Editorial

After several months of exclusive and enticing contributions, ideas, hopes and visions, The Platform Blog project, in setting a vision for the coming decade in Britain, will now be drawing to a close. The fact that we have been able to extend the blog from its intended 6-week period to over 15 weeks is testimony to the success it has become.

As the Quran states, “Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (within their own souls).”[Ar-Ra’d 13:11]. It is in this spirit that we set out to help shape a vision for Britain in the coming decade; a vision for progress where individuals from the grassroots level can be part of the united voice and action for progress.

Our aims in this phase have been to set a vision and to provide a platform for expression, vision and understanding. We also wished to provide the Muslim youth an opportunity to be the leaders, not simply the objects, of debate. We have kept our formats varied, from poetry to prose, articles to videos and photos. As intended, our blog drew a diverse voice and created a healthy debate, and worked in some way to reduce stereotypes and build bridges.

As we approach the halfway point of 2010, it is clear that the next 10 years will hold new challenges for the British community. One may ask, which universal values will remain of importance? What international issues will provoke us into action and change? How will culture develop, with the increased overlapping of old and new identities? What policies will come into place and to what effect? How do we begin to participate in the political and social arena? What will be the role of British Muslims, and how will the perception of Muslims change in contemporary British society?

As we welcome in the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, the first such government in decades, and Mr David Cameron and Mr Nick Clegg, Britain’s new Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, we also consider the scope for progress in the coming decade, beginning with their five year term. We hope that the coalition will prove itself to be a marriage of opportunity; an opportunity for two parties to partner in governing with the combined best wisdom and experience of both sides in order to secure progression and benefit for Britain and its citizens as a whole. We would also like to welcome the newly elected Muslim MPs, in particular the first Muslim women to be elected as Ministers of the British Parliament. We hope their positive contribution to Britain will be immense as the coming years unfold.

Nonetheless, in these early days, the political future of Britain at present remains relatively in a realm of the unknown. But the positive, sincere, hard work of grassroots organisations and individuals speaks loud and clear. We would like to take this opportunity to thank every single contributor and commentator on this blog – it is your input, both on this site and in the wider sphere of work that you do, that will help shape the future of the British community. We would also like to thank the extended team of this blog who have helped with the organisational, administrative and editing tasks. Without you this project would not have come to such successful fruition.

This is not the end for the MCB Youth Committee, nor the end of our work towards progression. The Platform blog will remain live to allow for your access and perusal of the many engaging, informative and visionary posts that have featured here, and to also allow for continued debate and discussion.

We hope The Platform has been able to draw a real picture of some of the community challenges being faced and to have illuminated broad brushstroke solutions needing considerable development. Thus, we hope this inspires you to work for the community, with or without the MCB, for the common good. If you would like to work with us on these and many more issues for the common good then do get in touch.

Furthermore, we at the Youth Committee are currently working on several campaigns, all of which have been discussed on this blog. Over this year, we will be covering Disability, Mosques and Young People, and the Environment. We welcome your thoughts, suggestions and, particularly, participation in these projects as we work towards realising our ultimate aim: the common good. If you would like to get involved, please do not hesitate to contact us on admin@mcbyouth.org.uk.

Until we hear from you – and, hopefully, until you hear from us again – it’s goodbye for now.

Wa Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuhu.

In Peace and Prayer,

The Platform Editorial Team

Editorial

After weeks of contributions and debate, addressing a remarkable spectrum of issues through a vibrant range of genres, we have now come to the completion of the six themed and structured weeks of The Platform. And we would like to thank all of you who have taken part and made the discussions on the blog both energetic and passionate.

However, this is not the end! Due to popular demand, The Platform will continue with its ‘Ten Years On’ themed discussion for an additional three weeks. During these weeks, we will not only continue to see contributions from notable guest contributors to the site, but also from you, the participants. In this special extension of the blog we will be posting some of the engaging contributions we have received and hope to further the debate. We have received a wide variety of pieces, from artistic contributions to enthusiastic prose, and it is with pleasure that we are hosting these.

