Features

Recruitment and arrests
Arrests and controversy have continued in relation to extremist activities (See British Muslims Monthly Survey for November 2001). Since 11 September there have been numerous arrests of people suspected of having been involved in terrorist activities or organising and training terrorists. The government has taken a hardline against such individuals and groups, resulting in new laws. There has also been continuous and increasing condemnation of these people from various sections of the Muslim community, including some very prominent and some less prominent individuals, who are pushing the government to do more. However, since the arrest of Richard Colvin Reid, some Muslims have come forward and said they had been warning the police and the government of possible extremist groups and activities but were not listened to.

Finally, the Financial Times (18.01.02) carried an article in which it reported fears of young British Muslims "rioting" due to the culmination of Taliban prisoners being executed, extending the war on terrorism, and the arrests of suspects in the UK. Peter Fahy, deputy chief constable and head of race and community relations for the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "Hostilities between India and Pakistan, the execution of Muslim prisoners, a major uprising in Palestine – all have the potential to fuel protest by young Muslims, which will be exploited by the far-right and sow the seeds of renewed conflict." He also said the treatment of the terrorist suspects by the US or equally "insensitive policing in the UK" would undermine the dialogue and trust that had been building with the "moderate Muslim majority" (Financial Times, 18.01.02). There was agreement from members of the Muslim community. Dr Muhammed al-Massari of the Committee for the Defence of Legitimate Rights, said: "Americans are doing a good service to the Muslim community by bringing them [Muslim groups] closer together" and Sheikh Abu Hamza from Finsbury Park Mosque, said: "It will just deepen the old feeling about the tyranny of the Americans" and leader of Al-Muhajiroun, Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, said that the victory of the US over the Taliban "did not matter – the real war has not yet started" (Financial Times, 18.01.02). The last two men are criticised by Muslim community leaders who say that they have been given "disproportionate airtime" and do not represent the majority of Muslims. The leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, said that a backlash against British authorities was unlikely because many parts of the community knew that the young people's involvement with groups like Al-Qaeda or Taliban "was a terrible mistake". Finally Massoud Shadjareh of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said that young Muslims were caught between those who want to recruit them for terrorist activities and those not wanting them to challenge the "established order". He said: "By taking a hammer to crack a nut, the authorities have alienated our youth and created a greater gap between the Muslim community and the community at large" (Financial Times, 18.01.02), (Financial Times, 18.01.02, 19.01.02, 30.01.02, The Times, 18.01.02, 19.01.02, USA Today, 18.01.02, Evening Standard, 18.01.02, Leicester Mercury, 18.01.02, 19.01.02, Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 19.01.02, South West Durham Northern Echo, 19.01.02, The Guardian, 19.01.02, Daily Telegraph, 19.01.02, The Scotsman, 19.01.02, 28.01.02, Shrewsbury Shropshire Star, 29.01.02, Birmingham Post, 30.01.02, Daily Mail, 30.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.1]

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Prisoners of Britain and Cuba
News has focused away from the bombing of Afghanistan to the capture of men who are said to be members of either the Taliban or Al-Qaeda (See BMMS for November 2001). The US military have captured these men and newspaper reports in January state that they have taken 158 men to a prison camp in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, known as Camp X-Ray. It is estimated that approximately 2000 Taliban and Al-Qaeda suspects will be taken to the camp, which is surrounded by shark-infested waters, two-electrified fences and a minefield. The captives are being kept in open cages and, while being transferred from Afghanistan to Cuba, had been shackled and masked and flanked by US troops. This treatment was reported to have continued at the camp where they were said to be shackled and wearing black out goggles and ear-muffs.

Six British Muslim men were said to be listed for transfer to the camp and three to be already at the camp. The identity of the six had not been established and the Foreign Office clarified this could only be done once they had arrived at the camp. MI5 agents, together with officials from the Foreign Office, had been sent to Cuba in order to interrogate the three British Muslim captives and to check the reports of the “barbaric conditions” (The Independent, 19.01.02). MI5 agents had gone to interrogate the three about possible future terrorist attacks and terrorist networks both in the UK and abroad and how they recruited. This caused complaints from some MPs, lawyers and Amnesty International who feared that the line between diplomatic assistance and interrogation had become blurred and that the suspects’ human rights would be breached. A senior MP was to raise the matter in the House of Commons as a matter of urgency. The government was also to ask the US to ensure that if the British suspects were to be tried there, they would not face the death penalty. There has been growing controversy over the treatment of the captives because the US refuses to recognise them as prisoners of war, referring to them instead as “unlawful combatants” (Birmingham Sunday Mercury, 27.01.02). MPs have raised concern about their treatment and the Red Cross said that the Geneva Convention had been breached by the release of captives’ photographs to the public. The US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, who had visited the camp, said that to be in the beautiful sunshine of Guantanamo Bay was no hardship and that what was happening was consistent with the Geneva Convention and was legal and humane. He went on to say: “It’s amazing the insight that parliamentarians can get from 5,000 miles away” (Birmingham Sunday Mercury, 27.01.02). Tony Blair also stated that the captives were being treated fairly. The Pentagon was to allow an imam to visit the Muslim men. Lieutenant Commander Bernie Liswell told a reporter from the Daily Mail (28.01.02) that the conditions were improving everyday for the captives. They all had a Qur’an, clean towels, daily showers and fresh water at all times. There were five calls to prayer and the next day they were to get some prayer caps.

The three British Muslims at the camp have been named in newspapers as Shafiq Rasul, 24, and Asif Iqbal, both from Tipton and Feroz Abbasi, 22, from Croydon in South London. The families of all three deny any knowledge and do not accept that they could be linked to any terrorist organisations here or abroad. They all find it very difficult to accept that they could have gone to Afghanistan to fight for the Taliban or Al-Qaeda. Mr Abbasi had been reported missing by his mother, Zumrati Juma, a year ago and until a few days after the events of 11 September, there was little interest in his case. She was reported to be very frightened of the way he would be treated by the US judicial system. She hoped that the death penalty would not be used against him and asserted that she had a right to see her son. A former friend was reported as saying that Mr Abbasi was a completely normal teenager until three years ago. Then he began to change when he started to attend a local mosque. His mother believes that he was brainwashed by Abu Hamza, an imam at the Finsbury Park Mosque in North London.

The brothers of Shafiq Rasul asked the Prime Minister to intervene to have him sent home. The family are reported to portray Mr Rasul as a “shy humanitarian” who was “more interested in football, Gucci shoes and Armani clothes than politics” (The Scotsman, 29.01.01). They believe that he could have been kidnapped, brainwashed or even used as a human shield. He had gone to Lahore in Pakistan to take a computer course. Newspapers reported that both he and Mr Iqbal had attended the same primary school, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, and that they were members of a gang known as the Tipton Asian Terror Squad and an ex-member, who did not want to be named, said that he had seen them with guns to frighten other youngsters. However, Mr Rasul’s brothers completely dismissed the suggestion that he was part of the gang. The Foreign Office also confirmed that a third man from Tipton, Ruhal Ahmed, 20, had been detained in Kandahar in Afghanistan and that a fourth man, Munir Ali, whose whereabouts were unknown at the time of the reports, had travelled with the others. All four had attended Tipton’s Alexander High School and are said to be part of an extremist group of 14, all of whom lived close to one another.

Amongst these reports there have been comments and statements from people who have known some of these men. None can understand the men’s connection with any extremist group or activity because, when they saw them, they did not behave in any suspicious manner or speak of any extreme views or feelings. Local MP, Adrian Bailey, had visited Mr Rasul’s family. He said: “They say they are part of a long established Muslim community here and that the views of Al-Qaeda are not their views” (Metro West Midlands, 28.01.02). A solicitor for Mr Ahmed’s parents said that the family were in deep shock and that Mr Ahmed had gone to Pakistan to attend a wedding and though he had a criminal record, to their knowledge their son had never expressed any extreme views. Mr Ali’s sister, Cllr Sayeda Khatun, a Midland councillor and chair of Sandwell Council’s community services scrutiny committee, was reported to be devastated at the news of her brother. She released a statement through West Midlands Labour Party. He had told the family that he was going on holiday with his friends and that he had been a friend of the other three young men from Tipton. She said that the family did not have any news of Mr Ali’s whereabouts and they were “shocked and devastated” by the reports. She said: “We have grown up in Britain in Western society. All members of our family share and respect British values and Munir has never shown any extremist views” (Birmingham Post, 30.01.02).

Finally, Hussain Butt, a student from Wolverhampton, who was reported to have claimed he had recruited 200 British Muslims to fight for the Taliban and then later denied this, is at present said to be in Lahore in Pakistan from where he spoke to The Scotsman (29.01.02). He said that the men from Tipton “had been wrongly identified as terrorist fighters”. He said: “We had a group from Tipton who were here to provide aid work. They were definitely not here as fighters…they should not have been arrested” (The Scotsman, 29.01.02).

