Parliamentary Report Criticises ‘Extremism’ Policies
Today the Joint Committee on Human Rights, made up of members of the House of Lords and House of Commons, released a report which has finally injected some much-needed logic and reason into the “counter-extremism” arena. Many from within and without the Muslim community have welcomed this critical assessment of the government’s repeated appeals for more and more powers to curtail so-called “extremist” beliefs and speech. The report focuses on several key areas, highlighting what the Muslim community has shown concern over for many years. Considering the usual equivocal, diplomatic tone of inquiries—exemplified in the Chilcot report—today’s report was surprisingly…
Guidance on the EU Referendum
It has been almost four months since I first shared some thoughts about the EU referendum and its potential impact on Muslims. I had hoped that since then rational arguments for and against the Brexit would have been put forward for the public to consider and make an informed decision. However, unfortunately a lot of what we have seen is—like in other matters both sacred and profane—people arguing passionately for their own viewpoint or interests and studiously ignoring the difficult questions of their interlocutors. I have long wondered whether Muslims have a horse in the EU race, so to speak,…
Podcast – Was the government caught deceiving Muslims?
https://soundcloud.com/islam21c/podcast-was-the-government-caught-deceiving-muslims Why did the government go to such great lengths to cover up its covert funding of some "independent Muslim organisations"? Click above to listen to the latest podcast with your host Dr Salman Butt, and hear what Ibrahim Mohamoud (CAGE), Asim Qureshi (CAGE), Dr Ben Hayes, Prof Arun Kundnani and Dr Rizwaan Sabir have to say on the topic. Also read: “The Home Office is Creating Mistrust within Muslim Civil Society” Download the Cage Report 'We are Completely Independent' Source: www.islam21c.com
Podcast – London Mayoral Vote Today
https://soundcloud.com/islam21c/the-muslim-vote-london-mayoral-elections To Listen to the Podcast click play in the player above For those who are yet to vote, not sure whether they want to or are sitting on the fence undecided on who to choose here is a short Podcast interview that may help. Join Dr Salman Butt in conversation with Azad Ali, Sh Haitham al-Haddad and Anas Altikriti for this elections special podcast. Today is the only day a vote can be cast, the deadline is 10pm so there is still plenty of time. For any information on how, what, where etc visit the official mayoral voting site here…
David Cameron Caught Smearing Sh Suliman Gani
How a south London Imām found himself at the centre of British politics The last few days have seen a turn for the worse in the Tory campaign for London Mayor. The unsavoury tactics started quite early on when Zac Goldsmith’s campaign team started a slew of guilty-by-association arguments against Labour’s Sadiq Khan. They combed through his history and social networks for any instances where he ‘shared a platform’ with so-called ‘extremists’. A particularly embarrassing example was when Shaykh Suliman Gani—a prominent mainstream Imām in South London—was smeared by Goldsmith as “one of the most repellent people in Britain.” Shaykh…
The Scandal of the Panama Papers
The Biggest Data Leak in History In the last day or two we have seen the beginning of the unravelling of what Edward Snowden has dubbed “the biggest leak in the history of data journalism.” This is the year-long global investigation led by over 400 journalists from more than 80 countries, known as the Panama Papers. These are 11.5 million leaked documents—totalling 2.6 terabytes of data—that show the inner workings of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, and the 214,000 offshore companies with which it has helped the global elite hide vast amounts of wealth. It exposes an underground industry led…
Should Muslims care about the EU referendum?
This week has seen the launch of several campaigns surrounding the looming European Union referendum. Although impassioned rhetoric surrounding a ‘Brexit’ (UK’s exit from the EU) has been flying around for months, this Tuesday marked exactly four months until the 23rd June 2016 referendum and witnessed a number of voices entering the discussion. I have long wondered whether Muslims have a horse in the EU race, so to speak, and have asked many Muslims for their view over the years, with varying responses. Like any non-trivial decision in life it involves a consideration of conflicting masālih (benefits) and mafāsid (harms),…
What Do Influential British Muslims Believe?
“Normative Islam Report": A study of the religious views of influential British Muslims Results from a survey of Influential Muslim scholars, leaders and activists from different schools of thought across the UK were released today. The survey was supported and endorsed by many Muslim organisations including Islam21c, and many of the most-read authors took part directly in the survey. It was carried out by British Muslims news site 5Pillars and market research specialists Pickersgill Consultancy & Planning (PCP). In recent times, due to both shrewd political tactics and remarkable blunders, many mainstream Islamic beliefs, values and practices have been pushed…
Response to Ch 4’s “Jihadis Next Door”
Jihadis under your bed Last night’s shocking Channel 4 documentary reminded me of the age-old relationship between opinion-formers and power. From Biblical Pharaohs and Roman Emperors to the modern nation state, there have always been some ideologists in the service of the ruling elite, propagating their necessary myths, eulogising their policies, and demonising their perceived threats. Whilst I try my best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, I found myself running out of excuses for this particular production. At worst, it was a shocking service to power on the eve of more restrictions on civil liberties in the…
Can Muslims be racist?
Can Muslims be racist? Ten years ago I worked a temporary job in a factory during the summer holidays from university. There I once met in passing a Pakistani gentleman who was to say something to me that I still remember to this day. When he learned during a conversation on the production line that I was studying an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry, he asked: “Maybe you can do some research and find out why English people are superior to us?” At the time I just smiled politely and carried on working, but I have found myself recalling this man’s…