We will also be dedicating a week to video blogs, where we will feature exclusive interviews and discussions with some of the greatest and most creative minds of our times from the British Muslim community.

So, we said it before and we’ll say it again; watch this space!

The Platform Editorial Team

Editorial

The last decade will almost certainly be remembered for the Labour Party having won an unprecedented three general election victories. It will also sadly be remembered for the tragic events of 9/11 and 7/7, which changed the course of political debate and discourse around the world and the conflicts that followed in Iraq and Afghanistan. From Palestine to Georgia, the first decade of the 21^st century was littered with international conflicts, while at home it was characterised by government policy towards combating the threat of extremism and how to encourage Muslims to be part of the political and civil dialogue.

Often the common perception is that politics is only about being a local Councillor or an MP. Political engagement is of course much more than this. From writing letters, to forming small focus groups or protesting – voicing our concerns about issues and policies – one way or another, whether we notice it or not, we are engaging in politics and playing a role in wider society. The Quran states, ‘Verily, never will God change the condition of a people until they change it themselves’ (13:11). The call to participate and promote change for the better is thereby clear and encouraged.

As we enter a new decade, one can wonder what it will hold for Muslims and the wider community in the UK. Will it be a positive or negative ten years? Will we see progress on the issues most important to you? Should different faiths, communities and causes work together? Will the new decade be characterised by more Muslims engaging politically and in wider society? Or should we even be playing a role at all?

The questions are there and this new decade will certainly throw up ever more and evolving questions about Muslims in the UK – but what do you think?

The Platform Editorial Team

Editorial

This week’s topic is that of ‘Culture’. Rarely has a term encompassed so many different meanings, both spoken and unspoken, to so many different people. What exactly ‘culture’ means is a question which has exercised some of the greatest minds throughout history.

Today, British society stands amongst the most ethnically and culturally diverse in Europe. Our Eid and Diwali celebrations in Trafalgar Square alongside the classic Christmas celebrations Britain has known for centuries, bears testament to this. It is a diversity that has seen rich growth, even more so in the 21^st century, and is therefore acknowledged and celebrated now more than ever.

This multiplicity of Britain is richly manifest in the creative cultural expressions of our society. From drama to photography, fine art to poetry, this week we will explore British culture. Through the variety of works we will highlight, we hope that we may get and give a glimpse of the exquisite medley and beauty of our homeland.

We also hope to explore the evolution of art and culture in Britain, particularly within the Muslim community, and illustrate the different manifestations of multiculturalism and expressions of British identity therein.

Each fellow citizen has something to share with his or her neighbour. Each person is able to positively channel his or her own cultural expressions, and contribute to the rich tapestry which colours the vast complexities of our human fabric. The Quran states; ‘Another of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your languages and colours’ [30: 22]. Thus, our cultural differences are nothing short of a miracle from God.

Through the works of our contributors we hope you will join us to discover and understand how they and we interpret and express our connection with Britain.

How do you define your identity? How do you express it? What does Britain mean for you?

Sometimes, words may not be adequate.

The Platform Editorial Team

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. There are other areas of concern to be seriously considered, ranging from the disproportionate Muslim prison population, high substance misuse including alcohol and drugs, and gang cultures – to name but a few. With all of these cases, families and societies are suffering, regardless of religion.

The Holy Quran encourages community cohesion and understanding: “Help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression” (05:02). This clear recognition of mutual cooperation points to the importance for individuals to openly acknowledge and work together to solve issues in society.  Thus, the various effects and responses to crime and security should be recognised as deciding factors in the successful, or unsuccessful, cooperation of a community.

Crime and security is not the only prism through which our identity is defined, but it is one of the many facets that shape our identity today. This week, we focus on some of these key questions. Where is the government going wrong? Or are the current legislations enhancing our security? In which direction would you like the community to head? Are the current institutional structures adequate? How do you think we should get there?

The Platform Editorial Team

Editorial

This week’s topic is one which has caused great controversy and debate in 21^st century Britain.

