British Muslims Monthly Survey for February 2002 Vol. X, No. 2 |
British Muslims Monthly Survey for February 2002 Vol. X, No. 2 |
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Asian equals Muslim
The disturbances in the cities of northern England
and the events of 11 September are reported to have had an affect on the Asian
community of Britain. There are several reports that Hindus and Sikhs no longer
want to be labelled "Asians" because they do not want to be associated
with Muslims from the Indian sub-continent. A leading national radio station for
ethnic minorities, Sunrise Radio, is to ban the term Asian within the next two
months. Sunrise Radio, an independent station that broadcasts to approximately
one million listeners, is said to have had complaints from its listeners and
made the decision after a consultation process. Its chief executive Avtar Lit,
said: "In the wake of September 11 and also following the race riots last
year we have had many calls from Sikhs and Hindus worried that in many people's
eyes the word 'Asian' links them to events involving Muslims. In the past three
months especially we have received a number of calls from Indians, Pakistanis,
Sri Lankans and Bangladeshis asking to be more precise when it comes to our news
coverage. Hindus and Sikhs feel that Muslims are bringing the Asian community
into disrepute in Britain and do not want to be put in the same bracket as
them" (The Weekly Telegraph, 30.01.02). He said that not only did
Sikhs and Hindus not want to be called Asian but also Muslims in the United
Kingdom wanted to be identified as Muslims. He went on to say that 15 years ago
the issue was of black and white, which then became black and Asian and now the
number of Asians was sufficient for them to be divided into their religious and
cultural groups because they no longer wanted to be grouped together.
However, Q News (No 339-340, 01.02.02) in its report said that Mr Lit had a reputation for holding Islamophobic views and had been involved in a number of legal battles including his being accused of setting up a fraudulent Muslim charity. It also stated that this change has confirmed the views of some listeners who believed that Sunrise Radio did not cater for the Muslim audience by way of choice but rather out of necessity. A former listener from Birmingham, Nighat Iqbal, said: "We always knew there was an atmosphere of prejudice towards Muslims… I've always sensed an anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan bias, especially in the news reports about Kashmir" (Q News, No 339-340, 01.02.02). Another listener, who did not want to be named, is reported to have many Sikh and Hindu friends who had never said that they did not want to be associated with Muslims and that the ban was the radio station's view not the listeners'. However, Iqbal Sacranie from the Muslim Council of Britain, supported the move to ban the term. He said: "It will give a clear recognition of how communities are identified, which is by faith. We have had in the census 2001, for the first time, a question about religious identity and we are getting clear signals from the Government how important faith identity is, so it is a practical and useful move. These days the term Asian has no real meaning" (Q News, No 339-340, 01.02.02).
Several incidents of attacks within the Asian community have also raised fears that tensions are increasing between the Muslim and Hindu and Sikh communities. After a number of incidents in January, including the murder of a Pakistani restaurant owner in Southall by a Sikh gang and an unprovoked attack on a three Sikh boys by Pakistani youths, the Commission for Racial Equality is planning to intervene. The commission's chairman, Gurbux Singh is to make a plea to religious leaders as well as local councils to tackle this problem. He has also had complaints from Sikh leaders about Sikh men wearing turbans being attacked by white people because they have been mistaken for Muslims. In the meantime, and ever since the disturbances last year and 11 September, the British National Party (BNP) has been campaigning against Muslims. Sikh radicals in Southall are reported to have supported the claims made by the BNP that Muslims were responsible for the disturbances last year and that extremists were bribing young Muslims to convert Hindu and Sikh girls. According to Q News, Hindustan Times had reported that the leader of the BNP, Nick Grifffin, had approached Sikh and Hindu leaders to form a joint front against Muslims. However, a south Asian Muslim leader is reported to have said that the divide and conquer policy that was practised in 18th century India would not work in Britain today (Independent On Sunday, 27.01.02, Q News, No 339-340, 01.02.02, Weekly Telegraph, 30.01.02).
There is also evidence, according to the Asian Times (22.01.02), that Sikhs and Hindus are joining the BNP to form what is being described as an "anti-Muslim alliance". Nick Griffin admitted that Sikh and Hindu sympathisers only approached him after his appearance on the BBC Newsnight programme, where he stated his view that the disturbances that took place last year in the northern cities of England were caused by Muslims and not Asians. A 30-year-old accountant, Ammo Singh, married and a father of two, said he was helping the BNP as part of a "mutually beneficial relationship". He said they wanted to raise awareness that "Islamic fundamentalists" were targeting Hindus and Sikhs and that all three groups were being "tarnished" because of the activities of Muslims while it was the Muslims who were causing most of the problems not the other two groups. Rajinder Singh from Northampton said that he agreed with Mr Griffin's stance on Islam.
Leaders of both the Sikh and Hindu communities have condemned the sympathisers
and say that they are in the minority and do not reflect their communities' attitudes. General Secretary of the National Council of Sikh Gurdwaras, Mohan Singh, said that if there was a problem with Islamic fundamentalists, it should be dealt by the police or the government. Bimal Krishna Das of the National Council of Hindu Temples had similar feelings. However, the sympathisers are said to be looking for Mr Griffin's help because he is not afraid to speak his mind, which according to them, community leaders are not doing.
Another on-going issue is that of Muslim men seducing and converting Hindu
and Sikh girls. Both Ammo and Rajinder Singh wanted to raise awareness of this
issue. Mr Ammo Singh, with other Sikhs, believes that there are many
prostitution rings across the UK where Hindu and Sikh girls could be found
working for Muslim pimps. He also claimed that over a quarter of the Sikhs and
Hindus working with the BNP were women who had been victims of Muslim men.
Inayat Banglawala of the Muslim Council of Britain rejected these allegations,
believing that they were either made up or exaggerated and that seduction and
blackmail were completely against Islam (Asian Times, 22.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.1]
From the inside
The debate concerning the increase in the number of
faith schools across the UK is still regularly reported by many newspapers (See BMMS
for December 2001). Objections to such schools have been made particularly
with reference to Muslim schools and in connection with the disturbances last
year in the northern cities of England. Reports that followed have also lent to
the argument against such schools. The Tablet (09.02.02), in their
education supplement section, carried an article entitled "Inside a Muslim
school" by Annabel Miller, who had paid a visit to Al-Hijrah school. Al-Hijrah
is a state-funded, co-educational Muslim secondary school in Birmingham with 190
pupils. She was taken round the school by the deputy headteacher, Ahmed Hussain.
The school follows the National Curriculum and boys and girls are segregated so
they can fully concentrate on their studies, according to Mr Hussain. She wrote
that she was "struck by the peace of the place, compared with many other
inner city schools" she had visited. "The place felt studious, with
high standards of behaviour expected, but it also felt like fun."
She went on to discuss the debate concerning about increasing the numbers of Muslim schools, especially in the light of the Cantle report on the disturbances in Oldham and Bradford. Questions such as whether social divisions are entrenched by faith schools and that, if Britain is a "multi-cultural society", what constitutes "British culture", were highlighted. A prominent concern is that such "mono-cultural" schools can contribute to "the separation of communities" and there is therefore the suggestion that faith schools should give 25 per cent of their places to children of other faiths or none. Mr Hussain dismissed the idea that such schools contributed to racial tension, saying that they could overcome the problems. He said that they were part of society and that included children from many different cultures and that ultimately the children went home and were "part and parcel of society as a whole". The Cantle report also suggested that schools should be involved in twinning with other schools, so that they could have joint sporting activities as well as parents' meetings, and Al-Hijrah is reported to have done this already "without any prompting". Mr Hussain believes that once the pupils know about their faith and who they are and how, according to their faith, they should relate to other people, it will enable them to live in harmony. However, if they do not know who they are, it can lead them to invent an identity in an "unhealthy and racist way."
