British Muslims Monthly Survey for September 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 9 |
British Muslims Monthly Survey for September 2000 Vol. VIII, No. 9 |
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A billboard advertising a hair dye, which sparked complaints in Glasgow, has been painted over by Muslims in Luton (See British Muslims Monthly Survey for August 2000). Religious leaders said that the posters, showing a woman peering into her bikini bottoms, have caused widespread anger in the Bury Park area near one of their mosques. Mobeen Qureshi, secretary of welfare organisation Khidmat, said that while he does not condone vandalism he could understand why is happened. He said: "These posters would be extremely offensive to a Muslim man if he passed them on his way to prayers. You must be clean before you go to the mosque. You must wash your hands and feet before prayers. If you see a picture of a naked woman or anything that incites you sexually, you must go back home and wash yourself again. Some very religious-minded men pray five times a day. I understand from people I have spoken to at Luton Mosque that the committee will discuss this matter and possibly apply for a writ to have the posters pulled down." Mr Qureshi added: "These advertisers must realise that Great Britain is a multi-cultural society nowadays and they must appreciate the feelings of ethnic minorities, whoever they may be. They spend millions on advertising and should take more trouble to become aware of the religious beliefs of different societies. It makes no difference whether the posters are in the town centre, the Arndale Centre, Bury Park or anywhere else, the advertisers must make more effort to understand. On the other hand, I deplore the actions of people who have damaged these posters. The thing to do is to take legal action instead." The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said that it had already received more than 60 written complaints about the poster from all over the country in just one week. A spokeswomen for the ASA said: "We only accept complaints by letter, fax or e-mail and the number received so far is very high for such a short period of time. People are protesting that the advertisement is offensive and we will be investigating. The advertisers will be contacted to get their comments and there will then be a formal adjudication. If the complaints are upheld, they will have to remove the posters" (Luton News, 30.08.00, Luton Herald & Post, 31.08.00).
Shortly after this event, another billboard poster put up in the same area was painted over. This time it was an advert for Marks & Spencer, advertising their new sizing scheme alongside the picture of the back of a naked woman. A member of Al-Muhajiroun in Luton, Mr Hussain, said: "As a Muslim this completely disgusts me and I applaud these Muslims who tear them down or paint over them. It is an insult that some sick people continue to show obscene pictures and degrading women as mere sex objects!" However, some non-Muslims also expressed their disappointment with the adverts. English teacher Alison Archer, said: "I approve of defacing offensive adverts, not that I would do it myself but I have very strong feelings about it. I also hate the manipulative effect of advertising on children. I think children should be taught to read adverts carefully and read what they are doing. The Marks [& Spencer] billboard is not as offensive as the Organics advert because it is not pretending to be humorous, but I have to say I find the use of female - or even male - nudity, offensive generally. It’s only designed to catch attention. It makes me sound very prudish but I’m not prudish at all. People go topless on the beach - including myself in the past - but that is a choice you make. Because it’s the Muslim community who objected people will stereotypically think it’s them being fanatical again. This is selling with sex - that’s all they are doing. To me there are limits and using nudity to sell is crossing those limits." The Luton Herald & Post also includes many letters sent in about the subject, most of them saying that Muslims are living in Britain so should try to live a British way of life. Some are also keen to mention that if Britain was such a bad place to live then "we would not be importing corpses by the lorry load," and if they find things offensive here then maybe they would be better off going and living in a country which agrees with their views (Luton Herald & Post, 07.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 1]
Following the broadcast of the BBC2 programme "The Veil", which created a lot of controversy and generated many complaints from the Muslim community, Q News (No323, 01.09.00) carries an article entitled "Beyond ‘The Veil’" (See BMMS for May 2000). A Muslim woman, Ayesha, from east London, tells in an interview how things have changed for her since the programme was shown. She says that more women in her area have taken to wearing the hijab and niqab, and it feels as though things are getting better in the area as people are almost becoming indifferent to it. But she feels that the programme shown in May has somewhat justified the sexual desires of men who have an attraction to veiled women, and is worried about how people will see her now when she goes out. She said: "I know some men have always had such perverse fantasies but now they’ll start thinking it’s justified for them to look at Muslim women in that way. By giving these men a voice the programme promotes the idea of veiled women being sex objects, which is exactly the opposite of what hijab is all about." She adds: "I felt like I never wanted to go out again. It felt so sick and insulted to think that people were seeing me in that way. I was also really scared of getting sexually harassed by pervert men." In fact, a few days later when she was shopping with her friend, a strange man stopped them and started commenting on how beautiful they both were. Ayesha said: "Then he looked at me and said ‘especially you’. My friend told him to go away and that I was married so he started to apologise. But then he turned around and said ‘Oh but I’d really love to see you in a pair of stockings and suspenders!’" Ayesha and her friend quickly walked away as the man continued to make sexual remarks. She said: "I was so angry that I wanted to curse him but I had to think about our safety. It was a quiet residential road and there were not that many people around so it wouldn’t have been wise to answer back." However, she later felt frightened by the thought of what could have happened: "After I got over my anger the reality of what had happened hit me and I got so scared. I’ve never experienced that kind of explicit sexual harassment before. Being told you’re oppressed because you wear hijab is offensive in a different way but when explicitly sexual things are said to you it’s so deeply insulting and scary."
In the same area, Ayesha is not the only one to experience sexual harassment like this for the first time. Another woman reported how a man tried to coerce her to get into his car, and then got aggressive when she refused. The article accepts that while there is no real evidence to prove that these incidents are a direct result of the BBC’s programme, the fact that so many women feel robbed of the feeling of being protected by their modest clothing is a tragedy in itself. Ayesha says: "I’ve become so paranoid as a result of the programme and since that incident happened to me. Nowadays I’m constantly on my guard. Every time a man looks at me I wonder what he’s thinking, I wonder if he has those perverse thoughts and wonder if he saw that dreadful programme. When I’m walking down the street I’m on such a high defence that even if someone smiles at me I get the wrong impression. I never used to be like that and it frightens me because I know it’s an unhealthy state of mind. But the fact is that programme has made so many Muslim women over-conscious of how they’re being seen." She added: "Muslim women have been working so hard to challenge stereotypes about being brainless docile entities and now this comes along and puts a whole new angle on our so-called oppression. Here we are trying, strugg-ling to be recognised for our qualities as intelligent women and suddenly we’re compartmentalised into this sexual niche. I can’t believe the BBC could have been so insensitive and irresponsible by putting such ideas into the minds of people who might never have thought of us in that way. What is worse, however, is the fact that the programme was made partly through funds acquired from Muslim license payers. It is so unfair and unjust - and so senseless." [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 2]
Q News (No323, 01.09.00) carries a review of the BBC2 TV programme ‘East: Cell Block Hate’. The programme revealed incidents of racist and Islamophobic abuse, which were not only widespread among inmates but seemed to be endorsed by the prison authorities. It reported the case earlier in the year when 19-year old Zahid Mubarek was found brutally injured in his cell and died one day before he was due to be released. His was one of the many cases of extreme abuse which prisoners face on a daily basis. However, an investigation into the case has gone largely unnoticed. A NACRO (National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders) report published in May revealed that 49 per cent of Asians serving a one-year prison sentence were racially attacked, but only seven per cent reported the incidents. Lord Navnit Dholakia, Chair of NACRO, said: "Our impression was that many of them were frightened. We have had inmates talking to us about the treatment they receive because they had complained… Many have been victimised - they were absolutely petrified." The programme also showed BBC correspondent Matthew Amroliwala questioning the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Sir David Ramsbotham, about what action was being taken to tackle the problem, presenting to him individual cases of institutional racism and Islamophobia that prisoners had been too scared to report. After some questioning the authorities do admit that there is a problem with racism in the prisons. Sir David summed up the culture of the prison service when he admitted that "if you are not a white adult the prison service is not really geared up to look after your interests."