For the Muslim, spirituality is more than a momentary feeling or experience, but is a constant state of being, realised through a consciousness of God. As the Qur’an states, ‘They remember God while standing, sitting, and on their sides and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord, You did not create all this in vain. Be You glorified. Save us from the retribution of the Hellfire.”‘ [3:191]

It is hope and devotion directed to an everlasting, loving and protective Creator, as explained by a Prophetic tradition: ‘God the Almighty said: ‘I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.’ [Bukhari]

The last decade has revealed a reinforcement of science and consumerism as a kind of substitute for spiritual  and religious thinking in Britain, where many would say life is centred around materially satisfying the self and the only people worth listening to are the  labcoat-clad folks clutching test tubes and scalpels.

Or some may say that the past few years have demonstrated an increase in spiritual practice and meditation with a genuine appreciation of its impact on our lives. The number of religious TV channels have also increased, to cater for a growing and increasingly diverse audience.

Religion has also been at the heart of the ‘war on terror’ and the media spotlight. But it also continues to be at the heart of humanitarian charities in Britain. How do we reconcile these two aspects?

Have we, as a nation, lost our spirituality? Or are faith, religion and God still at the forefront of everything we do?  Can spirituality be realised in the absence of a God?

Are religious people divisive and unable to integrate? Or are they leading the way forward in understanding and welcoming difference, yet unjustly stigmatised?

We address these engaging questions, and more, under this week’s theme – spirituality.

The Platform Editorial Team

Many today see Bosnia and Herzegovina (short: B&H, Bosnia) as a fragile state, problematic in terms of its long political impasse – but one can ask – is it really in such an unfavorable position? The situation on the ground is not even close to that which is being projected. In order to acquaint you with B&H, I shall first provide some background, and focus on one of its main peculiarities – the fact that it is the most-Western “majority-Muslim country” in Europe, and in a sense, the world.

According to the last official census in B&H conducted in 1991, 43.5% of the inhabitants of the country declared themselves to be ‘Muslims’ by nationality. Due to war-related death, expulsion and migration, the numbers and demographic distribution of ethnic groups within B&H have significantly changed.

A referendum on independence from Yugoslavia was held in Bosnia in February 1992 but boycotted by most Bosnian Serbs whose forces, assisted by Belgrade, initiated a bloody aggression against Bosnia in 1992-95. Estimates of the death toll of the war have ranged up to 300,000, with about 200,000 being the accepted figure. More than 83% of civilian deaths were Bosniaks, rising to nearly 95% in Eastern Bosnia. During the conflict, more than two million people fled their homes (including over one million to neighboring states and the West).

Bosnia and Herzegovina is secular state with no state religion. The Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina (ICBH) is the institution that has traditionally represented Islam in Bosnia. According to its own constitution: “the autonomy of ICBH is based on the religious and legal institutions of Bosnian Muslims from the time of Ottoman administration in Bosnia.” It is independent in the regulation of its activities and the management of its properties. There are approximately 1,700 mosques and masjids in B&H, all run by the ICBH. Many mosques are still under reconstruction after being destroyed or damaged during the war. It is reported that 613 mosques, 218 masjids, and various other properties were completely destroyed in the war of 1992-95. The institution also takes an active part in the Inter-religious Council of B&H, formed in 1997 to promote inter-religious dialogue, justice, peace and reconciliation.

In post-war Bosnia the greater presence of religion in the public arena is evident. Some welcome the religious revival as healthy assertions of identity after decades of de-Islamisation during the Communist period, while others see it as a rising threat to the secular and politically fragile state. This process has also exposed religious communities to new challenges arising from publicity and public critique.

Although many in the West see Bosnia as a model state in terms of the relationship between Islam and the state, unfortunately, its status of a ‘majority-Muslim state’ seems to be the cause of prejudices and fears.

The most recent issue which has arisen is the EU plan to lessen the visa procedures for the states of Western Balkan. Although significant improvement has been made in 14 years after the conflict ended, B&H has still not been approved for the so-called “white Schengen list” which implies that citizens of Bosnia can travel throughout Europe without visas. Some neighboring countries such as Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro, although at almost similar stages in reform, were already accepted on the “white Schengen list” in December 2009. Due to the complex structure of B&H and the frequent obstacles from within (which recently include even very dangerous prospects of secessionist tendencies in the Bosnian Serb entity aimed to lead to the creation of a mono-national fascist statelet cleansed of all non-Serbs) many of the reforms that are needed for EU integration have been blocked.