Annabel Miller reports that the Al-Hijrah school provides an education up to GCSE, after which the pupils go to other sixth form colleges or schools. Eighty-one percent of pupils obtain five or more A-C grades at GCSE and a recent report by Ofsted inspectors was "glowing" and did not contain "a single criticism". And all this, she says, in a school that has a concrete yard for outdoor activities and a poorly stocked library.
She goes on to write about the struggles of Bristol's Muslim community who
have been campaigning for a state-funded Muslim school. A working party has been
set up which consists of members of the Muslim community in Bristol, councillors
and members of the interfaith group Active Communities Together, as well as
others. However, Peter Hammond, the executive member for education and lifelong
learning at Bristol City Council, was not convinced that a case had been made by
the working party. Ms Miller puts forward Mr Hammond's arguments and concludes
that at present it is unlikely that the council would support such a school.
Nevertheless, with regard to Al-Hijrah, she concluded that she could find no
signs of it being a "hostile ghetto or a hotbed for extremism. On the
contrary, pupils are encouraged to work with, to get to know, children of other
cultures". Recently Northern Ireland's Catholic bishops defended faith
schools, saying that it was there that mutual understanding and respect could be
nurtured, and "At Al-Hijrah, it appears, that is just what they are trying
to do" (The Tablet, 09.02.02 ).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.2]
In fear of arrest
A meeting took place in February, in the heart of
London's Arab community, to discuss Muslim concerns about new anti-terrorism
legislation. Muslim News
(22.02.02) carried a report on the meeting, which was organised by Ibrahim El-Noor, chairman of the Ershad Community Centre. This is because the Muslim community is said to be feeling "a great deal of unease" since the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act was rushed through Parliament post 11 September. Muslims fear that if they speak out against injustices against Muslims, whether in Britain or abroad, they will be arrested. They believe that crimes against Muslims are on the increase and that Muslims are also targeted by the new act. The meeting was between members of the Muslim community in London and officers from the Metropolitan police including Assistant Commissioner and Head of Specialist Operations, David Veness, Chief Inspector Tony Deacon and a Chief Detective Inspector, a Superintendent and a councillor. Members of the Muslim community had the opportunity to raise their questions and concerns. Mr El-Noor told the meeting that many people from the Middle East no longer wanted to come to London as they feared they would be arrested. They also felt they could no longer discuss politics. He said that many Middle Easterners had stopped coming to London because of this, even though many had contributed to Britain and owned properties here. It was also pointed out that Arabs were being wrongly arrested and then later released without charge, as at the time of the Gulf war. In reply, Mr Veness stated that Scotland Yard did not link Islam with terrorism and that they saw Islam as a peaceful religion. He also said that they were working in a sensitive and measured way; those not engaged in any criminal activity had nothing to fear and past experience had enabled the police to refine their processes.
Muslim News raised some questions, including whether the recent arrests had been made simply to collect information, since most of those arrested in the north of the country had been released without charge; this was "furiously denied". A question was also posed as to why Muslims were arrested for incitement to religious hatred and not members of the BNP, to which Mr Veness replied that the BNP took legal advice and were very careful not to break any laws, which in turn made it very difficult for the police to take any action. He said that they were not favouring one group over the other and that he also supported the inclusion of incitement to religious hatred in the recent terrorism bill.
Detective Chief Inspector David Tucker, from the Metropolitan Police's Department for Strategy for Community Consultations, spoke of the importance of building strong links between the police and faith groups. He said that in the past, meetings with Muslims had allowed them to respond to their concerns and that these meetings would be "stepped up". However, he said that the real problem for the police was that Muslims were not willing to report incidents, which consequently affected the accuracy of the statistics on religiously motivated crime, which were not accurate. He acknowledged that in order to encourage people to report more crimes the police needed to recognise Islamophobia and to change Muslim perceptions of the way the police investigate. He admitted that they had not monitored faith hate crimes and had treated them as racial incidents, but, according to Mr Tucker, the backlash against Muslims was not as widespread as they had expected and that it had declined.
The Met has recently established a Safety Forum whose primary objective is to look at ways of making Muslims safe in the light of recent events. Another primary objective is said to be to look at people's safety in the areas around mosques, as well as looking at ways of "redressing the stereotype" of the way Muslims are portrayed in the media (Muslim News, 22.02.02).
Six men, four Palestinians, an Algerian and an Iraqi, who were arrested in
Darlington and Teeside, have been released without charge after four days in
custody under the Terrorism Act 2000 (See BMMS for January 2002). The
raids took place after an anonymous phone call to police, which alleged that the
men were laundering money for Islamic groups and buying weapons. At least one of
the men is intending to sue for wrongful arrest (The Northern Echo,
04.02.02 & Middlesborough Evening Gazette, 02.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.3]
Community
Attacks continue
Reports of physical attacks against Muslims have had continuous coverage since 11 September (See British Muslims Monthly Survey, for September 2001). An example of this is in Q News (No 339-340, 01.02.02), which reported on an attack on a 17 year old, Farhana Syed, a student at Islamia School. She was walking to an Arabic class in east Hackney with her younger sister when two black teenage boys on cycles, pushed them and shouted "Islamphobic abuse" and called them names such as "Bin Laden". They grabbed her by the neck and took her glasses and then smashed a glass bottle on her head.The sisters are both said to have been left shaken by the incident and Ms Syed suffered minor injuries and is afraid to go out alone. At least three people are said to have walked by at the time of the attack without intervening. The police have classed the incident as a "racially motivated attack" (Q News, No 339-440, 01.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.3]Call for Tipton mosque closure
A Sandwell councillor, Ian Jones, has called for an investigation into the use of a mosque, Bait ul-Makram, in Wellington Street, Tipton (See BMMS for January 2002). This was the mosque where Asif Iqbal and Sharif Rasul, now detained in Camp X-Ray, Ruhal Ahmed who has been held by the US military in Afghanistan and Munir Ahmed, missing in Afghanistan, attended prior to going to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Councillor Jones said: "I must stress that this has no connection with the Tipton Muslim Centre opposite, whose members are moderate members of the community. There has been concern that this mosque, which only has temporary planning permission, has been targeted as a hotbed for fanaticism. People have been trying to blame the Muslim centre, but that is not the case" (Wolverhampton Express & Star, 29.01.02). A member of the nearby centre is reported to have said: "It was well known that 17 Wellington Road was popular with some young men and that some misguided views were being expressed about Holy War. It was youthful exuberance" (The Independent, 30.01.02). Temporary planning consent for the mosque is due for renewal and although there has been no opposition for the past 19 years, there were expected to be calls for closure on this occasion (Birmingham Express & Star, 01.02.02).Meanwhile, the families of the two men held in Camp X-Ray have been given police protection following threats from members of the Ku Klux Klan and BNP. Police have installed security alarms in the family homes and the provision of guards at three local mosques is also under consideration. The families have insisted that the young men captured by US forces in Afghanistan in November, are not al-Qaeda members. The police and community leaders have been holding meetings in Tipton in an attempt to ease racial tensions (Sunday Telegraph, 03.02.02, Birmingham Post, 02.02.02, Devon Western Morning News, 30.01.02, Newcastle Journal, 30.01.02, Black Country Evening Mail, 30.01.02 & Walsall Express & Star, 02.02.02, 04.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.4]McLintock release