A report by a Birmingham criminal justice expert has said that Britain’s prisons are institutionally racist and are rife with prejudice against Muslims (See BMMS for August 2000). A new report by Professor David Wilson, of the University of Central England, says that jails across the country are failing to respond to the increasing number of Muslim inmates. The number of Muslims in prison is said to have increased to 4,500, making up seven per cent of the total 66,000 prison population. Prof. Wilson said that while there have been a number of initiatives launched to tackle the problem, very little impact has been made. Prof. Wilson, who lectures in criminal justice, interviewed imams at prisons across the country in his year-long study. He said: "Quite apart from aggressive racism expressed in physical or verbal abuse, there is a pervasive mistrust of Islamic culture. Imams are often treated with suspicion, verging on hostility" (Birmingham Evening Mail, 11.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 2/3]
Muslim News (29.09.00) reports on an attack by police on Muslim youths in West Bromwich. Four men were arrested and a 65-year old mother was "left for dead" after having been knocked down by a policeman. The incident occurred on September 9 when police patrolling Edith Street spotted a car without a valid tax disc. As they inspected the car, Nisab Ullah, the owner of the car, came out of the house to see what the problem was. The officers asked him whether he had an insurance certificate or other necessary documents to prove the car was his. Nisab, 27, told them he would collect the documents from his house but was prevented as the police may have thought he would flee. At this time, Nisab’s brother Aftab, came out to see what was happening. He told the Muslim News that he asked the police what the problem was, to which they replied "Shut up you bastard," and then an officer chased him 100-150 yards down the street, until he slipped and fell. Aftab said that the officer chasing him began to hit him with his helmet and then with his baton and fists. A second officer handcuffed him and continued to knee him in the back. Aftab, 24, said that once he was hand- cuffed "I was not able to defend myself in any sort of way yet the police continued their physical assault on me." He was then taken to a nearby police station.
His youngest brother also came out to see what was happening and saw Aftab being held down by police. When he asked them what had happened, they threatened to arrest him. He was later arrested by backup officers, and taken to the police station and charged with public disorder. Abdul Ahad, a neighbour and acquaintance of the family, was in a nearby shop when the incident happened, and said, the backup officers "did not investigate what happened; they just joined in with their truncheons." As Abdul Ahad left the scene he said two officers came "charging" at him, knocking his 65-year old mother to the floor. Fatema Bibi has a long history of low blood pressure and was left on the floor without any medical attention. Later, she said: "I blacked out and couldn’t see anything." She was treated at hospital for shock and chest pains. Abdul was also arrested and taken to the station, and police alleged the reason for his arrest was that he had called them "white scum" but Abdul said this was not the case. A community representative spoke to the police who said they were keeping an eye on all youths in the area as they suspected they were involved in drug dealing. Many eye witnesses confirmed the way Aftab was treated. Hildah May, one of the neighbours, said she saw one policeman sitting "on top of a youth," while another officer was hitting him on the legs. When she approached the officers in an attempt to calm their mood, she was sworn at and they threatened to smack her in the face. She also saw the youth being continually beaten even after he was handcuffed. None of the men taken to the police station were interviewed, and they were released on bail after three hours. The men have appealed against the charges and are due to make an appearance in court at a later date. [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 3]
Community
Independence day celebrations
As part of Pakistan Independence Day celebrations in Wimbledon, Muslims invited one of Pakistan’s biggest stars to attend a fund-raising concert in aid of the Pakistan Drought Relief Fund (See BMMS for August 2000). Nasim Shah, of the Merton and Wandsworth Pakistan Cultural Association, managed to persuade Pakistan television star Afzal Latifi and Asia Net singer Chandni Pandya to entertain crowds at a community centre, free of charge. A children’s community choir also sang the Pakistani national anthem in Urdu. Mr Shah said: "They did exceedingly well. I only had about an hour to teach them the anthem and it can be pretty difficult to learn. They got a rapturous round of applause which went on for a long time. We were supposed to finish at 10:30pm but actually finished at 11:45pm and could have gone on longer." The day was hailed as a great success (Wimbledon News, 25.08.00).Celebrations for Pakistan Independence Day were also recently held at Chesham Town Hall. Many MPs and councillors attended the event, including Chesham and Amersham MP Cheryl Gillan, Euro MP James Elles, Chairman of Chiltern District Council Don Phillips, and High Wycombe Mayor Councillor Mehboob Hussain. The Pakistani High Commission was represented by Mr Ifthar, the head of the Chancellery. Also present was the imam of Chesham Mosque, Mohammed Arif. The afternoon began with a reading from the Qur’an, followed by speeches on the history of Pakistan and the issue of Kashmir. Local councillor Mohammed Bhatti said: "The afternoon went very well. There were perhaps 150 people present at the function. The success of this occasion was a tribute to Mohammed Fayyaz and his helpers, who worked hard to make the day a success" (Bucks Examiner, 15.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 3]
Southwark Muslim Festival
The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and Harrods boss Mohammed Al Fayed were expected to be special guests at the Southwark Muslim Festival for the Millennium. Around 10,000 were expected to attend the festival in Peckham Rye Park, organised by the Southwark Muslim Women’s Association and the Millennium Commission. Entertainment through the day was to be provided by artists from more than 20 countries, including Pakistan’s Rizwan-Mizzam Quawaali band. There would also be stalls, workshops and food, as well as a special women-only sports area for aerobics, light exercise, Tai Chi and keep fit sessions. Organiser Zafar Iqbal said: "This is an exciting opportunity for families to enjoy a day out and discover the wonderful diversity of art and music from the Muslim world at the start of the new Millennium" (South London Press, 25.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 4]Custody guide for detainees
Hounslow police have produced a guide to help Muslim and Sikh detainees understand their rights and services available to them while in custody. Written with help from Asian community leaders, the guide is also available in Punjabi and Urdu. It makes reference to access to religious needs, washing facilities, prayer mats, prayer books and any cultural eating options which may be available (Brentford, Chiswick & Isleworth Times, 25.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 4]Islamic banking conference
A conference was held at Loughborough University, attended by guests from all over the world. They had gathered to hear an address on Islamic banking from His Highness Prince Mohammed Al Faisal of Saudi Arabia. The conference was organised by the Islamic Foundation and guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Charnwood and Conservative MEP Roger Helmer. Roger Helmer said: "Islamic banking has an important role to play in developing the prosperity and economic performance of the Islamic world and of Islamic enterprises in the East Midlands" (Loughborough Echo, 01.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 4]Scunthorpe MP meets Muslims
Representatives from the Muslim community in Scunthorpe met with local MP Elliot Morley to discuss the plight of Kashmir. Jawaid Ishaq, chairman of Scunthorpe’s Pakistani Welfare Association, said that the meeting had been a ‘very useful’ exercise. He said: "All parties who attended had a lot of very constructive things to say, which is clearly the way forward." Mr Ishaq also praised the involvement of the local MP, who has previously held a number of meetings with community leaders. He added: "Having the input of the local grass roots MP has, all along, been very helpful. We welcome his involvement" (Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph, 01.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 4]Drug help service launched
A new drug help service, aimed specifically at the Asian community, was launched in East Lancashire during Pakistan Independence Day celebrations. Manager of Lifeline, Keith Owen, said: "There is some evidence to suggest that members of the South Asian community have been reluctant to use previous drug help-lines and we want to address that. The Anglo-Pakistan Society are a very well-respected group and they were very obliging when we got in touch." More than 130 people attended the event, and the society presented a cheque for £250 to Rossendale Lions’ Club, which will be used to provide facilities for the disabled (Rossendale Free Press, 01.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 4]1,000 attend religious festival
A religious conference held in Bolton attracted around 1,000 people. One of the Sunni leaders from the Pakistani community, Mohammed Shakir Noori Razvi was the guest at the two-day meeting, which was aimed at explaining the importance of prayer to young Muslims. According to the article in the Rossendale Free Press, Muslims from the age of 12 must pay respect to the Prophet Muhammad twice a day and also pray five times a day. The main speaker at the event was Saiyed Mohammed Nooranibaba (Rossendale Free Press, 01.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 4]New Asian business forum