Another arrest has also been featured in many newspapers, that of James McLintock, 37, a convert from Dundee also known as Mohammed Yacoub (See BMMS for November 2001). He is married with five young children and has been living in Karachi, in Pakistan, for the last two years. He is said to have gone there to do charity work with relief organisations and to put his children through Islamic schools. He was arrested on the border of Afghanistan and is being interrogated by security services. His wife, Shaffia Begum, told her family in the UK that the Pakistani police arrested him because he looked like a foreigner and her family fear that he is being tortured. He was held by the security forces for 11 days before the family heard of his arrest and now they cannot get in touch with Ms Begum because phone lines are cut. Her brother, Abbas Mohammed, completely rejected any allegations of extremism made against Mr McLintock and said he did not have any extreme views. Mr Mohammed’s mother agreed and said they had got to know Mr McLintock well because they had all lived in the same house at one time. To the suggestion that Mr McLintock had fought for the Mujahideen against the Russians, Mr Mohammed replied that he had never even spoken of fighting. He also said that all Mr McLintock’s children were under the age of six and if he were going to fight he would have sent his wife and children back to her family. He said that, being the kind of person he was and with the responsibilities he had, he would not go and fight(Doncaster Star, 14.01.02, The Independent, 19.01.02, 26.01.02, The Scotsman, 21.01.02, 29.01.02, Birmingham Post, 22.01.02, 30.01.02, Birmingham Sunday Mercury, 27.01.02, The Times, 28.01.02, The Guardian, 28.01.02, Daily Mail, 03.01.02, 28.01.02, International Herald Tribune, 28.01.02, Metro West Midland, 28.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.5]

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Changes for imams
A warning given by the principal of the Muslim College in London, Dr Zaki Badawi, who is also chairman of the Imams and Mosques Council UK, is reported to have finally been taken seriously and acted upon by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett. The Guardian (28.12.01) stated that Mr Blunkett’s “decision marks the official recognition of the complaint by Zaki Badawi…”. His complaint is that imams coming from overseas could not speak English properly and therefore could not control youngsters or steer them away from those preaching extremist ideas, while those who could speak English, he said, instilled ideas that were strange both to this country and to Islam. David Blunkett has changed the rules in order to address the shortage of British-trained imams, but this change came after he realised a fault in the system whereby imams who came here and were trained here were not given leave to remain in the country, while those who were not trained here were given permission to stay. Mr Blunkett said: “Those who were already training here or were already here and seeking imam status, and therefore the right to remain, had to go back to their country of origin and reapply…The consequences of that is that you tend to get imams from rural areas and those with the least grasp of English and of the ways of Britain and the developed world coming into the country and having to start from scratch…I changed the rule so that those already here and on educational and training courses can be appointed imams without having to return…” (The Guardian, 28.12.01). He went on to say that this should break the cycle of giving imam status to those who were invited by a local mosque. He believes that though this is not a complete solution, it will nevertheless make a difference. Dr Badawi, who welcomed the changes, said that the long awaited measures should strengthen mosque leadership thus preventing them from becoming recruiting grounds for extremists. He said: “The imam has to be an expert in the Koran…but they [also] have to have some understanding of the culture, the world they’re coming into and the impact of their teaching on the young people in their care” (The Independent, 28.12.01). Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood said: “There is a need to take on board the need of some of the youngsters, to do more to reach out to them” (Eastern Eye, 04.01.02). Dr Badawi is also said to have warned that there were 300 after-school study groups that were being used to indoctrinate children with extreme views and these should be closed down. However, assistant general secretary of the Muslim Council, Afzal Khan, said that if as many as 50 groups had been taken over by extremists he would be very surprised.

This story ran side by side with the reporting of an imam being suspended from his duties in a prison. This pattern followed in many newspapers, as the story unfolded over a few days. There were reports of the suspensions of three imams in total, of whom one was re-instated, as well as comments from prominent Muslim leaders. Abdul Rahman Qureshi, an imam at Feltham young offenders institute, where Richard Reid is said to have converted to Islam, was suspended from his duties as chaplain for making what the Home Office called “inappropriate comments about September 11, and for distributing anti-US, pro-Taliban leaflets to inmates” (The Guardian, 28.12.01). Mr Qureshi had been an imam at Feltham institute for three years and visited at least once a week to conduct prayers and discussion groups for the 100 Muslim inmates. The governor, Nick Pascoe, was informed of his opposition to the war on Afghanistan after officers had heard him addressing a group on a regular Tuesday class, where he is said to have made “overtly political” statements against the US. Mr Pascoe is then said to have met with Mr Qureshi and warned him. However, at Friday prayers an inmate asked about the war and Mr Qureshi was heard to have said that the war campaign was not justified. This led to his suspension.

The following day there were reports about two other imams: one suspended and the other sacked. An imam working at Belmarsh maximum security jail was suspended on 14 September following allegations that he had links to Islamic fundamentalists. He was cleared of these allegations by the Prison Service investigation, but he still has to go through security checks before he can be reinstated. Imam Ahmed Bilal, was suspended and then sacked for giving the transcript of a “potentially inflammatory” radio interview to prisoners at Aylesbury young offenders’ institution (Daily Telegraph, 29.12.01). Although his suspension was in July, he was sacked after he was placed under investigation in September. He is alleged to have told inmates that the events of 11 September were similar to the Oklahoma bombing, as Muslim extremists were wrongly accused in the aftermath. The transcript that he gave to inmates was of a television interview which questioned the nature of the collapse of the World Trade Centres as well as other “inconsistencies”. He is reported to have said that he acted in response to the “tension” the events had caused at the prison and in a Radio 5 interview, the day before the article, he is reported to have said that he believed whoever was responsible for the event of 11 September should be bought to justice. He is also reported to have said that before he was dismissed, he should have been consulted by the Muslim advisor to the Prison Service. He said: “He didn’t advise me, he didn’t speak to me about this, he didn’t approach me.” He also said people should be brought to justice for 11 September, but that “… innocent people should not suffer because of an allegation or an accusation” (The Times, 29.12.01).

There are more than 4,200 Muslim inmates in prisons across the UK and there are 130 imams employed to serve UK’s 138 prisons. The Director General of the Prison Service, Martin Narey, said: “We have made it very plain to all our imams there are certain comments about being critical of America, or in praise of what’s happened on September 11, which are utterly unacceptable” (Daily Telegraph, 29.12.01). He is also reported by The Times (29.12.01) as saying: “We watch very carefully the behaviour of imams.” In The Independent (29.12.01) he is reported as saying he had “huge confidence” in his Muslim advisor, Maqsood Ahmed, who checks every imam appointed. He also said that “overwhelmingly” imams made a great contribution and if someone returned to their faith or converted to Islam, then on release, they were likely to go home to a stable community, be accepted by the community mosque, and therefore be less likely to re-offend. Dr Badawi, who is also the chairman of the Muslim Prisoner’s Commission, said that he was launching a full investigation into the allegations. He said: “These people are not really stupid enough to go and make statements that would be in any way unacceptable to us as a community…Inmates rely on the imam, and that’s why we make sure that, when we select imams, we select someone with the responsibility to do pastoral work and prepare prisoners for the outside world” (The Scotsman, 29.12.01). He also said it was quite likely that the imams did not understand the significance of their comments or that they could have been misreported. However, he is reported to have said that if the allegations were true, they would be sacked.

The Muslim Council were reported to be asking for a system of scrutiny to be put in place in order to prevent imams with radical views from recruiting young people from the prisons to militant groups. They also said that institutional racism was preventing Muslim leaders from working with the prison authorities. Muslim Council prison spokesman, Abdul Jalil Sajid, said: “We know the problem has been there for 30 years…There is no formal contract and job description of Muslim chaplains, as compared with Church of England chaplains and there is no training and support for those Muslim imams. We don’t know what their qualifications are or where they are recruited…We need to formulate a proper scrutiny system, which the prisons chaplain general and Muslim advisers are working hard on” (Morning Star, 31.12.01). He said that Muslim chaplains were not treated equally with their counterparts by being made members of the prison staff and in order to improve the situation they should be treated as part of the prison regime (The Independent, 28.12.01, The Guardian, 28.12.01, Basildon Evening Echo, 28.12.01, Lancashire Evening Post, 29.12.01, Wolverhampton Express & Star, 28.12.01, 29.12.01, Walsall Express & Star, 29.12.01, The Times, 29.12.01, The Independent, 29.12.01, Morning Star, 29.12.01, 31.12.01, Birmingham Post, 29.12.01, Glasgow Herald, 29.12.01, The Scotsman, 29.12.01, Daily Telegraph, 29.12.01, Weekly Telegraph, 02.01.02, Dorset Echo, 02.01.02, Eastern Eye, 04.01.02, Brentford, Chiswick & Isleworth Times, 11.01.02, Richmond & Twickenham Times, 11.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.6]

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Rise in converts
There has been considerable reporting on people converting to Islam, in particular white middle class, affluent people, described as having "lucrative careers" (Daily Mail, 05.01.02) or as "often idealists or disillusioned Christians" (Sunday Telegraph, 30.12.01). Since 11 September, the number of people converting to Islam in the West has noticeably increased. At the time of the article in The Sunday Telegraph (30.12.01) a mosque in Manchester had reported 16 conversions in the previous few weeks. Many are said to be Christians who have become disillusioned by the uncertainty of churches and some are attracted by Sufi mysticism. Another article in The Times (07.01.02) stated that all the people the reporter spoke to had rejected Christianity on intellectual grounds connected with "puzzles" such as original sin and the Holy Trinity, especially as the alternative proved to be more satisfying.

