The Month of Mercy

The holy month of Ramadhan has arrived once more and over 1 million Muslims within the UK will be fasting from sunrise until sunset. It is one of those times of the year when families forget about their petty differences as they are drawn closer together by this bond, this bond of fasting and praying and ultimately feeling a sense of unity because they share the same belief.

Many people will say that this month is a time of self reflection and spiritual enlightenment. I agree but only to a certain extent. Generally, Islam does not encourage any notions of self. This “me, myself and I” culture is something from other cultures that has penetrated Islam.

Throughout this month everyone is so busy. An average day would be to go to work from 9 to 5, come home open your fast, pray, eat and by the time you have finished its 9.30, time to get to the mosque for Taraweeh prayer. This would finish by 11pm and once you get home it’s time for bed, ready to do the whole thing again. This can last for 30 days!

If this was the routine of the Muslims for the whole month then does this not seem to be very individualistic? After all there are more Muslims in the world than your family, or your community, even your country. Throughout the world there are around 1.6 billion Muslims, all of whom hold the same values and beliefs as the British Muslims do.

This is a time to think about them. Think about those in Africa who are forced to fast every month of the year as they have no means of working in order to provide for their families, or those in the Middle East who cannot sleep out of fear. Fear that a tank or a “death squad” will break down the door and kill everyone in sight simply because the army men were “bored”.

Do we think about them? Or are we too caught up in our own little worlds. The Prophet (saw) said that the Ummah is like one body; when one part is hurting the whole body hurts. Now is the time to revive the Sunnah. This month should aid all Muslims to realise that something needs to change. It is time to speak out against the evil and the tyranny we see in the Muslim world.

In Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Sa`id (radhiallahu `anhu) that the Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said, "Whoever sees something evil should change it with his hand. If he cannot, then with his tongue; and if he cannot do even that, then in his heart. That is the weakest degree of faith."

Ramadhan is known as the month of mercy. This is because Allah (swt) locks up the Shaytaan and showers His mercy upon us. But does this stop the evil that goes on around the world? Do the likes of America and Israel show mercy on the Palestinians during Ramadhan? Of course not! This is the month that we should open our eyes and take a good look around. Muslims will only overcome this torture through unity. Through the understanding that we are all linked by the belief in Allah and His Messenger.

Channel 4 accused of 'distortion'

Channel 4 accused of 'distortion'

Channel 4 aired the Dispatches show in JanuaryPolice are reporting Channel 4 to industry regulator Ofcom over the way an undercover programme was edited.
But charges will not be brought against preachers featured in the Dispatches programme which looked at allegations of extremism in mosques.
West Midlands Police carried out an investigation into three speakers in the programme Undercover Mosque.
The Crown Prosecution Service says the programme "completely distorted" what the speakers said.
In a statement Channel 4 spokesman Gavin Dawson said: "We believe the offensive views expressed by the people revealed in the programme speak for themselves.
To try and demonise the efforts of these people by taking their comments out of context was shocking
Abu UsamahGreen Lane Mosque preacher
"We didn't put these words into people's mouths and all extracts were carefully contextualised.
"The West Midlands Police have provided no evidence whatsoever to support their allegations."
The programme investigated a number of mosques, one of which was Green Lane Mosque in Small Heath, Birmingham.
It investigated mosques run by organisations claiming to be dedicated to moderation and dialogue with other faiths.
'Moderate tradition'
A Green Lane Mosque spokesman said he had been shocked by the programme and was thankful the mosque's name had been cleared.
Abu Usamah, one of the preachers featured in the programme, said he was shocked when he saw himself depicted.
"It was the fact that Green Lane Mosque has a 33-year-old tradition of preaching and teaching the moderate version of Islam.
In this case we have been dealing with a heavily edited television programme
Bethan David, CPS lawyer
"To try and demonise the efforts of these people by taking their comments out of context was shocking."
Mr Usamah said he had been featured as saying homosexuals should be thrown from a mountain when in fact he was explaining it was an opinion featured in some books, and not one he believed.
An undercover reporter claimed to provide evidence that certain speakers preached messages of religious bigotry and extremism.
The Channel 4 Dispatches website, in a piece about the programme, said the reporter had attended talks at mosques and found preachers "condemning the idea of integration into British society, condemning British democracy as unIslamic and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers".
Police said they acknowledged some parts of the programme may have been considered offensive, but, when analysed in full context, there was not enough evidence to bring charges.
'Completely distorted'
The investigation was then extended to include looking at issues relating to the editing and portrayal of the programme.
CPS lawyer Bethan David considered 56 hours of media footage of which only a part was used in the programme.
She said: "The splicing together of extracts from longer speeches appears to have completely distorted what the speakers were saying.
"The CPS has demonstrated it will not hesitate to prosecute those responsible for criminal incitement.
"But in this case we have been dealing with a heavily edited television programme, apparently taking out of context aspects of speeches which in their totality could never provide a realistic prospect of any convictions."
Police also asked the CPS to consider a prosecution for including material likely to stir up racial hatred but again were advised there was insufficient evidence.

Saira Khan’s Pakistan Adventure

This two part show was aired on Tuesday 1st August and again on the 7th at 21.00. The show was, on the surface, exactly what the title says, a Pakistani adventure. Saira Khan travelled all over from Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore to Kashmir. However, this show was no ordinary holiday show that you might see on Channel 4 or Sky Travel. It was produced for a specific purpose.

The overwhelming factor of the show was that Saira was constantly commenting on aspects of life through Western eyes. In fact she seemed to be analysing every scenario through feminist eyes. For example, she decided to travel to the north of Pakistan towards the Himalayas. These parts of the country are obviously extremely remote areas where the only sign of life are those truck drivers who work on these routes.

She decided to take a break at a truck stop where she began to comment on the lack of a female presence! Does she expect to see women singing and dancing in the middle of nowhere? She then sat down and shouted the owners to bring her some tea, even though it was clear to see that this was a self service kind of place. As she sipped her tea she began her monologue to the camera. “All the men seem to be staring at me” she complained.

