Fund, a government initiative designed to tackle problems faced by the city’s youngsters. The money will be spread over three years during which time organisers plan to hire a supervisor for the centre’s youth club and a tutor to teach computer skills (Hull Daily Mail, 06.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 12]

Fundraising walk
Walkers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association raised more than £42,000 for charity by completing a marathon trek through the countryside. The 700 walkers came from all over the country to take part in the event in Lee Valley Park in Essex and Hertfordshire. Charities which will benefit from the money raised include Great Ormond Street Hospital, Save the Children, Centrepoint, Victim Support, Age Con cern and the British Heart Foundation (Barking & Dagenham Recorder, 11.05.00, Enfield Independent, 17.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 13]

Youths clash outside club
Police in Camden battled with Muslim and Sikh youths as fighting between the groups broke out outside a nightclub. The fight, outside Bagley’s nightclub in King’s Cross, broke out after closing time and involved around 100 people. Police were called after reports of fighting in three different areas outside the club and of cars being damaged. Officers also had to call for back up from other stations and the Territorial Officer Support Group, which special ises in dealing with riots. One teenager had head injuries after being hit by a bottle, and a teenage girl was injured after being hit by a car speeding away from the scene. The victims all refused medical treatment saying they would go to their local hospital in Slough (Camden Chronicle, 18.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 13]

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Interfaith

Proposals for anti-discrimination laws
Proposals for new anti-discrimination legislation were unveiled in Manchester during a meeting held by the Commis sion on British Muslims and Islamophobia. The Jewish Chronicle reports that the proposed legislation, designed primarily to help Muslims, may also help the Jewish community. Dr Richard Stone, chairman of the commission and also chairman of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality (JCore), said that a Private Member’s Bill proposed by Lord Nazir Ahmed to outlaw discrimination against Muslims would have its second reading in July. He said that although Jews and Sikhs were not primarily affected, as they are already defined as "ethnic groups" and so covered by the Race Relations Act, they would have extra grounds for redress, as they would be able to claim religious discrimination as well. Dr Stone added that the Muslim immigrant experience in this country was identical to that of the Jews, and the majority of Muslims, like the majority of Jews, distanced themselves from their own extremists (Jewish Chronicle, 19.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 13]

Leeds faith communities initiative
Around 150 members of Britain’s various faith communities met on May 7 in Leeds Civic Hall to discuss practical action which could be taken by the faith communities to work for social justice and combating religious discrimination. Welcoming the initiative, especially the formation of the Faith Communities Liaison Forum, Foreign Office Minister, John Battle, said the initiative projects "a modern image of Islam that refutes the stereotypes that are only too com mon with the UK media." The integrity of each faith community was emphasised, as well as the need for the Muslim community to help themselves, "by engaging with individuals and organisa tions outside of our own comfortable networks which we usually operate in." Head Teacher of the Leeds Islamia Girls’ School, Zubeda Arshad, spoke about the struggle of her school in drawing everyone together and finding money and space. She paid tribute to Civic leaders who had shared that struggle. Community development worker, Hanif Malik, and the Revd Neil Bishop spoke of their vision for the new centre in Leeds which will give health advice as well as being a base for inter-religious and inter-community events. Malik said: "Today is full of good news stories we will see what the press report. We need to not only do good things but to speak about them in order to combat the misinformation associated with ‘Islamophobia’" (Muslim News, 26.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 13]

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Halal

Halal meat to stay at hospital
Following a successful trial at Steeton’s Airedale Hospital, halal meat is to stay on the menu for patients. The meat had been served as Chicken Korma or Lamb Curry to Asian patients from last September to the end of January, and members of the Airedale NHS Trust have agreed to continue the service at a cost of around £12,000 a year. Aire dale’s catering manager carried out a survey to find out which meals were well received by patients and now the trust’s medical director has asked for a survey to be carried out into the quality of other meals in the hospital. The halal dishes were provided by Blackburn-based firm Quality Halal Meals (Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 17.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 13]

Pork found in halal sausages
A court in Bradford has heard that a pack of Halal sausages bought from a Bradford shop, were found to contain pork. Prosecutor Jack Henriques told magistrates that under Islamic law, Muslims must not eat the "flesh of swine" including any products made from pigs. Trading standards officers made the test purchase of what was described as authentic halal meat from a shop in the Leeds Road area of the city last June. Tests on the product showed that it contained lamb and pork protein. The suppliers, CH Sausage Co Ltd, of Manchester, blamed the mistake on a failure to clean after production runs. The company, trading as Cheethams Sausages, pleaded guilty to supplying goods with a false trade description. They were conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to pay £792 costs (Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 19.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 13]

Halal slaughterhouse forced to close
A halal slaughterhouse in Birmingham has been forced to close resulting in the loss of 38 jobs. Universal Halal Meat was set up a year ago by its owner, Tariq Siddiqi, to serve Birmingham’s Muslim community, but has been hit badly by government imposed meat hygiene charges, resulting in major losses over the past ten weeks. Mr Siddiqi said: "It is very sad because we supplied up to 250 shops and outlets for the Muslim community and our closure will leave a very big gap in the market. The meat hygiene charges for visits by inspectors have been our biggest burden and by the end it was costing us around £2,800 a week. We have fallen further and further into financial difficulties and have run up losses of up to £70,000 in the last ten weeks. It’s obviously disappointing that we’re closing after only a year and that 38 people are going to lose their jobs." Mr Siddiqi said the slaughterhouse was billed for each visit by meat inspectors, which were undertaken on a daily basis. He added: "If it had not been for the hygiene charges, we would have been able to survive. But the meat trade in general has been suffering" (Birming ham Evening Mail, 20.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 13/14]