The article goes on to speak of notable people in the past, such as T.E. Lawrence, who though he never converted, "fell hard for the romance and otherness of Islam and came to embody them for succeeding generations.." (The Times, 07.01.02). Another, Gai Eaton, now in his seventies and a former British diplomat, did convert. His "influential" book, Islam and the Destiny of Man is said to have become required reading for those converting to Islam. The article ends with a comment from Ms Al-Toma that Islam is generally not a missionary religion but as the article states: "At one billion and counting, history shows that it doesn't need to be" (Daily Mail, 07.01.02), (Sunday Telegraph, 30.12.01, Daily Mail, 05.01.02, The Times, 07.01.02)
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.7]

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Reports

Community

Fears for family
Mohammed Asif, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, was recently given permission to stay in the UK (See BMMS for October 2001). He lives in Sighthill, in Glasgow, and has acted as a translator and spokesman for the refugee community in Glasgow. He fears for the safety of his mother and younger brother and sister, who were in the city of Jalalabad in Afghanistan, because he has been unable to make contact with them for several months. He feared for them both at the time of the Allied military incursions and during the Taliban regime. Even though Jalalabad did not suffer in the extensive bombing, nevertheless, it is now under the control of heavily armed warlords. He is not convinced of the political settlement in Bonn and says it is unsatisfactory because as a Shi'a Muslim himself, he feels the minority groups like the Hindus and Sikhs have not been considered.

Mr Asif, who is now praying for his family's safety, has worked with the Irvine-based Friends of Refugees Ayrshire highlighting problems faced by asylum seekers living in Scotland (Irvine Times, 11.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.9]

A place to pray
John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford has spent £6,500 to convert a former gym into a prayer room for Muslims (See BMMS for December 2001). The new prayer room is in the John Radcliffe Women's Centre and was opened in time for Ramadan. Prior to this Muslim staff and visitors used the chapel on Fridays but some doctors, nurses and cleaning staff came together to request a more permanent place as they were being disturbed by people wanting to use the chapel for quiet meditation. Personnel director for Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust, Mike Fleming, said that he was not aware of how difficult it had become for Muslims praying on Friday and he was happy to listen and act on their request. He said: "We profess to being an organisation which acknowledges diversity and there was clearly a need for something to be done"(Oxford Mail, 28.12.01). The room was chosen because it provided for needs important to Muslims, for example, shoe racks, cupboards for the Qur'an and running water for ablution. A medical student, Babar Vaquas, who is reported to have suggested the idea, said: "Visitors and patients have been asking for a place where they can fulfil their spiritual needs – often at a time of great personal crisis. Those using the room are immensely grateful and feel their needs have been understood. In particular, having it open at Ramadan was greatly appreciated" (Oxford Mail, 28.12.01).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.9]

Call for peace continues
The rising conflict between India and Pakistan has become a source of great concern and worry in the UK, particularly amongst the Indian and Pakistani communities (See BMMS for December 2001). In Birmingham, ten percent of the population are reported to be members of an ethnic minority. Pakistanis are the highest number at 66,085, 6.9 per cent, with Indians numbering 51,075, 5.3 per cent. Statements and pleas have been made by prominent members of both the Sikh and Pakistani communities of Birmingham. For example, the chairman of the Central Mosque, Dr Mohammed Naseem, said: "The atmosphere in Birmingham is very calm and there is no problem as both British Pakistanis and British Indians know that the war is not the right thing…There will always be certain people who do not understand, but we shall educate them and come together as differing religions to prevent any trouble" (Birmingham Post, 01.01.02). Vice-chairman of the council of Sikh Gurdwaras in Birmingham, Jaswant Singh Heera, said: "…People in Birmingham with a Pakistani or Indian background get on very well and we have seen that with little hostility when problems arose in other cities during the summer…" (Birmingham Post, 01.01.02). He went on to say that they did not believe that the problems in India and Pakistan there should affect the communities here.

However, despite the appeals and statements emphasising calm and tolerance, the chairman of the North-West Pakistani-Kashmir Councillors' Forum, Mohammed Afzal, said feelings were running high and it was the government's "duty" to avert the conflict. He said: "Britain has to act for two reasons. Firstly, there are such large populations here that it is in Britain's interests to do all it can to avoid any trouble. And secondly, Britain has a historic obligation to play a role because the partition of British India in 1947 led to this problem…" (Birmingham Post, 01.01.02), (Birmingham Post, 01.01.02, Evening Mail, 01.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.9]

Unusual sighting
There have been more sightings of the word Allah in various objects (See BMMS for June 2001). The name appeared on New Year's Day in the moon and was sighted by a number of Muslims in Lancashire. Rumours of the appearance of the word spread through the area during the early evening and by 10pm many people could be seen in the streets looking through their binoculars. It is reported by Lancashire Evening Telegraph (03.01.02) that dozens of Muslims called their local mosques to inform them of their sighting. The newspaper was also inundated with phone calls. A representative of the Masjud-E-Nurul Islam in Blackburn, who did not want to be named, witnessed the event with his 25-year-old son. He said: "It was quite visible. A neighbour said to go outside and watch the moon. Then we had a phone call from others in Blackburn and friends in Manchester saying they had seen it too. It compounds our belief in God and makes our faith stronger than ever" (Eastern Eye, 11.01.02). Other representatives of mosques made similar statements but the secretary of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, Abdul Hamid Qureshi, said: "I think this is just speculation. I haven't heard anything about it. It has nothing to do with our faith. A little while ago someone said "Allah" appeared in an aubergine and letters can be imagined in that way…How can someone see these words on the surface of the moon? ...Miracles do happen but this wasn't one" (Lancashire Evening News, 03.01.02). Astronomers at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich are reported to have attributed the sightings to an optical illusion, but Blackburn-based Gujarati Writers Association chairman, Ismail Patel Bambusari, said there had been many sightings in Leicester and other cities across the UK and that he had also received phone calls from India reporting the sighting.

Lancashire Evening News listed other sightings in previous years and reported that a week prior to this event, the phrase La illaha illAllah, meaning there is no god but Allah, was found in a tomato in Yorkshire. Leicester Mercury (03.01.02) carried an article and a picture of Muslim butcher, Aziz Dudhwala, with a cut of lamb meat with the word Allah in it. His employee, Rahim Malik, saw the word whilst carving ribs. Mr Dudhwala said that hundreds of customers have visited the shop to see it. Shoyeb Shaik, a regular customer, said that this was something special and that it strengthened one's faith. Molana Mohammed Yusuf Surati of the Islamic Education Centre, said that it was a sign from God (Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 03.01.02, Leicester Mercury, 03.01.02, Eastern Eye, 11.01.02)
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.9]

Regret over letter
The president of the Essex Islamic Trust, Kamal Siddiqui, and the group behind an appeal letter asking for funds for a mosque, regret the wrong impression the letter gave (See BMMS for December 2001). They said that they were trying to create harmony and better understanding. In a statement, Mr Siddiqui, said: "I am surprised to note the criticism of my letter. I regret such an impression was carried. This organisation has conducted successful annual events attended by local dignitaries including MPs, police, local authority officers and Ambassadors. These functions have created greater awareness and better understanding, thereby leading to racial harmony" (Romford Recorder Hornchurch Upminster, 04.01.02). Mr Rosindell, however, said that the wording of the letter did cause offence and that he was yet to have a reply from Mr Siddiqui. He said that Mr Siddiqui seemed to be promoting racial harmony, whereas he was speaking of religious harmony. He then went on to make a comparison with the Havering Islamic Cultural Centre, who have distanced themselves from the letter. Mr Rosindell said they had been working together to find a suitable location for a mosque, as the sensitivity of the location had to be considered and the group at the Havering Islamic Cultural Centre were doing this without causing offence.

The matter did not end there as Havering's Yellow Advertiser (09.01.02) published an article after receiving a letter signed by 43 individual Muslims from the borough. They accused Mr Siddiqui of "obnoxious behaviour" and wrote: "His extremist views have no place in Islam or indeed in the hearts of Havering Muslims…We are concerned that his extremist indoctrination to his tiny following may produce the extremists the world has come to fear." Mohamed Rafi, a signatory, said: "This is bound to incite extremist elements such as the BNP. One Muslim who has been living in Romford for more than 20 years has witnessed this harassment first hand – the front of his house was painted last month with the Swastika, BNP signs and offensive language" (Havering Yellow Advertiser, 09.01.02). Mr Siddiqui was said to have been contacted by the newspaper, but he refused to comment (Romford Recorder Hornchurch Upminster, 04.01.02, Havering Yellow Advertiser, 09.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.10]

Disturbances convictions
Mohammed Salil Khan, 21, was reported to have escaped a lengthy jail sentence at Bradford's Crown Court (See BMMS for December 2001). He was filmed on 7 July throwing missiles at the police and then spending more than five hours "in the thick of the rioting crowd, inciting others towards the police lines" (North Yorkshire Police, 11.01.02). However, Judge Roger Scott was unable to jail him for riot, which carries a maximum ten-year sentence. Instead he was jailed for three years because the police had charged him with the lesser offence of violent disorder, to which Mr Khan pleaded guilty. He had also been previously convicted for threatening behaviour and throwing missiles at police. He was identified after his pictures appeared on wanted posters and he was arrested at his home in Waverley. Nicholas Askins, for Mr Khan, said in mitigation that Mr Khan had gone into town to do some shopping and was unaware of the publicised National Front gathering. He is said to have become upset when he saw an Asian couple being attacked by skinheads. Later, he is said to have been shocked by his own behaviour and went on a 40-day Islamic retreat. He is reported to have gone to London to learn more about his religion, and devote himself to it.

