"We have made significant progress working with communities to build an alliance against violent extremists," Ms Blears says.
Talking of this "Alliance", in Rochdale meeting after meeting which debated the "Violent Extremism" pathfinder fund which was proposed by the then Communities secretary, Ruth Kelly, was unanimously rejected by Influential Community Leaders in Rochdale. So who exactly is Ms Blears referring to when she mentions she has been "working with communities to build an alliance against violent extremists"?
The initiative also includes a new independent board of academic and theological experts and a group of community leaders to advise on local responses to tackling extremism. Who exactly are the personalities in Rochdale doing this and where was their presence in the community meetings that took place in this town amongst major decision makers?
The Citizenships program is supposed "to show youngsters there is no conflict between their religion and being British". this comes in stark contrast to the findings of the report commissioned by Peter Oborne, "Muslims under siege" from the Dispatches Program where it actively proved that Muslims are singled out for discrimination and abuse and are used as game by politicians for Political objectives.
Report commissioners Peter Oborne and James Jones in their Report Introduction write "The seed for this pamphlet was planted in October 2006 when Jack Straw and other cabinet ministers raised the issue of Muslim women wearing the veil. It soon became clear that this was more than a random rumination from a member of the government. Rather Labour appeared to have made the extraordinary decision to try to identify with a general mood of resentment and anxiety about the presence of Muslim communities in this country and to intervene in the politics of religious identity".
So where is the real sense of belonging for Muslim Communities who peacefully live here but are actively maligned? Do we need Islamic theology to explain to us how we should be good citizens or do attitudes in British Society need to be changed to make Muslims feel more accommodated?
So where are these "fringe elements" in Rochdale who are towing this narrow and intellectually bankrupt agenda who are having closed door meetings with Politicians and deciding the destiny of Rochdale Muslims before even consulting the community?
I also organised a community event titled "Extremism, Islam and the Muslim community" in February this year in Rochdale in the heart of the Muslim community which was attended by over 200 people including non-Muslims. The event challenged the government agenda and questioned why it was so hell bent on throwing millions of pounds at the Muslim Community as part of its effort to drive the campaign on the "War on Terror" or as i say, the "War on ERROR"?
Everybody was in agreement that the Government indeed had an agenda to make the Muslim Community silent on Foreign Policy issues related to Iraq and Afghanistan and blame a bogey man instead, "Extremism" for the causes of Terrorism.
This arguement comes based on numerous detailed evidences provided as far back as April 2005 when a report drawn up by the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) entitled "International Terrorism: Impact of Iraq" was explicit, stating: "We judge that the conflict in Iraq has exacerbated the threat from international terrorism and will continue to have an impact in the long term.
So are Ministers doing there usual strut of having closed meetings with "personalities" in the Muslim community who either are politically naive to the bone or are willing to work for a false agenda which is damaging for the Muslim Community?
If Britain is a secular country why interfere in any religion......it's not about fighting extremism because even the blind can see that foreign policy is the cause and not anything else.
ReplyDeleteDoes the government really think people in the Muslim community are going to refer to government funded scholars for their Islam.
The Muslims community does not want these scholars for dollars. Or a version of Islam tainted with values from liberal securlar democracy.
No Thank You
It is surprising how the government doesn't stop interfering in the Muslim community to enslave it. I would have thought after failing previously, the government wouldn't attempt the same mis-guided agenda again! Especially in Rochdale & Bradford where community leaders, organisations and mosques have (in huge numbers) rejected such initiaves before, pointing to the fact that these plans will only distance communities from each other and damage well-built relationships. Once again I believe we will see over-whelming opposition from Muslims & non-Muslims.
ReplyDeleteJazak-allah for quick and good response.
ReplyDeleteThe government is hell bent on targeting the Muslim Community and is using dubious means to achieve its objective. However, there is always somone from the muslim community who is willing to sell out and do the goverments bidding...and we need to expose, name and shame them...
Like to keep it simple…
ReplyDeleteCitizenship as a subject, has failed in main stream schools… when you secularize a set of values or beliefs into the for corners of a classroom or mosque, it has the exact opposite effect, creating a schizophrenic mentality in the people… just look to what has happened to the youth of Britain today!
Whereas in Islam these values that come from the belief that Muslims carry are not separated in a secular way. Hence, these are carried everywhere we go, whether in Britain or anywhere else in the world. We are a people regardless of time and place value the sanctity of life and put the needs of people at the forefront!
I would question Ms Blears about tackling the real issues before coming to the Muslim community with indirect allegations…
Look at what these people have done to the rest of Britain!!!
Lets start with the…
EDUCATION system, violent attacks on teacher’s, rising as usual
Dare I say ECONOMICS… well as long as the price of beans on toast does not go up too much, we may survive!
SOCIAL fabric… ASBO’s is the reward of the day, teenage pregnancies, knife crime, family breakdowns, binge drinking, drug related crime, rape crime, pedophilia, domestic burglary, robberies, attacks on the elderly, racism, fraud, Human trafficking etc….
Judicial/Justice system… Civil Liberties – yeah right!!
42 days without trial - Innocent until proven guilty????
Does the punishment fit the crime???
Just look outside your front door! I’m sure you can add to the list
Now tell me, Will Citizenship in the Muslim community solve the problems of the day?
Are Muslims to blame for the mess?
I truly think the Muslim and non Muslim communities need take the solutions this government promotes with a pinch of salt… we must work together and speak out against this government and expose their selfish political motives… it’s high time we ask the real questions and debate the real issues, Ms Blears, What is your real agenda?