James McLintock, arrested in Pakistan on suspicion of being connected to al-Qaeda, has been released after five weeks' detention (See BMMS for January 2002). Commenting on McLintock's arrest and detention, Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, leader of the Muslim Parliament, said: "This man has been caught up in a witch hunt. Here we have a charity worker trying to help people, but because he was also a Muslim from Britain found near Afghanistan, everyone automatically assumed he was a terrorist …" (The Scotsman, 31.01.02). McLintock, who converted to Islam and changed his name to Yaqub Mohammed, worked for the Human Relief Foundation, a Muslim charity. In 1995 he married Shaffia Begum, and moved to Pakistan and began working for a charity called Khuddam-ul-Quran. He was arrested in December in a region close to the al-Qaeda base in Tora Bora and was immediately suspected of being a member of the network. After interrogation by the CIA and anti-terrorist officers from New Scotland Yard, he was released (The Scotsman, 31.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.4]Mosque cleared
Leaders of the Madni Mosque, in Gibbet Street in Halifax came forward to set the record straight about accusations of fighting in the mosque and alleged misuse of funds (See BMMS for January 2001). Haji Muhammed Sultan was given the opportunity to launch a defence and Halifax's Evening Courier printed his side of the story. He claimed that no "scuffles" had broken out in the mosque and that the issue being discussed had been resolved amicably. He also said that the congregation on the previous Friday had been offered a refund of any money they had contributed to the fund and outlined how much money had been spent where. With regard to the Charity Commission not having received their accounts for three years, this was explained as the result of a clerical error. The commission had misdirected the mail to a wrong address and Mr Sultan said that they had a full set of accounts from 1983, which were certified by members of the mosque as well as their auditors. The Evening Courier were also invited to inspect these accounts, which had been prepared by Lindley Adams of Halifax and the newspaper also confirmed that the three years of unfiled accounts were now with the commission. Only one set for the period November 1999 to July 1997 remained unfiled but at that time an interim committee, approved by the High Court, was running the mosque. However, the present committee is reported to be pressing for these accounts and at the behest of mosque members, Mr Sultan has written to the commission asking them to investigate and resolve the matter. A public meeting held at the mosque had agreed that the attacks made on the mosque committee were "baseless", but they had caused much anxiety within the community (Halifax Evening Courier, 24.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.4]Human rights row
Several Muslim men suspected of terrorist activities are being held at Belmarsh prison, a top security prison in Thamesmead (See BMMS for January 2002). Gareth Pierce, who represents some of the men, has called for an investigation into the treatment of these prisoners. He has made several allegations, which include that when detained, the men were not given access to lawyers or families and were only given five days to appeal against their imprisonment. It was also alleged that they were not allowed to speak to their relatives in Arabic without a translator, who visits once a week. They do not see daylight as they are locked up for 22 hours a day in what he describes as a "concrete coffin". The men are also said to have been subjected to body searches by women officers and except for 15 minutes on Fridays they have been denied prayer facilities. Amnesty International, who want to ensure that the prisoners are being held in humane conditions, were to meet with the prisoners' lawyers. Amnesty want to obtain first hand information before they go to the Home Office. A spokesperson from the Home Office said the men were being treated in the same way as any other category A prisoner, and this included being locked up for 22 hours a day.Inayat Bunglawala from the Muslim Council of Britain said that they were concerned about the treatment of the prisoners and that above all, their religious and dietary requirements should be respected (Bexleyheath & Welling Kentish Times, 25.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.4]Charity shop confusion
The Surrey Islamic Trust, which owns a shop called Dangerfield & Co, has offered its explanation after being accused of using the premises for the purposes of prayer and not retail business (See BMMS for January 2002). Mahmudur Rahman, a trustee of the registered charity, explained that they now had full time staff to enable them to open the shop at its appointed hours and that members of the trust only prayed on a Friday which co-incided with "collectors" bringing goods to be sold at the store. He did not see what the problem was as they were not disturbing anyone. Another trustee, Syed Mozuridden, explained further that the aim of the trust, which has been in existence for five years, was to build a mosque in the Weybridge, Addlestone or Byfleet area. They had raised £170,000 to buy the charity shop and once they found a suitable location for a mosque they would sell the shop to finance the mosque; until then the business would be open.Runnymede Borough Council is disputing the trust's claims regarding opening hours which they say have been "intermittent" and they have also issued an enforcement order requiring the return of the use of the shop to retail on pain of prosecution. In answer to the accusation by the borough's technical services officer, Peter Simms, that the shop was hardly ever open and stating that they would take action against the loss of retail use to the premises, Mr Mozuridden explained that the shop was not being opened because a man they had employed was not doing his job properly and that they would be investigating this (Addlestone & Byfleet Review, 09.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.5]Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, of which the Prince of Wales is a patron, was established in 1985 and at present is situated on George Street in Oxford. However, this is to change in the next three years, when the centre will move to its new £30 million building, which is in the process of being developed and built. The new building is situated off Marston Road near the Fellows' Garden of Magdalen College. The use of this site attracted a lot of criticism and the matter was finally settled after a majority-of-one vote by Oxford city councillors. It is hoped that the new £30 million project will be a "major landmark in the heart of the city", and the architect has blended traditional aspects of university colleges with eastern elements.The registrar of the centre, Dr David Browning, said the grounds around the centre would be open to the public who could also visit an exhibition gallery. He said that because of the events of 11 September, there was a greater need to understand Islam and the centre's aim was to promote a "more informed understanding of the religion". One of the main areas of research at the centre is the participation of Muslim communities in western societies. He also said that though the building was to cost around £30 million, once construction was under way he envisaged that this sum might increase. Facilities at the centre include a lecture theatre, library, teaching facilities, residential rooms and dining hall, as well as a mosque and integrated landscaped gardens (Oxford Courier, 07.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.5]Ranks of riches
The number of millionaires in Britain fell slightly last year as a result of a slump in the stock market, but this is changing and according to business information company Datamonitor, Muslims and their wealth will be the most sought after customers by Britain's financial services sector. A report revealed that an increasing number of millionaires would be hard working men and women and that out of 1.75 million Muslims, approximately 5,400 were already thought to be millionaires, calculated on the basis of cash and stocks, not property. It is reported that these 5,400 millionaires will have potential liquid assets amounting to £3.6 billion. Datamonitor analyst, Nicolas Stephens, said: "The market for Islamic [Sharia-compliant] finance in the UK is set to grow hugely. A huge gap in the market exists for Sharia compliant equity and mortgage products…Muslims have historically been under-served by UK financial institutions, but this is set to change" (The Guardian, 01.02.02). He notes the first ISA compliant Islamic funds and believes that more and more will follow. He states that Muslims are also showing a willingness to invest in the stock market, and that "There is a huge well of UK Muslim money waiting in cash to be pumped into equities once the right products become available" (The Mirror, 01.02.02).Amongst the listed millionaires were Joe Bloggs' Shami Ahmed who is said to have made £90 million from his business. Scottish Muslims are said to feature prominently on the list. For example, Afzal and Akmal Khushi who are said to be worth around £30 million, own shares in Jacob's & Turner, which is a Glasgow-based ski and sportswear firm. Included is Glasgow Govan MP, Mohammed Sarwar, who is said to have made £10 million from his United Wholesale business and Maq Rasul and his family who are reported to own more than 75 per cent of the Global video chain and are reported to have an estimated £27 million (The Guardian, 01.02.02, The Mirror, 01.02.02, Glasgow Daily Record, 01.02.02, Walsall Daily Express, 01.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.5]OBE