Judge Scott said: "I hope one of the things you have learned is not to use violence…You were exhorting others to come into battle. You were quite simply enjoying yourself…This case should have been a charge of riot, and you should be receiving a sentence in excess of four years. As it is you have been charged with violent disorder, for reasons I have not been told. I cannot give you the sentence you deserve" (North Yorkshire Post, 11.01.02). As Mr Khan was led away he is said to have raised his arm in a defiant salute. After the trial a police spokesperson said: "In conjunction with senior lawyers from the Crown Prosecution Service we have sought to bring the most appropriate charges and, so far, 61 people have been charged with riot. This is probably the greatest number of people charged with this most serious public order offence arising from one incident" (North Yorkshire Post, 11.01.02).

Forty-eight year old Arshad Javid was also sentenced to nine months imprisonment for possessing an offensive weapon. When he was arrested at the start of the disturbances, he was carrying a baseball bat under his clothing. The judge said the best that could be said about him was that before he could get into serious trouble, he was arrested (The Daily Telegraph (Manchester), 11.01.02, North Yorkshire Post, 11.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.10]

Muslim survey
Since 11 September the opinions of Muslims have been the subject of interest, controversy and analysis. Since that event, newspapers, magazines and journals have continuously published their own or commissioned surveys. There appear to be two points of interest: first, what do Muslims think of the bombing campaign in Afghanistan and do they believe that Osama bin Laden is guilty? and second, do they class themselves as British or Muslims first, and where do their loyalties lie as a consequence. Muslim News (21.12.01) carried out its own survey after a national newspaper "created a stir" when it ran a poll into Muslims' attitudes regarding the international crisis. It says, "The sample of Muslims taken was questionable and the questions posed certainly lacked subtlety and could even be seen to have been leading. The outcry was predictable and reinforced Islamophobic sentiments amongst those who held them." Muslim News carried out its own voluntary survey through their website, which they said was at best a "temperature gauging poll". They write in some detail about the time and method of the survey and give a detailed breakdown of their sample. For example, 300 out of 1500 invited replied to the survey. Sixty-five per cent were male and 29 per cent female; the remainder did not register their gender. To the question: "Which best describes your self-identification?" the reply: "Muslim first and foremost" had a response of 48 per cent; "British Muslim" was the response of 20 per cent; the rest gave their country of origin or a combination of identities which was most comfortable for them. Twenty-one per cent saw a contradiction in being "British" and "Muslim" whereas 62 per cent saw no contradiction. The reasons given for the contradiction were: "a combination of domestic and personal law, social affairs and international affairs" but the most difficult issue for British Muslims to reconcile was the government's role in international affairs.

Moving further in depth, the survey revealed that 86 per cent thought that the United Nations and the West had "double standards in dealing with injustice in the world". If the West had been "tough and exacting against Israel (re: Palestine), India (re: Kashmir) and Yugoslavia (re: Bosnia)" then 43 per cent would have supported tough action against Osama bin Laden. Fifteen per cent agreed that enough evidence had been presented to show that Osama bin Laden was responsible for the events of 11 September, but 58 per cent did not agree and 22 per cent did not know. An American wrote: "I believe that CIA was involved". To the comment that the events of 11 September were a "good strike" against the West, in agreement were 8.5 per cent, 36 per cent saw it as a "moral outrage" and 52 per cent are said to have responded with a mixture of "sadness and understanding". The report went on to clarify that the "understanding" here was not to be confused with "condoning" rather it was to be seen in the light of such arguments as have been put forward by the likes of Robert Fisk; that the attacks "were not 'mindless' and without a sense of 'cause' however misguided". In response to the question: "How did you feel once you knew the gravity of the whole situation?" A "typical" comment was printed: "I felt very sad. I knew that what had happened was totally against the teaching of Islam, and had to be condemned. I knew that the people most likely to suffer would be innocent Muslims, and that America and her puppets would use this as an excuse to attack Islam, rather than to take stock of their own sponsoring of terrorism".

Sixty-eight per cent believed it was wrong for America and the West to see the events of that day as "an act of war". Twenty-seven per cent believed it was right to do so. Of those, 64 per cent believed that America was right to take military action and the rest either did not know what the correct response should be or did not think it was the right thing to do. Finally, even if Osama bin Laden was guilty and the Taliban were protecting him, 79 per cent said that it was not right to bomb Afghanistan, 73 per cent would have preferred a criminal investigation and an extradition process, eight per cent favoured the suspects being taken by a "military snatch squad", and sanctions against Afghanistan were favoured by six per cent.

The report concluded that Muslims were comfortable with their citizenship but like others in the mainstream community, "there is a strong element of dissent on the Government's conduct of international affairs and this dissent is clearly informed by a perception of the reality of double standards". It went on to say that this government, which advocated ethical foreign policy, came to power with a lot support from Muslims and as these expectations had been raised and dashed, the government would have to work hard at convincing Muslims of their sincerity. To conclude, in answer to "What do you think the future holds?" little optimism is reported. The "mood" is said to be summed up in a response: "Not promising as I see Middle Eastern politics going into overspill, thus leading to more Western involvement" (Muslim News, 21.12.01).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.11]

Muslims, Jews and police
In response to the stabbing of yeshivah-student David Myers in Stamford Hill, the 15-member Gold Community Concerns groups was set up. This is a Metropolitan Police (Met) round table initiative in Barnet and includes both Muslim and Jewish community leaders and representatives of the police and Barnet council. The group has been meeting on a monthly basis in order to prevent reprisals or copycat incidents and also to improve communication between the communities on police and related matters. According to Chief Inspector Bob Parkinson, this has led the borough to be seen as having the "best practice in the Met". One of the Muslim members is an imam at Finchley Mosque, who said that sometimes his community felt "neglected" and welcomed the new initiative. He said: "The Jewish community is well organised, having a centralised reporting system against any racially motivated incidents…The Muslim community is not organised along those lines. It is trying to imitate the experience of the Jewish community in becoming vigilant, having faith in the system and using the system, rather than being disillusioned" (Jewish Chronicle, 21.12.01).

After the events of 11 September the group met the next day to assess local implications. Their relationship and experience helped protect Muslims and, in giving crime prevention advice efforts have also been made to improve the security of the buildings. A Finchley Mosque representative said that he would like to see this initiative being implemented in other places. Chief Inspector Parkinson said that most of his officers had a reasonable understanding of the Jewish faith but he was concerned that the knowledge of Islam was not as great as it should be (Jewish Chronicle, 21.12.01).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.11]

Shop mystery
Officers from Runnymede Council are trying to find out why a charity shop run by Surrey Islamic Trust is not open. It was reported that officials were planning to issue an enforcement order at a planning committee meeting. Two years ago the owners were refused planning permission to use the premises as a religious meeting place, but they were allowed to open a charity shop to sell clothes, gifts, cooking utensils and other goods from 10am to 2pm Monday to Thursday. Borough treasurer, Stuart Cawthorne, also said that the trust claimed 80 per cent discretionary business rates relief, as it is a registered charity.

The problem seems to be that the shop is never open, according to some complainants and angry shoppers, and town traders are reported to claim that the premises are used as a temple or church in disguise. One trader said that dozens of men turn up, especially on Fridays, and prayers can be heard, but another said that the shop does open occasionally and people are seen going in to buy things. Another trader said that the council could not enforce access and when the council officers arrived, people inside the shop stopped whatever they are doing, but then he went on to say that though dozens of men used the premises, there had been no disturbance, nuisance or complaints. The Charity Commission in London said there was a charity registered in the name of Surrey Islamic Trust but it was based at another address, which is a tandoori restaurant. British Telecom also said that no phone number existed for the trust, not even ex-directory. It is reported, however, that there is a sign in the window asking for a young lady to work as a shop assistant but there is no contact number (Chertsey, Addlestone & Byfleet Herald, 20.12.01).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.12]

New year resolutions
Many people made resolutions for the new year. Bucks Free Press (28.12.01) printed resolutions of several personalities, including the leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, he said: "As far as the Muslim Parliament is concerned we will be involved in activities relating to human rights and civil liberties. We want to make sure Britain remains a country where civil liberties gained over generations are protected, where debate can take place not only over issues of concern to this country but also to people in other parts of the world. I have been saying to people in our community it's time we got out of our isolation and became part of the wider community. We have to have better interaction".

