QUESTION TIME on Salman Rushdie's knighthood
Panelists reason out the link between gaining a knighthood and its offence on sectors of the community. Once again, Freedom of Speech is categorised as a non-Negotiable concept for western countries to bargain on for any issue. People should accept it and be thankful for it.
Click to see the SHOW
Monday, 25 June 2007
QUESTION TIME on Salman Rushdie's knighthood
Panelists reason out the link between gaining a knighthood and its offence on sectors of the community. Once again, Freedom of Speech is categorised as a non-Negotiable concept for western countries to bargain on for any issue. People should accept it and be thankful for it.
Panelists reason out the link between gaining a knighthood and its offence on sectors of the community. Once again, Freedom of Speech is categorised as a non-Negotiable concept for western countries to bargain on for any issue. People should accept it and be thankful for it.
Thursday, 14 June 2007
Asian Leader Article- Reforming Islam?
The following was published in the Asian Leader newspaper (North West and Yorkshire) on 12 June 2007 articulating the case for how the muslim community feels about the idea of reforming Islam which the government is talking about.
Click here to read full article text
Friday, 8 June 2007
The Apprentice- How far will YOU go?
By Majed Iqbal- Its Wednesday night, BBC 2, and 9pm sharp. Millions of people in the UK have been glued to their screens ready to see the Hit TV show “The Apprentice”. He is the hard-nosed businessman who learnt life the hard way. Sir Alan Sugar, the son of a tailor, who left school at the age of 16 At the age of 21 he founded Amstrad which later floated on the London Stock Exchange.
He is one of the government's team of figureheads who travel around schools and universities encouraging young people to have an entrepreneurial spirit.He’s now looking for an apprentice; someone to work for him. Fourteen contestant’s ruthlessly battle for the position.
It’s the final week now. Will it be Simon or Kristina? By now, any of us who has watched this show will have realised that its cut throat. There are no friend’s, only foes. It’s a competition out there of the Survival of the fittest. Nobody cares about the next person. You ONLY defend yourself. All the smiles are Fake, the laughter is empty and the kind gestures and nice presentation is all deception.
He is one of the government's team of figureheads who travel around schools and universities encouraging young people to have an entrepreneurial spirit.He’s now looking for an apprentice; someone to work for him. Fourteen contestant’s ruthlessly battle for the position.
It’s the final week now. Will it be Simon or Kristina? By now, any of us who has watched this show will have realised that its cut throat. There are no friend’s, only foes. It’s a competition out there of the Survival of the fittest. Nobody cares about the next person. You ONLY defend yourself. All the smiles are Fake, the laughter is empty and the kind gestures and nice presentation is all deception.
The Apprentice- How far will YOU go?
By Majed Iqbal
Its Wednesday night, BBC 2, and 9pm sharp. Millions of people in the UK have been glued to their screens ready to see the Hit TV show “The Apprentice”.
He is the hard-nosed businessman who learnt life the hard way. Sir Alan Sugar, the son of a tailor, who left school at the age of 16 At the age of 21 he founded Amstrad which later floated on the London Stock Exchange. He is one of the government's team of figureheads who travel around schools and universities encouraging young people to have an entrepreneurial spirit.
He’s now looking for an apprentice; someone to work for him. Fourteen contestant’s ruthlessly battle for the position. It’s the final week now. Will it be Simon or Kristina?
By now, any of us who has watched this show will have realised that its cut throat. There are no friend’s, only foes. It’s a competition out there of the Survival of the fittest. Nobody cares about the next person. You ONLY defend yourself. All the smiles are Fake, the laughter is empty and the kind gestures and nice presentation is all deception
The Work Ethic
For some people, the apprentice programme may have come as a shock’. For others, we have seen this already in our workplaces. It’s nothing new. In fact some of us may have become the victims of this type of work Culture and Work Attitudes.
Most people are very materialistic wishing to gain as many pleasures as they can. Therefore working to earn money which they can use to fulfil these pleasures is a main goal. Hence, the better job you get, the more you have to enjoy life with. All the apprentice contestants were on good jobs. In fact Katie was earning 90K while last years contestant Tuan drove a Ferrari! If they have it all, then why do they want more?
The possible traps
As we are living in a materialistic society, we too can become victims of this type of thinking. Today you will see Muslims selling Alcohol in restaurants. Go to a Muslim Newsagents, you see the father putting his daughter at the counter who ends up selling Pornography magazines to customers. All in the name of Profit and earning a living!