Also, the European stance towards recent history has not changed in terms of a clear recognition of failures, as well as the identification of perpetrators of war and genocide in Bosnia. The most recent example is the Hague trial of the former leader of the Bosnian Serbs, Radovan Karadzic. Europe does not want to realize that the trial of Karadzic is, to a degree, a trial of itself. It even has difficulty in pronouncing the term ‘genocide’ with reference to Srebrenica.

The only hope of the Bosnian Muslims today is to prevent any further injustice. Yes, clearly the trial in Hague is a positive legal process which has to be carried out for the sake of historical record. But it is unimaginable that war criminals responsible for mass killings dictate the flow of justice, or even worse, return home after their sentence in full glory and with a state tribute. The recent case in which the Prime Minister of the Serb Entity, Milorad Dodik, sent a government plane to pick up the prematurely-released war criminal, Biljana Plavsic, and returned her safely with the status of national hero, sends a scary message for the future – not just to Bosnia, but to the whole of Europe.

Europe was able to prevent the genocide in Srebrenica and other war crimes in B&H, but it did not. Now is the time to wake up and save people from falling further into an ethnocentric mindset. Serbs, both in Bosnia and Serbia, have not gone through any de-nazification process, and the highest priority of Europe should be to help them finally begin this thorough journey. Notably, the victims of genocide and mass killings in B&H have not asked for revenge against the crimes they suffered. They only want the same as Europe wanted after the Second World War – at the very least – the prevention of a the future climate for criminals.

The current European approach, “visas only for Muslims” policy, is a blatant example of an ‘appeasing and slashing’ stance to those who organized the worst mass killings and genocide in Europe after the Second World War. This signals a troublesome sign for the future of both the Western Balkans, and of Europe.

Mirnes Kovac is the editor of the bi-monthly Preporod Islamic Magazine published in Sarajevo. He graduated in Islamic Studies from the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Sarajevo University and has an MA in International Relations from the University of Sussex, UK. He is the author of the book “Islam as a Global Challenge” published in Bosnian in 2004.

“Bosnia was once ‘that exotic country in the heart of Europe’—a land with a…heritage made rich with the intermingling of many cultures and civilisations. Multinational, multicultural, multireligious, its many communities—Muslims, Serbs, Croats, Hungarians, Jews—had lived together for generations. It was in Bosnia under the Ottomans that large numbers of Jews fleeing the Inquisition in Spain found welcome refuge, and there they had stayed, weaving another strand into the country’s variegated tapestry”. Thus, wrote Danilo Kiš, a Serbian Jewish novelist of Hungarian and Montenegrin extraction, describing the homogenous and pluralistic nature of Bosnia. Kiš died in 1989 and despite seeing the beginning of the breakup of Yugoslavia, he did not fortunately live to see the brutal 1990s civil war that was fought inextricably on ethno-religious lines. The result was an attempted genocide of the Bosnian people, of whom the vast majority are Muslim, and the destruction of irreplaceable historical buildings, documents and societal harmony.

Nearly 15 years since the end of the civil war a fragile peace has been maintained. As fellow European Muslims, what lessons can British Muslims learn from the plight of the Bosnians? The Indian philosopher Mohammed Iqbal explored a variety of notions and ideologies that were affecting the Muslims in the 1930s in his magnus opus ‘The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam’. Iqbal wrote ‘what is the character and general structure of the universe in which we live? … How are we related to it? What place do we occupy in it, and what is the kind of conduct that befits the place we occupy? These questions are common to religion, philosophy, and higher poetry. But the kind of knowledge that poetic inspiration brings is essentially individual in its character; it is figurative, vague, and indefinite. Religion…rises higher than poetry. It moves from individual to society’. Iqbal was suggesting that religion was a collectivising force that gave a community an identity and subsequently purpose. Undoubtedly, a major problem affecting the British Muslim community is our lack of identity. Am I a Muslim living in Britain or am I British first and then Muslim? Is there an irreconcilable dichotomy between these two classifications?

