Google Street View: mosques (Bristol)

Next stop on the Tour is Bristol. The server is running slow, so have only obtained a few images so far:


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Shah Jalal Jame Mosque‎


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Bristol Jamia Mosque‎

Bristol Muslims

thisisbristol.co.uk, Bristol muslims: 'We can't let radicals silence us', 30 Mar 09 "Muslim extremists are getting too much attention at the expense of the moderate majority, claims a Bristol community leader.

""The radicals are getting the limelight and the mainstream Muslim view is not being reported," Farooq Siddique, of the Bristol Muslim Cultural Society, told the Bristol Post."

Michael Nazir-Ali

Daily Mirror, Islam row Bishop of Rochester to step down, 30 Mar 09 "The outspoken Bishop of Rochester is quitting after 15 years. Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, who received death threats after saying Islamic extremists were creating no-go areas for non-Muslims in Britain, will step down in September."

Oxford's new mosque

Telegraph Blogs, Mosque amid Oxford's slumbering spires, 28 Mar 09 "While Bishop Nazir Ali of Rochester has received death threats from some who hate his criticisms of Islam, Bishop John Pritchard of Oxford has said he received death threats for supporting a mosque in Oxford that wants muezzins to broadcast the call to prayer."

The Channel Project

Guardian, Police scheme identifies 180 children as potential Islamic extremists: One hundred and eighty schoolchildren across Britain have been identified as potential Islamic extremists, 28 Mar 09 "One hundred and eighty schoolchildren across Britain have been identified as potential Islamic extremists by a police-run early intervention programme which aims to coax youngsters away from radical influences.

"The Channel project, a pilot scheme established in April 2007 and run by six police forces, provides parents, teachers and youth workers with training to recognise the warning signs of "grooming" by radicals and a mechanism to report concerns over a child, or group of children, to the police. A panel of community leaders then decides the best course of action, in the most serious cases referring them to social services."

Fashion

Guardian, It's a wrap!, 30 March 2009

"Wearing hijab and following fashion is all about layering, says Jana Kossaibati. So what do you do when the weather gets warmer?"

I don't really have any fashion-sense (!), but was intrigued to see this in The Guardian, and also the 'Three great hijab-friendly looks' gallery section online.

Google Street View: mosques (Swansea)

A further part of this ongoing series of images of mosques from Street View (also posted on the Virtually Islamic blog):


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Swansea City Mosque & Islamic Centre‎


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Imam Khoei Islamic Centre

I was unable to locate an image of the Hafod Islamic Centre or the Swansea University mosque. I plan to make return 'visits' to several of the sites I have briefly surveyed over the past week. It doesn't take the place of fieldwork, but has been an intriguing exercise.

Google Street View: mosques (Glasgow)

Today, in my street view tour, takes me briefly to Glasgow:


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Glasgow Central Mosque (not the best view)


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al-Furqan Mosque


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According to various maps, this is Madrassah Mosque in Dixon Ave. I have no knowledge of Glasgow however, and the site has no labels. Clearly, this is one of the issues associated with Street View (and its use in an academic setting).


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Faisal Mostafa arrest in Bangladesh

The Statesman, ‘Arrest’ after UK charity’s terror turn, 27 Mar 09 "Bangladesh authorities today arrested the UK-based financer of an Islamic seminary, from where a huge cache of weapons and ammunition was seized this week.

"The financer of the madrasa-cum-orphanage on the south-western island of Bhola, identified as Faisal, who lives in London and runs a UK-based charity was arrested in Dhaka, officials said preferring anonymity."

also see Guardian, My son is innocent, says father of Briton held on terror charges in Bangladesh, 27 Mar 09 "Faisal Mostafa, who has a PhD in chemistry, is the head of the Green Crescent charity, set up by students in 1998 to carry out humanitarian work in Bangladesh."

The website is still up:

Green Crescent

Archbishop of Canterbury interview

Telegraph, Archbishop of Canterbury praises Britain's Muslims, 27 Mar 09 "Dr Rowan Williams said that Islamic people had helped promote the discussion of faith in a society that had become "rather unfriendly" for religious people.

"His comments to a Muslim newspaper come a year after he faced calls to resign after saying it was inevitable that Sharia law would be introduced into Britain."