More than 100 members of East Lancashire’s Asian business community have given their vote of confidence to a new specialist business forum. The Asian Business Forum aims to ensure that Asian entrepreneurs receive the help they are entitled to from financial institutions, such as the East Lancashire Training and Enterprise Council. The launch of the service was addressed by Tahir Mohsin, managing director of Time Computers, who said that he had no shortage of volunteers to form a steering committee. Mr Mohsin told the audience: "This unique forum will belong to you; it will be your voice. Initially it will represent you in East Lancashire, but there is no reason why it should not become a forum for the whole North West and even, one day, a national body." Lord Adam Patel who also addressed the audience, said: "We often work seven days a week, for 12 to 16 hours a day. We find it hard, therefore, to fit into our day the development initiatives that others take for granted. Traditional industries like textiles are dying, so we must consider new avenues. We must use the technology that is available to us. Otherwise, we will have no future" (Rossendale Free Press, 01.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 4]"Eid celebration" controversy
An Eid celebration held in Birmingham over the weekend of September 3rd was criticised by some Muslim groups because it was moved from its traditional date. The event should have been held between January and March, between the two Eids, but council chiefs decided to move the event to September because of the better weather. Deputy Leader of the Justice Party Group, Councillor Shaukat Ali Khan, said: "It’s crazy to call it an Eid festival when it is being held at totally the wrong time of year. It would be like have Christmas in the summertime!" Leaders of some Asian groups complained about the timing of the Lok Mela, saying there was a break- down in communications between the city council and community leaders. Jan Alam, chairman of Bangladeshis for Equal Rights, said: "After consulting many major Bangladeshi voluntary and community organisations across the city, it would appear none have been consulted or invited to take part in this event. I would hope in the coming years, the planning of festivals will become a truly multi-cultural and multi-racial partnership reflecting and involving all the communities." A city council spokesman said: "We’ve provided money to support Eid in the past as we have done with lots of other religious events. Previously Pakistani communities in Birmingham have used that money to fund outdoor festivals in the summer months, usually referred to as Eid Mela. We decided to host the festival now in the hope the weather would be better than in January. This will be a big celebration and we hope everyone will come along and enjoy it." There was to be a concert in the Symphony Hall, and workshops on mosaics, mask-making and mehndi were to be held in Centenary Square (Birmingham Evening Mail, 02.09.00, Black Country Evening Mail, 02.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 4/5]Holy tomato
A Muslim family in Newcastle believe they have been blessed after finding the form of the word ‘Allah’ in Arabic in a tomato which was being cut for cooking. Nargis Jabeen, 51, who made the discovery, ran outside with her daughter, to tell her son who had just come back from a game of football. Tahir Mahmood, 23, said: "They were both very excited. When they showed me I was completely shocked. It very clearly has the sign for Allah written inside it. I have heard about this sort of thing happening before but none of us ever thought it would happen to us. My mother has just returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca, which makes this even more mysterious." Mr Mahmood, who works for the family’s property letting business, said he had no idea why his family was chosen to receive the sign. He added: "We wondered what it all meant. Maybe it means we need to remember Allah more in our lives or something." Mrs Jabeen tried to freeze the tomato but the writing became less clear so she put it back in the fridge. Mr Mahmood said: "It’s a shame we can’t preserve it forever but the important thing is that we’ve seen it. We’ve had lots of friends over to come and have a look. Everyone is as thrilled about it as we are." The imam of the Shah Jalal Mosque in Elswick, said the finding would reaffirm local worshippers’ beliefs. He said: "The Koran says there is no such creation as one that does not sing the praises of Allah. This tomato is proof that Allah’s creation is everywhere. Mankind does not always understand this so, time and time again, He gives us a sign. It has been seen in other kinds of fruit and vegetable before and in other places too. Even a simple thing such as a tomato can give us evidence of the greatness of Allah" (Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 04.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 5]Wedding celebrations in Stoke
The Stoke-On-Trent Sentinel (05.09.00) reports on a Muslim wedding, held in the town, which is said to have cost £10,000. The newspaper was invited to the wedding of Kamram Sabir and Asiya Begum, both 20 and distant cousins. The big event was held at Bidds Country and Western Club in Longton and, according to the paper, so many people were invited that they had to arrive at different times to allow for multiple sittings for the meal. Guests came from all over the country, and local councillors and the Mayor, Barbara Dunn, were also present. The Mayor said: "The clothes are beautiful. It’s great to see all the lovely dresses. This is my third Muslim wedding this year. It’s very different and good to see another culture." Asiya, wearing a traditional red and gold dress, with lots of gold jewellery, said that this is a time of mixed emotions as being married means she will leave home. She said: "It’s an upsetting time for the bride as she prepares to leave her family to live with the groom. We were all crying. After the celebrations I come back home for five days or so then my groom takes me back." She added: "My husband’s brother bought me the dress. Yesterday I wore something different bought by my family. We can have different colours. My friends helped me get dressed and did the henna painting." Kamram summed up his week by saying: "It has been stressful and enjoyable. It’s a lot of responsibility organising it and worrying if the food runs out, that’s always in your head. All the relatives and cousins help out. It’s stressful for the bride leaving her family but it’s something to look forward to as well, a new beginning." [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 5]Mosque member stabbed to death
A member of a Middlesborough mosque was stabbed to death after a row broke out during prayers. It is believed that the trouble flared when Ali Rahman, 30, was nominated as secretary for forthcoming elections at the mosque in Abington Road. Mr Rahman was treated at the scene by paramedics but he later died from chest wounds at Middlesborough General Hospital. Police charged two men, Arfan Hussain and Busharat Hussain, with murder. They were due to appear before Teesside magistrates on 5 September. Mr Rahman, a part-time student and taxi driver, lived near the mosque with his wife and six children. Police have been interviewing witnesses to the row at the mosque (Newcastle Journal, 05.09.00, Aberdeen Press & Journal, 05.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 5]Walsall community centre opened
A new community project in Walsall was officially opened by the Mayor, Councillor Brian Douglas-Maul, which has just moved to bigger premises. The Progressive Muslims Forum was set up by volunteers, and in the last year has developed a women’s group, children’s club, English classes and sewing courses. Chairman of the Forum, Azhar Ul-Haq, said: "We are proud of who we are and keen to make sure our Pakistani community works in partnership with other local neighbours and other organisations to improve the quality of life for us all here in Walsall. The Pakistani community faces problems of poor housing as well as high unemployment. We are determined to play our part to make sure that our community is able to access services, and to contribute to shaping the future of the town" (Walsall Express & Star, 07.09.00 and 08.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 5]Muslims injured in arson attack
Three men were injured in an arson attack on their family business in Burton. The Burton Mail (09.09.00) has spoken to one of the men who suffered superficial burns, while his father and brother are still in hospital in a "critical but stable" condition. Tariq Majid said that the three men had gone to their electrical company after a wedding as his father wanted check some paperwork. On arriving, the door was found to be unlocked and ajar and an explosion occurred only ten seconds after they were in the building. Mr Majid said: "I don’t remember a lot about it, just a massive explosion. As we turned to run it was like a big push from behind and a door panel gave way. Then everything just blew out." He added: "There has been a lot of speculation about what might have happened and I really don’t know. We don’t know if anyone broke in but I can’t see any reason why they should. All they were going to find in there was files. To an average thief the only thing that would be expensive was the control panels and they would have been too heavy to move." Police have confirmed that the attack was caused deliberately, and are continuing in their enquiries. Meanwhile, Mr Majid said that the Muslim community is continuing to pray for his father Abdul, 47, and brother Ansar, 22. Abdul received 54 per cent burns and Ansar 33 per cent, both to the arms and legs. They have already undergone skin grafting operations and more are expected. Mr Majid said: "It is too early to say how they are but they seem to be improving. We have faith that they will pull through and the whole community is praying for them. Special prayers are being said at the mosque in Princes Street about five times a day. Even in Mecca we have people praying for them. Throughout the Midlands there are people thinking of us all. You just have to ask anybody to find out how well liked and respected my dad was in the business world and in the local community."Later Abdul Majid died in hospital from his injuries. Muslims from Burton paid tribute to Abdul Majid as a member of the community who was "loved by everyone who knew him." Mr Majid started his own business, A M Electrical Ltd, in 1982 from the back of a van and small premises in Derby Road, Burton, but built up his business to one which had a turnover of £5 million a year. Extensive tributes were made in the Burton Mail from family and friends. Sadiq Hussain Chaudhry, from the Burton Taxi and Private Hire Association, said: "As a community we are all in a great state of shock. Abdul was a very kind, generous and well respected person in the community and we will miss him all throughout our lives. He was a prime example of a role model and a big family man. Abdul was a big contributor to the building of the mosques in Uxbridge Street and Princess Street in terms of electrical and building work and we will be forever in gratitude to him for that. We feel that we have lost everything. He was such a central man in the community and was well loved" (Burton Mail, 18.09.00).
Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of Mr Majid, who died 18 days after the attack. The funeral was led at Princess Street Mosque by a Birmingham imam related to the family. Most of Burton’s private hire and Hackney carriage drivers closed their businesses for the afternoon to attend the funeral. The Burton Mail (27.09.00) also reports that Mr Majid’s son Tariq, 24, who escaped the attack uninjured, was remanded in custody charged with arson and his father’s manslaughter. His other son Ansar remains under arrest at Birmingham’s Selly Oak Hospital. [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 5/]
New community centre
Plans for a new community centre in Edgeley have been given the go-ahead by local councillors. The centre will be based on a vacant motor parts shop and will also have a nursery and library facilities, as well as a communal meeting room. Some residents raised concerns about the lack of parking space but councillors agreed that the run-down premises will benefit from any use. The centre plans to open seven days a week from 11am to 8pm (Stockport Express, 13.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 6]Housing scheme in London
Work has begun in east London on a joint project between a housing association and local mosque, which hopes to provide homes for elderly people from black and Asian communities. The scheme is for 42 flats and houses in Whitechapel Road, on land next to the East London Mosque, which will also include a community centre for the mosque. The Bethnal Green and Victoria Park Housing Association have drawn up the plans in association with the mosque, as well as Tower Hamlets Council and LABO Housing Association. Assistant project officer, Ruhul Amin, said that it had taken over a year of negotiations to bring the scheme into action. He said: "It is a unique scheme that addresses the need of much required category 1 sheltered flats for black and minority ethnic elders in Tower Hamlets, general needs flats and houses for local people." The £3.4 million scheme is being developed by LABO, and the East London Mosque has been involved in the design and development from the start. The first phase of the development is due to be finished by October 2001 and the whole development should be completed by December next year. When completed, there will be 33 category 1 sheltered flats for the elderly as well as eight flats and one four- bedroom family house for local people. There will also be a single retail unit and the centre for the mosque (East End Life, 11.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 6]Islamic talk in Crawley
An event at the civic hall in Crawley aimed to invite people to understand Islam and its relationship with other religions. The event was organised by Raheed Mahmood and his brother Waheed, as they believe there is a lot of ignorance of religions and the way of life of people in Crawley. Raheed said: "The meeting hasn’t been organised to force Islam down anyone’s throat. We just want people to come and find out about it and talk about it. I’d like the meetings to continue. Perhaps it could become a regular event with other religions or ways of thinking being discussed and queried." He added: "We’d like to let people know that we live here among them and we’re not alien. Far too much emphasis is placed on people who create problems within society without paying equal attention to those who could offer solutions." The evening, called ‘Where are you going?’ was supported by Langley Green Mosque and refreshments were provided (Crawley News, 13.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 6/7]Fight for Islamic centre
Proposals for an Islamic Cultural Centre in Romford have been put on hold following protests from residents fearing increased parking problems. The scheme involves the conversion of a semi-detached house, which has planning permission for use as offices, at the junction of George Street and Richmond Road. Havering Islamic Cultural Centre, which acquired the freehold of the property, want to use the building to hold prayer meetings and language classes for a small number of children. Council planning officers had initially recommended approval despite doubts about parking arrangements. However, at the meeting, residents were told the item was being withdrawn from the agenda for further talks to take place between council officers and the Islamic group representatives. A spokesman for the residents’ group said: "When the planning application is discussed next time, there will be more people present to object because everyone believes these premises are not suitable for a cultural centre or any kind of social centre, regardless of the organisation involved. We could all face the prospect of this being used from 9am until sunset, seven days a week and that is not right in a quiet residential area which already has parking problems." The Havering Islamic Cultural Centre treasurer, Mohammed Saleem, said: "We have bought the freehold of the building and would like to use it. I hope people understand it has planning permission already to be used as offices, which could mean far more inconvenience for the local residents." The next meeting to discuss planning issues was expected to be held on October 5 (Romford Recorder, 22.09.00 and 15.09.00, Hornchurch/Upminster Yellow Advertiser, 20.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 7]Orphans to be put in Muslim care
Two Algerian orphans found sleeping rough in Edinburgh are to be put into care with Muslim foster parents. The teenage brothers, who are claiming asylum, are currently being held in a children’s unit in Edinburgh. They have run away from the home regularly since they were sent there in June and have been found sleeping rough on many occasions. It is alleged the youths were also responsible for a crime wave at the home, including an indecent assault on a resident. It is hoped that housing them with a Muslim family will help to settle them down. Two families have come forward so far offering to house the boys, as it is said they are missing the contact of other Muslims. Shami Khan, development officer with the Pakistan Society Edinburgh, is in regular contact with the boys and has had several meetings with social workers to discuss their case. He said: "The way these youngsters have been handled is very bad. They really don’t like staying in the children’s unit and they have been running away every three or four days. The police are called in and always end up finding them living on the streets somewhere and take then back to the unit but they just run away again. They say they want to live with a Muslim family. That’s what they want more than anything at the moment. We have had two families contact us saying they would be willing to foster them. They social work department says once they have been vetted then the youngsters can go and stay with them. But at the moment they are being kept at the home and they hate it. The elder boy had been living rough in the streets for five days before he came and saw me and he said he didn’t want to stay at the unit anymore. They say they have been going to the Central Mosque where they can meet other Muslims. If they stay at the unit, then they are going to run away from Edinburgh." The youths, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, arrived in Britain in June last year hidden in a container after travelling over 2,000 miles from Algeria. They claimed asylum and gave an account of witnessing the murder of their family in the civil war in Algeria (Edinburgh Evening News, 18.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 7]Art on display in Bradford
An exhibition currently on show in Bradford, entitled "Calligraphy from the Muslim world" has drawn items from Syria, Iran, Turkey and Egypt. The works reflect the versatile nature of the art form and feature textiles, gemstones, silver, bronze, wood and paper. The exhibition also features intricately carved 19th-century walnut chairs from Syria and a 17th-century seal from the court of the Indian Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan. To illustrate that calligraphy is a living art form, the exhibition features works by modern artists such as Tehmina Shah, Shirazeh Houshiary and Lalia Rahman. The display is expected to run at the Bagshaw Museum until November 12 (Yorkshire Post, 19.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 7]Lecture on Islam and science
Chilterns University College, in Buckinghamshire, was to host a lecture on Islamic doctrine and the philosophy of science. The lecture was to be led by Dr Martyn Hudson, a lecturer in philosophy and sociology at Kingston University. The lecture aimed to show that Islam has not been hostile to science as is sometimes thought, but will focus on the previous works written on the subject. Dr Hudson was to re-examine the nature of the relationship between Islam and science (Buck Free Press, 22.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 7]UMO Annual Conference
The Union of Muslim Organisations of UK and Eire (UMO) held their 30th Annual Conference at Kensington Town Hall in London, on the weekend of 2-3 September. The UMO has a membership of more than 100 mosques and centres across the country. General Secretary of the UMO, Dr Syed Aziz Pasha, in his welcome speech said that the aim of the UMO was to "promote issues of Muslims and their religious rights", which were not being recognised just now. For example, Muslims are characterised not as a religious community but as an ethnic minority. He was however, grateful to the Labour Government for "keeping channels of dialogue open," and that members of the UMO were able to meet Home Office Minister Mike O’Brien every six months to discuss important issues. Pasha and his colleagues have been pressing the government on a number of issues, e.g., for Muslims to have an official day off work for Eid al-Fitr. Keith Vaz, a Foreign Office Minister, spoke at the conference and said that his government had a "good record in recognising the needs of Muslims." He highlighted the increasing problems of Islamophobia, and said that organisations such as the UMO were needed more than ever "to remind ourselves what more we have to achieve." Also speaking at the conference was Glyn Ford MEP, an expert on civil liberties, citizens’ freedoms, justice and home affairs. Among the observations made by Ford was the lack of representation of Muslims in the European Parliament (Muslim News, 29.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 7/8]Islamic finance conference