What is driving such people to do this? It is no different to what the contestants of the Apprentice believe in. Work has become a religion in itself. Time is limited and you need to maximise your enjoyment in this world.
Indeed there will be many challenges which face us too, especially in the workplace. They will be in different shapes and forms depending upon where you work and your profession.
Compromising situations?
It’s running busy Friday afternoon. There’ lots of work to do before close of day. Other people are working through their lunch and munching away on their sandwiches. What do you do? Do you leave for Jumma prayer or stay in and work like everyone else? The Messenger of Allah (saw) said "A person who leaves three Friday prayers consecutively, Allah puts a seal on his heart." (Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud)
Will we fall for the charms of women who dress seductively at work? Statistics state that many girlfriend/boyfriend relationships begin with people in close contact to you. The workplace being a perfect breeding ground for that. Katie and Paul in this series; does that ring a bell? Ibn Abbas reported that he heard the Prophet give a speech in which he said: ''No man should be in seclusion (Khulwah) with a woman except with her Mahram''
The apprentice lifestyle distances people from their close relationships. We hear about this in our own communities where sons and daughters move away and are more worried about their careers than anything else. Islam placed great emphasis on maintaining relationships with family, cousins, kith and kin. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari narrates that a bedouin came to the Prophet (saw) while he was travelling. He asked, "Tell me what will bring me near to the Garden and keep me far from the Fire." He replied, "Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, perform the prayer, pay zakat, and maintain ties of kinship."
Conclusion
There is nothing wrong in pursuing a career, providing you remember that there is a purpose to life which is beyond acquiring goods. We carry an understanding about life which affects the way we behave. We carry concepts and ideas like halal and haram (lawful and unlawful) which shape our attitudes, values, opinions and actions. Compare this work ethic to the contestants on the Apprentice.
Allah says "But seek the abode of the Hereafter in that which Allah has given you, and do not neglect your portion of worldly life, and be kind as Allah has been kind to you, and seek not corruption in the earth" (Surah Al-Qasas verse 77)
The last thing we want is for Allah (swt) to say to us “I’ve had enough of you, you’ve made too many excuses, you’ve gone off and done what you wanted to do, you’ve disregarded protocol and you’ve simply broken the rules of the game. It’s the end of the game for you……………YOUR FIRED
Thursday, 7 June 2007
RUTH KELLY on shared Values
RUTH KELLY on shared Values
Ruth kelly openely admits a government agenda in approaching the muslim community in the UK. She made clear references on how muslims need to adopt the shared 'British Values' and there are certain values which are 'non-negotiable'.
Click to see the Video Report
Ruth kelly openely admits a government agenda in approaching the muslim community in the UK. She made clear references on how muslims need to adopt the shared 'British Values' and there are certain values which are 'non-negotiable'.
Click to see the Video Report
Blair & Kelly call for REFORM of Islam
By Majed Iqbal- It was just under two months ago when Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly published an article in the New Statesmen Magazine, drafting out plans to shape a “British” version of Islam with a budget of £5 million to be ploughed into the project.This week, Prime Minister Tony Blair joined in this debate at a conference titled "Islam and Muslims in the world today" at Cambridge University citing that “The principal purpose of this Conference is to let the authentic voices of Islam speak for themselves”.
Attended by the Grand muftis of Egypt and Bosnia as well as Pakistani PM Shaukat Aziz, Blair highlighted in his speech and in meetings with various representatives the need to reform madrassahs, boost Islamic studies with £1m funding at UK universities as a "strategic subject" playing a role "in preventing extremism" and breeding more home grown imams in an effort to engage effectively with young people born and brought up in Britain.
Ruth Kelly’s tone in the last couple of weeks has been no different. She said: "As a country we cannot afford to allow our young people to be intimidated and influenced by extremists' messages. Madrassahs have a pivotal role to play in winning the hearts and minds and supporting young people to reject the messages of extremist groups”.
Blair & Kelly call for REFORM of Islam
By Majed Iqbal
It was just under two months ago when Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly published an article in the New Statesmen Magazine, drafting out plans to shape a “British” version of Islam with a budget of £5 million to be ploughed into the project.