They were looking at her in bemusement as to why she was there. Not only that but she is in a predominantly Muslim country and she was not dressed too modestly by their standards and also had her tom boy hair all out. Even someone who was not of Asian origin would have had a little more understanding.

Examples like this went on and on. She visited an “artist” who only painted prostitutes. He revealed his secret collection which was in effect pornography. Ms Khan commented how beautiful it was and that he should not be shunned by the government and wider society. Again she was looking through Western eyes and did not take into account the culture and tradition of the country.

The show took a sinister turn when she was given a seat with the murderer himself, President Musharraf. How can a woman on a trip around Pakistan get a seat with the President when so many have failed? I later found that this was due to the ideas that she was pushing. Pakistan is a liberal, democratic country and that’s what the people want. Islam has no part to play in politics or in the day to day affairs of the country.

This idea was emphasized when Saira went to visit Sufi shrines such as Dada Darbar where men sing Qawali until the crowds are stirred up into a frenzy of dancing and convulsing. This kind of celebration was portrayed as worship and the “true” version of Islam. The very same kind of Islam that is pushed by the British Government advisers, The Sufi Muslim Council.

This was the agenda of the producers and the presenter.

The Right to Veto

The word 'veto' comes from a Latin word and literally means I Forbid. It is used to denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a certain piece of legislation.
A veto gives power, possibly unlimited, to stop changes, but not to adopt them. The influence that the veto conveys to its holder is therefore directly proportional to the holder's conservatism, broadly defined. The more the holder likes the current state of affairs, the more useful the veto.

This word has reared its ugly head several times recently in the media, particularly due to President George.W.Bush. The US House has voted for a third time to pull troops out of Iraq, despite the fact that the President has already “vetoed” the motion twice in recent history! It is these kinds of notions and terms of legislation that really baffle me.

It seems to me that this very piece of legislation absolutely contradicts everything that democracy stands for. I may be mistaken but I made the assumption that we live in a world where the majority rule. The ruling of the people should be by the people and for the people, shouldn’t it?

It is clear to see that this is not the case at all. "It is time for the president to listen to the American people and do what is necessary to protect this nation," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat. He also went on to say “That means admitting his Iraq policy has failed”.
His own peers and colleagues do not agree with his foreign policies:

This shows that the leader of the USA, the so called land of the free, does not particularly care what his own people want. So what is it that differs President Bush from Saddam Hussein for example? Saddam was portrayed as a vicious dictator and we know that he killed many people, but does Mr Bush not have blood on his hands also? With the help of the UK they are well on the way of annihilating one million people in the Middle East. This is not so far fetched when hundreds of Iraqi’s are murdered daily and Bush is adamant that he will not withdraw before 2008!

I would like to end by quoting the last sentence of the definition of the word “veto”:

“The more the holder likes the current state of affairs, the more useful the veto.”

The evidence to support this statement is overwhelming. Why pull out the troops from Iraq if he is happy with the current state. After all, he hasn’t had his fill just yet.

Teaching of Islam is 'out-dated'

This was the title of a BBC News article just three days ago. It is already widely known that Blair offered one million pounds to mosques in order to “aid” the training of home grown imams, who need to teach a more modern, British version of Islam. Education authorities are now looking to modernise what kind of Islam is taught at universities also. In order to support their argument a government commissioned report has been carried out.

Academic Ataullah Siddiqui's review paints a picture of Islamic studies departments where the post-9/11 and 7 July world has largely passed them by. It argues that more emphasis should be placed on Islam in a modern context.
Ministers will now label Islamic studies a "strategic subject" because of its role "in preventing extremism".

Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said the review provided a helpful contribution to a particularly complex and sensitive subject.
"The effective and accurate delivery of Islamic studies within our universities is important for a multitude of reasons including wider community cohesion and preventing violent extremism in the name of Islam," he said.

Furthermore, the research, for BBC News and the BBC Asian Network, also suggests that only 6% of imams in Britain speak English as a first language. Professor Greaves from the University of Chester said

“The imams were "overwhelmingly" qualified in the traditional Islamic curriculum, which he said had changed little since medieval times.”

These reports all seem to lead to one conclusion. Local mosques and university courses are breeding extremism! After all, they are “out dated” and “medieval”. If this were the case then why is it that no “Islamist” attack has ever taken place prior to 7/7 in the UK. Muslims have lived in this country for over 50 years with our foreign imams. Why is the government so concerned now?

It is blatantly obvious. They refuse to acknowledge that their foreign policy has a huge effect on Muslims living in the UK, whether they are born here or not. There have been studies done by the likes of Oxford University that prove this. However, it is not in the governments interests to admit to this fact. As long as we in this country are blinded by the smoke screens of home grown imams then we will not have time to concern ourselves with the illegal wars carried out abroad.

Email from Melanie Philips

Dear Amar,

Thank you for your message. I appreciate the strength of feeling that
led you to write to me. I'm sure that if I believed the things you have
written, I would be just as angry.

The problem is that I'm afraid they are all totally wrong -- factually
untrue, as can be discovered from reading any truly objective history as
opposed to the kind of propaganda which I suspect is all that you read.
Of course, you will say that I would say such a thing since I am Jewish
and a supporter of Israel. But the basic facts, verifiable through
historical sources and legal documents, are plain for all to see.

Israel is not an illegal occupation. It is the ancestral home of the
Jewish people, their nation state for 1000 years -- hundreds of years
before Islam was even invented. The Jews did not drive out the Arabs
when Israel was restored as a Jewish state in 1948: on the contrary, the
Arabs tried to prevent the Jews from being restored to their own
homeland and have not stopped trying to wipe them out ever since. Most
of the land built upon by the Jews was either empty or sold to them by
Arab landlords. The vast majority of those Arabs who fled in 1948 did
so, as has been acknowledged by numerous Arab sources, because they were
told to flee by their leaders who believed the Jews would be annihilated
and the Arabs could then return.