Here's the interview:

Muslim News, Interview: Archbishop welcomes Muslims raising profile of religion in society, 27 Mar 09 "The Archbishop of Canterbury has praised Muslims for raising the profile of religion and ethical challenges in society. “I think Islam has made a very significant contribution to getting a debate about religion into public life,” Dr Rowan Williams said. “And I think it’s very right that we should have these debates and discussions between Muslims and Christians and others in public,” he said."

Shaykha Unplugged

Radical Middle Way, Shaykha Unplugged, 27 Mar 09 "The Radical Middle Way and An-Nisa Society presents a series of exciting programms with Shaykha Halima Krausen on the theme of Community Building and Social Change!"

Mosques and Imams National Advisory Body

Daily Mail, Second Muslim group faces having links severed with Government over extremism row, 25 Mar 09 "A second leading Muslim group bankrolled by the taxpayer is poised to have its Government links severed in a bitter row over extremism.

"The Mosques and Imams National Advisory Body, a central plank of Labour's anti-extremism strategy, has been dragged into the dispute."

MINAB don't have any statement on this at present. See MINAB

Google Street View: mosques (Manchester)

I've chosen a few from Manchester today. Clearly, it would be possible - given time and endurance - to build up a complete picture. I may well assemble these pictures onto the main website in due course. It can take time to locate mosques, using postcodes and cross-referencing, given that the results are often not immediate. There are some mosques which have good pix on flickr, but are obscured in Street View. I have ended up on several detours, but presumably this situation will improve in due course, unless someone pulls the plug. I'm keeping an archive copy of the snapshots as well. It helps to have a fast connection ...


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View Larger Map Central Mosque & Islamic Cultural Centre‎


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View Larger Map Zakariya Mosque‎

CONTEST 2 > Muslim Council of Britain

Variuos shades of opinion about the MCB, CONTEST 2, and related matters. As usual, the virtuallyislamic.com site disclaimer applies. Other opinions are available, etc. (many on other blogs!):

Guardian, Muslim Council accuses government of undermining independence, 26 Mar 09 "Britain's largest Muslim body has accused ministers of wanting to "undermine its independence" by demanding one of its leaders be removed from office.

"The accusation is the strongest public attack yet by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) in its row with the government after ministers broke off relations earlier this month."

The Herald, UK citizens encouraged to confront terror threat, 25 Mar 09

Opinion piece: Philip Johnston, Telegraph, Time to speak up about Britain's Islamists, 22 Mar 09 "Countering extremist propaganda is a proper use for public money, provided it goes to the right people. Yet there is growing evidence that it does not. There needs to be a far more aggressive and public challenge to those aspects of Islamic radicalism that are inimical to a liberal democracy: the idea that a pan-Islamic state or caliphate is an acceptable political aim; or that Sharia law should be allowed anywhere in this country; or that jihad should be supported around the world as matter of faith. It is about identifying and speaking up for shared values. Nobody pretends these are easy issues. But there is no point in the Government ducking them in the interests of "community harmony" if it simply ends up accommodating – and even funding – groups that are hostile to the basic tenets of our way of life."

Opinion piece: Seumas Milne, Guardian, This counter-terror plan is in ruins. Try one that works, 26 Mar 09 "The British government's brand new counter-terrorism strategy is already in disarray - and ministers have only themselves to blame. The souped-up plan to fight al-Qaida, confound dirty bombers, halt suicide attacks and confront "extremism" in the country's Muslim community was unveiled by the prime minister with much fanfare on Tuesday. But even before the 175-page "Contest 2" document had been launched, the credibility of its promise to engage with the Muslim mainstream had been thrown into question by the decision of Hazel Blears, the communities secretary, to cut all links with the Muslim Council of Britain."

Also see:

Muslim Council of Britain, British Muslims to Hold Public Meeting to Discuss Government Interference, 25 Mar 09 "The Muslim Council of Britain is to hold a public meeting of representatives of British Muslim organisations this Saturday 28th March 2009 (11 AM -2:00 PM) at the Islamic Cultural Centre and London Central Mosque (Regents Park), London to discuss the attempts led by some Government Ministers to try and undermine the independence of the Muslim Council of Britain, the UK's largest Muslim umbrella body.

""We have been overwhelmed by the messages of support we have received from concerned Muslims and non-Muslims following the action taken by Communities and Local Government Secretary of State Hazel Blears MP. It is important to uphold the principle of governmental non-interference in voluntary community organisations. This meeting will provide an opportunity for British Muslims to make their views known in a clear manner and to also comment on the government's new CONTEST 2 strategy," said Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain.