Dr Abdul Gatrad, a consultant paediatrician at the Manor Hospital in Walsall and senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham and assistant professor of paediatrics at the University of Kentucky in the US, has been awarded an OBE for his work. The award is for his work both as a paediatrician and within the Muslim community. Amongst his many contributions, he is reported to have played an important role in initiating, planning and completing the construction of the £1.3 million Masjid Al-Farouq, which has been used by Muslims for the past 16 years. He was also involved in setting up the paediatric assessment observation unit at Walsall Manor. This has enabled GPs to gain immediate access to specialist assessment for children under their care. He has recently contributed to the work "Caring for Muslim Patients" which has gained the attention and support of Prince Charles, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Yousaf Bhailok, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, and has helped raise money for an MRI scanner. He has supported a school in Walsall, where he helped to raise money to build and stock a library and buy computer equipment and is also reported to be a "keen supporter" of the Mlambe Hospital in the town where he was born in Malawi.Dr Gatrad, who is 55 and married with two children, is said to be very happy and honoured. He said: "I would like to think of myself as a 'children's advocate' both in the UK and the Third World. My philosophy is to keep children healthy and ensure that they are usefully occupied after school hours and during holidays" (Sutton Coldfield Observer, 18.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.5]Meeting police and money
There are meetings and other initiatives taking place across the UK between the police and ethnic minority communities. Redbridge police officers raised £1000 at a Christmas party which was attended by more than 500 police officers and sponsors who had donated raffle prizes. The money was shared equally between the Muslim Disabled Association and the NYPD Disaster Fund. Detective Chief Inspector Chris Miller presented a £500 cheque to the Muslim Disabled Association, which offers support and advice to Muslim women and is reported to rely on donations. The money would clear a debt they had incurred as a result of rent arrears.Police in Burnley were reported to have met mosque leaders in order to improve community relations. The meeting took place at the Daneshouse Community Centre. Sergeant Graeme Fearn of the Pennine Police Community Safety Department, said: "We are committed to delivering the best possible service to all sectors of the community, regardless of social, economic or cultural background, and want to build an atmosphere of trust" (Burnley Citizen, 17.01.02), (Burnley Citizen, 17.01.02, Barking & Dagenham Recorder, 17.01.02)
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.6]Breaking language barriers
The Preston Muslim Forum (PMF) was established in the late 1990s. It was set up for the residents of the Deepdale area, to encourage them to gain access to employment and training opportunities. At the beginning it offered one class but now it offers many classes including subjects like English for speakers of other languages, Arabic, IT and glass painting. The drop-in centre offers access to education, training and work for the local ethnic minority people. It also runs outreach surgeries on issues such as council tax, welfare rights and housing. Its senior adult guidance officer, Iqbal Mulla, explained why the centre was so popular. He said that because of its informality people felt comfortable, particularly some women, who found the prospect of going to college a daunting one. This could be because of language, transport or even confidence problems, but the PMF is said to remove these and give them the chance to acquire new skills without the formality of a college (Blackpool Gazette, 21.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.6]Hajj delegation
Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw launched this year's Hajj delegation at London's Regents Park Mosque on 7 February. This was the third consecutive delegation, which was to be led by Lord Adam Patel for the second year running. Approximately 20,000 Muslims were expected to perform Hajj this year and the delegation was to be situated outside the precinct of the Ka'ba, the main mosque in Makkah. The delegation consisted of 12 members, who included nine volunteers, two counsellors and five doctors as well as three members of staff from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Mr Patel said that thousands of leaflets had been distributed to make certain that British Muslims were aware of the service. Mr Straw said that in previous years, one in ten British pilgrims had sought help from the delegations. He also pointed out that Britain was the first Western country to offer such facilities to pilgrims. He said that the FCO's job was to help "British citizens who may be in difficulty overseas. This Delegation is therefore an important symbol of this Government's determination to meet the needs of our Muslim citizens" (Muslim News, 22.02.02). He went on to wish the pilgrims both a rewarding and safe Hajj, hoping that it would renew and strengthen their faith (Eastern Eye, 15.02.02, Muslim News, 22.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.6]Tributes
Hazratmia Kazi, 79, founder of the Saddam Hussein Mosque in Perry Barr in Birmingham, passed away after a year and half of battling with cancer. He was buried after a service at the mosque, where tributes were also paid to him. He was described as "the leading light in the promotion of Muslim-Christian relations throughout the city" (Birmingham Post, 25.01.02). He and all his family were born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He moved to the UK with his family in 1961 and when he first arrived, worked for the post office. He organised pilgrimages to Makkah and Madinah and in 1976 was elected chairman of the Ajamune Islamic Mosque Trust. He was also chairman of the mosque he founded, a position which he held till his death and which he used to build bridges between the Muslim and Christian communities.The Kazi family received messages of condolence from elders from Makkah, Madinah and the Ambassador of Iraq. A former West Midlands Police sergeant John Latham, with hundreds of other people, attended the burial at the Handsworth Cemetery. He said: "I knew him before the mosque was built and all the trials and tribulations he faced. He was such a gentle man, an absolute pleasure to be with. The world would be a better place with a few more Hazratmia Kazis in it" (Birmingham Post, 25.01.02), (Evening Mail, 25.01.02, Birmingham Post, 25.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.6]Arson attack
Two mosques in the east of London have been reported to be the target of what could be serial arsonists. Eastern Eye (08.02.02) carried a report about the arson attack on the Coventry Cross Mosque in Bromley-by-Bow, where 30 children and 15 adults were attending Arabic lessons. As a result of some individuals' quick thinking the fire was put out and no one was hurt and the damage is said to be minimal. However, a week before another nearby mosque, in Limehouse, was also the target of arsonists, and this time the mosque was completely devastated. Imams from other mosques are said to be demanding more protection. The imam of Shajalal Mosque in Stepney Green, said: "After the recent rise in Islamophobia, we are very worried about these types of attacks and we want the police to start protecting us. People are starting to lose their confidence and are stopping from coming here, this place is an important place for the local Muslim community and we will not tolerate it".Police are keeping an "open mind" and are not ruling out anything, it is reported. DC Camp from the Limehouse Community Safety Unit said they had sent officers to speak to people from the two mosques and increased the number of officers, who had been told to pay more attention to what could be potential targets. They had also installed more CCTV cameras (Eastern Eye, 08.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.6]Effects of war
The Wimbledon Civic Forum (WCF) Drake House in Merton was to stage a debate on the "war on terror" and its impact on ethnic minority communities. The meeting had been called by the WCF's Crime Forum after evidence of harassment of ethnic minorities and continuing tension around mosques. The meeting's aim is to examine how the communities in Merton can, together, prevent a rise in racism and had been organised after close consultation with leaders of ethnic minority communities. The discussion was to be led by Dr Richard Stone, chairman of the Runnymede Commission on British Muslims, Iqbal Sacranie, chairman of Muslim Aid and Dr Bashar Al-Naher, described as a leading West London Muslim youth worker. Forum spokesman, John Ellison, said: "…Our aim is to bring everyone together in a debate which can explore the concerns that exist as the result of the recent appalling events in New York and the subsequent action in Afghanistan, and ensure that Islamic beliefs and sensitivities are fully understood in the rest of the community" (Wimbledon Guardian, 31.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.7]Exhibitions
Warwickshire County Council's community education section's workers booked a room at Edward Street Day Centre in Nuneaton and invited volunteers to take part in a photo shoot. Some of these photos are to be used in an exhibition called Images in which Muslim elderly people will be featured. The photographs are of people in different poses, including praying, and those who took part are said to have greatly enjoyed it (Nuneaton Evening Telegraph, 04.02.02).The Muslim Action Forum (MAF), which was set up after the events of 11 September, were organising an exhibition to take place on 13 March from 10am to 8pm at the Moat House Hotel in Watford. Due to fears of increased Islamophobia in the town, MAF's serious aim is to educate as well as to include a database of information for victims. The Muslim community of Watford are said to be targeting race hate and racism by using the exhibition to promote tolerance and understanding. MAF organiser, Zena Rashid, said that the idea for the exhibition of CDROMs, Islamic books and information, came from meetings with local schools. However, she stated that the exhibition was open to people of all ages not just school age. She said: "This is one opportunity to extend to the local community, to invite people in to have a look. Education and understanding – it's that simple" (Watford Observer, 14.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.7]Islamic Relief contributions