Of course, there are things that Israel does which can legitimately be
criticised. However, all its military actions have always been carried
out solely to defend itself against illegal Arab and Muslim aggression,
which has been waged illegally against the Jews in that area for more
than ninety years. The occupation of the West Bank (and previously Gaza)
is entirely legal, as attested by all reputable international legal
authorities, because it is a principle of international law that a
country is entitled to defend itself against aggression by occupying the
territory of those who continue to wage war against it.

As for the violence and killings being inflicted upon Muslims in Iraq
and elsewhere, of course it is absolutely appalling. But it is being
inflicted in the main by Muslims, a fact which you do not acknowledge.

There is much else I could tell you, but I fear you will dismiss it as
Zionist propaganda. It happens, however, to be the truth. The reason for
7/7 is that radical Islamists have declared a jihad against
'unbelievers' - and Muslims are amongst their most numerous victims
around the world. The tragedy is that people like yourself are fed
incitement and lies by both Islamists who want to recruit for terror and
by Arab states who have deliberately and cynically perpetuated the
plight of the Palestinians and who promulgate a torrent of lies about
Israel and prejudice against the Jews in order to deflect upon Israel,
America and the west the anger of their populations at the tyranny they
impose upon them. Unfortunately, the brainwashing has worked, as your
comments to me only too tragically demonstrate.

Don't take my word for it; read what present and former Muslims say
here: http://www.arabsforisrael.com/ or here http://www.shoebat.com/ to
realise the truth and what terrible lies you are being fed.

I hope you find this helpful.

Kind regards,

Melanie



amar hussain wrote:
Dear Melanie,

I understand that this email may never reach you and if it does you will
have very little spare time to read it.
However, I still feel it necessary to write.

As you can guess from the email address, I am a young Muslim male. I was
born and raised in Manchester and lived like the average 80's kid. Life
was good, I never experienced any racism and so never felt like an
outsider. I'm British after all. I was not concerned in world affairs as
I was happy, content. You could say I was extremely individualistic.

Having said this, my life was turned upside down after 9/11. What you
need to realise Mel is that I am the voice of the Muslim youth. We all
feel the same way. After 9/11 racism increased and we witnessed the
birth of Islamaphobia. Trust me, it exists. From here I wanted to know
why people are so quick to hate. I began to look into my own religion,
the fundamental of which is the belief in 1 ummah or community. Muslims
around the world are all part of the same global community. When
my brothers and sisters in Iraq are being tortured it hurts me, when my
brothers are being boiled alive in Uzbekistan it hurts me and when my
sisters and children are being massacred in Palestine it hurts me.

At first, I was naive, hoping to see the good in all people. I wondered
why International Laws can be broken by the likes of Israel and America
while the rest of the world just stands by. Please do not take offence,
I know that you are pro-Israel.

What I'm trying to say is, we feel hurt, we feel pain because of British
Foreign Policy. This is why you get foolish young men committing crimes
as seen on 7/7. But why do you think 7/7 happened? Why did 9/11 happen
and why is there so much animosity towards tyrant leaders such as Bush
and Karimov, Mubarak and the Saudi Royals.

In my opinion if American troops were not plundering the Iraqis oil
reserve and Israelis would stop stealing Palestinian land then there
would be no fighting in those regions or anywhere else. What do you think?

Make no mistake, young Muslims do feel hurt due to the betrayal of the
British Government. What ever happened to the Rule of Law? Blair should
be tried as a war criminal. What happened to Freedom of Speech? You can
attack the very core of our faith but we can't argue that Israel is an
illegal occupation? Does that make me an Anti-Semite? I love Jews who
believe in God such as Rabbi Cohen but I feel resentment towards
Zionists, whether they be Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or
anything else. Zionism, in my view, is an evil ideology.

Who gave Britain the right to say that Jews could have their own
country, but first they would have to eradicate the host population. If
you break into my house and refuse to leave do I not have the right to
remove you? And then to add insult to injury, you say you can have the
garden but I get the living room, the kitchen and all the
bedrooms!!!! Is that what you call fair? Of course not. No Muslim will
ever agree that Israel is a legitimate State. It is occupation.

Now please tell me why we need mosques and schools and universities to
"radicalise" our youth when the government is doing an amazing job in
its own right?

Finally, If I offend I apologise. I only speak the truth. I fear non but
God so if do see any repercussions I accept them whole heartedly.


Yours Sincereley,


Amar

Wife Swap

Wife Swap- the new Agenda


On Sunday 15th the premier episode of season 7 of Wife Swap was aired in the UK. I noticed that it was being heavily promoted by the media but initially I was unsure of the reasons.

For those of you who have never seen the show, two wives switch roles for a week. Carrying out all of the duties that the other wife would normally do. That’s for the first half of the week. In the second half the wife can change the rules and have the family do pretty much whatever she wishes.

Then I saw an advertisement on TV. A Muslim wife was going to take part in the show. With everything that’s been on in the media recently it was obvious that this was being done to fulfil an agenda. The Muslim wife, Nusrat was quite apprehensive when she entered the new home. It wasn’t too long before she discovered that the 15 year old daughter was a lesbian. What are the odds? Nusrat addresses this simply by saying that homosexuality is not accepted in Islam to which the daughter replies “who are you to judge my sexuality”.

When the rule changes take place the Muslim father is harassed by the wife to allow his daughters to go to a rock concert. He unwillingly accepts. This only causes more tension at home as the girls become more argumentative and insolent as they wish to have more “freedom”. At the non Muslim house Nusrat implements her rules by discarding all of the alcohol in the house but she soon discovers the 15 year olds stash. She hid some small bottles of brandy and when confronted she said they were a Christmas present from her mother. Did I mention she was fifteen??