This week, Prime Minister Tony Blair joined in this debate at a conference titled "Islam and Muslims in the world today" at Cambridge University citing that “The principal purpose of this Conference is to let the authentic voices of Islam speak for themselves”.
Attended by the Grand muftis of Egypt and Bosnia as well as Pakistani PM Shaukat Aziz, Blair highlighted in his speech and in meetings with various representatives the need to reform madrassahs, boost Islamic studies with £1m funding at UK universities as a "strategic subject" playing a role "in preventing extremism" and breeding more home grown imams in an effort to engage effectively with young people born and brought up in Britain.
Ruth Kelly’s tone in the last couple of weeks has been no different. She said: "As a country we cannot afford to allow our young people to be intimidated and influenced by extremists' messages. Madrassahs have a pivotal role to play in winning the hearts and minds and supporting young people to reject the messages of extremist groups”.
The Muslim Community throughout the UK has met this government agenda with intense scrutiny. Many believed this was a new spin by the government to shift blame for Government misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq onto the Muslim community under the auspices of tackling the threat of terrorism.
Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, was vocal in stating that the conference was "fronted" by Cambridge University , but had been organised by the government which had "deliberately chosen to exclude those Muslims who disagree with government policy."
Manchester based Mohammed Jahangir, Director of the Centre for Muslim Affairs said “Tony Blair’s speech is a total misreading of the Muslim world that points the finger to Islam as a problem and refuses to acknowledge British military intervention in countries as the causes for terrorism”
This new strategy took a hammering when Ruth Kelly claimed that 60 organisations had written an open letter and “have given support to the principles underpinning our action plan.” However, many of the organisations weren’t even told that the letter was in support of the Government action plan. The majority had not even seen the text of the letter and were not even consulted before their names were included.
In addition to this, Bradford , the key area of the government in launching this project and its new Citizenship curriculum titled ‘Nasiha’ was boycotted by more than half of the Mosques and madrassah’s.
Jamal Harwood from Hizb ut Tahrir in an open letter to Kelly wrote “While it was never suggested during the Troubles in Northern Ireland that state control of Catholic churches would have ended violence, we are now being told that it is an essential element of the 'war on terror' for Government to force mosques, Imams and madrassahs to teach secular liberal values, encourage support for British foreign policy and seemingly create a supine, compliant Muslim community”.
Although Blair was adamant at the end of his speech saying “this Conference is not about Government lecturing the Muslim world, or our Muslim communities”, many would feel to the contrary.
Monday, 4 June 2007
MORE Money : MORE Problems
By Majed Iqbal and Waseem Aslam
In an article published in the New Statesmen Magazine on 9th April 2007, she set out her plans for creating a British Islam for Muslims in the UK whilst at the same time setting out her plans for Mosques and Madrassas.
Ruth Kelly said "This project ensures that young Muslim students learn the true teachings of Islam and encourages them to play an active role in their local communities”.
Hence, in order to teach the Muslim community about Islam, Kelly has ploughed £100,000 into Rochdale to tackle “violent extremism”, identifying it as an area of “risk” based upon information gathered through intelligence reports. It doesn’t stop there. She has issued a new Citizenship curriculum for Madrassahs and Masjids to teach children on how to tackle 'extremism' in their communities.
Ruth Kelly said: "As a country we cannot afford to allow our young people to be intimidated and influenced by extremists' messages. Madrassahs have a pivotal role to play in winning the hearts and minds and supporting young people to reject the messages of extremist groups”.
In her campaign to show this is supposedly a grassroots initiative with majority backing up and down the country, Kelly said in a speech that 60 organisations had written an open letter and “have given support to the principles underpinning our action plan.”
The letter, titled, ‘Parallel Muslim Communities Statement to Speech of Ruth Kelly, MP, Minister of State’, dated April 5, was actually not written by the named organisations. Many weren’t even told that the letter was in support of the Government action plan. The majority had not even seen the text of the letter and were not even consulted before their names were included.
In addition to this, Bradford, the key area of launching this project and its new Citizenship curriculum titled ‘Nasiha’ was boycotted by more than half of the masjids, based upon the climate the curriculum was being introduced in; a climate of tarnishing the Muslim community as a problem community who suffers from the ills of extremism.