Keighley News (28.12.01) asked several prominent members of the community in Keighley about their resolutions and found that the responses had many similarities. Keighley Muslim Association's chief administrator, Mohammed Ajaib, said: "Everybody's thoughts should be that we stop this violence in the Keighley area. That is my best hope. If we don't stop this violence nobody is going to have any peace. We can't ask for anything better than peace in the community." The Revd Peter Mott, of Keighley Shared Church, also said that he wanted to see peace on the streets of Keighley, Afghanistan and earth. Keighley MP Ann Cryer said: "It's extremely unfortunate that a handful of boys, Asian and white, should be tarnishing the image of their own community. I know, because I work with the Asian community, and they are by and large a law-abiding peaceful community and I think they must feel its bringing shame on them…My appeal for the New Year is for any young men involved in these activities to desist and think about their family, the community and their standing in the community…My other message to the Asian community is to give the police all the help they can" (Keighley News, 28.12.01). She went on to say if this did not happen then these boys would feel that they had their community's approval.

Leicester Mercury (01.01.02) asked prominent members, as well as the general members of community, about their thoughts for the new year. The article carried several statements of hope and though many wanted to speak of 11 September and the fear of war between India and Pakistan, nevertheless all wanted to see everyone working hard towards peace and harmony. A significant statement was printed by the chairman of Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations, Manzoor Moghal. At the end of a list of prominent events and changes such as 11 September, the disturbances in Oldham, Burnley and Bradford and the debates sparked by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett's comments on political correctness, Mr Moghal went on to say: "During the whole of last year Leicester continued to be a model of good race and community relations, aided by the partnership between community leaders, local authorities, police and the media. I hope and pray that these relationships will endure along with the harmony in our city and county" (Leicester Mercury, 01.01.02), (Bucks Free Press, 28.12.01, Keighley News, 28.12.01, Leicester Mercury, 01.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.12]

Shameful arrest
Afzal Essaji, 46, was arrested on Christmas day at 1.10am for drunk driving. Mr Essaji, a grocer, drank two and a half cans at a customer friend's house and as he left he drove into a parked car. When police came to the scene his breathaliser test showed he was twice over the legal limit. This was said to be his first drink and his lawyer, Graham Brown at Teeside Magistrate Court, said that Mr Essaji's shame was greater because he was not meant to drink. He said that he suspected Mr Essaji had not drunk before and that he was the most unlikely person to commit this crime in the first place and secondly to re-offend. After pleading guilty, he was disqualified for two years and fined £150 with £50 costs (Middlesborough Evening Gazette, 03.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.13]

"Pride and prejudice"
The Daily Telegraph: Magazine (29.12.01) featured a lengthy report by Mick Brown on Muslims in Bradford. Various sections of the community were represented and were given a voice in this feature. He interviewed and spoke to many Muslims about what life was like for them generally, and after 11 September, and how they perceived themselves and how they thought they were perceived by others. Bradford has the highest proportion of Muslims of any city in the country. Out of the city's 488,000 population, 71,000 are of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin, and 60 per cent of these are under the age of 30.

The first interview featured 21-year-old Bilal Ali Noshahi, who teaches children Arabic and Urdu in a mosque. The interview took place on the first day of Ramadan and when asked how life had changed in Bradford since 11 September, he replied that he would get people giving him the thumbs up and a smile as he would be waiting for a bus, because people could see that he was a religious man and he said people respect that. But now he gets the two fingers because he wears a turban. He said: "…To be honest with you, now when you see some English people looking at you, you wonder, are they thinking, is he one of them too?" The writer states: "Bilal is not one of them." His grandfather served in the Royal Navy and came to Britain in the sixties with his family, and like most Asians in Bradford, his father worked in the textile industry. Bilal was born in Kashmir and in 1982 came to the UK with his mother and older brother to join their father. He has another brother and three sisters who were born here. After his education in Bradford, he spent three years in Pakistan for intensive Islamic education as he was interested in religious matters. As the writer states, "at the ripe age of 21" Bilal worries about young Asians not respecting their parents and a few "rotten tomatoes" spoil it for the law-abiding majority. He worries about the future and all the permissiveness he sees around him. Described by the writer as, "a quiet, diligent, likeable man…" who follows the rules of both Islam and Britain, Bilal says: "…in the Koran it says if you're living in a non-Muslim country, you've got to respect the king of that country, for example, Queen Elizabeth". Three years ago he had an arranged marriage and says that it is "perfect". He loves Bradford and "loved" getting up to come to the mosque but now people stick two fingers up at him. Mr Brown writes: "To be honest with you, Bilal's serene countenance crumpled as he searched for a phrase to do full justice to his feelings, 'I'm getting really cheesed off,' he said."

Bradford's Council of Mosques' general secretary, Ishtaq Ahmed, said that their biggest problem was the anger and resentment that was growing against the US bombing of Afghanistan. He said that people were afraid to voice their feelings for fear of being accused of being friends of the Taliban. What he said next represented the feelings and thoughts of many Muslims in the area. He said: "And these feelings are particularly acute among the young. You have young Muslims born in this country who have tried to become properly and truly recognised as British, and have been shocked by a sense of rejection. They realise that being British is not just about being born here, or going to the same school, or being able to speak English with the right kind of accent. There's something else they don't have. And whether that's to do with racism or Islamophobia, they feel that rejection. They are disillusioned, frustrated and angry." The writer interviewed young boys on a Thursday night at the Bradford Police Club for Young People, and although the police have no involvement in this anymore, the original name remains. He spoke to young men in their 20s, all of whom had fathers and in some cases grandfathers who had come to work in Bradford's textile mills. All these young men, without exception, were in further education, determined to become engineers, accountants and computer designers. When asked about how they saw themselves, they all said Muslim first and British second and then thirdly from Pakistani origin.

Twenty-two-year-old software engineering student, Adil, said: "Its what a human believes that is important…It's not where he's from or what colour he is. I don't believe in nationalism, so I'm not going to say I'm Pakistani or British or whatever. I'm a Muslim, wherever I am in the world." Nineteen-year-old economics student, Imran, said that he felt very strongly as a Muslim at the time of the disturbances, and for the first time as a Pakistani. This is because the message he was getting was "Pakis out", which made him feel like a foreigner here. He said: "Anything that means I'm not getting treated equally as the next middle-class white person, makes me feel like I'm not part of this system or country." Adil agreed and added that as a consequence the youth were very confused and that there were a lot of emotions. Other young men continued to show their feelings and they all agreed that the terrorist attacks were "terrible", but the writer states there was the inevitable "but". Eighteen-year-old A-level student, Tasif, explained that George Bush was seen as a bigger killer than Osama bin Laden and questioned why Britain was helping the US if Britain was not attacked and asked why, if Britain could help the US, it could not help the Muslims in Kashmir. He questioned why there was no outrage for the innocent people who have died in Chechnya, Palestine and Afghanistan and if pop stars could raise money for the victims of 11 September then why not for those in Afghanistan. He believed that in the end it came down to race and the others agreed with him. He went on to say: "We've got nothing against Britain. We've been brought up here and had a good education in this country. So you've got to give Britain credit for that. But innocent people are dying…" He continued with the analogy that if members of one's family were getting killed then one would automatically and logically support the family members, as one cannot be neutral in such a situation, and all Muslims are one family.

Continuing comments from those interviewed went on to reflect their distrust of the media and their hope that the writer would present their views accurately. They saw the media as being wrong in its portrayal and said it was one-sided and saw the life of an American or Christian as being more important than anyone else's. Tasif said: "…Why is it that when anything is reported from the American side, it's 'this has happened'; but when anything is reported from the Afghan side it's 'this has allegedly happened'?" Adil spoke of his concern about how, due to the media, Muslims were viewed negatively and in certain situations he would feel paranoid about whether people were questioning whether he was a terrorist when boarding a plane, for example. They spoke of how they felt insecure in the present climate and that what had happened in Bosnia and Chechnya could happen here, especially as the Muslims in those places were of the same colour as their enemies. Ultimately they would like the war to stop and for all to go back to "mixing" in with one another the way they did before all these events occurred.

Bradford-born, 32-year-old Ghuffran Khan, was more optimistic. All his friends had been white as he was part of the only Asian family in the suburb where he grew up. He spoke of this life as he was growing and how his parents could not understand him and saw him as having an identity crisis because he was a heavy metal fan. Against all expectations, he happily had an arranged marriage. Working as a business consultant and married with three children, he now defines himself as equally Muslim and English, one being the faith he follows and the other the place where he was born.