"Representatives from a wide range of Muslim organisations including those who are not affiliated with the MCB are expected to attend the meeting."

Google Street View: mosques (Birmingham)

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This search is 'in progress', seems Google's cameras didn't cover all of B'ham (and my knowledge of the area is limited!).


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Google Street View: mosques (Bradford)

Here is today's random selection, this time from Bradford. The picture will become more comprehensive in due course. Clearly, Google's data collecting vehicles didn't go down every street, or couldn't access specific sites. To this data, there's a considerable amount - of course - on the general Google Maps pages, including directory information and links to flikr etc. It's interesting to see the integration of mosques into the urban landscape. Also relevant as a basic research tool...


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Muslim Council of Britain

Associated Press of Pakistan, UK Muslim body declare anti-extremism strategy unproductive, 24 Mar 09 "A meeting of over 200 prominent Muslim civic and religious leaders affirmed their commitment to equality and inclusiveness of the Muslim community in British society and termed the British Government anti‑extremism strategy known as ‘CONTEST 2’ as counter‑productive.

"The gathering met at Birmingham’s Central Mosque was attended by grass roots representatives from a cross section of Muslim opinion, tradition and thought from all over the United Kingdom."

See MCB statement.

Also see info4security.com, Home Office unveils CONTEST2 strategy, 24 Mar 09

Related to the MCB is this piece from Channel 4:



Also see Office for Security and Counter Terrorism, The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering International Terrorism [pdf 2MB]

Guardian overview: Guardian, Hazel Blears' standoff with Muslim Council overshadows new anti-terror launch, 25 Mar 09 "A standoff between the communities secretary, Hazel Blears, and the Muslim Council of Britain was said last night to "cut to the heart" of the government's revised counter-terror strategy to challenge those who defend terrorism and violent extremism.

"Blears has suspended official links with the MCB over allegations that its deputy general secretary endorsed a Hamas call for attacks on foreign troops, including possibly British troops, if they try to intercept arms smuggled into Gaza."

al-Qaeda

Alex Crawford, Sky News, 'Threat Of Britons Trained By Al Qaeda', 24 Mar 09 "Pakistan has monitored more than 20 Britons believed to have spent time with radical militant groups and then returned to the UK, Sky News has learned."

Research Resources: Islam in Britain

Intute have updated their resources on Islam in Britain. It's a useful academic listing, part of a wider Islamic Studies related gateway. See Intute: Islam in Britain

It also serves as a reminder to resources, that have captured my attention prior to the emergence of this blog. For example, see 'Writing British Asian' Cities with its features on Bradford, London, Manchester, Leicester and Birmingham

Google Street View: mosques (Cardiff)

After yesterday's blog entry, with a few London mosques, here are some from Cardiff:


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Also mentioned on the VirtuallyIslamic blog.

Commentary on MCB

Ruth Gledhill, Times Online, Government could cut ties with Muslim Council of Britain over Hamas, 23 Mar 09 "As we report, the Government is threatening to sever its links with the Muslim Council of Britain because its deputy leader, Dr Daud Abdullah, is alleged to be a supporter of Hamas and was one of 90 signatories to a document last month backing Hamas and calling for 'jihad' against any, including presumably our own Royal Navy, who attempts to stop smuggling of arms into Gaza. Harry's Place has an excellent analysis of and background to this story. 'The exposure of one faux-moderate as an extremist creates a domino effect. You just watch for the statements of outrage, and of support for the poor maligned nutter, and you uncover their constituency,' writes David T."

Google Street Map: mosques (London)

Google Street View has received a mixed press recently, especially in terms of privacy issues. It would be quite interesting to set up a mosque street view mash-up. Given a few spare hours, I could have found plenty more in the UK and elsewhere. Here are a few random examples from London:


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Google Street View: mosques

I also include this posting on my VirtuallyIslamic blog:

Google Street View has received a mixed press recently, especially in terms of privacy issues. It would be quite interesting to set up a mosque street map system. Given a few spare hours, I could have found plenty more in the UK and elsewhere. Here are a few random examples from London:


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Anjem Choudary

Daily Mail, All homosexuals should be stoned to death, says Muslim preacher of hate, 21 Mar 09 "Anjem Choudary, the firebrand cleric who wants to see Britain ruled by Sharia law, said such a regime was the only way to fix the country's ills.

