Excellent article, thanks

Although I am sure this wont be the case with mosques affiliated with Imam Abdullah Hassan, I feel this is an area in which mosques in Britain have, on the whole failed miserably.

With Western foreign policy brutalising populations across the Middle East, South Asia and other regions of the planet, much of the British Muslim youth is angry, and justifiably so.

Unfortunately, most Masjid committees I have ever spoken to have been of the opinion that politics is something distinct from our faith, something to be kept way from the Masjid; with the only solution to the issues muslims face today being to “make du’a”. Also, many Imaams in Britain are unfortunately of the opinion that Voting is Haram.

The death toll is rising in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. 200,000 people recently died in Haiti. But still, every Friday in far too many masjids, the Khutba’s youngsters listen to revolve around comparatively trivial issues such as the type of clothes we should be wearing and how our beards should look, completely ignoring the plights of our fellow humans.

It is precisely attitudes like these that lead to the Muslim youth going down the wrong path, desperate to vent their anger.

For too many years now, the only source of anti imperialist political information for our youth has been the Hizb ut Tahrir leaflets being distributed outside masjids; with HT unfortunately capitalising on the failures of Masjid committees.

In wost case scenarios of course, extremist fringe groups have become that bit more appealing to disillusioned muslim youngsters; leading to what we saw on 7/7.

Being very much upset with the attitudes of Imaams and masjid committees I came across in my younger days- who regularly discouraged me from any political activity (i.e. attending rallies, organising petitions, lobbying and other such grass roots activity)- I used to scour the internet for articles written by those like Shaykh Yusuf Qaradawi. Apart from that, it was old Malcolm X videos and stories of Salahudin Ayubi.

Anyway, I should shut up now.

Brilliant article

Committees will not accept anyone that they feel doesn’t agree with their “vision”. Some people will work to remove such people from “influence” at their mosque because they don’t agree with the opinion held even though it is acceptable.

Our mosques need to accept that different opinions (relating to branch issues and not creedal matters) are acceptable and work within agreed principles that make use of all of the talent in the area, not just the people who agree with them.

But surely it isn’t just a case of the youth stepping up and being willing to join the committee? The committees have to be willing to take them on as well. And as it stands, I think many mosques may have a very patronising approach to young people, such that they will not want to allow them on committees. Mosque committees often find it difficult enough allowing fresh blood on, let alone young blood…