The fourth international conference on Islamic Economics and Banking was held at the University of Loughborough on August 13-15. Entitled "Islamic Finance: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century," concluded that Muslims must promote an Islamic ap proach to global finance. The issues dis cussed at the meeting, included elimina ting poverty, with emphasis put on Zakat and Awqaf. Papers were also presented on profit sharing finance, Islamic bank ing, converting a conventional bank into an Islamic bank, the experience of Isla mic investment funds, and the oppor tunities of Islamic banking in a global environment (Muslim News, 29.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 8]Lecture in Glasgow
An institute for Islamic learning and research based in Glasgow, Andalus, organised a conference on the theme "A Time to Change". In the morning there were seminars led by Imam Zaid Shakir and Dr Yasin Dutton, with an evening lecture presented by Imam Shakir. The seminars provided an intense discussion about the need to change the state of the Muslim community in the West and ways this could be done. Imam Shakir gave insight and some practical advice on how to revive the community, first by individuals changing through purifica tion, perfection of manners and wisdom, which he said would in turn lead to a societal change and a turning towards God. The imam highlighted some areas in which the Muslim community has fallen short of the Islamic realities, e.g., it’s treatment of women and it’s divided state. Dr Yasin Dutton spoke on the issue of considering migration (hijrah) to a Muslim country. He challenged the audience’s intentions for being in a non-Muslim country and emphasised the need for da’wah. The panel discussion at the end allowed a discussion to be held on various subjects affecting the Muslim community (Muslim News, 29.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 8]
Education
Education centre for Lye
The Muslim community in Lye have submitted a planning application to convert a disused factory building into a religious education and cultural centre. Mohammed Qamar, an imam who submitted the application on behalf of the community, said that a religious education facility is needed for the large Muslim population in the area. He said: "There is a big Asian population in this community and I want to provide for them. I have seen a lot of children get ting involved in anti-social behaviour and this will be a place for them, to teach them and provide discipline." Mr Qamar believes Muslim parents will send their children to learn at the centre, but hopes it will benefit adults too. Lye councillor Abdul Qadus supported the application, saying: "If the building is used for religious purposes, I am all for it as the facility is needed in Lye." Head of planning, John Mainwaring, said the provisional date for the application to come before the committee was October 16, but there was a possibility the decision would be made before then by the chairman, providing there were no objections (Stourbridge News and County Express, 24.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 8]Support for single sex schooling
The Bucks Free Press carried an article written by Rafiq Raja for the Asian View section. He wrote about the success of the secondary school in High Wycombe heading The Guardian’s top 50 list for GCSE results. According to The Guardian table High Wycombe’s success rate was 99.6 per cent. Whilst congratulating the successful pupils of these schools, he also acknowledges the less academic pupils who are not so high on the success scale but persevere none the less. Also for the first time girls have performed better than boys in their A-levels, but the debate still continues as to what is the way forward for those boys who for some reason start to under achieve from the age of 16.Rafiq Raja goes on to discuss the advantages of single sex schools and how that could be a very strong factor in turning the figures around for those boys who for various reasons begin to lose interest in their education. He explains that not only does it allow for better concentration for both boys and girls but it is also something wanted and highly encouraged by the Muslim and Asian cultures as they want to stop adolescent girls and boys mixing freely with one another. He presents evidence from a mixed comprehensive school in Essex. This school has been running single sex classes since 1994 and has witnessed consistent improvements in the examination results of both the boys and the girls. Unfortunately, Mr Raja tells the Bucks Free Press, despite the continuous pleas of some Muslim parents in Wycombe to turn one of the upper schools there into a single sex school for girls, they have not been successful. Some of the reasons given by the Local Education Authority for not granting a single sex school are empty spaces in existing secondary schools as well as budget problems. Mr Raja him self sees single sex schools and more parental choice as the way forward. In his own words: "Let’s not forget that there are selective schools for both boys and girls and even denominational "selective" schools in Wycombe but none to take girls in a single sex environment, which can benefit both sexes" (Bucks Free Press, 01.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 8]
Nation of Islam school evicted - again
The Nation of Islam had until the 31 August 2000 to vacate the community centre they had occupied without per mission. The Marylebone & Paddington Mercury reported how the Nation of Islam’s Star Chamber Academy had moved into the Simba Centre, the only black community and education centre in Hammersmith and Fulham, in October 1997. The centre, which is situated on Uxbridge Rd in Shepherd’s Bush and runs a number of after-school activities, will be shut down by the council as the Nation of Islam owes over £3,000 in rent. According to the Marylebone & Paddington Mercury’s report the Nation of Islam ignored the eviction order served on them in July 1998. The coun cil will now be selling the premises to a black housing association to house black homeless families in ten housing units, and the ground floor will still be used as a black community centre for education and training.A council spokesman told the paper that they wee in possession of a court order and that the Nation of Islam must vacate the premises by 31 August. He went on to say: "If they fail to do that we then have to go back to the courts to give us the authority to call in the bailiffs to forcibly evict them." The parents of the children who attend the after school clubs at the centre told the paper that the council have yet to notify them of where these activities are going to be relocated. The council, on the other hand, informed the paper that they have made alternative arrangements for the activities that took place at the Simba Centre at other community and leisure centres. There was no comment from the Nation of Islam (Marylebone & Paddington Mercury, 31.08.00; Kensington & Chelsea News, 31.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 8/9]
New school creates protests
Residents in Lambeth Street, Blackburn, are angry over a development for a pri vate Islamic school for 200 pupils. Neighbours in the area are angry that the council appear to have ignored the worries and objections they raised about the scheme. Blackburn with Darwen Council approved the school in July 1999, but said it could not go ahead until a new circular road scheme had been submitted and passed. A spokesman for the authority said the developers were entitled to clear the area but no building work was to be carried out. Former mayor, Councillor Peter Greenwood, said he would ask the authority to inves tigate claims that a 370-name petition opposing the plans was ignored. Yasin Laher said: "We are not against an Isla mic school, but we are not happy about this location. We are being ignored by the council." His sister Feroza Saifudin, who lives nearby, said she had collected around 370 signatures on the protest petition, and is angry that a council spokesman claimed it contained only 40 names. Feroza said: "I handed in the petition myself. It all seems to have been swept under the carpet." The land was sold by the council and planning permis sion was applied for by Nizammudin Makda, principal of the nearby Al-Islah private school. Lambeth Street is one-way in some sections, and residents park their cars on both sides of the street. Residents fear extra traffic from parents dropping off and picking up their child ren will block the access (Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 11.09.00, Blackburn Citizen, 15.09.00) [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 9]Success for Islamic College
The Park Royal Independent (11.09.00) reports on the Islamic College for Ad vanced Studies, which it says has achieved great success, scoring 51 per cent of grade passes in the recent A Level examinations. The school already has two students going on to university - one to study genetic engineering the other studying dentistry. The institution, based in Willesden, is only in its third year of running, and has been granted full accreditation by the British Accreditation Council for Further and Higher Education. The school has also set up a joint venture with the College of North West London by which it can offer free A Level courses to eligible students. All classes are held in English, and non-Muslim students who agree with the college dress code and work ethic are welcome to apply. To prepare the students for the "world after school" the college encourages them to take part in community services and sporting activities. The staff believe this will lead to easier and better integration with the community at large. College Secretary, Syed Razvi, said: "We want to make a difference - not just to our own commu nity, but to the whole community. And we want the community to be involved with us." [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 9]Part-time course at Leeds University
Students interested in Islamic culture are being invited to take part in a part-time course run by the University of Leeds. The Certificate of Islamic Studies includes courses in the Arabic language, Islamic history and civilisation, Islam in Britain today and Women and Islam. Courses were due to begin on September 25 (Yorkshire Evening Post, 20.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 9]Hijab ban at London school