"Under it, adulterers and homosexuals would be killed by stoning. Asked if that would include anybody - even a Cabinet minister such as Business Secretary Lord Mandelson - Choudary responded with an astonishing diatribe."

Conference: Thirty Years On: The Social and Cultural Impacts of the Iranian Revolution

SOAS, Thirty Years On: The Social and Cultural Impacts of the Iranian Revolution, 5-6 June 2009 "This conference proposes to focus on these contradictory developments in the social and cultural lives of Iranians since the revolution. It aims to bring some of the best-known practitioners in the media and contemporary arts inside Iran together with academicians and theoreticians of these developments in a unique encounter. The first day will focus mainly on social issues and changing values around women and young people, while the second day will examine novel forms of cultural expressivity including rap music and blogging."

Tarique Ghaffur

Evening Standard, Ghaffur calls for Muslim 'preachers of hate' to be banned from television, 19 Mar 09, "Former senior Scotland Yard officer Tarique Ghaffur has called on Muslim leaders to seek a legal ban on extremists such as Anjem Choudary appearing in public or on television.

"Mr Ghaffur, who was Britain's most senior Muslim police officer, said his religion had been "hijacked" by a small and unrepresentative extremist faction."

Babar Ahmed

MCB, MCB Welcomes Metropolitan Police Decision to Compensate Babar Ahmed, 18 Mar 09

"Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain said, “The MCB is very pleased with the decision of the Metropolitan Police offering Babar Ahmed compensation for the treatment he suffered while in custody. Good sense has at long last prevailed."

Abdul Hakim Murad

Ali Eteraz, Guardian, 'Comment is free', An imam who can, 17 Mar 09 "Sheikh Abdul Hakim Murad is perhaps the most significant British Muslim leader around. It is too bad that so few people know about him. Now that he has launched the Cambridge Muslim College, which is designed to train "local" specialists in Islamic knowledge who are able to "celebrate their identity" as British and Muslim, he should be given his due and treated like a national asset."

The output of Abdul Hakim Murad (Tim Winter) can be widely found online. Here's Masud's list (also mentioned in Ali Eteraz's article)

Conference: Britain and the Muslim World: Historical Perspectives

University of Exeter, The School of Arts, Languages and Literatures (SALL), Britain and the Muslim World: Historical Perspectives, University of Exeter, 17-19 April 2009 "This conference aims to explore the historical impact of cross cultural encounters between the Muslim World and Britain by bringing together writers, established scholars, younger researchers, public intellectuals and members of the media to present and discuss cutting edge research on the question of how past relations have brought us to our current situation, and to propose directions for necessary further consideration and research. At present, scholarly knowledge of the multiple encounters between Britain and the Muslim World is dispersed among specialized academic disciplines and so largely unavailable to the media and general public. A key aim of the conference is to assemble specialists from all academic fields-history, international relations, finance, law, economics, politics, sociology, anthropology, migration and diaspora studies, gender studies, art history and design, music, and comparative literatures-and to bring them into dialogue while exploring ways of making their combined knowledge more generally available than it is at present in order to develop a deeper public understanding of the long cultural interaction between Islam and Britain."

Conference, Muslim Youth: Opportunities, challenges & expectations,

Assn. of Muslim Social Scientists UK, Conference, Muslim Youth: Opportunities, challenges & expectations, 20-22 Mar 2009, Chester Forthcoming.

Anjem Choudary

Telegraph, Anjem Choudary investigated by police over mujahideen fundraising, 15 Mar 09 "Anjem Choudary, whose supporters hurled abuse at soldiers from the Royal Anglian regiment returning from Afghanistan last week, can be heard on a website calling for other Muslims not to save money for their families but to give it to "mujahideen" - holy warriors - instead."

Sunday Times, Hate cleric leads jihad cash appeal, 15 Mar 09 "When confronted, Choudary said: “I don’t think I’ve ever said to people ‘raise money and send it to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban’, which is what you are suggesting.”"

'Liberal Muslims'

Nick Cohen, Observer, 'Comment is Free', It's little wonder liberal Muslims feel betrayed, 15 Mar 09 opinion piece:

"No political movement can hope to win arguments if it turns the best and bravest into its foes. For the most courageous British Muslims, the Labour government and wider liberal society already seem slippery and hypocritical. Soon, they will be irredeemably tainted.