To further highlight the lack of support this so called “grassroots” initiative has, Rochdale community leaders in an emergency meeting early this week ridiculed the ‘Agenda’ set by Ruth Kelly, describing it as baseless, absurd, and another decoy ploy to shift the blame of UK foreign policy blunders in Iraq and Afghanistan onto the Muslim community under the guise of ‘Tackling extremism’.
So what will this new Curriculum for Citizenship aim to teach in Rochdale Masjids? These are some of the following scenarios:
A question involves the character "Ahmad" whose jihadi friends want to attack a local supermarket in retaliation for the war in Iraq . Kids will be asked: "Is it right for Ahmad to harm innocent Britons just because their government invaded a Muslim country?"
Another question to kids about what they would do if Islamic extremists sought to buy fertilizer for a bomb plot. Pupils will be asked should the shopkeeper sell it to them, even if she suspects it will be used for "holy war?"
So rather than accepting that the causes of this miniscule behaviour is related to occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and interferance in the political destiny of the muslim world, Ruth Kelly is more interested in diverting this attention and pointing fingers at the Muslim community with her new revelation of a “British” version of Islam.
So what does this “British” version of Islam mean and how will it affect us? Lets consider the following:
To create a compliant Muslim community who abandons speaking the truth on international issues for the sake of ‘National interest’ and ‘allegiance’ to the country. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said "Let not a persons fear of the people prevent him from speaking the truth if he has knowledge of it"
Forfeiting the link with the International Ummah and replacing this with a British Identity which does not worry about British involvement in Muslim lands. This is despite the fact that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said "The relationship of the believer with another believer is like (the bricks of) a building, each strengthens the other".
The curriculum states “Citizenship is about respecting other people in the place where you are. It means that you to try to make other peoples lives as peaceful and as safe as you’d like them to make yours”. How did Jack Straw’s Tony Blair’s statements that the Niqab is a sign of segregation and John Reid’s comments that Muslim parents should spy on their children help in fostering the above?
Branding and labeling Muslims into moderates- those the government can work with- and extremists- those the government wishes to silence and sideline because they don’t tow their line on international issues like Iraq and Afghanistan; by default creating divisions amongst muslims . This is despite what Allah says "And hold fast together all of you by the Rope of Allah and be not divided amongst yourselves”
Accept that Islam is no different to other religions and is a faith that does not offer detailed solutions and systems of governance to tackle modern issues; only morals and basic rules for worship. This is what Kelly alluded to when she said “the government had to stamp out Muslim schools which were trying to change British society to fit Islamic values”.
Equating Political work for the re-establishment of the Caliphate (Shariah Rule) in the Muslim world as extremism despite the visions which the prophet of Islam gave when he said “This matter (the Caliphate) will be after me in Madinah, then in Syria, then in the Jazira, then in Iraq, then in Madina, then in Jerusalem. If it is in Jerusalem , its home country is there, and if any people expel it, it will not return there for ever"
That there is a choice even to reject Islam or its rules if you want to because of Freedom of thought and ‘tolerating’ others. This can be pictured with a recent article regarding a Muslim lady from Scandinavia who describes herself as "a feminist, a democrat, and a socialist, has gay friends, opposes the death penalty, supports abortion rights, and could not care less what goes on in other people's bedrooms". Hence creating a confused personality as opposed to an Islamic one.
These are some of the issues which Kelly’s initiatives aim to create amongst Muslims in the UK. Who in Rochdale will take a "Principle Stand", see through the government agenda and boycott these plans in Rochdale- Only time will tell.
By Majed Iqbal and Waseem Aslam
In an article published in the New Statesmen Magazine on 9th April 2007, she set out her plans for creating a British Islam for Muslims in the UK whilst at the same time setting out her plans for Mosques and Madrassas.
Ruth Kelly said "This project ensures that young Muslim students learn the true teachings of Islam and encourages them to play an active role in their local communities”.
Hence, in order to teach the Muslim community about Islam, Kelly has ploughed £100,000 into Rochdale to tackle “violent extremism”, identifying it as an area of “risk” based upon information gathered through intelligence reports. It doesn’t stop there. She has issued a new Citizenship curriculum for Madrassahs and Masjids to teach children on how to tackle 'extremism' in their communities.
Ruth Kelly said: "As a country we cannot afford to allow our young people to be intimidated and influenced by extremists' messages. Madrassahs have a pivotal role to play in winning the hearts and minds and supporting young people to reject the messages of extremist groups”.