Parents of two pupils at Colindale Primary School have complained about the fact that the school does not allow their daughters to wear the hijab to school. Head Teacher of the school in north-London, Ieuan Renowden, said: "At the moment it is not within our uniform policy." The parents of Zaynib Khashjori and Roaya Habib said they asked the head teacher two years ago to allow their children to wear the head- scarf, but he did not allow it. Mrs Khashjori claims that since this issue was raised, other teachers in the school "don’t even talk to me." She is also afraid of what will happen to her daugh ter. Mr Habib said that in 1996, two of his daughters were refused places in the school because they were wearing the hijab, and another daughter who began wearing the hijab in school was trans ferred to another school three years ago. He says this was due to the hijab ban at the school, adding that it was "very difficult for me to understand why they are refusing my daughter to wear the hijab, I believe this is racism." Mr Renowden said he had not received any complaints and that he did not even know who these girls were. However, he did say that the school governors will be discussing the issue at their next meet ing. Councillor Alison Moore of the London Borough of Barnet, who is res ponsible for education, said in a state ment faxed to the Muslim News, "the rules governing of school uniform is the responsibility of the governors," and that "it is unusual for Muslim children in Barnet’s primary schools to ask to wear headscarves." When Mr Renowden and Cllr Moore were reminded of the Department of Education and Employ ment’s (DfEE) guidelines to the schools and LEAs on being sensitive to religious requirements, both said they were not aware of such a guideline. However, Mr Renowden said: "There is a difference between a guideline and a legislation." The Al-Khoei Foundation has taken up the case and has urged the Head Teacher that "in accordance with her (Zaynib) parents’ wishes and imperatives of their faith, Zaynib be allowed to wear her headscarf in school" (Muslim News, 29.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 9/10]
Politics
Cook makes plea for Birmingham men
Foreign Secretary Robin Cook lunched with the President of Yemen, Abdullah Saleh. The Birmingham Post reported that Robin Cook pleaded for clemency on behalf of the families of the five Birmingham men imprisoned in Aden in Yemen last year, three of whom, Shahid Butt, 33, Malik Harhra, 26, and Samah Ahmed, 21, are still there serving five to seven years for the crime of terrorism. They were convicted last year with two other men from London of "conspiring with Islamic fundamentalists" to bomb British targets in Aden (See BMMS for November 1999 and April 2000).The prosecutors say that the men were found with weapons and explosives and were sent by Abu Hamza, an Imam based in London. The three other British men who had been convicted and were released last October, are: Shahzad Nabi, 20, and Ayas Hussein, 24, from Birmingham. A spokesman from the Foreign Office said: "The discussion between the President and Mr Cook covered regional and bilateral issues. The foreign secretary put in a request for clemency for the five. It is now up to the President to decide what to do with it." Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, the leader of the Muslim Parliament of Britain said: "We appeal for the release and clemen cy for the remaining five British and two Algerian boys still languishing in Al Mansour prison in Aden, on behalf of their children, their families, and the community in Britain" (The Birming ham Post, 05.09.00, Muslim News, 29.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 10]
Muslims turn to Human Rights Act
Lawyers are preparing to use the Human Rights Act to challenge a law which re quires Muslims and Hindus who marry in a mosque or temple to have a civil ceremony to legalise the marriage. Also to be challenged are schools, authorities and other public bodies who refuse to allow Muslim girls to wear the hijab or headscarf. The Home Office has warned all local authorities that the European Convention on Human Rights guaran tees "freedom of thought, conscience and religion." Mahmud al-Rashid, a bar rister who sits on the legal affairs com mittee of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "Some Muslim women can chal lenge those who refuse to let them wear the hijab on the grounds of race. But my wife, who is an English Muslim, could be lawfully sacked for wearing a head- scarf" (The Times, 15.09.00). Muslims are also using the Convention to seek the legalisation of polygamy. They are basing their arguments on Article Eight, which states: "Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence." Campaigners say that the Home Secre tary Jack Straw and other ministers have repeatedly insisted that "other kinds of family" are morally as good as tradi tional marriage, and so should accept polygamy as equally valid. The move would see additional "wives" arriving in Britain; they are currently not allowed into the country as they have no legally recognised relationship with their husbands (Daily Mail, 28.09.00, Black Country Evening Mail, 29.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 10]
Women
Women open more businesses
The number of female ethnic minority businesses has risen considerably over the last few years. According to a new study conducted by Barclays Bank the proportion of businesses run by women from ethnic minorities has risen from 13 per cent in 1996 to nearly 20 per cent at present. For example, Perween Warsi, who 13 years ago started selling samosas from her home kitchen in Derby, is now the second richest Asian business wo man in Britain, turning over £100 million a year. And Reeden Nijabit is running a club called ArRum in London with around 3,000 users so far. Her aim is to expand this into a network of private clubs around the world for Muslim professionals, artists, entre preneurs and academics.Home-based start-ups have also risen from ten per cent in 1996 to 30 per cent at present. Young second and third generation Asian entrepreneurs are using the internet and e-commerce for their entry into the world of business.
Barclays Bank have surveyed the views of 500 entrepreneurs from Asian, Chinese, black and white backgrounds in order to identify any trends and prob lems. They have discovered that ethnic minority small business stock has risen from five per cent in 1996 to seven per cent at present. Asian businesses are mainly in the retail sector accounting for 68 per cent of all the small retail outlets. According to Barclays Bank the owners of ethnic minority businesses are more ambitious, better educated and work longer hours than their white counter parts. For example, just over 35 per cent of non-white business owners have degrees, whereas the figure for the white counterpart is 17 per cent. Also a work ing week means six or seven days for the non-white businesses, especially the small 24 hour family retail businesses.
The managing director of Barclays small business banking division, Alaster Camp, said: "Nearly half of all ethnic firms are committed to expansion com pared with just over a third of white businesses. Banks, government and busi ness support organisations will have to work hard to satisfy the high expecta tions of this increasingly important sect or of the economy" (The Daily Tele graph, 21.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 10]
West Midlands women join police
A recruitment drive by the West Mid lands Police targeting ethnic minorities has resulted in the recruitment of two Asian women. They have both made local history by becoming the first Mus lim and Hindu female specials to be recruited by the West Midlands Police. They are Minaz Khalil, 24, and Sonia Mahi,19, and they are working for Willenhall police station. Pc Ramesh Kumar told the Walsall Advertiser how Superintendent Michael Layton visited local temples and then a job fair follow ed at the Darlaston Comprehensive School, where about a 100 people applied to join the force as specials (Walsall Advertiser, 24.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 10/11]Muslim women’s conference
A national women’s conference was being organised by the Muslim women’s group called An-Nisa which meets regu larly to address the diverse needs of Muslim women of all nationalities. The conference called, Enabling Opportuni ty, was to look at contemporary issues facing Muslim women of Britain. It was to take place at the Burleigh Community College in Loughborough on 16 Septem ber 2000 and was expected to be attended by women role models from various sectors including health and education (Leicester Mercury, 07.09.00, Loughborough Echo, 08.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 11]Muslim woman finds faith
The Bradford Telegraph & Argus reported on the change and experiences in the lifestyle of a young Muslim wo man: how she changed her way of dress and lifestyle to an Islamic way of life. Her name is Raz Bashir; she is 23 years of age and comes from Manningham. According to the article it started when she was on holiday in Turkey and the local women asked what religion she followed. This was shocking to Raz as Turkey is a Muslim country and these women were covered from head to toe in their clothing and she was in ‘typical’ summer clothing. She realised that their question arose as she did not look like a Muslim woman. Later she found herself visiting Makkah and Madinah for Umra, with her father.Raz found this to be a life changing experience. She always felt she was Muslim but this did not go any further than that she was born into a Muslim family. As she says: "I was born into a Muslim family and that was as far as my commitment went." However, her time in Saudi Arabia gave her the opportunity to dress as a Muslim woman and she describes this experience as liberating: "It sounds odd to westerners but instead of feeling stifled and restricted I felt liberated," and so she decided to con tinue wearing the headscarf on return to Britain and also found that two of her sisters who had remained at home had decided to do the same in her absence.
Raz tells the Telegraph & Argus how she is able to practice her faith in free dom and is very proud of it despite seeming strange to others at times. She recently attended an Islamic conference known as a "Muslim Camp", in Worc ester, which she thoroughly enjoyed and found to be a good learning experience. However, while she was there she went shopping with two other girls who also wore headscarves: "We were three Asian girls, in headscarves, and I think we must have looked like aliens to the locals. They gave us some very funny looks. But to be honest, I didn’t feel awkward. I was proud." She goes on to tell the paper how she feels lucky to be able to live in this country where despite there being many temptations she is able to practice her faith freely and "peace fully".