"Take Ansar Ullah, a Bengali leftist from the old school. Like many secularists of his generation, his life has been dominated by the struggle against Jamaat-e-Islami. The party's name is rarely mentioned in our public life, although its supporters in the Muslim Council of Britain and the Islamic Foundation are on the radio almost daily. The Bengali equivalents of British Observer readers know it all too well. They regard Jamaat as we regard the BNP: the sworn and potentially deadly enemy of all their best principles."

Ibrahim Moussawi

BBC News, Lebanon journalist UK entry vet, 13 Mar 09 "Ibrahim Moussawi was due to speak at the London School of Oriental and African Studies, but the home secretary has ruled he should be denied a visa.

"Mr Moussawi is editor of the Al-Intiqad newspaper, linked to Hezbollah, and a former head of the group's TV station."

Protests (update)

Daily Mail, My son is proud to be British, claims father of Muslim protester who hurled abuse at homecoming troops, 13 Mar 09

Muslim Association of Britain

Evening Standard, The Muslim Association of Britain's tortured logic, 13 Mar 09 "The Muslim Association of Britain should hang its head in shame today over its latest pronouncement on Sudan and Darfur." Opinion piece.

Profile: Anjem Choudary

This Is London, ‘Britain’s most reviled man? I wear that badge with pride’, 13 Mar 09 "Anjem Choudary says he understands that the Islamic protesters who this week greeted British troops returning from Iraq with placards calling them "murderers" and "butchers" are not helping to improve community relations.

""I can see that the British public will regard the protesters as insensitive," he says, smiling. "But in my opinion, that is outweighed by our sensitivities to families in Iraq who've lost relatives at the hands of the British. The troops were not heroes, but cowards, doing the bidding of a British government engaged in state-sponsored terrorism.""

Film: 'Our Kuffiyyeh in London'

Short documentary by Dalia Al Kury (5 mins), well worth watching... [picked up via Ted Swedenburg's hawgblawg]

Protests (update)

Telegraph, Calls for crackdown on parade Muslim extremists, 11 Mar 09 "The outcry over soldiers in uniform being verbally attacked has continued after a Muslim preacher who was formerly the member of a now illegal group accused them of being "cowards" and "brutal murderers".

"Internet sites have been swamped with families horrified at the men of 2nd Bn The Royal Anglians being confronted with placards that branded them as killers, rapists and terrorists."

Also see: Daily Mail, 'HE is the coward for mocking victims of friendly fire': Families of dead soldiers react with fury to Muslim hate preacher's taunts, 12 Mar 09

Policy Exchange: Choosing our friends wisely: Criteria for engagement with Muslim groups

Telegraph, £90m anti-terrorism project is fanning the flames of extremism , 9 Mar 09 "A new generation of Muslims is being radicalised using the very Government funds that are supposed to be fighting the problem, a new report by the Policy Exchange think-tank says."

The report link is here:

Policy Exchange, Shiraz Maher & Martyn Frampton, Choosing our friends wisely: Criteria for engagement with Muslim groups "Choosing our friends wisely: Criteria for engagement with Muslim groups is an authoritative analysis of Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE), the £90 million centrepiece of the government’s effort to stop the radicalisation of young Muslims."

PDF link is on this page.

Background on Policy Exchange (Wikipedia)

I haven't read this report yet.

Protests

Plenty of coverage of the protests on 10 March against returning British soldiers:

The Sun, Hate for heroes, 10 Mar 09 "Fifteen fanatics staged a sickening protest — sanctioned by police — as 200 Royal Anglian troops marched in a welcome home parade."

Daily Mail, Muslim hate preacher ridicules troops abused in anti-war protests - and mocks their dead comrade, 10 Mar 09

alArabiyya, Muslim anger mars UK parade for Iraq troops, 11 Mar 09

Guardian, Muslim group pledges more anti-war protests against soldiers, 11 Mar 09 "One expert on Islamist extremist groups in the UK told the Guardian that the organisation had a core of 30 to 40 people. The name, Ahle Sunnah al Jamah, has several spellings and its closest English translation is "the majority of the Muslims".

"Choudary defended the Luton protests: "If it is unpalatable, they should not go to Iraq. If the British are going to be engaging in torture, killing women and children, that needs to be condemned."

"But Inayat Bunglawala, spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, who comes from Luton, said the protesters did not represent British Muslims: "This is al-Muhajiroun remnants – these are known figures who have been long associated with al-Muhajiroun.""

