By Anisa Abouelhassan

How I’d like things to be in 10 years time

In the future I don’t want people to have an opportunity to blame our faith for crime carried out by individual Muslims. I also do not want the security and peace of all people to be threatened by a minority few.

Currently, there are 10,000 Muslims amongst the prison population, which is high compared to other groups. In ten years time, I would like to see this number dramatically reduced and more Muslims aspiring to greater achievements, rather than aspiring to get out of jail.

By Rizwaan Sabir

Muslims Must Work to Change the Anti-Terror Laws

Since the events of 9/11 and 7/7, the British government has launched a series of programmes and initiatives under its counter-terrorism strategy (Contest) to counter the threat posed by individuals intent on adopting a violent methodology for change. Out of the four areas that comprise Contest (Pursue, Prevent, Protect, Prepare), the Prevent strand, or Preventing Violent Extremism as it’s officially known, has been given the most coverage by researchers, academics and practitioners, respectively.

By Alia Suruliz

As a student of law, I was surprised by the extent to which English law has developed to protect a suspect from injustice and arbitrary state action: from undue detention until charged; from undue punishment until convicted; from being treated as innocent until found to be guilty. Yet the enactment of the Terrorism Acts 2000 and 2006 and similar anti-terror measures make a mockery of the traditional criminal legal system and the principle of habeas corpus.

By Sabby Dhalu

News during the Christmas and new-year period was dominated by the failed terrorist attack by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on 25 December 2009. Many media reports have used the fact that the perpetrator was a student in London, active in a student Islamic Society, to imply this appalling act was incited by the perfectly normal activities of Islamic Societies in London colleges. Abdulmutallab was President of the Islamic Society at University College London (UCL) from 2006-2007. Malcolm Grant, provost of UCL, said reports that Abdulmutallab developed extreme views whilst studying at UCL about were “spectacular insinuation” and has ordered a review of the 23-year-old’s time at the university.

Monday 15 February to Sunday 21 February 2010

Editorial

At present, the British Muslim community is suffering disproportionately as a result of crime, on both sides of the spectrum. How can we help the community progress?

Each community has both its fair share of wrongdoers and its exemplary citizens. This is no exception within the British Muslim community.

There are many issues that are affecting the community, but the issues of crime and security features with a regrettable significance. It is unfortunate that there is a disproportionate focus on the Preventing Violent Extremism and Counter Terrorism agenda.

By Aisha Alvi

I dedicate this short piece to my late father, Dr. Abdur Rab Alvi, 1929 -2006. The dedicated support and guidance through our long, drawn-out hijaab fiasco was exemplary of what a Muslim should be; he displayed humility, tolerance and gentility.

Over the last 10 years, the British Muslim community has endured and witnessed the toughest decade since the post-war period when mass migration of Muslims to Britain took place. Unlike our elders whose self-segregation from mainstream British society was a defensive reaction to racism, second and third generation Muslims have been under attack for their faith.

By God’s Grace, as far back as 1990, my sister Fatima Alvi and I won the right to wear the Islamic headscarf at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls in Cheshire. Prior to this, we were suspended from school after two long years of persuasion, and negotiations broke down. Finally, in December 1989, we made a completely independent decision to attend school and refused to remove the covering from our heads. What did we go armed with? Our faith in God and knowledge of our educational rights.

By Dr Salman Al-Azami

Religion is important to most people in the UK according to the last census data. For the first time, in the 2001 Census, an optional religion question was included where an overwhelming 76.8% expressed their allegiance to a religion. However, the majority of the contemporary media representations of faith give a negative picture of religion. According to Biernatzki (2003) religion in the media, is, “… either ignored or sensationalized — and either of those extremes distorts its reality…”

After the tragic incidents of 9/11 and 7/7 there has been increased interest among the media on religious issues, particularly concerning Islam and Muslims. Current trends in the media clearly show that the images, representations and discourses relating to Islam and Muslims in mainstream Western media tend to be negative and hostile. A Cardiff University study analysed 974 stories about Islam and Muslims in the media between 2000 and 2008, and found only 5% positive news.

By Mostafa Albayati

Scenes of Spirituality from Around the World

Above and beyond

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 8

© Photos by Mostafa Albayati

Photography allows me to explore and express both the subtle and the beautiful characteristics in life: peace, freedom, faith, love and longing, and silence. Much of these are constantly manifesting in us, but are only expressed very briefly and often with little attention. Therefore, to be able to capture these characteristics in people in a still image, to afford the ability to reflect upon them, is central to me and my work.

By Mahera Ruby

Most Muslims are very proud of the historical presence of Muslims in Britain for at least the past 300 years, since the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Seamen came from Yemen settling in small communities in Cardiff, Liverpool, London, South Shields and Tyneside setting up small prayer rooms to help them meet and pray together. We are even more enthusiastic in sharing the history of prominent British Muslim intellectuals, who began to emerge during the late 19^th century, responsible for establishing the first mosque at Woking in Surrey.

By Imam Abdullah Hasan

Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and 7/7, politicians, journalists and community leaders have been criticising Imams in Britain for not doing enough to counter the apparent increasing number of Muslims, especially the youth, from being swayed by ‘radical Islam’. Although I understand, to a certain extent, why people may suggest this, I think the overwhelming majority, if not all Muslims in Britain, will concur that Imams are in fact not to be held responsible for the actions of some ignorant vigilantes.