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
By Azad Ali, on April 23rd, 2008
So the big launch came and passed, and we now have a dedicated ‘anti-terrorist’ think-tank. Set up by ex-callers of khilafah, the new callers to ‘Western Islam’ is the ever-shrinking Qulliam Foundation.
According to one of its ardent supporters, ‘It was very interesting. I’ll write more observations later, but interesting in itself is the list of speakersand supporters (in order of speaking): Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, Dr Usama Hasan, Shaykh Abdul Aziz Bukhari, Timothy Garton Ash, Lord Paddy Ashdown, Rachel North, Dr Musharraf Hussain, Jemima Khan, Dr Ali al-Saleh, Arsalan Iftikar and Mohammed Ali Hee.’
You’d agree we have the . . . → Read More: ‘Substantial periods of genuine piety’
By Azad Ali, on April 21st, 2008
According to the Mail on Sunday the Department for Communities & Local Government (DCLG) held a meeting in 2006 to force 17 local authorities to snoop on its Muslim population under the leadership of Ruth Kelly, then in charge of the Department.
Bradford City Council leader Kris Hopkins is quopted as saying: ‘But our job is to bring communities together, to help our communities live side by side, not do the dirty work for MI5.’ Further, Robert Light, the leader of Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire, added: ‘I, and others, refused to do anything . . . → Read More: A Rubbish Story!
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