The Muslim family were forced to compromise all of their beliefs whereas the other family compromised nothing. Channel 4 helped in attacking, not the practises, but the very principles of Islam. Islam does not allow the consumption or trade of alcohol, free mixing of the sexes and homosexuality. However, these values were portrayed as being extreme and backward.

This is the aim of the Western governments, to show Islam as outdated and in need of reformation. The recent Rand Report is explicitly trying to modernise Islam by pushing certain moderate groups such as The Sufi Council of Britain. These are groups who pose no threat to Western policy but stand side by side on the so-called “war on terror”. It is well known that America is working overtime to modernise Islam and now Britain has joined them in this struggle. America has even gone as far as publishing a new translation of the Qur’an with several verses omitted as they do not sit well with Western thinking.

The same agenda aired a show on BBC2 at primetime called The Retreat. This show was disguised as “spiritual” escapism. A Muslim revert of the Sufi persuasion took 6 people away to Andalucía, the famous Muslim city of Spain. This was done to get them away from the hustle and bustle of London and work etc. however, 1 of the participants was a practising Muslimah. She immediately stood out from the rest. She did not particularly need this “retreat” as she wasn’t as wrapped up in society as the rest.

Throughout the 4 part documentary, the spiritual guide insisted on everyone taking part in certain rituals. It is debatable whether or not all of his actions were Islamic but he referred to all of his practises as Classical Islam. The true Islam.

This is where I began to turn inside. Why was BBC showing this? There was definitely more to this than met the eye. Gradually over the weeks this one practising Muslimah began to feel uncomfortable with certain practises and views. She questioned some of his actions and asked for proof to which he stated “who are you to tell me how to worship my lord?”

He then went about demonising this sister to the rest of the group. He claimed that the problem with these young Muslims is that they are not flexible. Let me make it perfectly clear. This sister neither said, nor did anything to contradict Islam and yet she was viewed as the outsider, the black sheep, the extreme one.

Do you see the new government agenda? To cause a divide within the Muslims. Muslims have always differed on matters of fiqh and madahib which is legitimate, but the government has now rid us of this and made two new camps.

The moderates and the extremists are the only two types of Muslim according to our Prime Minister. It gets better. The definition of these is very simple indeed. A moderate is one who agrees with British foreign policy and an extremist is the opposite. So if Jo Bloggs says he disagrees with the illegal occupation of Iraq it’s freedom of speech, yet if I were to say the same I could be arrested under the terrorism act!!

Ever since the tragic bombings in London Blair has been hell bent on steering the blame away from him. The government has since attacked all spheres of Islamic social life. Our mosques and imams have been accused of radicalising the youth. Muslim faith schools have been told to broaden their curriculum. Even university students who are Muslim are being branded as extreme just for holding political opinions!!! Which university student doesn’t have a political view?

As a direct result of this the Secretary of State Ruth Kelly has recently announced that the government are offering 5 million pounds to Muslim organisations in order to tackle extremism. That’s really going to help the situation.

Again this tactic is only going to cause more friction within the Muslim community. Obviously the government will expect results for their money. Or should I say tax payers’ money. First John Reid advises Muslim parents to spy on their children and now some may even sell out friends in the community for a little money.

The reality is that there are no radicals, or extremists that are a threat to this society. Not how the government are saying. If there is a feeling of resentment towards Blair and his peers it is due to his foreign policy. Even reports from the likes of Oxford University have proven that any attacks on Britain are a direct result of Tony’s war mongering in Muslim Lands.

Below are some quotes from a speech made by the man himself on 26th July 2005.

He stated that extremists are:

The ones who question the legitimacy of the state of Israel
The ones who believe in one global community/Ummah (even though we live in an era of globalisation)
The ones who believe in the right to rule by the Caliphate

I know what you’re thinking, that list includes every single Muslim in the ENTIRE KNOWN WORLD, plus many of the lefties and even some right wingers. It’s safe to say that at least a third of the world’s population falls into Blair’s definition of “extremism”.

The UK blatantly opposes and even terrorises those countries that disagree with Capitalism as a ruling system hidden behind a worthless democracy. It is clear that Blair sees Islam as a threat to his tyranny and wishes to crush it.
Modern day Britain is reminiscent of 1930’s Germany. Where Blair is Hitler and Muslims are the new Jews. Back to the good old days some might say.

Teenagers: What are They Thinking?

Teenage Terminations on the Increase



“When abortion became legal in 1969 just fewer than 55,000 terminations were carried out in the UK.”

This was the first line of an article written by Andrea Hammett from the Sun newspaper. 55,000 abortions seem extreme in today’s day in age never mind almost thirty years ago. Today that figure has grown to nearly 200,000 and shockingly, 41,000 of those who carried out the procedure last year were teenagers!!

It is clear to see that this has become the norm in this country. What’s more, the figures also show that in 2006 four in every 1000 girls aged fifteen or below had a termination. We all know that it is illegal to have sex under the age of sixteen and yet so many younger girls are clearly having sex and thus having to have more and more abortions.

What kind of society do we live in where young girls can go to the doctor and get an abortion as easily as going to the dentist to get a filling? Dr Carol Cooper says “some GP’s are seeing the same girl come in for two or three abortions within a year.”

The British people are slowly beginning to wake up and realise that there are consequences to their actions. When one believes that he (or she) can do whatever he wants such as having promiscuous sex and sex outside of marriage, there is always a risk. We always talk of British morals and values, however, these statistics are not something to boast about.

When children as young as 13 or 14 are in a sexual relationship, they are completely unaware of the risks involved. I am not only talking about sexually transmitted diseases but the effects after having an abortion. One of the major risks is infection, resulting in fertility problems as well as the emotional distress that this can cause.

Obviously, the rise in teenage pregnancies and terminations is a cause for concern; however, people are not willing to accept responsibility for their actions. We are too quick to shift the blame. Dr Cooper went on to say:

“It seems we’re caught in a Catch-22 where we are being asked to choose between wanting fewer teenage mums or fewer teenage abortions.”