Also will Ms Blears form an alliance with all ministers of churches to tackle child sex abuse following the Pope’s formal apology?
i think hazel Blears before teaching citizenship to muslims need to look at the problems of other members of society. Knife Crime, paedophiles and drug use is rampant and more apparent in other communities. So before saying Muslims will benefit from citizenship i think she needs to tackle the wider problems Britains other communities face. Just in Burnley we have the highest teenage pregnancies in the whole of europe, also the highest rate of STD outside London. Are these the values she wants to pass in the mosque by teachign our children citizenship. I say we don't need these absurd and irrational values we just need the values of Islam in our lives.
ReplyDeleteI wonder If they will be having classes for the Jewish community who send kids to kill innocent Palestinian kids in an illegal occupation army or for the disadvantaged kids who carry knives and guns or for those binge drinking teenagers...or maybe its just for Muslims to deviate their religion
ReplyDeleteSalaam
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great article! I would like to add my disgust at the way the British government is trying to shape an Islam which is palatable to them. A version of islam which will strip us from our global ummah, a version which will silence us over the occupation and oppression of Muslim land, a version which seeks to erase the idea of shariah from the minds of Muslims, a version which will make muslims accept the illegal occupation of the state of Isreal.
The government has a long term strategy - to pollute the minds of muslims while they are still young - at Quran classes in the masjids and madrassahs, so that the next generation of muslims only see Islam as praying and fasting.
We must do all we can to speak to our imams and community leaders to reject this "government Islam". We must protest at the interference of the government in our institutions - the time is now!
We need to know who the "imams" are that support the government projects - i urge them to come forward and have a public consultation - if they have the gutts - i 'm sure the majority of the muslims will reject these government initiatives.
Looks like some people only see the $$$ signs!!!
REJECT THE GOVERNMENT MONEY & GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES !!!
Salaam,
ReplyDeleteIt is disturbing to see that a mosque here in rochdale would even consider such proposals, you can imagine the blurb that our children would come back home with, as effects of "initiatives" like these.
I am worried enough about choosing a school for my daughter to study in which wont bring her home with failed values given to us by this sinking society. But to think that in the future, what should be a safety net for her (the mosque) could be introducing programmes which could potentially harm her thinking and identity.
This is Worrying and we need to do something to counter these sort of initiatives.
I keep wondering when politics will actually be about helping really community agenda's and not just pushing a political agenda that nobody (with the exception of a very few) agrees with??
ReplyDeleteThe pathfinder fund to fight "violent extremism" was rejected in rochdale by the influentials yet it was pushed through a few sell-outs. The naseehah project was rejected by imams in bradford but yet the government still pushes a government syle syllabus. So who exactly is calling for these changes?
Imam Aby Haneefah is often referred to for his comment that when you see a scholar coming from the gates of the ruler, question his Iman... Id like to see which mosque in Rochdale would proudly endorce this initiative?
What a disgraceful waste of tax payers money!!!
ReplyDeleteI dont know who has been advising the government about Rochdale but whoever it was needs to be handed his/her P45.
Since when did the Muslim community in Rochdale need special lessons in citizenship? If there is anywhere in Rochdale where I learnt about respecting people of EVERY faith, living in peace with EVERYONE, being a good example for society etc it was in the mosques in Rochdale. And this can be seen everywhere in this great little town.
Instead of throwing silly money into half baked schemes, maybe it should invest money in more bobbies on the streets of Rochdale, more investment in Rochdale schools, regeneration of deprived areas in Rochdale, cleaning up the parks in Rochdale, attracting more businesses into Rochdale etc.
These are the issues which effect everyone of us in Rochdale. If anybody is creating divisions in Rochdale it is Hazel and her cronies.
Citizenship classes in Masjids? What next? Will the government set up Shariah councils advising Muslims how to get married and telling us off for sending out kids to madrassah for 1-2 hours after school?
ReplyDeleteThe Muslim community has displayed it can fully live in peace and harmony with all races and backgrounds of people. The purpose of these programmes is to further pressure Muslims into changing their views on Islam to make it a more western compatable Islam, i.e. an Islam where women can wear t-shirts and jeans and choose their boyfriends, an Islam where men don't grow up with beards, an Islam which is simply left to the home and Masjid.
If anyone needs to be taught it's the indigenous population who need to be taught how to live amongst other races, accept there are different people with different beliefs around the world, of which the UK is a very small part, that trying to force the western culture down the throats of people who have already lived it and tasted it and decide to stick to their own beliefs/practices is not the solution. They need to be taught their western way has failed here in the UK and western world (just read the news on crime, social breakdown of family, individualism etc).
It should be the Muslim community giving lessons to the government on how to set up a basic community which exemplies the values of tolerance for other people, respect for elders, respect for your neighbour and so on.
Places like Rochdale, Bradford, Blackburn don't need this. Thanks but not thanks.
I quite regularly read majeds blog with delight. I have to say certain individuals were trying to force a government agenda in Bradford where I reside and it was outright rejected by Imams, scholars,community leaders and islamic organisations. Please don't take money at the expense of the 'wishes' of the muslim community. The people on the ground are a lot more astute than you think.
ReplyDeleteWhy would you want a mosque in your community that teaches that non-muslims are the scum of the earth? (quran 98.6)
ReplyDeleteAhmed Raza Khan: Mohammed Aqib Qadri:
Indeed all disbelievers, the People of the Book(s) and the polytheists, are in the fire of hell - they will remain in it for ever; it is they who are the worst among the creation.
Yusuf Ali:
Those who reject (Truth), among the People of the Book and among the Polytheists, will be in Hell-Fire, to dwell therein (for aye). They are the worst of creatures.
Pickthal:
Lo! those who disbelieve, among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters, will abide in fire of hell. They are the worst of created beings.