A campaign to save lives in Afghanistan and Pakistan was launched in the House of Commons in the first week of February. Meriden MP, Caroline Spelman, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, launched the campaign after witnessing conditions in the refugee camps on the Pakistan-Afghan border. She is aiming to raise funds to pay for converted Land Rovers that serve as mobile hospital units and to help the charity Human Survival and Development, which treats victims of landmines. At the reception, which was attended by the High Commissioner from the Pakistani Embassy, the charity Islamic Relief pledged £50,000 to start the fund. Islamic Relief will also be administering all the funds. Contributions can be sent to Islamic Relief, PO Box 8237, Birmingham, B5 6LA. Islamic Relief is a registered charity No 328158 and cheques can be made payable to Caroline Spelman/Islamic Relief Mobile Hospital Appeal (Birmingham Post, 06.02.02, Solihull Times, 8.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.7]Community support
Pensioner Doris Armstrong is facing losing her home due to a large debt. She borrowed £2,784 ten years ago and fell into arrears which have accrued to £37,000 with the 45 per cent interest a year. A court ruling has awarded her home to the finance company but an appeal is being prepared by specialist lawyers. Keighley MP, Ann Cryer, is also said to be working at helping Mrs Armstrong keep her home and a "fighting fund" has so far raised £1,300 towards legal costs. In the meantime Muslims in Keighley are reported to be rallying around to raise funds to help Mrs Armstrong. The Ittehaad Community Association, which campaigns for "unity between races" is hoping to raise money to boost the fund by hosting a multi-cultural day on 24 March at the Keighley Muslim Community Centre. The chairman, Mohammed Saleem, has asked Bradford Council, businesses and voluntary organisations to support the event. He said: "Islam teaches us to be kind and supportive to others and show generosity on this earth. It teaches us to look after our neighbours. Our event will get communities together to learn about one another's cultures and religion, and support one another in times of difficulty" (Keighley News, 08.02.02). Details of the fighting fund are available on 01535 210083 and for involvement in the multi-cultural day Mr Saleem can be contacted on 07989 030091 (Keighley News, 08.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.7]Open to public
Halifax's Evening Courier (12.02.02) carried a feature on the invitation of the Madni Mosque in Halifax to the public to come and visit the mosque. This had been organised by the West Central Halifax Partnership to raise awareness and understanding of Islam and Muslims. The feature carried many pictures of the mosque and the various facilities it had to offer and it also wrote about the distinguishing features of the mosque both inside and outside. The next tour was to take place on 28 February (Halifax Evening Courier, 12.02.02)..
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.7]Eid-ul-Adha
Eid-ul-Adha was celebrated by Muslims across the UK on the weekend of 22-23 February. The event was enjoyed in various ways ranging from people spending time with their families to organising parties and functions. For example, the Leicester branch of the Islamic Society of Britain organised a dinner at the City Rooms to take place on 9 March. The Basildon Evening Echo (21.02.02) carried an article about Muslims in Essex celebrating Eid. The article wrote about the Basildon Islamic Centre's chairman, Daud Juneja, who said he liked to inform colleagues at work about the importance of the day. He said he liked to email his colleagues about the significance of the day and he brought cakes to show its importance. Burton Mail (21.02.02) carried a report on the "severe disruption" to the taxi service in the city due to Eid. It says this is because the majority of the taxi drivers are Muslims and secretary of the Burton Taxi and Private Hire Association, Sadiq Hussain Chaudhry, warned that the service would be affected during the hours of 6am to 5pm, after which the service would be resumed. Children at the Trinity All Saints CofE School in Bingley in Bradford took part in the celebratory activities of Eid by painting their hands with henna. This is a traditional part of Eid celebrations and the acting head, Ellen Woodthorpe, said learning about it was an "invaluable experience" (Basildon Evening Echo, 21.02.02, Leicester Mercury, 21.02.02, Burton Mail, 21.02.02, Eastern Eye, 22.02.02, Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 23.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.8]Life sentence
Faqir Mohammed, 69, was found guilty of murder by a jury at Manchester Crown Court. Mr Mohammed, a father of ten, was described in court as a "strict" and "devout Muslim", who on the evening of 28 June 2001 came home early from the evening prayer at his local mosque and found his 24-year-old daughter's boyfriend, Bilal Amin, in her bedroom. The daughter, Shahida Perveen, left the room, locking it behind her but her father had a spare key, which she was unaware of, and Mr Mohammed discovered Mr Amin, who escaped by jumping out of the upstairs window. Mr Mohammed is said to have grabbed his daughter in a headlock and stabbed her repeatedly in the head and stomach. She later died in Manchester Royal Infirmary. Mr Mohammed was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Field (Cambridge Evening News, 19.02.02, Wolverhampton Express & Star, 19.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.8]
Education
Money to study sect
Professor James Beckford of the University of Warwick has been given £52,000 by the Leverhulme Trust, which gives funding for academic research, for a two year study of the Nation of Islam, which originated in the US, where it has a large following. The group has been studied in the US but this will be the first time the Nation of Islam has been studied in the UK. Professor Beckford said he hoped the study would help to take away the worst of the prejudices against Islam and views it as an informative project. He said that the purpose of the research was to find out what kind of people were joining and how their lives had been affected by the Nation of Islam. Also, as this sect departs from a number of traditions in Islam it has been viewed as controversial, but the aim of the study was to get a "good all-round impression of how the group is developing and growing" (Rugby Evening Telegraph, 11.01.02), (Coventry Evening Telegraph, 11.01.02, Rugby Evening Telegraph, 11.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.8]Website probed
A website designed to provide information, research and an exchange network for Muslim teachers, has been criticised for providing links to controversial groups such as Al Muhajiroun, Khilafah and Hizbut-Tahrir. The site, called muslimteachers.net, was launched in January and claimed to offer advice to non-Muslims as well as Muslims, acting also as a gateway to other useful websites. A spokesperson for the Board of Deputies of British Jews is reported to want to have the site closed down to enable a full police investigation. The Home Office and Metropolitan police say that they plan to monitor the website. The site was set up by Hasna Saber, Asif Tufal and Zara Bokhari (The Times Educational Supplement, 01.02.02 & Birmingham Sunday Mercury, 10.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.8]Scotland's new Islamic institute
The Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies is converting a former city centre college building to offer its premises for research into and postgraduate teaching of Islamic studies, culture and history. Under a five-year accord, an historical agreement has been signed between the institute and the University of Abertay, in which it has become a division of the university's school of social and health sciences. The institute has been endowed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Industry and Finance in the United Arab Emirates.Abertay principal and vice-chancellor, Professor Bernard King, said: "This is a most exciting day for everyone within the Abertay community. Not only is the Al-Maktoum Institute the first academic initiative of its kind in Scotland, it is also a uniquely important development for Britain. Today it is more important than ever for Abertay to do what it can to foster greater understanding between the world's major faiths. The Al-Maktoum Institute, under the leadership of the renowned scholar Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi, is the perfect vehicle for achieving this…" (Dundee Courier and Advertiser, 29.01.02). Professor El-Awaisi and his team are developing Masters degrees and diplomas in Islamic Studies and, more uniquely, in Islamic Jerusalem studies. In the first year, this autumn, they are hoping to recruit 20 students and research in the fields of specialist Islamic studies is also planned (Dundee Courier and Advertiser, 29.01.02).