Bosnia survived an attempted genocide and a systematic attempt to destroy all Bosnian monuments and thus their history. The destruction of the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo, once one of the most extensive collections of Oriental manuscripts in the world, and the demolition of the Stari Most bridge in the city of Mostar, which was built in the 15^th century, are indicative of the extent of the campaign against the Bosnian nation. Thus, how did they survive? Buildings and manuscripts can be demolished and people can be killed but a rich history, culture and a strong identity cannot be destroyed. Thus, as British Muslims we need to forge a British Muslim identity, engage with wider society and promote the continued existence of a multicultural society. Only as active British citizens can we transcend any social barriers and reaffirm proudly both our faith and our nationality. As the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Mustafa Ceric, recently stated that, it is ‘the wise men of the Islamic east and the rational men of the west must meet – and then we will have moral men’.

Ahmad Butt read Politics at the University of Nottingham. He is currently doing an MA in Islamic Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. Ahmad volunteers with a range of organisations including FOSIS and Campusalam.

After last week’s exploration of Universal Values on the national level, we now turn to an exploration of those same values, and more, that have been formulated and defined around the world.

Evidently, the phrase ‘universal values’ has entered daily discourse more frequently in recent times. But how does this increased usage in verbal discourse translate into global action? What effect (or lack of effect) do these words have in developing countries around the world? And how in turn does that impact our own progress and experiences here in Britain?

We note that the Quran emphasises the rich beauty of difference and the purpose of variation: “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Indeed, Allah is Knower, Aware.” This observation depicts the epitome of universal values in itself – establishing the equality of all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity and race. Furthermore, the beauty and richness of diversity is acknowledged and celebrated, and good actions are identified as the ultimate measure of nobility.

So this week, we want to know, do universal values differ from country to country? Do we in Britain have a role or even responsibility in implementing our interpretation of these values internationally? What events have been occurring around the world – past and present – and how can we learn from them? Or is our knowledge and awareness of Britain sufficient for us?

From China to Iraq and through the diverse mediums of prose, poetry and photography, we invite you to join us in this week’s exciting debates.

The Platform Editorial Team

Editorial

We open the discourse of this blog with an issue which has perhaps dogged humanity from our very existence, and one which has perhaps posed the most questions for us in the last decade than ever before: what are the values which are universal to all of us? Are those values common to everyone or confined to a particular community or country?

Universal values are those which are common to all – values which transcend all race, religion, colour and creed. In the last ten years much has been made of the very things which divide us, whether it concerns our religious beliefs and practices, or even the actual principles which strike at the fabric our society: the freedoms which we hold to. For, as the Holy Qur’an reminds humanity, “… God loves those who are fair and just” (49:9).

It is a term which denotes the principles that apply to all humanity. The Qur’an highlights our relation to one another – pointedly in our humanity: “It is He Who created you from a single being” (7:189). As humans, we are all essentially a form of holy product, emerged from a single being and unified in origin. And it is this which we must remember when dealing with one another.

What is clear is that what binds and unites us as people outweighs that which divides us. For, as human beings, our aspirations are the same: to make a living for ourselves and our families, to do well and to enrich and better our society. As we enter a new decade, it is an issue which perhaps poses profound challenges: are we to hold on to those values? Are they outdated? Do we have more that divides us than that which unites us? Do we need to re-think our values and principles? What are the values that matter to us most in the UK?  Should we care to assist one another and society, or is our sole responsibility to simply protect our personal well-being? With growing diversity, is there a clash of civilisations in our country?

These are the very questions which will riddle this new decade and these are the questions we will seek to explore over these first two weeks of The Platform. In week one, we will focus on Britain and week two will see the exploration of the wider World. And, as is the very purpose of this blog, we want to hear from you! What do you think? Time for a revolution in values or the need to anchor that which has stood the test of time? And how?

Have your say.

The Platform Editorial Team