The feature ended with interviews with young Muslim women. Two of the women were from Bangladeshi backgrounds, which the writer states is a community that is not as well established or as large as the Pakistani one. All the women interviewed were in their mid-20s and working in the fields of health and education. Twenty-eight-year-old Hawarun spoke of her experience when she visited Bangladesh. She came to Britain when she was ten and returned for a visit nine years later, which she said was "the biggest shock of my life. I'd always assumed I'd fit in perfectly. But I didn't laugh at the same jokes, we weren't wearing the same clothes or eating the same food. I was pregnant, and the thing that I missed most was rain and fish and chips…" Shahnaz said her 12-year-old younger brother had been sent home from school for shouting "Taliban" in the classroom and Shazia spoke of how she and some other friends who wore hijab (headscarves) had the same thing shouted at them in the street. She said that she been told to go back to her country and that, prior to 11 September, she would have replied. Hawarun said that something happened at the other end of the world and despite all the community development and race relations they were back to "square one" and were all "pigeon-holed" as they were not individual but "you lot". Nurjahan, however, wanted to state that overall relations were still good in Bradford, though in the end everything went back to religion, race and colour. She said: "…And to be honest, I'm fed up with it. Working in the community I'm always being asked, what do you as an Asian think about situations like this? The perception is always that we are experts on ourselves – and we are – but not on anything else. That stereotype just keeps on being perpetuated. I love architecture." Her voice was plaintive. "Why doesn't anybody ever ask me about that?" (Daily Telegraph: Magazine, 29.12.01).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.13]

Peter Sanders' exhibition
The Big Issue in Scotland (10.01.02) carried an article on Peter Sanders' exhibition, In the Shade of the Tree, at Glasgow's St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. The exhibition displays images from Muslim countries around the world. Mr Sanders started photography in the 1960's and his subjects included Jimmy Hendrix, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. At the end of the 60s he began a spiritual journey which took him to India and then to the Muslim world. His love of the Islamic culture and his "genuine and extensive interest" gave him access to people and places hardly seen by westerners and so as a western photographer "his access has been unequalled" (The Big Issue in Scotland, 10.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.14]

Grant success
The east Basildon area committee had to select local groups across south Essex to issue community initiative grants of up to £2000. Ten groups were selected which included schools, activity groups and societies. The Basildon Women's Refuge was the only group to receive the full £2000, but another beneficiary was the Basildon Islamic Centre, which is hoping to attract more women (Basildon Evening Echo, 16.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.14]

Education

From mosque to school
The president of the Southsea Mosque, Badruz Zaman, plans to convert the mosque on Marmion Road into Hampshire's first Muslim school after the mosque has been moved to its new location on Victoria Road North. He said that they did not want to waste any time and with regard to the criticism against faith schools, especially in the light of the disturbances last year in the north of England, he said that because we live in a multicultural society, faith schools did not create racism. He said: "When these children open their front doors to go to school they are stepping into a world with many different religions, that's how it is".

They have two options, either to open a part-time school working towards a full-time one or to start as a full-time school. Mr Zaman said that the school would follow the National Curriculum but he was not certain how the project would be funded. If the school's plans come to fruition, this will be in addition to two other faith schools in Southsea in Portsmouth, St Edmunds Catholic School and St Luke's Church of England School (Portsmouth News, 02.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.14]

 

Politics

"An Islamic Response to David Blunkett"
The Catholic Herald, (04.01.02) printed a response by Dr A. Majid Katme to the recent statements made by Home Secretary, David Blunkett, regarding the acceptance of the "British Norms of Acceptability" (See BMMS for December 2001). Dr Katme wrote that he "would like to explain and give an Islamic balanced response" to this matter. He wrote: "Most, in fact, all the Asians and immigrants in Britain, have 'integrated' very well with these 'British Norms' of acceptability in the following: employment (rules & regulations), housing, poll tax, education and schools (national curriculum), residence, visa and passport, NHS and treatment and GP, English sports like football and cricket, English clothes (except very very few), marriage and divorce, food supply, colleges and universities, driving on the left side, all laws and punishments and prisons, voting to a political party and election, reading and watching most British media and programmes…these are just a few to name…

But, British Muslims (as well as practising Christians and Jews and others and many indigenous British public), will never accept your 'British Norms' on adultery and fornication, sexual permissiveness and the absence of chastity and fidelity, woman as sex object: or rape or prostitution, homosexuality, pornography, sex and violence in all your immoral media, cohabitation and living in sin, illegitimacy, abortion and the killing of 600 innocent unborn children every day in Britain, the epidemic of cruelty in your selfish intensive farming and battery cages, the break up of the family and the neglect of our old parents, the epidemic of burglary, mugging and shoplifting and the sexual abuse of innocent children" The letter was signed, "Yours faithfully, A. MAJID KATME Islamic Concern, London N13" (The Catholic Herald, 04.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.15]

Peer calls for ban
South Yorkshire peer, Lord Ahmed, spoke out against the lifting of the arms embargo on the Northern Alliance by the European Union. He said that arms exports to Afghanistan could be used in "contravention of international humanitarian law, to abuse human rights and exacerbate conflict" (Barnsley Star, 10.01.02). Although he acknowledged the UN-sponsored agreement established for the new administration, he said that this should not give the "green light" to supply arms to Afghanistan. He said: "The extended history of gross human rights abuses by the various warring Afghani factions groups over the past two decades, including those which make up the Northern Alliance, would counsel caution on loosening restrictions on arms sales to any Afghani faction." He is also reported to have clashed with the former Defence Minister, Lord Trefgarne. He said that during the Iran-Iraq war, Britain played a big part in significantly increasing Iraq's military capability. The exports had then been used against the allied forces during the Gulf war. However, Lord Trefgarne insisted that no arms were supplied at that time (Barnsley Star, 10.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.15]

Holocaust reminder
To mark the 57th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, a Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony was held in Manchester on 27 January. Among the thousand guests, survivors of the Holocaust attended the ceremony and the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, addressed the gathering. He said that people must stand up to "bigotry and racism" (Morning Star, 28.01.02), and that the act of remembrance must be "active, not passive" (Independent On Sunday, 27.01.02) and in order to avoid the mistakes of the past, people had to be educated, the young in particular. He said that the Holocaust still mattered because the survivors were a reminder of the "living hell we should never forget" and in mentioning recent events he listed Rwanda, Bosnia and Kosovo and said that the horrors of the Nazi era could only be "thwarted by men and women prepared to make a stand" (Independent On Sunday, 27.01.02).

The Muslim Council of Britain, however, boycotted the ceremony on the grounds that it ignored and excluded ongoing human rights abuse and genocides across the world and in the occupied territories of Palestine. Their general secretary, Yousuf Bhailok, said: "The living memorial for the victims of the Nazi Holocaust is ensuring we make the cry 'never again' real for all people who suffer, everywhere. We honour the dead most sincerely and bring peace with justice to those who live without hope today" (Independent On Sunday, 27.01.02), (esd Independent On Sunday, 27.01.02, Morning Star, 28.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.15]

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Women

Swimming lessons
The Muslim Cultural Welfare Association of Sutton have organised swimming sessions for Muslim women. They worked with Sutton Council in order to be able to provide a six week swimming course for women led by a female instructor in a closed pool. The sessions have been taking place every Wednesday from 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm at Sutton High School (Sutton Comet, 11.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.15]

 

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Youth

"Challenges of Reality"
Muslim youth organisation, Noor Youth Trust, ran a conference on 11 November called "Challenges of Reality". The organisation was established in 1998 and runs its own youth club, magazine, library and Saturday school for girls and boys. They organise regular events aimed at young Muslims and last year launched an Orphans Fund to help poor Muslim children. Though the conference was aimed at British Muslim youth, Muslims of all ages and backgrounds attended. David Musa Pidcock, a political activist and co-founder of the Islamic Party of Britain, spoke of the factors that affect the ability of a society to live in peace. A mentor for many young Muslims in London, Mustafa Meghjee gave a presentation entitled: "Youths: Weapons of mass Innovation" in which he spoke of youth as "leading a life of engagement with society at large, interacting with both Muslims and non-Muslims on a regular basis" (Muslim News, 21.12.01). He saw the youth disengaging from society and alienated by their own communities as the "greatest problem". Instead, he said that they should be a "powerful instrument in uniting fragmented Muslim communities" and also "pursuing knowledge and utilising the knowledge for the assistance of the spirit of Islam". There was a presentation on living in harmony and tolerance with other faiths and there were other speakers, including a journalist who spoke on the importance and impact of the media (Muslim News, 21.12.01).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.15]

Daughter missing
Schoolgirl Rahima Mohammed, from Leytonstone, ran away from home on 5 September. At the time she was 12 years of age. She called her mother, Amina Ahmed, in September to say that she was well and was in London with friends and studying Islam full time. When she left home she had left her mother a letter saying that they would meet in heaven. On 16 December she called her mother to wish her a happy Eid, but she did not call on her thirteenth birthday on 22 December, though her mother has received letters from her with a Leicester University postmark. The police have contacted several mosques, including those run by the Nation of Islam, as well as schools in London and Leicester, but there has been no information. In August she is reported to have attended a three day Islamic conference with her mother, after which they are said to have become heavily involved in religion. Investigating officer PC John O'Loughlin said that being 13 she was easily influenced and vulnerable and that it was possible she had become involved with a religious group. Anyone who has any information has been asked to contact the missing persons bureau on 8345 2478. Rahima is originally from Kenya, black, of medium build and 5ft 4ins. She enjoys reading and writing (Walthamstow Guardian, 10.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.16]

Chain Letters
The Glaswegian North (10.01.02) carried a report about offensive chain letters being given to Muslim pupils at an unnamed primary school, before the Christmas holidays. The letters are said to have "deeply offended" Muslim pupils and some of the contents of the letters were so explicit that they had "seriously upset" some younger children who had received them. Glasgow city council had immediately notified other schools in the surrounding areas and education officers also alerted the Islamic Centre and the Central Mosque who, in turn, warned the local Muslim community and advised people to ignore the letters if they found them (The Glaswegian North, 10.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.16]

 

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Interfaith

Violence: root of Islam
In the opening letter of the December issue of the magazine circulated to the parishioners of three churches, Revd Peter May of St Barthomew's Church wrote: "One of the spiritual roots of Islam is violence," and he signalled the events of 11 September as leaving no doubt that "Allah and basic Islam represent a violent spiritual force" (Surrey Mirror Redhill Reigate & Banstead, 27.12.01). He had also written: "Another spiritual characteristic of basic Islam is a spirit of deception. For example, a deceitful spirit typically encourages Muslims to pretend they are a peaceful religion and frequently deceives non Muslims into believing this, and this gives us a false sense of security" (Horley Life, 10.01.02). He went on to back what he said by saying that it was his right and duty as a vicar to tell church followers what he sincerely felt through the magazine and sermons. He was not worried about offending Muslims, as he believed what he was saying was true and that a lot of people were being politically correct.