Raz now divides her time between studying Islam, reading, praying and dis cussing religion with her friends and sisters. She hopes that one day she will be able to inspire people as she has been inspired herself, as she is continually learning about the rights of women and differences between tradition and Islam. In her words: "I read the Qur’an and I couldn’t believe it because there is no thing in it about forced marriage. The rights of women are clearly spelled out and basically what we have been brought up with is tradition masquerad ing as faith."
In the same article the Telegraph & Argus goes on to talk of the latest facts and figures regarding the rate of con version to the Islamic faith. Firstly, the paper states from the Almanac Book of Facts that the world population has increased by 137 per cent and that Christianity has increased by 46 per cent where as Islam has increased by 235 per cent. Eighty per cent of all mosques in the USA have been built in the past 12 years and people are converting at the rate of a 100,000 a year, and for every one male conversion there are four fe male conversions. The reason given for the high rate of female conversion is that the Qur’an gives rights to women as well as equality in the matters of inheritance, voting and marriage. This section ends by talking of famous converts such as Jemima Khan and even says that the late Diana Spencer the Princess of Wales was learning about Islam. (Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 05.09.00) [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 11]
Interfaith
Bradford bishop visits centre
The Assistant Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd Peter Vaughan and his wife Elisabeth visited the Asian community centre in Keighley, called the Sangat Community Centre. The Muslims played host and showed the wide ranging activities organised by the Lowkholme centre, and the Bishop expressed his wish that all districts had such centres. One of the centre’s organisers, Ghulam Rabani, saw the visit as forging links between the community centre and the Church of England. He said: "The Bishop of Bradford is a regular suppor ter and visitor. We have a good contact with various religious leaders and the community" (Keighley News, 08.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 11]Interfaith discussion
A week long series of seminars looking into different faiths was held in Nuneaton at St Catherine’s Church in Burbage. A talk entitled ‘Islam and the West’ was to be given by Manzoor Moghal, a member of the Muslim Coun cil of Britain and chairman of the Muslim Foundation in Leicestershire. Mr Moghal, who lives in Burbage, was to look at Islam in western societies, and was to critically examine the unfounded fears and negative portrayal of Islam. The relationship between Islam, Christ ianity and Judaism was also to be taken into consideration. The Reverend David Jennings, rector of Burbage, said: "The relationship between different faiths throughout the world is important for the peace of the world and mutual respect and tolerance. It is sad that all too often religions are judged on the basis of act ions and proclamations of more extreme manifestations. There is much that the three great religious faiths of Christian ity, Judaism and Islam have in common and it will be good to explore this with such a prominent Muslim as Mr Moghal" (Heartland Evening News, 15.09.00, Nuneaton Evening Telegraph, 19.09.00, Hinckley Times, 21.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 11/12]Course in Christian-Muslim relations
A course aimed at helping promote understanding between Christians and Muslims was to be held in Keighley. The free short course of ten sessions was expected to take place at All Saints Church Hall, and is open to everyone. Father Pat McCaffrey, a Columban priest who has worked in various Mus lim countries and is now based in Bradford, will lead the course. Topics to be covered include the emergence and spread of Islam, the Law of Islam, piety and mysticism, and how people of the two faiths can help each other. Father Pat said: "At root we have two living, believing communities and it is not good enough that they should ignore one another. The very least is that we should each have an understanding of what is special to the other, so that we can live and work together without friction. At best, we recognise each other’s beliefs, respect them without any need to agree, and find areas of mutual concern that we can co-operate fully on" (Bradford Tele graph & Argus, 21.09.00, Keighley News, 22.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 12]
Halal
Cruel farmer sold sheep as ‘halal’
A farmer in Norfolk who created an illegal slaughterhouse pleaded guilty to 20 charges of animal cruelty. Mark Anthony Gathercole, 36, admitted ille gally slaughtering sheep and selling the meat as ritually-prepared "halal" at in creased prices. Gathercole is said to have hacked off the sheep’s heads using blunt knives, in an attempt to imitate the ritual slaughter instructed under Muslim law. The preparation of halal meat involves cleanly severing the head of the animal with a sharp knife and draining the blood, which is only permitted in Britain under strict regulations. The hearing at Thetford Magistrates was told that Gathercole would buy the ewes for as little as £1 each and sell the meat on for £1 per pound - around £30 to £40 per sheep - to halal butchers, retailers and restaurateurs. Gathercole was caught in the process of killing a sheep when RSPCA inspectors and police raided his farm in April. They discovered that half of the 100 or so sheep at the farm were in poor condition, thin or lame, and that they were kept close to the slaughtering area, not protected from the sight, smell and sound of other sheep being killed. Gathercole admitted that he had been carrying out the illegal killings and passing them off as halal for two months. He could be sentenced to six months in prison and a £5,000 fine (Eastern Daily Press, 12.09.00, News of the World, 17.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 12]Halal food at Asda
The Wembley branch of Asda has recently opened a Halal Corner in its store, selling frozen, ambient and tinned halal foods to Muslim customers. The initiative is part of the chain’s Flavours of the World campaign in association with the Tahira Group, which focuses on the production and distribution of Halal food products. The Tahira range in cludes over 30 items, and is said to have an emphasis on "taste, quality, price and a strict adherence to Halal criteria" (Enfield & Haringey Weekly Post, 15.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 12]
Health
Muslim shopkeeper fined
An Edinburgh halal meat and grocery store was found to be infested by cockroaches, mice and beetles and was closed down for two days on 6 October 1999, following an emergency prohibi tion notice issued by the council officers. A spokeswoman from Edinburgh Coun cil said: "The place was found in filthy conditions....We would have expected stringent conditions given that halal meat was involved." The Makkah Store at Elm Street which is owned by Mr Atif Habib will now be under stringent observation, undergoing a six monthly inspec tion as it is in a "high risk category".Mr Habib, who is at present on holiday, has been fined £2750 at the Edinburgh Sheriff’s Court on admitting to two sepa rate charges under the food safety act and food hygiene regulations. Envi ronmental services leader Councillor Brian Fallon from the Edinburgh City Council said: "This is a clear message to the small minority of food operators who blatantly disregard the risk to public health that the council and the courts will not tolerate poor standards in hygiene in Edinburgh’s food industry..." (Edinburgh Evening News, 21.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 12]
Mosques & Burials
Accrington burials
Muslims in Accrington are calling for CCTV cameras to be installed at Accrington Cemetery, following attacks on the headstones of three Muslim babies (See BMMS for February and August 2000). Detectives searching for the vandals are to meet with the council to see if security can be tightened up around the cemetery, but Muslim leaders have called for the cameras to be installed so they can catch the offenders on tape if they strike again. Sardar Ali, chairman of the Grimshaw Street Mosque, said: "We felt it was important to hold a meeting to discuss the problem, because it has upset a lot of people. As a result, we have formed a new committee made up of Muslims and mosque leaders and the families affected by this vandalism, to promote the installation of CCTV at the cemetery. Security as a whole needs to be tightened up there." He added: "We believe that this is the only way to secure peace of mind for the next of kin of the deceased, as well as for the community. We hope to meet the police in the near future to discuss the issue, and also talk to the council" (Blackburn Citizen, 25.08.00). Mean while, a council spokesman has said that an external security firm has been patrolling the cemetery since May last year, and the patrols have been stepped up since the attack. Detective Inspector Bob Eastwood of Accrington Police said: "We are considering all the options to resolve this problem. The act of dese crating a grave is particularly heartless and undignified, but this particular attack was all the worse because of its racist nature. Unfortunately, there was no real evidence left at the scene, so it’s unlikely that we will be able to catch the people who did it, but we are focusing all our efforts on making sure it doesn’t happen again" (Accrington Observer, 18.08.00, Q News, No323, 01.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 12/13]Aylesbury burials
The Environment and Health Committee of Aylesbury Vale District Council has recommended that provision should be made for the Muslim community to be able to bury its dead on Saturdays. Two requests for a Saturday burial have al ready been received. A Saturday burial costs considerably more than a weekday burial owing to the short notice that must be given, and council officer Bob Bryant confirmed that families will have to bear the full extra cost. There are no plans as yet to provide a similar service on Sun days (Bucks Herald, 06.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 13]Aylesbury, Havelock St