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Mosques & Burials

Birmingham burials
The grave of a young woman in a Birmingham cemetery has been the victim of repeated attacks by vandals. Relatives of Soroya Contoyannis wrote a note on her grave asking if they had offended anyone after an ornamental cherub and the granite headstone were smashed. The grave, which is in the Muslim section of the cemetery in Kings Heath, also had photographs which were placed on the grave, removed and torn. When Ms Contoyannis’s mother, Salma Shaikh, left a note asking if the family had offended anyone, she was left a reply saying: "It is against the Muslim religion to have a picture on the grave." Ms Shaikh said: "I survived my daughter’s death and managed to bring up her daughter but this is too much. If we thought putting a picture on a grave was against the Muslim religion we would not have done it. My husband is a Muslim and I have spoken to a number of other Muslims about this and as far as I can tell there’s no hard and fast rule. We won’t rest until we find out who is responsible." Dr Mohammed Naseem, chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque, condemned the attack and said: "This damage is unwarranted and distasteful. Muslim people do hold the view that putting a picture on a grave is not the right thing to do. But vandalism is not the way do deal with it - it is anti-social and immoral." The family are now considering contacting the police, and a spokesman for the cemetery said they would be keeping a close watch on the grave (Birmingham Post, 30.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 14]

Dewsbury, Stoney Bank St
Hundreds of people attended the ceremony for the opening of the new mosque in Dewsbury. The Salfia Centre, which cost £300,000 to build, was offi cially opened by Lord Nazir Ahmed, watched by Home Office Minister Mike O’Brien and Dewsbury MP Ann Taylor. The following day Dr Abdullah Muhsin At-Turki, Royal Advisor to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, arrived to announce he was authorised to pay off any debts, estimated at £150,000, associated with the centre. Lord Ahmed said: "The com munity centre is designed so the local community, local agencies and voluntary organisations can join together. In West Yorkshire, Bradford and Dewsbury, the indigenous population have learned to respect the ideas and faith of the Asian community and community projects such as these go a long way to promot ing this." Mr O’Brien said: "What’s happening here is important. In the local community you do not realise it until it all comes together. It is wonderful how the centre brings together people from the Muslim and the white community. With this centre the community have shown they can work together, respect each others differences and build a future together." The refurbished carpet mill has a conference room, dining area, mosque and IT suite (Dewsbury Reporter, 05.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 14]

Exeter, York Rd
Councillors in Exeter have recommend ed plans for a new mosque in the city be approved (See BMMS for March and April 2000). The Islamic Centre of the South West, in York Road, has applied to build a new three-storey mosque and cultural centre. In a report to councillors, Exeter City Council’s head of planning services, Karime Hassan, said the proposed development would create a distinctive landmark which would be sympathetic to the current surroundings. The report states: "Members visited the site and viewed its relationship with surrounding properties, and considered that the mosque would be an interesting landmark building." The centre has been based at York Road since the 1970s (Exeter Express & Echo, 29.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 14]

London, Regents Park
The London Central Mosque in Regents Park, one of the oldest and largest in London, was the subject of an arson attack in the early hours of May 4^th. The emergency exit doors in the main prayer hall were set alight, and the fire was put out by worshippers coming to pray the morning prayer at 3:45am. The fire, which had been set alight using news papers and dried grass, was put out quickly before it spread and more damage was done. It is thought the offender(s) jumped over the fence facing Regents Park into the mosque compound. Director General of the Mosque, Dr Hamed al-Majed, condemned the attack and said: "We are saddened by this sinister attack" (Muslim News, 26.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 14]

Newcastle, Wingrove Gardens
Muslims in Newcastle have been given the go-ahead to build a mosque despite protests from local residents, who feared the people attending the mosque would create traffic problems and noise (See BMMS for February and March 2000). Newcastle Council’s development con trol committee approved the project, for which Muslims have raised £500,000. Residents also claimed the mosque would house 440 worshippers, but the architect for the mosque, John Angus, said it is expected there will be space for between 130 and 140 people. Planning officials also said that potential parking problems were not serious enough to reject the application, but residents say they will appeal against the decision (Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 10.05.00 and 15.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 14]

Oxford, Cowley Rd
An mosque in Oxford urgently needs new premises to cater for the increase in the number of worshippers attending prayers. Friday is particularly bad when some worshippers have to pray on the pavement outside. The secretary of the mosque, Syed Haque, said: "We have asked the chief executive of the council to help us find bigger premises in order to help the worshippers. Currently the mosque can cater for around 180 people, which is more than double the amount when it was first set up, but as more and more people have been moving into Oxford we have had no alternative except look elsewhere. There is no ques tion that we need a bigger site for at least 400 people." The mosque has been refused planning permission for an extension and so has to move to another site. The leaders of the community have met with the council chiefs expressing their concerns about the mosque and are hoping the council will help them finding a suitable site soon (Oxford Courier, 27.04.00, Oxford Journal, 28.04.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 14/15]

Redditch, Alcad Battery site
Plans for a mosque and DIY store on the old Alcad Batteries site in Redditch are to be subject to public scrutiny in June (See BMMS for July 1999). A government-appointed inspector is to hold a public inquiry, beginning on June 6, to consider proposals for a 13,500 square-metre B&Q store, a mosque and 35 houses. Preliminary planning permis sion to develop the Union Street site was granted by Redditch Council’s planning and transportation committee in Decem ber. Concerns about contamination from the old battery works caused concern in the past but council officers reassured nearby residents that work would not begin until the land had been made safe (Alcester Chronicle, 17.05.00). [BMMS May 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 5, p. 15]

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