Brown IN - Blair OUT

It is a known fact that the eye of the storm is it's calmest part, from this eye the strom will unleash it's anger and wrath upon all that stand in it's way. With Tony Blair stepping down on 27th June 2007 there has been a sense relief and calm amongst some of the Muslim community in the UK, a feeling of the dark clouds having lifted and a real hope of a new start ahead.

After all Blair was the problem not the otherwise "muslim friendly" Labour Party who for years had defended the rights of minority communities in the UK. Anyone starting a new job will know that there is a need to make a statement early on to show the kind of qualities you posses and what can be expected of you , with Gordon Brown it is no different. Journalists, Politicians and the general public have been speculating for months about the kind of approach Brown would have in key issues such as Security.

What Gordon Brown revealed during his recent speech to Labour Party activists destroyed the illusion that the calm that some felt was anything but a figment of their imagination. With the Muslim community having battled against the 90 day detention without trial law for months to see it binned in favour of an equally unjust 28 day law, most had hoped that was the end of that. But it seems Brown want's to make his mark as PM by reviving the idea of detaining suspects for 90 days without charge.

Brown IN - Blair OUT



By Waseem Aslam (ROCHDALE)

It is a known fact that the eye of the storm is it's calmest part, from this eye the strom will unleash it's anger and wrath upon all that stand in it's way. With Tony Blair stepping down on 27th June 2007 there has been a sense relief and calm amongst some of the Muslim community in the UK, a feeling of the dark clouds having lifted and a real hope of a new start ahead. After all Blair was the problem not the otherwise "muslim friendly" Labour Party who for years had defended the rights of minority communities in the UK.

Anyone starting a new job will know that there is a need to make a statement early on to show the kind of qualities you posses and what can be expected of you , with Gordon Brown it is no different. Journalists, Politicians and the general public have been speculating for months about the kind of approach Brown would have in key issues such as Security.

What Gordon Brown revealed during his recent speech to Labour Party activists destroyed the illusion that the calm that some felt was anything but a figment of their imagination. With the Muslim community having battled against the 90 day detention without trial law for months to see it binned in favour of an equally unjust 28 day law, most had hoped that was the end of that. But it seems Brown want's to make his mark as PM by reviving the idea of detaining suspects for 90 days without charge.

Commenting on the proposal of Brown Shami Chakrabati of Liberty said "Twenty-eight days is already the longest period to hold a person without charge in the free world. If you go beyond 28 days it is internment" so much for an easing of the pressure on the Muslims under Brown. Making these statements just days before John Ried proposed similar things shows it was Browns first influence on policy making in the government, and although the idea of "stop and quiz" laws being introduced was shunned by Reid it wouldn't surpise anyone if this was introduced as well.

These new proposals do nothing to quiten the noise being created about the Muslim community being a problem community in fact they do quite the opposite and suggest that despite all the demonisation and arrests on false evidence more needs to be done to "control" the Muslims in the UK. Brown suggested to Party supporters in Glasgow that his leadership would be one for listening to the Party and public. Brown could do worse than listen to the voices of reason that say holding people for 90 days without charge will not diminish distrust of the government, nor will it gain them friends amongst the Muslims. In fact it just exposes the government plan to continually bully the Muslim community into submission to an unjust foreign policy and medieval anti-terror laws.

These voices of reason must eminate from Muslim communities up and down the country and be made louder by support from every sphere of the community. It is a time for a unifid message to be sent to the goverment and all other political parties that the Muslim community is not a political football with which to gain political points or make your mark as the new PM.

CNN Report on Salman Rushdie's knighthood

Despite the knighthood being a national ceremony awarded to deserving British people, the recent knighhood of Rushdie has sparked off an international row with many people argueing that this has deepened the Gulf between a 'Liberal west' and a huge section of the world who models their behaviour on Islamic laws and teachings.

SALMAN RUSHDIE- The Brave Knight?

By Majed Iqbal- Once again, discussions over freedom of speech have sparked off tensions in europe with the knighting of Salman Rushdie by the Queen last week. There have been protests internationally as well as critical debate at home in the UK on the rationale behind the controversial knighting.

Over the last year we have seen the cartoon outrage depicting the Prophet of islam in a negative light. The pope folowed by quoting from a centuries old Christian ruler who stated that the prophet of Islam had spread nothiong except evil. Charles clarke, former Home Secretary stated that Shariah rule in the Muslim world is unacceptable. Blair termed parts of Islam as an Evil Ideology. Jack straw orchestrated tensions by terming the Hijab as a sign of segregation and describing it as a barrier to communication.

And now............ in the name of contribution to literature, Salman Rushdie, Author of the book "Satanic Verses", which makes insulting insinuations about the prophet of islam and his wifes is celebrated on a state level and given a Royal honouring, endorsed by the british Government for his works.

RUSHDIE- The Brave Knight?



By Majed Iqbal

Once again, discussions over freedom of speech have sparked off tensions in europe with the knighting of Salman Rushdie by the Queen last week. There have been protests internationally as well as critical debate at home in the UK on the rationale behind the controversial knighting.

Over the last year we have seen the cartoon outrage depicting the Prophet of islam in a negative light. The pope folowed by quoting from a centuries old Christian ruler who stated that the prophet of Islam had spread nothiong except evil. Charles clarke, former Home Secretary stated that Shariah rule in the Muslim world is unacceptable. Blair termed parts of Islam as an Evil Ideology. Jack straw orchestrated tensions by terming the Hijab as a sign of segregation and describing it as a barrier to communication.

And now............ in the name of contribution to literature, Salman Rushdie, Author of the book "Satanic Verses", which makes insulting insinuations about the prophet of islam and his wifes is celebrated on a state level and given a Royal honouring, endorsed by the british Government for his works.

All of these tensions have arisen in the midst of Government lectures given to the Muslim community in the UK about how they should feel a part of British society, integrate and work towards cohesion of communities. Minister after Minister as well as oppostion party members have continuously ruttled the same mantra, each time pointing the finger to the muslim community as probelmatic, not flexible and leading Parallel lives.

Once again, the Muslim community is being questioned on their "Tolerance levels". Rather than looking crtically at the event and its repercussions in relations in the UK, Secularism, the relegation of relgion to personal domains, is still being hailed as the key to success in forging a successful society where evryones rights are protected.

British Home Secretary John Reid alluded to this to an audience in New York that many Christians had been offended by Monty Python’s Life of Brian, while some Jewish people were offended by Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ;

"We have very strong laws about promoting racial tolerance. It isn’t a free-for-all. We’ve thought very carefully about it, but we have a right to express opinions and a tolerance of other people’s point of view, and we don’t apologize for that.”

The Muslim community remains confused. How serious is the government on Integration OR is this simply one of the exercises to mark how integrated we are; the benchmark being our ability to tolerate slingshots on Islam in the name of Freedom of speech. Surely that would mean were more tolerant, accepting, integrated and British. Doesn't it?

QUESTION TIME on Salman Rushdie's knighthood

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

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.

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

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 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