Supporting Catholic school
Stoke-on-Trent council officials are said to
be pressing on with their plans to close down St Peter's Catholic Primary
School because they believe there are not enough Catholic pupils to justify
the school's existence, especially as it is said to be at the expense of the
North Primary School, which is nearby. One of the two is facing inevitable
closure. St Peter's, which is said to be a multi-faith school, is flourishing
and the high academic standards of the pupils are said to be due to its
religious ethos. A group of Muslim parents are said to be supporting the
school standing "side by side" with other parents. In a letter to
Stoke's newspaper The Sentinel the Muslims have urged the council to
think again. The letter states: "This school provides an excellent
example of how different religious backgrounds can live together in perfect
harmony. Closure of this school does not simply mean a loss of Catholic
status, but also a loss of the high standards that this school has achieved
over the last few years." It concludes: "We live in a relatively
deprived area and this school is one of the very few examples of the things
that we have which we can truly be proud of" (Stoke Sentinel,
08.02.02).
However, Ghausia Mosque Trust recently sent a petition that endorsed the
views of parents of pupils from the North Primary School. A Muslim parent of a
pupil at the school said they felt that a community school was more open to
other cultures than a Catholic school and that their school had a
"fabulous" atmosphere. His son, who attends the North Primary, is
not only aware of other cultures but is also respected for his own. He said
that the closing of their school would not only make the community suffer but
would tear the community apart. However, a Muslim parent governor who was also
one of the people behind the letter to the newspaper said that St Peter's was
a faith school where pupils were taught about other beliefs and Islam. He
said: "It is not just about losing a Catholic school. If they close the
school, all the hard work and high standards we have achieved will be
destroyed. It is going to take years to build that up again" (Stoke
Sentinel, 08.02.02), (Stoke Sentinel, 08.02.02, The Potteries
Advertiser, 14.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.9]
Politics
Proscribed groups fight back
Two organisations, The People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), have been blacklisted by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, for allegedly having terrorist connections. These groups have now taken the government to court under the Human Rights Act. Their lawyers have accused the government of not distinguishing between groups fighting for a democratic cause against oppressive regimes, and fanatical groups. They are seeking permission for a judicial review of the introduction of the government's proscription order because they believe that this, and parts of the terrorism Act, are incompatible with both the UK and European human rights legislations. The hearing had been adjourned at the time of the article, but if the groups succeed it is said that the government will face claims for damages (Birmingham Post, 23.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.9]
Racism
Shaikh arrested
Shaikh Abdullah el-Faisal, of East London, is to appear in court on 21 February, accused of the rare offence of soliciting to commit murder, after it was alleged that he urged Muslims to kill Jews and non-believers. Tapes of his lectures have been sold in Muslim bookshops and he has allegedly spoken in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Coventry, Maidenhead and Tipton. Originally from Jamaica, Shaikh el-Faisal converted to Islam at the age of sixteen (The Times, 21.02.02). It is believed that he studied in Saudi Arabia for eight years (The Independent, 21.02.02). Muslims in Maidenhead denied that talks had taken place there. Fazal Awan, chairman of the Islamic Trust in Maidenhead, said: "He has definitely never spoken in the mosque and as far as I know it's not true that he has been in Maidenhead. Nobody I have spoken to has heard of him coming here. If he did come here he would probably meet in someone's house with maybe 10 or 20 people …" (Maidenhed Advertiser, 08.02.02). El-Faisal reportedly addresses followers every Saturday at the Jagonari educational centre in Whitechapel, London. He denies that he promotes terrorism (London Evening Standard News Extra, 04.02.02).Meanwhile, the artist whose designs appear on the tapes of Shaikh Faisal claims he was unaware of the content of the talks. Nasar Haq, who works for a housing association in Yorkshire, said in reference to the content of the tapes: "I'm shocked to hear that sort of stuff. I certainly wouldn't want to encourage anyone to listen to anything like that, absolutely not. Race hate has no place in the world" (The Times, 09.02.02, Daily Telegraph, 05.02.02, Jewish Chronicle, 08.02.02, London Jewish News, 08.02.02, 22.02.02, Jewish Telegraph, 08.02.02, London Jewish News, 14.02.02, Island Times, 19.02.02, South Wales Echo, 21.02.02, Financial Times, 21.02.02).
The goal
Newcastle's The Journal (01.02.02)
carried an article entitled Rashida's golden goal in their Life
feature. Twenty-seven-year-old mother of two, Rashida Ahmedad, a British
Muslim, came to Britain from Pakistan as a child and now as an adult she is
said to be one of a growing number of Asian men and women who are trying to
make a change in the world of football where at present Asian women are hardly
present. Ms Ahmedad has recently started her first paid job. She has been
recruited by Sports England as a Black and Ethnic Minority Development Officer
for the Centre for Sport at Westgate Community Centre in Newcastle. The
postholder is to encourage the use of the relatively new facilities by ethnic
minorities. The article stated that the scope for more Asian female
footballers was certain to widen as there has been growing development of
women's sides in the north-east and Ms Ahmedad said that more Asian female
role-models are needed. However, though she had been a former school athletics
champion in school, she made several suggestions as to why it was hard for
Asian women to take on football seriously. Parents' opposition was cited as
one and Ms Ahmedad herself faced this hurdle. Her family judged education to
be more important because football could never be considered a career.
