Comments on: Muslims in Britain: Communication not Isolation http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2010/04/03/muslims-in-britain-communication-not-isolation/ Dissecting the News Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:48:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: LibertyPhile http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2010/04/03/muslims-in-britain-communication-not-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-685 LibertyPhile Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:00:07 +0000 http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2010/04/03/muslims-in-britain-communication-not-isolation/#comment-685 Amira Abozeid Your sentiments are admirable. I hope (and suspect in your case) that you do the things you do (those home made cakes sound good!) because you are a decent human being not just because you are a Muslim. But Yakoub above, puts his finger on the problem (as seen by me, a non-Muslim). He says “ …. fight for the right for Muslims to live peacefully according to their own aspirations, which is their right in a liberal democracy.” What are these aspirations? Are they personal aspirations, Islamic aspirations what exactly? # That the number of Muslim Arbitration Tribunals (Sharia “courts”) in the UK continues to grow or that they are discouraged, even banned, as they assist the voluntary apartheid we see developing? # That Tariq Ramadan’s call for a moratorium* on punishments like cutting off of hands for theft and stoning for adultery is taken up, and that stoning is seen as equally vile, and should be stopped, in any part of the world. [* Not an outright ban as these punishments are in the Koran, and it saves Muslims from the bind of having to choose between contemporary values and their beliefs.] # That it is a good idea that all KFC outlets should sell halal food. # That the Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) would go away and its senior officials stop making comments like “I am still convinced that participation is correct, but my contention is that it should be on our terms… Why allow ourselves to be boxed in by ‘rules’ that are clearly designed to destroy us in this world and the hereafter?” and “ … democracy, if it means that at the expense of not implementing sharia, no one will agree to that”, or that the IFE should go from strength to strength? # That face covering be welcomed by the British public, even though most British people dislike it. # That Muslim majority countries should allow their citizens to live by liberal democratic principles. You get my drift. I think you need to reconsider some aspects of your view “ …. I like to …. communicate with non-Muslim British people and try to refute the negative arguments that target ‘all ’ Muslims using friendly discussions that are not based on a complicated or theological basis.” Amira Abozeid

Your sentiments are admirable. I hope (and suspect in your case) that you do the things you do (those home made cakes sound good!) because you are a decent human being not just because you are a Muslim.

But Yakoub above, puts his finger on the problem (as seen by me, a non-Muslim). He says “ …. fight for the right for Muslims to live peacefully according to their own aspirations, which is their right in a liberal democracy.”

What are these aspirations? Are they personal aspirations, Islamic aspirations what exactly?

# That the number of Muslim Arbitration Tribunals (Sharia “courts”) in the UK continues to grow or that they are discouraged, even banned, as they assist the voluntary apartheid we see developing?

# That Tariq Ramadan’s call for a moratorium* on punishments like cutting off of hands for theft and stoning for adultery is taken up, and that stoning is seen as equally vile, and should be stopped, in any part of the world.

[* Not an outright ban as these punishments are in the Koran, and it saves Muslims from the bind of having to choose between contemporary values and their beliefs.]

# That it is a good idea that all KFC outlets should sell halal food.

# That the Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) would go away and its senior officials stop making comments like “I am still convinced that participation is correct, but my contention is that it should be on our terms… Why allow ourselves to be boxed in by ‘rules’ that are clearly designed to destroy us in this world and the hereafter?” and “ … democracy, if it means that at the expense of not implementing sharia, no one will agree to that”, or that the IFE should go from strength to strength?

# That face covering be welcomed by the British public, even though most British people dislike it.

# That Muslim majority countries should allow their citizens to live by liberal democratic principles.

You get my drift.

I think you need to reconsider some aspects of your view “ …. I like to …. communicate with non-Muslim British people and try to refute the negative arguments that target ‘all ’ Muslims using friendly discussions that are not based on a complicated or theological basis.”

]]> By: amira http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2010/04/03/muslims-in-britain-communication-not-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-683 amira Sun, 04 Apr 2010 07:37:57 +0000 http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2010/04/03/muslims-in-britain-communication-not-isolation/#comment-683 I agree with you Yakoub that the negative views of Islam have multiple sources, and some of which are unjustified and just related to hatred and prejudice against Islam as a religion. However, in order to refute negative arguments, fight for our rights to live peacefully and reach own own as aspirations, as you said, there is no other option but to communicate our needs, ambitions and introduce the true essence of Islam. On the official and professional levels, these efforts are done by respectable Muslim organisations and scholars in the form of conferences, constructive debates or other tools. The point I tackled in the article is what we can do on informal and social sphere. Actions in many cases do speak louder than words. On the other hand, I don't target hard-liners or non-Muslims who have extremist and racist views that they never intend to change under any circumstances. I target the normal non-Muslims British people who can see the true sides of Muslims when they have positive experiences with them. Once this happens on a large scale, even non-Muslim British people themselves can contribute in rebutting false accusations against Muslims. It does happen and it isn't a dream. We are all proud to be Muslims and will never accept any irresponsible insults against our religion or beloved Prophet (PBUH) or change our beliefs for any reason. I believe that each one of us can do something to help change our image as Muslims besides others' efforts done on the wider scale. I agree with you Yakoub that the negative views of Islam have multiple sources, and some of which are unjustified and just related to hatred and prejudice against Islam as a religion. However, in order to refute negative arguments, fight for our rights to live peacefully and reach own own as aspirations, as you said, there is no other option but to communicate our needs, ambitions and introduce the true essence of Islam.
On the official and professional levels, these efforts are done by respectable Muslim organisations and scholars in the form of conferences, constructive debates or other tools.
The point I tackled in the article is what we can do on informal and social sphere.
Actions in many cases do speak louder than words.
On the other hand, I don’t target hard-liners or non-Muslims who have extremist and racist views that they never intend to change under any circumstances. I target the normal non-Muslims British people who can see the true sides of Muslims when they have positive experiences with them. Once this happens on a large scale, even non-Muslim British people themselves can contribute in rebutting false accusations against Muslims. It does happen and it isn’t a dream.
We are all proud to be Muslims and will never accept any irresponsible insults against our religion or beloved Prophet (PBUH) or change our beliefs for any reason. I believe that each one of us can do something to help change our image as Muslims besides others’ efforts done on the wider scale.

]]> By: Yakoub http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2010/04/03/muslims-in-britain-communication-not-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-676 Yakoub Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:11:17 +0000 http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2010/04/03/muslims-in-britain-communication-not-isolation/#comment-676 I think you're wrong. You imply Muslims are complicit in their own discrimination. The negative views of Islam and Muslims have multiple sources, and some need to be challenged. Poole's research on the British media makes a compelling argument for seeing anti-Muslim media coverage and a continuation of older racist discourses, but reconstituted to attack people on the basis of 'culture' rather than race. I don't think every Muslim has an obligation to be on his/her best behaviour because of bigots. But more ought to participate in the critique of prejudice, and fight for the right for Muslims to live peacefully according to their own aspirations, which is their right in a liberal democracy. I think you’re wrong. You imply Muslims are complicit in their own discrimination. The negative views of Islam and Muslims have multiple sources, and some need to be challenged. Poole’s research on the British media makes a compelling argument for seeing anti-Muslim media coverage and a continuation of older racist discourses, but reconstituted to attack people on the basis of ‘culture’ rather than race. I don’t think every Muslim has an obligation to be on his/her best behaviour because of bigots. But more ought to participate in the critique of prejudice, and fight for the right for Muslims to live peacefully according to their own aspirations, which is their right in a liberal democracy.

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