A decision on extension plans for Ayles bury’s mosque have been put on hold to reassess the situation. The extension plan was set to be turned down after planning officers objected to the layout, lack of parking space and the effect on nearby trees. But now the mosque committee has also submitted a separate plan to build a community centre next door, and council officers say they will now take this into consideration. The district council’s development control commit tee decided that if spaces at the proposed centre could be used for overspill car parking, the extension may be able to go ahead. Ian Henstock, head of develop ment control, said: "The committee decided to investigate whether there was any potential for joint use of the 30 car parking spaces which are proposed at the community centre site. That would be very useful at busy times to avoid con gestion in the local area." Aylesbury Mayor Raj Khan said: "We need a second floor on the mosque because the Muslim community is swelling - and I look forward to an amicable agreement" (Bucks Herald, 30.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 13]Dewsbury, Middle Rd
Worshippers from a mosque in Dews bury are holding house-to-house collect ions in order to raise £50,000 to repair their leaking roof. The Gulzar-e-Madina Mosque on Middle Road usually holds collections after prayers, but has only raised £15,000 so far. General Secretary of the mosque, Mohammed Ishaq, said: "The building is terrible. It’s very cold and uncomfortable and costs a lot to heat. We have to put a bucket under the leaks to make sure the floor and the car pet don’t get wet." Community worker Manzoor Hussain, who attends the mosque, added: "The winter weather is coming and the mosque still has this problem. It’s been going on for seven years now. It’s no good being uncom fortable when you are praying." The mosque is hoping they can raise enough money to fix the roof before winter (Dewsbury Reporter, 22.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 13]Keighley, Emily Street
Work to finish the first phase of the new mosque in Keighley by the end of November, is said to be on schedule (See BMMS for January, February, March and July 2000). Spokesman Javed Bashir said that money is available to complete the initial £250,000 transfor mation of the 30-year old Jamia Mosque. A new appeal for the second phase will then be made during Ramadan. The first phase involves building a two-storey building in the car park area, and the second will see modernisation of the existing building (Keighley News, 08.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 13]Luton burials
A family in Luton have upset their neighbours after burying a dead relative in the back garden of their home. John Gilbert, 42, said he was so "disgusted" at the thought of a dead man being buried next door that he now feels he cannot live there anymore. Abu Bakr Ahmed Suleman was a well known figure in the Muslim community, and had asked in his will that he be buried at the address in Lansdowne Road. A spe cial ceremony took place on a Thursday evening, with Mr Suleman’s body in an open casket, and it finished in the early hours of Friday morning. Mr Gilbert, who has three children aged 11, nine and seven, said: "I’m thinking of moving out. I just want the whole community to know about it - I want to say to the whole community that this is disgusting - there are plenty of cemeteries around. If you agree to it, then everyone will be doing it. It’s going to carry on and on." Mr Gilbert wants the body to be exhumed and reburied in a cemetery. Staff at the Chasewood Care Home next door said they were also appalled. Manager Terri Tomas said: "The staff were absolutely terrified. My phone didn’t stop ringing all night. They phoned me on one occasion and I could hear the chanting. They wore black robes with hoods and had lit torches in their hands. They were walking around the coffin chanting - it was awful." Ms Tomas also said she had received an anonymous letter of complaint about the burial which asked her to inform the police or the council. She added: "What happens when the next member of the family dies?" However, no laws have been broken with this burial and the council has no powers to prevent such burials. A council spokeswoman said: "The council has no powers to prevent a burial on private land, providing various criteria are met." She said that the council’s legal officer had advised against the burial, mainly on the grounds of practical concerns for the resale of the property. The list of criteria includes planning permission for memorial struc tures and an application for change of use to a graveyard if more than two bodies are buried there. John Moules, funeral services manager for Neville who handled the funeral, said it was the first burial at a private property that the company had done. He added: "No laws were broken. They carried out all the necessary research" (Luton Herald & Post, 14.09.00, Ulster News Letter, 19.09.00, Walsall Express & Star, 19.09.00, Glasgow Herald, 19.09.00, Yorkshire Post, 19.09.00, Guernsey Press, 19.09.00, Aberdeen Press & Journal, 19.09.00, Newcastle Journal, 19.09.00, Dunstable Gazette, 20.09.00, South Shields Gazette, 21.09.00, Wolverhampton Express & Star, 22.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 13]Newmarket, Bury Rd
Town councillors in Newmarket have expressed their concerns over plans to build a mosque at Newmarket’s Stanley House Stables (See BMMS for August 2000). Sheikh Mohammed, head of the Godolphin racing operation, wants to build a mosque at the Bury Road stables which are currently unoccupied. At a recent meeting, members of the town’s development and planning committee heard the mosque would be private and only for the use of employees on the site. Chairman John Howell, said that despite Muslims having to pray five times a day, "there will be no calling the faithful to prayer." However, Councillor George Lambton was concerned that the applica tion stated that around 100 cars would use the site on a daily basis, which called into question whether the mosque was purely for employees. The council is now asking for clarification (Newmarket Journal, 24.08.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 14]Peterborough, Gladstone St
Councillors in Peterborough have given the go-ahead for a new purpose built mosque to begin work (See BMMS for January, February and August 2000). The £2.5 million mosque will include a 100-ft tower and a gold dome. Peter borough Mosque Trust, who lodged the application, hope that the mosque will become a place of worship as well as a tourist attraction. The current mosque in Cromwell Road, is a converted Victorian house and is now too small for the growing community’s needs. Council lors described the mosque as an "excit ing development" which would help to clean up the area, which has been run- down for a number of years. The new building will provide a physical focal point for the city’s Muslim community, as well as a religious and cultural one. A 40-space car park is also incorporated into the design, as are bike sheds in a bid to encourage worshippers to ease traffic congestion by biking to prayers instead of driving (Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 09.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 14]Preston burials
Muslim community leaders in Preston have held meetings with police and council bosses in a bid to stop vandals damaging Muslim graves at New Hall Lane Cemetery, Ribbleton (See BMMS for August 2000). More than 30 grave- stones were recently uprooted and smashed into pieces. During the talks, environmental officers said they would look into erecting fencing around the perimeter of the cemetery to deter raid ers who enter after dark. Iqbal Adam, secretary of Preston Muslim Burial Committee, said he would be taking a "very positive message" back to the community. He said: "It has been a very difficult time for the families of those whose gravestones were damaged. Many have been telling me they fear another attack at any time. I support the building of a fence around the cemetery grounds although I’m not sure when it is going up. A lot of people try to use the ceme tery as a short cut to Blackpool Road and Miller Road crushing a lot of flowers on their way. It’s irritating but we could live with that if it meant the vandals stayed away." Bill Hayhurst, Preston Council Divisional Environ mental Health Officer, said: "The coun cil is improving security fencing at the cemetery and carrying our garden works to make the area more visible. We will continue our dialogue with the local community and help the police with their ongoing inquiries into this matter." Sgt Dave Jacques, Preston Police race relations officer, said: "The meeting was very constructive and allowed us to develop an effective partnership strategy to tackle this problem. Any changes to cemetery security will only take place with the full consent of the police architectural relations officer. We will continue to monitor the goings on at New Hall Lane cemetery and there will be other meetings to discuss our joint progress in combating vandalism" (Lancashire Evening Post, 28.08.00, Q News, No323, 01.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 14]Walsall, West Bromwich St
A building in Walsall is set to have a new lease of life as a prayer hall for Muslims, after it was refused permission to be converted from a chemists into a fish and chip shop. Planning officers had recommended the scheme be given the go-ahead for a three-year experimental trial period, as similar developments in the town are said to have generated very little, if any, complaints from local resi dents. The new venture would turn the old chemist shop into a prayer hall and three classrooms on the ground floor, with a bathroom and kitchen on the first floor" (Walsall Express & Star, 18.09.00, Sandwell Express & Star, 18.09.00). [BMMS September Vol. VIII, No. 9, p. 14]Walthamstow burials
Plans to extend the Muslim burial ground in Walthamstow have been given the go-ahead. Councillors said the grave- site could be extended by using what has become an under-used playing field. The Muslim Burial Trust has also been given approval to construct a boundary fence to improve security on the site in Folly Lane. The existing burial site cannot be fully used because of underground cables which are accessed by the National Grid. The playing fields are said to be in very bad condition and rarely used (Chingford Guardian, 21.09.00).