What? If a Dr is making comments like this then there is not much hope for the average person. Correct me if I’m wrong, but surely there is a way to prevent the rise of both teenage mothers and teenage abortions. Simply refrain from sexual intercourse until you are ready to get married and have children! Is that not possible? Is that not one of the values that we hold onto anymore?

Democracy

Democracy or Hypocrisy?

Democracy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary is described as:

Government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

Democracy (literally "rule by the people", from the Greek demos, "people", and krateo, "rule"[1]) is a form of government.

These statements seem to be quite straight forward. It’s just like in the movies, a country or state that is run “by the people and for the people”.

Logic tells me that a democratic government is a fair and just way of ruling.
The population votes for a party who is willing to fulfil certain objectives and once in power, they are answerable to the people.
This, in reality, is far from the truth. If we look throughout history, these so-called democratic states have been ruled by tyrants and dictators, whose only objective is to reap as much wealth as possible.

Throughout the world lands have been “liberated” with democracy by the West. It is a widely accepted method of rule; however it is only one method. Why then have countries such as Britain and America imposed this system on other countries?

Countries like Turkey, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, Algeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the list is endless. Many of these countries were, if you haven’t already guessed, under Islamic Rule. Now whether or not this had anything to do with the West’s propagation of Democracy is another matter. My concerns are the methods in which this ideology was spread and is still being spread.

The irony is that this just and liberal ruling system is being implemented by force. These lands are being “liberated down the barrel of a gun” so to speak. Just look at Iraq. The people were previously ruled under a dictator and yet had a better standard of living than they do now. Innocent civilians are killed on a daily basis due to U.S LIBERATION tactics.

Even in countries where democracy prevails and has done for many years we see all kinds of contradictions. Turkey has been in the limelight this week for their democratic support. Apparently, a candidate running for President, Abdullah Gul has Islamic ideals and his wife wears a headscarf.



For this reason 750,000 people protested on the streets of Istanbul for him to step out of the race. In support of this the Turkish military announced that if he was to win the elections Mr Gul would be removed by force in order to defend democracy and secularism! Is this democracy or hypocrisy?

A similar case occurred in Palestine. They agreed to have elections at the request of the West. Hamas and Fatha were the two main contenders. Hamas wanted Palestine to be free of Israeli occupation and refused to recognise Israel as a legitimate State.

As a result of this they won the elections by a landslide. Let’s face it, who wants to be occupied and forced out of their homeland? For all of their efforts America declared them as a terrorist organisation and thus refused to recognise them as the ruling body of Palestine.

This is a no win situation. If you don’t play by their rules you’re regarded as an uncivilised and barbaric society. If you do submit to their rules they still have precautions in place to stop any party who disagrees with Western policy to come into power.

Again, I ask, is this democracy or hypocrisy. If we look a little deeper into Britain’s democratic process it is clear that this country is certainly not governed by the people or even for the people.

The only aspect of democracy that the people play a role in is electing the government. They cannot even elect a Prime Minister as this is done by the winning Party. Just look at Gordon Brown. He hasn’t been chosen by the people but by his peers, as was John Major.

The host population has no say in the passing of laws or in any decisions made with regards to national and foreign policy. The system is designed to give the people very little power. No-one in the country wanted the Poll Tax introduced in 1990 but it was done anyway. The Iraq war was massively unpopular but we went in anyway. Not to mention a fundamental principle of a “civilised democracy”, innocent until proven guilty, scrapped with the new detention without trial laws.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that we do not live in a democratic society. The whole election process is a farce, with all the cash for honours scandals, which have been going on long before Blair and Lord Levy. The ones with the real power and the decision makers are those corporate companies that have the money to buy off politicians.

For this reason, Britain truly is a Capitalist State, or what I like to call an elected dictatorship.

Resistance: Fall of Man

Last week on the news we saw the Manchester Cathedral in the limelight for being the backdrop of a new Sony Playstation 3 game entitled Resistance: Fall of Man.

The Church of England is considering legal action against entertainment firm Sony for featuring Manchester Cathedral in a violent PlayStation video game.

The Church says Sony did not obtain permission to use the interior in the war game Resistance: Fall of Man.

The game, which has sold more than one million copies, shows a virtual shoot-out in the cathedral's nave in which hundreds of enemies are killed.

Sony said it believed it had sought all necessary permission for the game.

The game in question is like any other first person shooter with the slight difference that some of it is held within the Church.

The Bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, described the decision to feature the city's cathedral as "highly irresponsible" - especially in the light of Manchester's history of gun crime.

The Dean of Manchester Cathedral, the Very Reverend Rogers Govender, added the game was "undermining" the work of the church.

"We are shocked to see a place of learning, prayer and heritage being presented to the youth market as a location where guns can be fired.

"This is an important issue. For many young people these games offer a different sort of reality and seeing guns in Manchester Cathedral is not the sort of connection we want to make.

"Every year we invite hundreds of teenagers to come and see the cathedral and it is a shame to have Sony undermining our work."

After the Bishop aired his views, the BBC then went on to interview Patty Mackie from Mothers Against Violence, whose son Dorrie was shot dead in Manchester. She said it was time to stand up to the makers of violent games.

"I believe it's something that needs to be taken seriously first by the Church but also by parents.

"There's a war going on - not just in Iraq, but right here on our doorstep, in the minds of our children."

That is quite a profound thing to say. The Government’s war in Iraq has been likened to the battle of ideas here in the UK. My main concern with this news article is the fact that the blame for gang violence and shootings has been pushed upon the games industry.

Games have always been ultra violent. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s I remember tearing peoples legs off and proceeding to beat them over the head (Mortal Kombat fatality) and such. This did not create a generation of psychopaths who like to tear off people’s limbs.

This is an absurd claim to make. If the games industry were to only make games about fluffy bunny rabbits would this have stopped Miss Mackie’s son from being murdered or any of the victims. Of course not. Whether it is a game, a film, a song, it will not change the actions within this society.