In her campaign to show this is supposedly a grassroots initiative with majority backing up and down the country, Kelly said in a speech that 60 organisations had written an open letter and “have given support to the principles underpinning our action plan.”
The letter, titled, ‘Parallel Muslim Communities Statement to Speech of Ruth Kelly, MP, Minister of State’, dated April 5, was actually not written by the named organisations. Many weren’t even told that the letter was in support of the Government action plan. The majority had not even seen the text of the letter and were not even consulted before their names were included.
In addition to this, Bradford, the key area of launching this project and its new Citizenship curriculum titled ‘Nasiha’ was boycotted by more than half of the masjids, based upon the climate the curriculum was being introduced in; a climate of tarnishing the Muslim community as a problem community who suffers from the ills of extremism.
To further highlight the lack of support this so called “grassroots” initiative has, Rochdale community leaders in an emergency meeting early this week ridiculed the ‘Agenda’ set by Ruth Kelly, describing it as baseless, absurd, and another decoy ploy to shift the blame of UK foreign policy blunders in Iraq and Afghanistan onto the Muslim community under the guise of ‘Tackling extremism’.
So what will this new Curriculum for Citizenship aim to teach in Rochdale Masjids? These are some of the following scenarios:
A question involves the character "Ahmad" whose jihadi friends want to attack a local supermarket in retaliation for the war in Iraq . Kids will be asked: "Is it right for Ahmad to harm innocent Britons just because their government invaded a Muslim country?"
Another question to kids about what they would do if Islamic extremists sought to buy fertilizer for a bomb plot. Pupils will be asked should the shopkeeper sell it to them, even if she suspects it will be used for "holy war?"
So rather than accepting that the causes of this miniscule behaviour is related to occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and interferance in the political destiny of the muslim world, Ruth Kelly is more interested in diverting this attention and pointing fingers at the Muslim community with her new revelation of a “British” version of Islam.
So what does this “British” version of Islam mean and how will it affect us? Lets consider the following:
To create a compliant Muslim community who abandons speaking the truth on international issues for the sake of ‘National interest’ and ‘allegiance’ to the country. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said "Let not a persons fear of the people prevent him from speaking the truth if he has knowledge of it"
Forfeiting the link with the International Ummah and replacing this with a British Identity which does not worry about British involvement in Muslim lands. This is despite the fact that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said "The relationship of the believer with another believer is like (the bricks of) a building, each strengthens the other".
The curriculum states “Citizenship is about respecting other people in the place where you are. It means that you to try to make other peoples lives as peaceful and as safe as you’d like them to make yours”. How did Jack Straw’s Tony Blair’s statements that the Niqab is a sign of segregation and John Reid’s comments that Muslim parents should spy on their children help in fostering the above?
Branding and labeling Muslims into moderates- those the government can work with- and extremists- those the government wishes to silence and sideline because they don’t tow their line on international issues like Iraq and Afghanistan; by default creating divisions amongst muslims . This is despite what Allah says "And hold fast together all of you by the Rope of Allah and be not divided amongst yourselves”
Accept that Islam is no different to other religions and is a faith that does not offer detailed solutions and systems of governance to tackle modern issues; only morals and basic rules for worship. This is what Kelly alluded to when she said “the government had to stamp out Muslim schools which were trying to change British society to fit Islamic values”.
Equating Political work for the re-establishment of the Caliphate (Shariah Rule) in the Muslim world as extremism despite the visions which the prophet of Islam gave when he said “This matter (the Caliphate) will be after me in Madinah, then in Syria, then in the Jazira, then in Iraq, then in Madina, then in Jerusalem. If it is in Jerusalem , its home country is there, and if any people expel it, it will not return there for ever"
That there is a choice even to reject Islam or its rules if you want to because of Freedom of thought and ‘tolerating’ others. This can be pictured with a recent article regarding a Muslim lady from Scandinavia who describes herself as "a feminist, a democrat, and a socialist, has gay friends, opposes the death penalty, supports abortion rights, and could not care less what goes on in other people's bedrooms". Hence creating a confused personality as opposed to an Islamic one.
These are some of the issues which Kelly’s initiatives aim to create amongst Muslims in the UK. Who in Rochdale will take a "Principle Stand", see through the government agenda and boycott these plans in Rochdale- Only time will tell.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)