Nevertheless, she said that young Asians were growing up with a different
attitude and that she would always encourage her children in sports, including
football. Also, according to Sport England's national survey, Asian women are
interested in playing sport, though the number taking part is actually less
than the national average. Forty-four per cent of Pakistani women, 40 per cent
of Black African women and almost half of all Indian women, gave "home
and family responsibilities" as the most common explanation for this. Ms
Ahmedad said: "Religion can be a drawback, particularly for Moslems.
Parents don't approve of the clothing. The Moslem religion says that women
have to be covered". This is also seen as an explanation of why so few
Asian women take up swimming.
Ms Ahmedad, however, is reported to point to her own clothing, a tracksuit,
which easily solves this problem because Muslim women can still be covered in
accordance with their religion; they do not have to wear shorts and T-shirts
for playing football. The article also states that this is not just an issue
with Muslim women, as national co-ordinator for Kick Racism Out Of Football,
Piara Powar, states that women in general are concerned with their body image.
Ms Ahmedad goes on to speak of her surprise when she watched the mini-Olympics
on television, where Muslim women competed against one another in different
sports in Saudi Arabia. She said that she was even more surprised when saw
that all the judges were female. Her task, at present, was to encourage
schools in Newcastle to use the community centre. Her concluding remarks were
that she wanted to "empower and educate the ethnic minorities" (Newcastle
Journal, 01.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.9]
Youth defies Prime Minister
The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is
reported to have lost his composure briefly when he was called a
"liar" by 16-year-old schoolgirl, Sumayya Navsarka, a GCSE student
from Sydney Stringer College in Coventry. The Prime Minister was addressing
1,500 pupils at the Westminster's Methodist Central Hall who were taking part
in the annual Westminster Day to introduce them to politics. Ms Navsarka is
reported to have protested when the Prime Minister is said to have defended
the bombing of Afghanistan. He is reported to have said that the people of
Afghanistan view the British and US bombing as providing "liberation from
the Taliban" to which Ms Navsarka shouted out: "They don't. They
don't" and other members of the audience are said to have murmured in
support of her (Muslim News, 22.02.02). The Daily Telegraph
(06.02.02) reported that a "clearly angry Mr Blair retorted: 'Don't talk
to me about it. Talk to people in Afghanistan about the nature of the regime
in the country before we took the action that we did'". He went on to say
that Afghanistan was a country that was funded by drugs and terrorism and that
in the Al-Qaeda camps thousands of people were probably being trained in
terrorism and that there was no doubt that they were responsible for 11
September.
She later spoke to Muslim News and said that what the Prime Minister
said was not true and that her school mates agreed with her. She said they
clapped when she told him that he was lying. She said that she was not afraid
to speak out as one did not get a chance to tell the Prime Minister the truth
every day. She also told Muslim News that she was upset about Cherie
Blair's comments on the burqa worn by women in Afghanistan. Mrs Blair
had said that there was nothing that symbolised oppression more than the burqa.
Ms Navsarka questioned how Mrs Blair knew these women were oppressed and said
that it was "total nonsense". She also wanted to question the Prime
Minister about the treatment of the terror suspects held in Camp X-Ray. In
Glasgow's Daily Record (06.02.02) she is reported as saying that she
knows many people from Afghanistan and that they preferred life under the
Taliban. She said that the Prime Minister was making it up as he went along.
She said: "It seems to me that anyone who speaks out against Britain's
actions in Afghanistan is branded fundamentalist. I consider myself a moderate
Moslem but have serious concerns about the conflict. The Taliban were strict
but considered by most Afghanis as a proper regime. The people were
happy" (Glasgow Herald, 06.02.02), (Muslim News, 22.02.02, Daily
Telegraph, 06.02.02, Glasgow Herald, 06.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.10]
Youth league accused
On 28 January
BBC programme Newsnight featured a report on the World Assembly of
Muslim Youth (WAMY) and an interview with one of its representatives. The
organisation, which is funded by Saudi Arabia, was accused of "being part
of an international terror recruitment network" and it was said that
their "youth camps were in fact indoctrination camps for future
terrorists" (Q News, No 339-340, 01.02.02) because in 1991 the
organisation publicly called Osama bin Laden "a compassionate man".
Ten years later this is interpreted as support for the events of 11 September
despite WAMY's condemnation of those events. The director of WAMY, Noureddine
Miladi, said: "If the BBC suggests that when a Muslim youth is given the
opportunity to engage in archery or rifle shooting or horse riding, it is
training for terrorism, but when a non-Muslim engages in such activities it is
merely an activity, then they are infringing very basic human rights and are
promoting racism and prejudice in a time where tensions are already high…"
He went on to say that such allegations against the youth were both
"highly unethical and immoral" and that there is nothing secretive
or wrong about the camps and their timetable, which are both open to everyone.
Also, whilst condemning the events of 11 September, he also added that, "WAMY
also condemns the unjust and double standard American foreign policy in the
Muslim world…" The knock on effect of these accusations is said to have
had an effect on other Muslim youth groups, who, for several years, have been
involved in organising camps similar to WAMY's but had done so without any
scrutiny or suspicion (Q News, No 339-340, 01.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.10]
Muslim youth and Ali G
Q News
(NO 339-340, 01.02.02) carried a review on the follow up report to Sir Herman
Ouseley's report on Bradford, which is entitled: Community Pride And
Prejudice, Making Diversity Work in Bradford. The follow up report by
Philip Lewis, who is an advisor to the Bishop of Bradford, is said to be
"another wasted attempt at understanding British Muslim youth". It
accuses the report of being stereotypical and an example of "so-called
'expert' outsiders" who claim to be experts without engaging in any
dialogue with the very people that they write about. The report, which is
entitled: Between Lord Ahmed and Ali G: Which Future Of British Muslims,
although said to be an easy read, is nevertheless criticised for being at
times "a shocking read and at times is a real test of patience".
The character of Ali G, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, a Jewish Cambridge graduate, represents someone who pretends to be black and makes fun of celebrities and politicians. The report states that "social reality encapsulated in the figure of Ali G is a part cause, part response to disturbing figures on educational under-achievement in these communities". However, the report is said not to go into the reasons behind the under achievement or social exclusion of these young people. It states that the report "makes patronising assumptions that Asian Muslim youth are not capable of creative or intelligent formation of their own identity but that they have to adopt one that is given". The report is said to rely on "secondary source material" and that it does not engage in a "meaningful discourse on the Ali G phenomena and neither does it explore the Asian Muslim identity in any meaningful way". The review states that rather than understanding Muslim youth, in many ways, the report demonises them. The report is said to state that the Muslim identity is displayed by many British Asian Muslims as "being tantamount to violence against women". This is because the report highlighted that violence by some British Pakistani/Kashmiri men in Bradford against women, especially, has escalated. Women, too, are said to be described as having "no meaningful identity" and Mr Lewis is accused of not exploring their identity "in any other context except as helpless victims".
Finally, the report is said to end with "a summary of the challenges
facing Bradford". However, in asking the question of who will have the
last word, whether it will be Ali G or Lord Ahmed, the review states that if
Mr Lewis has his way it will be Ali G, because throughout the entire report,
Lord Ahmed was only mentioned once (Q News, No 339-340, 01.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.11]
Focus group
A new group in Kates Hill, Dudley, called the
Dudley Muslim Youth and Community Federation, is to look at issues affecting
Muslim youth in the UK. The group, which is led by Sajad Karim, is to focus on
the concerns of discrimination, education, employment and health in deprived
areas. The group is being supported by councillors John Davis and Shaukat Ali.