Part of the problem with this society is this “blame culture”. Nobody is willing to take responsibility for their own actions. More importantly, the government does not even ask the most fundamental question of why. Why is gun crime or gang culture rife within our communities? Well, I have my own theory and I like to call it the “rat race”.

Everybody has heard of this phrase that encompasses British life. We live like mice in those plastic balls, constantly chasing money, riches, wealth, and happiness. We are brought up to believe that without the money, the car and the house then happiness cannot be achieved. This is our aim, our goal.

When you are told that money equates to tranquillity then you will resort to any means necessary in order to attain wealth. Whether it is through a university degree or selling drugs on the street corner, the aim is ultimately the same.

Maybe it’s time we re-evaluated what our goals are, or maybe it’s time for people to wake up and realise that money does not bring happiness.

Why?

Why?

Growing up in the UK, as a Muslim, how do we see ourselves? Do we see ourselves as Muslim, British or Asian? When I was growing up I lived in a predominantly white neighbourhood. I wasn’t like the average kid from Rochdale; I always knew I was different from the other kids I went to school with. Different kind of name, different colour skin, I even ate different food. I was constantly reminded that I was a Pakistani first and foremost.

Like most of us, I was your average Muslim. The ‘seasonal’ Muslim, as I like to call it. You all know what I’m talking about. I would go to Jumu’a when I was off school, and fast during Ramadan. It’s weird how I used to stop all the bad things for that one month. Smoking, going out, all the usual things that teenagers do in this society. It’s as though all of these things are Haram for that one month of the year, but as soon as Eid came it was party time. After Eid prayer I felt free. The nice clothes came out, along with the hired cars and a sack of bud in my pocket and then we all used to head off to Wimmy Road. It makes me laugh inside when I think about it.

The weird thing is, it’s not our fault. I don’t blame or cuss my brother for wanting to chill, but you got to ask yourselves, who says that you need the flashy car or the drugs to have a good time. This concept was non existent in the Islamic world. It all stems from the society we’re raised in. Think about it. What does this society push? We’re told as kids that if you don’t get an education you won’t get a ‘good’ job. If you don’t have a ‘good’ job then you won’t be able to afford the fancy car, the big house or attract the opposite sex. That’s the ideal in this society. So is that what life is all about? I guess 50 was right, when he said “Get Rich Or Die Tryin’” This is the goal of the UK and the west in general. Materialism!! If nobody wanted the big house or the fancy car or the new PS3, do you think that this country would still be thriving? I ain’t saying that this is fact but it’s something to think about.

After all, it is in man’s nature to want to progress. There is nothing wrong with this concept. You see, there are three instincts instilled within every human being. The survival instinct, the procreation instinct and the worship instinct, this is fact. However, how we got about fulfilling these instincts is what shapes our lives. Let me break it down. Survival is man’s organic needs, the need for food, water, sleep, shelter, but also to progress. It says in the hadith “If the son of Adam has one valley of gold then he would want two, if he had two valleys of gold then he would want three.” This is the inherent nature of mankind. We always want more.

The second instinct is self explanatory; we all have urges after reaching a certain age. Man also feels the need to have offspring. The third is the need to worship something which is greater than ourselves, whether that be the Creator or something created.

The reason that the majority of Muslims hold the incorrect values in this society is due to what capitalism pushes. Britain is a capitalist society. Capitalism is materialism. Just look around you, look at the TV, the adverts, the billboards, what do you see? I’ll tell you, half naked women selling the most mundane products like shampoo, toothpaste and hair dye. This society links the survival (progression) instinct with the procreation (sexual) instinct. Materialism or capitalism is their agenda and they push this with the help of sex. Sex sells after all.

But what of the final instinct? The most important of the three, worship. There is no sign of worship whatsoever in this society. That is, if you don’t include “Songs of Praise” on the BBC on a Sunday!! Seriously though, as said earlier the three instincts are embedded within every human being from birth, but if worship is suppressed to such an extent, what happens? Man must express this instinct in some way. This has given birth to ‘celebrity culture’. Footballers are referred to as gods, shows like “Pop IDOL” are the highest rated shows on TV. Actors and actresses are followed day and night by the paparazzi just so we can see what colour underwear they had on today. This is how the worship instinct manifests itself in the western world, no sign of the Creator.

The irony is, we, as Muslims are told that we are not integrated into this society. Not integrated!!! I’m sure anyone of us that could reel of the members of the Man United or the Liverpool squad. Or tell you in detail about the latest Hollywood relationships, or sing along to the latest Beyonce track. But if we were asked to recite some verses from the Qur’an or name some of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) could we do it?

The point that I’m trying to make brothers and sisters, is that without the guidance of Allah (swt) and by man ruling according to his own whims and desires, society becomes what you see and hear around you everyday. Murder, rape, drugs, paedophilia, and prostitution, the list is endless. It’s time to wake up.

This would not exist if mankind followed the guidance of our Creator.

Modern Day Houdini

Modern Day Houdini

Is it just me or is Islam in the news every single day? And not in a good way. We all know that Islam is a religion of peace, a ruling system sent down for the good of mankind. So why do we hear words like extreme, militant and barbaric associated with this beautiful ideology? Muslims are the hot topic of this era.

Let’s take a look at what is happening around the world today. Afghanistan was invaded after the whole 9/11 thing and is still under occupation. Then Iraq was invade under the false pretences of weapons of mass destruction and is still under occupation. More recently Somalia was attacked by Ethiopia with the aid of the U.S. why is this? I think we all know. Oil!! This is the sole reason why the west has decided to attack the Muslims lands, and consequently Islam itself. Having said this, they have a little more cunning that to just go in and openly take it. They have used the war on terror as a veil to go in and invade and occupy theses countries. They use words like liberation, and spreading peace and democracy. How is it possible to spread peace down the barrel of a gun? The west talks of extremists, insurgents and militia groups who are attacking their armies. Would there be any need for resistance if our Muslim lands weren’t occupied. Of course not!