York

Nouse, Gay Muslims face ‘two-pronged prejudice’, 10 Mar 09 "Pav Akhtar, the first non-white president of the Cambridge University Students Union, is challenging the conservative conceptions of what it means to be a Muslim. In 2006 he also became the first gay Muslim to run for NUS president. He lost to Gemma Tumulty by 28 votes amidst claims of homophobia and Islamophobia."

Edinburgh: HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World

scotsman.com, Islamic studies scholar given role in new university centre, 3 Mar 09 "Professor Hugh Goddard, an internationally recognised scholar currently based at the University of Nottingham, will lead research on the impact of Islam on the contemporary world at Edinburgh University.

"He will head the new HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World from May 1."

More on Edinburgh Uni's centre here

Hugh Goddard's A History of Christian-Muslim Relations (EUP) - recommended

MCB

Observer, British Muslim leader urged to quit over Gaza, 8 Mar 09 "Dr Daud Abdullah, deputy director-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, is facing calls for his resignation, after it emerged that he is one of 90 Muslim leaders from around the world who have signed a public declaration in support of Hamas and military action."

Research and Commentary

Bess Twiston Davies , Faith Central, Times Online, Why are US Muslims happier than those in the UK?, 3 Mar 09 " ... 41 per cent of Muslims overall in America class themselves as thriving as compared to a mere 7 per cent in the UK."

Refers to AFP, Report on Muslim Americans chips away at myths about Islam, 3 Mar 09

Also Zahed Amanullah, Guardian, Comment is Free Thriving in America?, 3 Mar 09 "It's easy to jump on Britain's 7% figure and extrapolate many unsavoury things about British Muslim life. Yet the sense of tension here, even compared to post-9/11 America, is palpable. At the risk of echoing Barack Obama's worst campaign gaffe, people may cling to religion, culture, and the proximity of their families in these circumstances. Even then, British Muslims have thrived in demonstrable ways – in literature, music, politics, and business. How one feels about "thriving" (as the figures from Bangladesh show) is relative. I feel I'm thriving here, too."

This in turn pointed me to the site of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, which I haven't looked at for some time. There's some useful research material on this in relation to this blog:

Muslims in Berlin, London and Paris PDF

London Muslims PDF

Islamic art and culture

Birmingham Mail, Muslim culture is celebrated in art, 5 Mar 09

"An exhibition embracing Muslim culture has opened in Birmingham to reach out to the city’s Islamic communities.

"Sadiq Khan MP, junior minister for Communities and Local Government, was on hand to unveil Journeys: A gallery trail exploring Muslim cultures at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery."

I'm trying to locate info at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery on this. Some details: Ulfah Arts: Islamic Trail

Channel 4

Daily Star, C4 death threats over gay Muslims, 3 Mar 09 "Channel 4 has come under fire from Islamic leaders over a television documentary showing how gay and lesbian Muslims suffer under their laws." Relates to the film A Jihad For Love

Muslim women in Britain

Economist, Muslim women in Britain: a struggle on two fronts podcast

Mosques

Anya Hart Dyke, Guardian, We want a more British Islam, 1 Mar 09 [opinion piece] "I have been delighted by the level of discussion generated by Quilliam Foundation's report Mosques Made in Britain across broadcast, online and "new" media and believe it complements the findings of the Charity Commission's mosques survey, also published this week. Mosques and mosque-based cultural centres can and do deliver a range of services and activities for their congregants. But there remain fundamental concerns about the quality of the religious service provided by mosques to worshippers."

Ka'aba Radio Programme

Ka'aba Radio Programme

BBC Radio 3, The Black Cube, 1 Mar 09 available on iPlayer for 7 days from original broadcast (shame it wasn't an MP3)

"Broadcaster and film-maker Navid Akhtar talks about the Ka'aba - or the Black Cube - at the heart of the Masjid al Haram Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is the holiest shrine of Islam, encircled by millions of pilgrims every year, and is traditionally said to have been built by Abraham on the foundations of the first house of Adam."

I haven't heard this one yet.

Omar Bakri Muhammad

Telegraph, Banned cleric Omar Bakri addresses conference at London primary school, 1 Mar 09 "Dozens of Muslims attended the rally at Sudbury Primary School in Harrow, north London, to hear Bakri preach for 40 minutes over the telephone from his exiled home in Lebanon."