Cllr Davis said: "The idea for the group is one I support wholeheartedly
and is long overdue" (Dudley News & County Express, 31.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.11]
Listening to the army
Halifax's Evening Courier (07.02.02)
carried an article on army recruitment from ethnic minorities. Twenty-seven
year old Amar, who works for Focus Consultancy in a nationwide campaign funded
by the Ministry of Defence, said that his job was to change the ethnic
minorities' perception of the army. It stated that since 11 September it had
become very important for the army "to have at least a smattering of
Asian soldiers" in order to show that they were open to all regardless of
their religion or race. However at present, for example, serving Pakistani
Muslims represent less than one in a thousand while the pro rata figure should
be 20 times that number. Twenty-four year old Sajid Khan is said to be a known
and trusted figure at the Raven Street youth club. He had worked with Amar
doing groundwork at the British Muslim Association in Halifax. He told club
members that the army catered for Muslim prayer times, diet and religious
holidays. He had also helped set up a "meet the army session"
recently at the club where, along with the Paras and serving soldiers there
was a rap poet, an Asian dhol drummer and a DJ. Several dozen attended
and it was said to have been a "great success".
There is still a problem, however, because beards are not allowed since
they are said to be incompatible with what is known as the Noddy suit. This
protects against germs, gas and radioactive attack. The report states that the
army can adapt because for forty years now it has been allowing Sikhs to wear
the turban and beard, but they have to wear a hairnet in order to have an air
tight seal in their Noddy suits. The latest recruitment figures are said to be
encouraging, as they are hitting the targets of five per cent recruitment from
ethnic minorities. Nevertheless, the numbers are still small from the Muslim
section. Forty per cent of all ethnic minorities come from London, and from
across the UK they are mostly Afro-Caribbean instead of Asian, said Michael
Williams from London's Focus office. He said that recruiting young Asian men
was always going to be a problem, even before 11 September, for all sorts of
cultural reasons but that they were working hard to change both the army's
practice and people's perceptions (Halifax Courier, 07.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.11]
Jobless
A report commissioned by the Prime Minister, Tony
Blair, last March, will reveal that in comparison with other Asians, Muslim
men from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds are more likely to be
unemployed. Newent's The Citizen (20.02.02) and Halifax's Evening
Courier (20.02.02) reported that according to The Guardian, the
report by the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit found that
religion, which included the influence of Islam "was one of the
'unidentified factors' affecting the economic performance of ethnic
minorities.." (Newent Citizen, 20.02.02). It discovered that after
making allowances for factors such as education and residential areas,
Pakistani Muslims were three times more likely to be jobless as Hindus and
that Indian Muslims were twice as likely to be jobless as Indian Hindus.
Although the report cautions against the conclusion that religion necessarily
causes "economic disadvantage", it also states that "the odds
of being unemployed do vary significantly with religion" (Halifax
Evening Courier, 20.02.02), (Newent Citizen, 20.02.02, Halifax
Evening Courier, 20.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.12]
Aylesbury, Havelock Street
Planning permission has been granted to the
mosque in Havelock Street in Aylesbury for an area for shoe storage which will
also, in turn, lead to re-arrangement of the parking area from both the front
and side of the mosque. The plans will also provide a porch area which will be
separated from the main worship area by pillars and a door. The plans were
only given the go-ahead after there was an agreement that they would not
result in a higher number of people or traffic coming into the area (he
Bucks Herald, 06.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.12]
President of the association, Barry Malik, said that he was delighted
because this was something he had been dreaming of for a long time. He said
that the association would welcome people of all faiths at the new building,
which he described as a landmark (Bradford Telegraph & Argus,
25.01.02, Asian Eye, 01.02.02)..
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.12]
Colchester, Priory Street
The Colchester Islamic Cultural Association
had applied to the council to build a single storey extension, at the mosque,
as a prayer room. However, before the planning committee make their decision,
planners are to make a site visit because Peter McCarthy, a neighbour, has
claimed that the extension will have an impact on his home (Colchester
Evening Gazette, 28.01.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.12]
Manchester airport
Taxi drivers at Manchester airport had been
experiencing problems if they wanted to pray during their working hours. The
prayer facilities available at airport terminals caused problems because a
five minute prayer could take 25 minutes. Some drivers resorted to praying
either in the back of their cars or on the rough ground near the car park,
whilst those who got fares for the city centre managed to use a mosque.
However, as a result of complaints from 420 registered black cab drivers, a
disused portable hut was made available. The taxi drivers raised £720 to
clean, decorate and install heating in the hut as well as laying down special
carpets to pray on. The hut is open to people of all faiths but it is used
mostly by the 130 Muslim taxi drivers working at the airport. The man who is
reported to have come up with the idea is Tanvir Nawaz. He said: "It's
not a mosque, a church or a synagogue. Regardless of what your religion is,
you can go in there and sit quietly and read your Bible or holy book. It's
open 24 hours a day. It's widely used and there's 20 to 25 people in here
everyday" (Manchester Evening News, 01.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.12]
Reading, Oxford Road
Reading Borough Council's planning committee has
approved an application for a mosque on Oxford Road. It will be a three-storey
building with a car park, which, together with prayer facilities, is to have a
mortuary, funeral facilities and educational facilities. It will also be used
as a resource centre for non-Muslims to learn about Islam. The mayor of
Reading, Tony Jones, was said to be at the meeting especially to welcome the
plans and hoped that it would break down some of the social barriers that
existed. Other councillors also praised the plans, and Cllr Bob Green, for
example, said: "This is the third mosque we've approved and this is a
mark of a thriving multi-cultural community. In 100 years' time we will treat
this with the same sort of affection as we treat other churches today" (Reading
Evening Post, 07.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.12]
Rochdale, Copenhagen Street
Al-Qaba Mosque in Copenhagen Street has
applied for a two-storey extension. The application is said to be going before
Rochdale Township Planning Committee, though, due to the proposed extension
being close to houses nearby, it is being opposed by Wardleworth and Hamer
Renewal Area Committee (Rochdale Observer, 16.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.12]
Cambusnethan burials
Graves at the Cambusnethan cemetery were
desecrated for the second time since last year. This time around 40 graves
stones in the Muslim section of the cemetery were damaged. Around 200 Muslims
gathered at the cemetery, including the general secretary of the Lanarkshire
Muslim Society, Ghulam Siddiquie. He, together with Wishaw police, did not
believe that the vandalism was racist but that because of 11 September,
Muslims must have been on the minds of the vandals. This time, Mr Siddiquie
said that it was pre-meditated as it seems that tools were used. Also, related
to the backlash after 11 September, a mosque in Carfin received a threatening
letter and someone also tried to set it on fire. Also, several Asian shops,
not all Muslims-owned, had racist slogans referring to 11 September sprayed on
them.
Mr Siddiquie went on to condemn the events of 11 September and said that
the community supported Britain as this was where they lived and raised their
families. He said they had not gathered in the cemetery to protest but because
they were hurt. He questioned what the vandals achieved and said that one day,
when they buried someone there, they would realise what they had done. The
police were reported to have said they would do their utmost to find the
culprits (Wishaw Press, 06.02.02).
[BMMS February Vol. X, No.2, P.12]