However, there was a problem in the UK, the public were not convinced. They wanted the troops to pull out of the occupied territories. The government didn’t want this, they wanted to stay there, so what did they do? They brought the terror a little closer to home. Jack Straw decides to tell our sisters to stop wearing the veil, John Reid tells Muslim parents to spy on their children, to report them to the police if they drop out of college, stay out late or start hanging around with new friends. Sounds like every other teenager in this country to me! Even university lecturers were told to spy on the Muslim students. But why? Because we were told by an ex MI5 official that there are approximately 1600 terror plots within the UK right now, one such example is the suspect plot to blow up a number of trans Atlantic flight that put the entire country in a state of fear and brought airlines across the country to a halt. On this very same day Lebanon was invaded by Israel.

All of these ridicules accusations are a direct result of what is going on in the Muslim lands. Blair is a modern day Houdini. He distracts us from the terror being caused by the western world by redirecting the attention of the public to preposterous allegations within the UK. The government has openly said that UK universities and mosques are breeding terrorists! The two places where every Muslim goes to learn have become the targets for those who are fighting the ‘War on Terror’. Naturally, this will cause a state of fear within the community. People are scared when an Arab looking man with a bag gets on a train. Our own Imams and Muslim councillors are too afraid to speak up against the tyranny of the west. The next time you see a British Muslim arrested, ask yourself, I wonder what the western military are doing in the Muslim lands.

Islamaphobia

Islamaphobia

What is Islamaphobia? It is a reasonably new word that popped into existence after 7/7. The literal definition is fear of Islam. This fear of Islam is very real, contrary to the media’s belief, and is propagated by the media on behalf of the government.

However, this is ridiculous. How can an ideology be feared when it promotes nothing but peace and equality? Certain acts that have been carried out over the last few years by “Muslims” have tarnished the name of Islam. It serves the purpose of the government if the public see terrorism as Islamic. Have you ever heard of anything so absurd? Did the actions of the IRA brand all Christians as terrorists or even the heinous crimes committed by Adolph Hitler? Of course not, because human beings tend to be rational for the most part. The phrase Islamic Terrorist is a complete paradox, as is Extremist Islamist. Firstly, it is not possible to be a Muslim and then cause terror, as this would take you outside of the folds of Islam.

Secondly, it is impossible to be an Extreme Muslim. This notion of moderate Islam and extremism are concoctions of the Western Governments. There are not two or three different types of Islam, we are all one. This word Islamist is another invention of the West. They are quick to divide us and cause enmity between Muslims by labelling us Sunni, Shia, Wahabbi, Salafi, Sufi etc. We need to see past our noses and look at the bigger picture. They are here to divide and conquer. That is the way of the colonialists and always has been throughout history.

Below I have listed a couple of titles from the news headlines over the last week:

Police raids target 'terror plot'

Eight people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act in Birmingham after a "significant" operation involving police and security service MI5.

Younger Muslims 'more political'

Young Muslims are much more likely than their parents to be attracted to political forms of Islam, a think tank survey has suggested.

Support for Sharia law, Islamic schools and wearing the veil is much stronger among younger Muslims, a poll for the centre-right Policy Exchange found

In his speech later, Mr Cameron will warn that in some parts of Britain's Muslim community "women are being denied access to education, work, involvement in the political process and surprisingly even denied access to mosques". He will go on to say: "We must be bold, and not hide behind the screen of cultural sensitivity to say publicly that no woman should be denied rights which both their religion and their country, Britain, support".

Two men charged under the Terrorism Act after raids in West Yorkshire have been remanded in custody

He is alleged to have possessed several computer files with titles such as Attack Against American Troops, Sound of Jihad, and Hamas Bomb. It is alleged that "without reasonable excuse" Bilal had a record containing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing an act of terrorism, which was five copies of a CD entitled The Manhattan Raid and a computer file of the same title.

These are just a few examples of arrests occurring within the UK on a daily basis. We hear of raids taking place at four in the morning with over 50 police officers ramming peoples homes open. The so-called “terror” suspects are ill treated as they are guilty until proven innocent.

Now if I was your average Jo Bloggs, these arrests would stir certain feelings within me. I would think that these Muslims are crazy. They want to blow us up. More to the point, it is not their fault for feeling this way. The average man is not expected to analyse or question. He takes everything he hears and sees at face value, especially, when it is reported by the BBC or The News of the World or even from the horses mouth (Tony Blair).

The media frenzy surrounding Islam is non stop and all of this negative attention towards us is obviously affecting the public. This is natural. If we were brought up to believe that black is white and vice versa then this is the view we would carry. It’s a concept. We all hold certain ideas, values and even thoughts, but only when these ideas are acted upon do they become concepts. For example, you may feel prejudice towards certain things, but if this is not acted upon it remains a thought, and not a concept.

Having said this, ideas that are acted upon are indeed concepts. So when I see sisters on the news, who have been attacked or abused simply for wearing the veil, I understand that the guilty parties clearly hold Islamaphobic concepts. They hold a view that Muslims are different, evil, inferior, and sub-human almost. Does that remind you of a time in our history??? Yet the government continue to say that Islamaphobia does not exist. Their view is that the Muslim youth are becoming too radical and extreme for no good reason. Blair has said on many occasions that his actions in Iraq have no effect on British Muslims. Is he being serious? Do they honestly believe that their propaganda pieces and warmongering have no effect on us?

Again, this serves their purpose. We must be demonised and not sympathised with in order for the West to pillage and rape Muslim lands without their own people revolting against them. This truly is a Propaganda War. The west is like wolves in sheep’s clothing, acting as though they are the victims; they are the defenders of freedom and democracy… How many Muslims have been murdered in the Middle East since U.S occupation? At least 650,000 and that’s not including Afghanistan, Palestine and Lebanon. Have the Western Media companies ever mentioned any figures even close to this with regards to the number of casualties in Iraq? However, when one or two British soldiers get killed by accident from their own men they are mourned like heroes, with their military funerals. They shouldn’t even be in Iraq. It is an occupied land. The news readers are solemn faced and sad when a British soldier dies, but they can mention the massacre of hundreds of Muslims in one breath, without pause and move on to the football results.

