By Abul Kalam, on April 30th, 2008%
Back in 2005 Jack Straw – the then Foreign Secretary – was asked “Have you ever read any documents where the intelligence had been procured through torturous means?” Straw replied “Not to the best of my knowledge…let me make this clear…the British government does not support torture in any circumstances. Full stop, we do not support the obtaining of intelligence by torture, or its use.”
Craig Murray, who was the British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004, knows otherwise. The British Government had sought to prevent the publication of his book – ‘Murder in Samarkand’ – where he makes reference to government documents which indicate that our government knowingly received information extracted through torture. Yet our government says it ‘does not support torture’ – Yeah Right!
In the Guardian this week, three British citizens have accused MI5 of colluding in their torture. After having endured torture at the hands of one of the most vicious secret services in the world (Pakistan’s ISI) Salahuddin Amin – now serving a life sentence for conspiring to cause explosions – was prepared to do what ever he was asked. For 10 months he would be asked a series of questions under torture, and would give the answers that satisfied his torturers. This is followed by interviews with MI5. Amin says he would be asked the same questions that his torturers had already asked, and he would give the same answers. Once MI5 leaves with their answers the torture would begin again with a different set of questions. Continue reading The British Government Does not Support Torture – YEAH RIGHT!
By Tohel, on April 29th, 2008%
I hate to say we told you so, but we did.
You can be forgiven for thinking policy makers at Downing Street were all under the influence given the number of u-turns they are making lately. Last week came the acceptance that abolishing the 10p tax rate was an error and that people affected by this will now receive compensation. This week comes the news that number 10 is planning to reclassify cannabis from class C to B.
Back in 2004 under Tony Blair and the then Home Secretary David Blunkett, cannabis was downgraded to a class C drug. Four years on and the results of the relaxation has meant that those found in possession of cannabis were being let off by the police, with perhaps a verbal warning at most rather than being arrested.
Well, I hate to say we told you so but we did. ‘We’ are the community based drugs agencies like the one I manage, who warned against the downgrading. Continue reading We told you so
By Azad Ali, on April 29th, 2008%
In a comment piece for the Independent yesterday we read Yasmin Alibhai-Brown lamenting at how apparently she is not being allowed to have multiple personalities! She says “Like all other humans, I am a creature of multiple and changeable parts. However, British Muslims are not permitted such complexities. We must be only Muslim (definition highly specified), walking rule books in uniform, freakishly religious, and preferably demanding and noisy.”
I spent last Saturday at a course about Aqeeda (tenets of faith) taught by Shaykh Akram Nadwi where I was being freakishly religious! I was constantly remembering Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and learning what being a Muslim entails. Then on Sunday I spent most of the day helping to organise a rally titled “Londoners for Peace”, with the likes of Kate Hudson, Bruce Kent, Tony Benn, Ken Livingstone, George Galloway amongst others. Was I now being freakishly ‘irreligious’? Continue reading Walking Rule Books!
By Abul Kalam, on April 28th, 2008%
I really do love Dr Akram Nadwi, a real ‘Alim and a man who speaks the truth, with compassion and love. I was at an intensive Aqeeda course – organised by easy-talk.org – on Saturday and unlike the polemic discussions focusing on differences and excommunication which are in vogue, Dr Akram Nadwi articulated an understanding of a creedal system which is clear, simple to understand, broad and inclusive. Very different from the extreme Salafi take on Aqeeda which claims that any understanding of Aqeeda other than their own is misguided deviancy, as well as the extreme Sufi/Ashari take which brands anybody who differs a Wahabi. So instead of a discourse based on difference, separation and negativity Dr Nadwi is promoting a general call to abandon accusations of disbelief against others.
Very different also from voices that have resurfaced once again. Come to think of it, these voices can only be heard during the summer periods – I wonder if these voices go into hibernation during the cold season?. “VOTING is SHIRK” they shriek, “DEMOCRACY is Kufr” they bellow, “Vote today become a Kafir tomorrow” they puff! At any other time these immature, illogical and incorrect statements are unhelpful, but at a time when we need Muslims to turn out and vote in order to ensure that the racist BNP do not get an opportunity to run havoc in the London Assembly, they are unforgivable. Continue reading Don’t listen to the voices!
By Tohel, on April 27th, 2008%
As the 2008 US Presidential primaries draws close to its crescendo – Barack Obama’s candidacy for the Democratic Party clearly shows that, in the land of the free and the home of the brave all Americans are equal but some are less equal than others.
What were once hidden unstated feelings are now public weapons. Every time Obama’s election machine gathers momentum, conveniently, the rumour-mill goes into overdrive. Obama is genuinely believed to have a credible chance at securing the Whitehouse. However, his colour and more importantly his connection to Muslims is proving to be a toxic mixture for US politics.
Barack Obama has clearly stated that he was never raised a Muslim. Mr Obama’s father was a non practising Kenyan Muslim who separated from his white American mother when the senator was only two years old. His mother however soon remarried another Muslim, this time from Indonesia. He was raised as a Christian and is still a Christian. Continue reading All Americans are equal; some are less equal than others.
By Azad Ali, on April 25th, 2008%
In an article published by the New Statesman by Ziauddin Sardar titled “Clerical errors in the name of God” it is argued that “the Quran does not denounce non-Muslims as ‘infidels, but describes Jews and Christians as ‘people of the Book.”
The first problem I have with Zia’s statement is the conflation of Ahlul Kitab (people of the Book) with Kuffar (disbelievers), this is unacceptable from someone who purports to carry out Tafsir of the Qur’an. The second problem I have is that it is only half true and it is also disingenuous! Why, because we have in . . . → Read More: Disingenuousness in the name of acceptability
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