By Majed Iqbal- Sunday 24th August saw the Youth Conference "Stand for Islam" organised by Hizb-ut-Tahrir Britain hosted in the city of Bradford . Over 150 people attended the event to listen into the discussions on the role of Young Muslims in tackling the growing discussions about Islam, Extremism, and the growing climate in which attacks are being levelled on the Quran, the Prophet of Islam and Shariah law.
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Muaaz Yasin opened the first sessions talk on the lifestyles that were being presented to Young Muslims. He tackled the glamorisation of gangster and rapper lifestyles showing their illusions and false pretences which are often imitated by youth.
An intro video visualised these issues of bravado and being street which lead to no where apart from trouble and misery. Muaaz detailed how Islam can create a productive youth who can use his energies to become a leader for Islam in his community by entertaining and entering into the debates and discussions which are coming thick and fast about Muslim Youth.
The second speaker Mazhar Pathan tackled the role of identity for Muslim youth. He highlighted that in a globalised world national identities were diminishing but yet Muslims are challenged for exerting views about being a 'Global Muslim Ummah (nation)'. He evidenced how Politicians and government were adamant on dis-connecting Muslim Youth especially from the rest of the Muslim world in an attempt to galvanise support for their actions internationally in the guise of fighting the war on Terror in places like Afghanistan , Pakistan , Iraq and other 'hot spots'.
The talk was complemented by a video highlighting the growing support for Shariah and Caliphate in the Muslim world and growing dissent against foreign occupation and international interference and meddling in the affairs of the people. The video presented the work of Hizb-ut-Tahrir in Britain , Pakistan , Denmark , Ukraine , Bangladesh , Lebanon , Syria , Sudan , Kenya and many other countries demonstrating that the correct identity which binds all these people is through the Islamic identity.
The second session of the conference re-opened with Manchester rapper Ill I.Q with freestyle rapping vocals on Islamophobia, rejection of Gangster lifestyle, Working for Islam and challenging agendas.
this was followed with Trophies given out for the regional tournaments in Football, Freestyle rap and Graffiti held in Rochdale, Manchester , Accrington, Bolton and Bradford
Taji Mustafa, Spokesperson for Hizb-ut-Tahrir began the second session talk with his keynote speech on challenging the rhetoric and agendas levelled at the Muslim Community and the role of the Muslim Youth in this.
Taji encouraged the youth to engage in the debates and discussions, but after realising some basic points. These were to understand the propaganda being pushed forward, to prepare the correct counter arguments for this, to study Islam in order to be able to challenge the arguments put forward about Shariah law, Quran and the Caliphate and lastly to become a carrier of these ideas in the community, both amongst Muslims and non-Muslims.
Taji Mustafa's talk was introduced by a video titled "where are the Heroes" which showed famous figures from History who showed responsibility and enthusiasm in taking on the debates and discussions of their time and ultimately defending the Message of Islam.
This was followed by a 1 hour interactive Question and answer session with all panellists. The audience showed a real level of engagement with the ideas that had been presented to them on the day.
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