These comments were not welcomed by other ministers, who chose to distance themselves from the letter. Churches Together in Reigate, Redhill, Salford and Merstham had organised a meeting with representatives of the Muslim community and had been arranged in the light of the recent events, but due to the publication of the letter the meeting was to have a different onus. Bishop of Croydon, the Right Reverend Wilfrid Wood as Area Bishop within the Diocese, issued a statement, part of which said that there should be an attitude of mutual love and compassion because we were all God's children. Canon Missioner for Southwark Diocese, Canon Bruce Saunders, said that the recent events had proved to be an opportunity for greater understanding between Muslims and Christians and that not much could be achieved by focusing on the worst aspects of another faith.

President of the Islamic Centre in Redhill, Zulfiqar Khan Noon, who was one of the people attending the meeting with the churches, said that the vicar's comments were unbelievable and that Islam had been misunderstood. He said that the Qur'an was full of love for humanity and it was a basic pillar in Islam and that not even the loss of one innocent life was justifiable for any cause (Surrey Mirror Redhill, Reigate & Banstead, 27.12.01, Post Reigate, Redhill & Horley, 02.01.02, 09.01.02, Horley Life, 10.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.16]

Understanding and promoting dialogue
Across the UK numerous events, meetings and courses aimed at furthering the understanding of Islam and promoting dialogue between Islam and Christianity and Islam and Judaism are taking place and being covered by the press. The following are a few of the events that have been reported. The University of Derby was to have a meeting on 21 January at the multi-faith centre. Speakers included Dr M. A. Zaki Badawi, principal of the Muslim College, London, and Dr Konrad Raiser, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, Geneva. The subject was Muslim-Christian dialogue and it was to look at "challenges in Christian-Muslim relations and common Christian-Muslim responsibilities post-September 11 and the Afghanistan war" (Derby Trader, 03.01.02). The Times (05.01.02) printed two letters entitled "Muslim and interfaith relations". The second was from Sir Sigmund Sternberg, and gave information about a new initiative by Leo Baeck College, which trains rabbis and teachers for the Progressive Jewish movement. They are to invite Muslim students, especially those studying for the imamate, to join Jewish students at residential weekends at the college. They have been doing this with Christian students and now want to extend it to Muslim students. Sir Sigmund is also a co-founder of the Three Faiths Forum with Dr Zaki Badawi and Revd Marcus Braybrooke and the forum is "proposing that Christian and Jewish communities explore the possibility of 'twinning' their own place of worship with a nearby mosque" (The Times, 05.01.02).

A public meeting held in St James' Church in Ongar, was organised by rector Richard Rendall in response to the events of 11 September. A 50-minute talk was delivered by Dr Chawkat Moucarry, who is an Ongar based theology lecturer and tutor in Islamic Studies at All Nations Christian College in Ware, Hertfordshire. The subject of the talk was "Islam: A Christian Response".

St John's Church in Oakfield, on the Isle of Wight, was to stage a three-day course to teach people more about Islam and attempt to forge stronger links with the island's Muslim community. The speakers included the Very Rev Dr William Taylor, the dean of Portsmouth Cathedral, who has a doctorate in Arab Studies and lived in Jordan for a number of years and was also consulted at the time of the Gulf War. Other speakers were the Bishop of Portsmouth's inter-faith adviser, Revd Frank Wright, and the Revd Hugh Wright and the vicar of St John's.

A one day course about Islam was to be held at Essex University organised by Father Nicholas Spicer where the inter-faith spokesman of the North London Islamic Centre, Professor Ali Haydor, was to speak, as well as the diocese inter-faith adviser, Dr Anne Davison and the Reverend Pat Mossop of the university's chaplaincy. People attending were to include Muslim worshippers from a mosque in Colchester and the university.

As part of a course, Understanding Islam, at a Polesworth Abbey, the attenders were to visit the Golden Hillock Mosque, described as Birmingham's largest mosque, on 19 January. The tutor of the course was to be the advisor to the Bishop of Birmingham, Chris Hewer (Derby Trader, 03.01.02, The Times, 05.01.02, Ongar & North Weald Gazette, 10.01.02, Colchester Evening Gazette, 11.01.02, Isle of Wight County Press, 11.01.02, Nuneaton Heartland Evening News, 14.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.16]

Lambeth Palace
On 17 January, a two-day seminar entitled, Building Bridges: Overcoming Obstacles in Christian Muslim Relations, was held at Lambeth Palace. It was hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey and addressed by the Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prince El-Hassan bin Talal of Jordan. The aim of the seminar was to bring together leading scholars from both the Muslim and Christian theological traditions, of whom they were about 40 at the seminar. Among those who took part and attended the seminar were Dr Zaki Badawi, Principal of the Muslim College, London, Professor Jorgen Nielsen, the Revd Dr David Thomas, both from the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at the University of Birmingham, Revd Professor Frances Young the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, Mustafa Ceric, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, and senior scholars from the US, north and west Africa and the Middle East.

The conference was a closed event but newspapers later carried reports on some of what was said. The Prime Minister said: "Religious values can be warped or perverted but when people are true to its real value religious faith can be immensely liberating" (Church of England Newspaper, 25.01.02). Dr Carey is reported to have said at the end of the seminar: "We have laid the foundations for new bridges of understanding, respect and co-operation…We shall do our scholarly best to overcome various obstacles along the way. That will mean trying to help our own faith communities overcome suspicion and apprehension – and yes, at times, hatred and intolerance" (Church Times, 25.01.02).

Dr Badawi and Dr Carey also wrote a joint article, which was published by The Times (17.01.02) on the same day as the seminar began. It outlined the hopes and tasks of the seminar. The key challenge was said to be how to handle the differences, which they saw as enhancing rather diminishing their faiths and an important priority was said to be working towards peace and justice. Regarding what was to be the likely outcome, they wrote that they hoped it would be to listen and grow in mutual understanding. The deliberations of the seminar are to be published in due course. They wrote that they did not expect to change the world but that the document that would follow and their dialogue would reveal what lay at the heart of both faiths and how they could travel together in the future in a way that would benefit everyone. In the meantime Dr Carey is to sign an agreement with Dr Mohamed Sayed Tantawy, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif University in Cairo, which is over a thousand years old. He is the senior Islamic authority in Egypt and much of the Muslim world, and the aim of this agreement is to establish a Sunni Muslim and Anglican dialogue. As part of the agreement, which was to be signed at Lambeth Palace on 30 January, a joint committee of representatives of the two faiths is to meet at least once a year, alternately at Egypt and London.

Some reactions were also reported, one of them from Patrick Sookdheo of the Barnabas Fund, which supports Christians who have been persecuted in Muslim countries. He said that it was right for the two faiths to engage in dialogue, but he said: "In the Muslim world Christians are suffering appallingly at the hands of Muslims. How can the Anglican Church enter into relations with a religion that is persecuting their followers, and stay silent about it?" (Church of England Newspaper, 18.01.02). On the other hand, Ahmed Shah Moied, chairman of the Razvia Mosque in Southampton, said: "In Southampton we work closely with Christians, especially through the Council of Faiths. The conference at Lambeth is a very positive move and it is a delight to see it happen. For a very long time I, and other Muslims locally, have wanted this to come about, and it is a credit to the Archbishop for his dedication and true and sincere approach towards good relationship in the UK with other faiths, particularly Islam. Christianity and Islam are two sister religions. A Muslim has to believe in Jesus before he believes in Mohammed, as he has to believe and accept all the prophets…The Church in the past locked themselves away from other faiths. Now they are opening their hearts, minds and arms to Muslims, which is a very good move on the Church side – the future is bright" (Southampton Southern Daily Echo, 19.01.02), (The Times, 17.01.02, Evening Mail, 17.01.02, Church of England Newspaper, 18.01.02, 25.01.02, Metro Manchester, 18.01.02, Southampton Southern Daily Echo, 19.01.02, Methodist Recorder, 24.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.17]

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Health

Aiding mental health
A study conducted by South Asian Mental Health Foundation in Manchester found that attending a mosque was beneficial to people suffering from mental health problems. They found the mosque to be "therapeutic, peaceful and a place for men to connect with others of the same faith" and worshippers are also reported to appreciate the sense of belonging to a community they got from the mosque. These findings support the centre's earlier research which showed mental health patients had said that spirituality was one of the most vital factors in their lives, because even in times of distress it gave them a reason for living and a sense of purpose. The centre's project co-ordinator, Vicky Nicholls, said: "This research highlights the potential value of culturally specific and spiritual approaches in mental health. There is no one solution that works for everyone and we would like to see a greater recognition for the diverse strategies that people with mental health problems find helpful."