Brothers and sisters it is plain for all to see that Islamaphobia does exist within the UK. It is being pushed by the powers that be upon the masses in order to cause a state run by fear and panic. Is the blood of our brothers and sisters so cheap? Clearly we are not valued as they are. They do see themselves as superior. And this is why a new law has been fabricated just for us.

How “great” a country must be to have one law for themselves and another law for us, The Muslims?

This is also known as……..

“The Terrorism Act”.

Section 1 part 3 states

(3 encouraging the commission or preparation of acts of terrorism or Convention offences include every statement which-
	(b) is a statement from which those members of the public could reasonably be expected to infer that what is being glorified is being glorified as conduct that should be emulated by them in existing circumstances.

Section 1 part 7b goes on to say:

(7) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable-
	(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years or to a fine, or to both

Let us be clear about this. Part 3 is fundamentally saying that anyone who is sympathetic towards the cause of those Muslims who are being oppressed by tyrannical rulers could be “inferring” acts of terrorism and therefore face persecution.

Seven years in prison for having an opinion!! Where is Freedom of Speech now? Where are our civil liberties?

The Act itself is extremely long winded and uses so much jargon in order to hide the obvious. This law applies to no-one but Muslims. If you disagree with UK foreign policy you could easily fall into the category of “glorification of terrorism” and get carted off to Paddington Green Police Station for 30 days before they even think about charging you.

This is what has become of Great Britain. It doesn’t sound so great anymore.

Britishness

Britishness

What does it mean to be British? Why are we so obsessed with labelling everyone? I can’t really get to grips with this whole issue.

Ok. Let’s look at what the word British means according to the Oxford English Dictionary:

“The people native to or inhabiting Great Britain.”

“Of or relating to or characteristic of Great Britain or its people or culture; "his wife is British"

These are a couple of examples. The first is quite self explanatory. To be British one simply has to be an inhabitant of Britain. Not so difficult to understand. But then why all the propaganda in the media stating that Muslims don’t act British or feel British? What nonsense is this? I was born and raised in Manchester, by definition, does that not make me British? Not according to some.

The second definition is slightly more ambiguous. It speaks of the characteristics or culture of the people. Interesting! So it is the culture and characteristics of the British people that makes a person British. However, now I need to find out what that means. Having spoken to various work colleagues with regards to definitions, I am now even more confused.

The first guy said that he hates British culture; it’s all football yobs and binge drinking. I was shocked at his point of view as it was very similar to my own. Then a more middle class female began to speak about the character of the British. Reserved, polite, I said prudish but she disagreed. I agreed with her to an extent until she mentioned that the Brits are not like the American war-mongers. Ok, so the British are not as brash and vulgar but they still have the same ideals as the United Snakes of America. She then mentioned that British Imperialism is the route of the culture. That intrigued me and I mentioned colonialism. She agreed.

So, I guess, if you live in Britain and act like the British then that makes you British. Still doesn’t quite seem right. If I become an alcohol fuelled football hooligan does that make me more British? Maybe if I join the army and go to Iraq to fight my brothers and sisters then I would be considered as one of them. I’m sure that would make the government happy.

This is why we are being told to integrate. They want us to think like them and act like them. On the one hand, the booze drinking, hooligan is no threat to the government and on the other, the one who joins the army is with them. These are the two categories that we are being pushed towards if we want a peaceful life in this country. I just finished watching a speech by one of the nine men arrested in Birmingham. He has been released without charge.

Asked how he felt about being singled out he said: "It's a police state for Muslims.

"It's not a police state for everybody else because these terror laws are designed specifically for Muslims and that's quite an open fact," he added.

Now this statement is partly true. You see, it’s a police state for a certain type of Muslim. The Muslim who believes that everything we do in life is for Allah (swt) and that His ummah is one. This Muslim feels pain when his fellow brother is being oppressed and tortured and will speak out against tyranny. For this Muslim the UK most certainly feels as though it is a police state. I then found out from the BBC website that Abu Bakr (the released terror suspect) was studying for a PhD in Political Islam! It further proves my point that any Muslim who disagrees with UK foreign policy is a threat to this society according to the government.

Without sounding disrespectful, your average Muslim in the UK does not fall into this category. We are too caught up in this society to care about world affairs. That’s the way the system is designed. Go to work from nine to five Monday to Friday, pay your mortgage, pay your bills, watch some telly and go out on the weekend. What else is there? Those who fall into this category are no threat whatsoever. They are fully “integrated” into society. Our so-called Muslim councillors also fall into this category. They are so involved in this society; they believe that democracy is the solution to all their problems. Or maybe it’s just about the money and the power!! Regarding the statement made by Abu Bakr, Dewsbury councillor Shahid Malik stated

"I can understand Abu Bakr's anger and hurt but it definitely doesn't lead to the conclusion that we're in a police state.

"It's really important that people do remain patient and let justice take its course."

These people are British first and then Muslim. I consider myself a Muslim that was born and raised in Britain. They can label me with what they wish. We have to remember that we live by Islam. Islam has no borders and does not recognise colour or culture. If you believe that “there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah (swt) and Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger, then you belong to the ONE Ummah.

Islam is totally against concepts such as nationalism, patriotism and especially capitalism. This society is a secular society where man has the freedom to rule how he pleases, and the result is anarchy. I saw a statistic recently that 1 in 14 women in this country have been raped!!

Brothers and sisters do not get entangled in this ridiculous argument about whether we are British Muslim or Muslims in Britain. It will get us nowhere and more to the point it is not going to help our Ummah from liberation of occupation.