A practitioner from Saudi Arabia is already said to utilise the mosque as therapy. There is a form of psychotherapy called Tahjjad therapy which is said to have its roots in the Qur'an (Asian Times, 08.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.18]

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Employment

Eid holiday refused
Five members of staff at Devonshire Hill Primary School said that their headteacher refused to give them a holiday for Eid. One teacher, who did not want to be named, said that when they had requested time off they were told that, according to advice that had been taken, Eid was on the weekend and therefore they could not have time off in the week. The teacher said: "We knew when it was on – we know our own religion! We were treated like we were wanting to skive off. Parents were allowed to keep their kids off on those days – so why weren't we allowed to spend them with our families?…" The teacher went on to say that this was a cause of ignorance rather than malice. The teachers have been backed by their union, the National Union of Teachers (NUT). Haringey NUT secretary, Julie Davies, said: "I think this is extremely culturally insensitive. These people's families expected them to be there on this very important day and they weren't. That was very upsetting for them." A spokesperson from Haringey Council said there was no question of anyone being prevented from celebrating their religious festivals and that they had taken advice from London's Central Mosque and found that Eid was to fall on Saturday and Sunday, 15 and 16 December. They strongly resented any suggestions of discrimination. The spokesperson said they had allowed those who chose to take compassionate unpaid leave to do so (Hornsey & Crouch End Journal, 10.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.18]

 

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Mosques & Burials

Batley, Talbot Street
The Pakistan Muslim Welfare Society has bought 0.44 acres of the former head office and yard of Dewsbury Civil Engineering on Field Lane, Talbot Street to improve the car parking facilities for the local mosque and community. The society has also bought "high-quality" office and workshop, which extends to nearly 15,000sq ft (North Yorkshire Post, 27.12.01).
  [BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.18]

Birmingham, Alum Rock and Sladefield Roads
Councillor Les Byron has stated that the granting of planning permission for a new mosque on the site of a Capital cinema, will lead to the council committing "corporate manslaughter". An application has also been submitted to convert two houses into a religious education building on Sladefield Road. Cllr Byron believes that a new mosque on the site of the old cinema would create "havoc". He has contacted the fire and ambulance services, both of whom have said that delays could result in deaths. A letter from the city coroner, which is said to be most compelling, also stated that there would be a definite risk of deaths. Cllr Byron said that if plans went ahead he would be asking for a public enquiry into the running of the city planning department as he said they had completely disregarded local feelings on the issue. A council spokesperson said the application for the mosque had been granted but there was to be a meeting about the conversion of the two houses into a religious education centre. On that site there is said to be parking on both sides of the road and Cllr Byron said that the wider community, which included Muslims, were backing him because they feared an influx of worshippers could prove "fatal". Cllr Byron said: "It would be traffic mayhem. As sure as night follows day there will be a delay to emergency vehicles and there's no point the council saying sorry afterwards" (Birmingham Metro News, 24.01.02 ). 
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.18]

Brierfield, Oxford Rd
Pendle Borough Council has received an application to build a mosque at 2 to 18 Oxford Street and a car park in Carlton Street. Details of the proposal were to be considered by the Brierfield and Reedley Committee on 8 January (Burnley Express, 18.12.01, Burnley Citizen, 27.12.01).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.18]

Canterbury, Giles Lane
Canterbury Council has been asked for planning permission to change the use of a house in Giles Street. The permission is to convert the house into a mosque but the appearance of the building will not be altered. Councillors are expected to discuss the plans in February (Kentish Gazette Canterbury and District, 03.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.18]

Halifax, Gibbet St
The Madni Mosque is coming under scrutiny from the Charity Commission because the action committee of the mosque has accused the mosque's committee of misusing funds. An action committee, led by Salamat Ata, is pushing for reforms because some members are not satisfied with the way the mosque's management committee are using cash gifts worth tens of thousands of pounds. Members of the action committee said they were "sick of being kept in the dark" and so they had written to the Charity Commission. A spokesperson at the commission said that they had received allegations of the disputes and were monitoring the situation as well as chasing up old accounts. The commission's website reveals that after a High Court order for the mosque to carry out elections, they have only submitted accounts for two years out of five. The commission are still waiting for accounts from 1996 to 2000 and under section 49 of the Charities Act 1993, constant failure to submit accounts may lead to a £2000 fine.

The article also revealed that according to a leading national newspaper, 37 British mosques were in trouble and this was mainly due to feuds caused by factions gaining control and sacking one imam in favour of another who had family or clan connections. The same newspaper also insisted that, very often, fictitious accounts were sent to the commission. Mr Ata, who is said to be concerned about the same issue, said that the action committee were appealing to the authorities to investigate because thousands of pounds were being collected from thousands of people and they wanted to make sure the money was not being misused. He said the congregation had been divided due to the financial dispute and this had resulted in a massive decline in membership from 1000 at its peak to just 148 at present. Secretary of the mosque committee since 1983, Mohammed Haji Sultan, said that one could come at any time to see the accounts and at short notice they were ready to give the accounts to the commission (Halifax Evening Courier, 18.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.19]

Newham, Canning Road
With the aim of pressurising council officials to approve the full planning permission, Markaz mosque support organisation have e-mailed approximately two thousand people who had petitioned Newham Council earlier this year, to send e mails to Council leader, Sir Robin Wales and Environment director, Malcolm Smith. What is being named the "high tech" battle is another tool in the struggle to approve the construction of the mosque on Canning Road, which is to be Europe's biggest mosque.

Newham councillors originally rejected the project but in October signed an agreement with Muslims that would eventually lead to the building of the mosque on Canning Road. The agreement specifies that both parties will work towards comprehensive development of the site, which is to include commercial properties. In the meantime, the owners of the site and promoters, Anjuman-E-Islahul Muslimeen, have been given temporary permission to utilise a building on the site for worship. Markaz say: "We must continue to lobby the council until we have full planning consent. Therefore please continue to pray and spread the word" (Newham Recorder, 02.01.02), (Newham Recorder, 02.01.02, Eastern Eye, 11.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.19]

Nottingham mosques
The Federation of Nottingham Mosques (FNM) approached Nottingham City Council to increase security at several mosques in the city. In the week following the events of 11 September, racial incidents more than doubled to eleven. These included criminal damage as well verbal and physical attacks. Two of the incidents occurred outside the Islamic Centre Mosque and Community Centre on Curzon Street. Council officials met with religious leaders and police on 19 September and council leader, Graham Chapman, said that wherever possible they would take action to keep Nottingham's minorities safe.

The council installed CCTV cameras at five mosques, at Hyson Green, Sherwood and Sneinton. The cameras have been used by the council's housing department to tackle anti-social behaviour and although this is a temporary measure a council spokesperson said they would review the situation at a later date with a view to making it permanent. Co-ordinator of the FNM, Gulzar Khan, said the cameras were wanted for peace of mind and had put people at ease and the federation were very happy. A police spokesperson said that they welcomed the installation of CCTV cameras outside mosques because they acted as a deterrent and helped police with their work. In 1999/2000 the number of racially motivated crimes in Nottingham stood at 268 and racially motivated crimes have been rising for the past three years. Figures for 2000/2001 are yet to be published (Nottingham, Evening Post, 01.01.02).
  [BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.19]

Reading, Green Road
Reading borough's planning committee meeting unanimously granted approval for planning permission for Reading College and School of Arts and Design's plans to redevelop the site on Green Road. They plan to build a mosque with a capacity of 580 worshippers, 74 flats, 90 student apartments and approximately 20 two and three bedroom homes. This has been objected to by the Earley Rise Residents' Association, whose members are said to have fought hard against the proposals because they believe that valuable community and sporting facilities will be lost and traffic will increase and there is a lack of parking spaces. They also fear that among the red brick houses a mosque would be out place. Planning officers received objections from 464 people and signatures of 397 people supporting the mosque. Dr Abdul Razak spoke in support of the mosque though he is reported not to have commented on the scheme as a whole and to have appealed to the community to work things out. He said: "If I thought the mosque would hinder the doctor's surgery I would have second thoughts…We live in a multicultural society. We can survive together, it is a necessary part of the community. I want to go to a mosque which is environmentally friendly and accepted by residents" (Reading Chronicle, 17.01.02).

At the meeting of the planning committee around a 100 protestors are said to have "heckled and jeered" as councillors spoke and, despite the reservation of some councillors, there was unanimous agreement by the members of the committee. Reading College and School of Arts and Design are said to have declined to send a representative.

Councillor Liz Winfield-Chislett said: "Most concerns seem to be on the traffic front. The student accommodation will be car-free and the flats have plenty of off-road parking. I think it's excellent that local Muslims will have a purpose-built mosque. It is a good mixed scheme which fits totally with planning policy" (Reading Chronicle, 17.01.02), (Reading Chronicle, 17.01.02, Reading Central, 17.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.19]

Wimbledon, London Rd
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association's mosque in Morden, which will accommodate 3000 worshippers, is expected to be ready in 18 months. The work is said to be progressing well: the steel frame is up and visible to train commuters and carpenters were expected to start laying the floors (Wimbledon News, 18.01.02).
[BMMS January Vol. X, No.1, P.20]

 

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