'The Samosa'

The Independent, Ian Burrell: We should listen to moderate Muslims rather than ‘Mad Mullahs’, 28 Mar 2011 "So-called Mad Mullahs are never short of coverage in the British media but when the head of the London based Islamic Sharia Council was recently exposed for supporting the decriminalisation of rape within marriage it wasn’t Fleet Street which broke the story.

"The Samosa, a brave website produced by British Pakistanis, had the scoop."

Good article - which I read first in 'The I'.

More info: Facebook, The Samosa

The Samosa [web site]

Recommended.

Funeral of imam Sheik Said Hassan Ismail

WalesOnline, Funeral of imam Sheik Said Hassan Ismail more photos

Sheikh Said Hassan Ismail

Wales Online, Audio: Tributes to influential Cardiff imam



Wales Online, Tributes paid to Muslim leader, 24 Mar 2011 "Born to a second-generation Yemeni father and Welsh mother, from the age of eight he [Sheikh Said Hassan Ismail] was brought up in Butetown by Sheikh Hassan Ismail, one of the leaders of the UK Yemeni community at the time."

BBC News, Sheikh Said Hassan Ismail, Cardiff Muslim leader, dies, 24 Mar 2011

Sheikh Said Hassan Ismail participated in this excellent programme, which was broadcast a couple of months ago:

BBC Radio 2, Great British Faith: across Cardiff's communities

Muslim employee wins religious discrimination against Muslim employer

The Muslim News, Legal Corner: Muslim employee wins religious discrimination against Muslim employer, 25 Mar 2011 "n Khan v Ghafoor t/a Go Go Real Estate ET Case 1809595/09 an employment tribunal held that a female Muslim employee, dismissed for refusing to wear a headscarf to work, suffered direct discrimination on grounds of both sex and religious belief."

Book review: Islamophobia: an international perspective

Muhammad Khan, The Muslim News, Book review: Islamophobia: an international perspective, 25 Mar 2011 review of Thinking through Islamophobia: Global Perspectives, Edited by S Sayyid and AbdoolKarim Vakil, London: Hurst & Company, pp319, 2010, PB, £15.99 [which I haven't read yet]

Shanna Bukhari

The Observer, British Muslim who entered Miss Universe contest receives death threat, 20 Mar 2011 "When Shanna Bukhari decided she wanted to be the first Muslim to represent Britain in a global beauty pageant, she suspected the road ahead might not be smooth, but nothing could have prepared her for the abuse she received."

Shadow minister under pressure

Joe Dyke and Ellie Buchdahl, Independent, Tories 'want Muslims out of London', says shadow minister, 17 Mar 2011

"A Labour shadow minister was last night facing calls for her dismissal after she was recorded saying that the Government "don't want Muslims living in central London". In an extraordinary attack, Karen Buck – Shadow Work and Pensions Minister – also said that ministers were "deeply hostile" to poor people having children. Last night the Conservative Party Chairman Baroness Warsi said the remarks were "deeply offensive" and called on Ed Miliband to remove her from Labour's frontbench."

Maldives: Seminar on Islam in Britain

haveeru.com, Exchanging views on Islam in Britain, 16 Mar 2011 "The atmosphere that pervaded the large auditorium of the Male College Polytechnic last night was strongly tinged with youthful exuberance. Seated at a table facing an eager and attentive audience were four young and highly educated British born Muslims, each employed in a wide array of fields, and in possession of a wealth of information pertaining to the facts and misconceptions surrounding Islamic life in England."

Seminar in the Maldives

"Paraded on Libyan TV, the rebel 'Al Qaeda fighter' from Britain"

Daily Mail, Paraded on Libyan TV, the rebel 'Al Qaeda fighter' from Britain, 16 Mar 2011
"A British citizen captured in Libya has been branded an Islamic terrorist by Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.

"Salah Mohammed Ali Aboaoba was paraded in front of the world press yesterday by officials who claim he has been helping Al Qaeda fuel unrest in the country."

Queen Victoria and Abdul

Alastair Lawson, BBC News, Queen Victoria and Abdul: Diaries reveal secrets, 15 Mar 2011

refers to the revised book Shrabani Basu, Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant

Seminar series - Islamic Life and Culture

University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Seminar Series - Islamic Life and Culture

"The Oppression of Women in Islam: Myth or Reality?
"The seminar series seeks to highlight the variety and diversity of Islamic life and culture. Its focus is not on the study or interpretation of religious texts as such, but rather on the experience of Islam, as it is lived out on a daily basis in multicultural societies and as it engages with a wide range of other cultural traditions, some shaped by religious belief but others that are entirely secular. The series aims to address some of the urgent questions relating to the promotion of cultural harmony and mutual understanding in contemporary society, as it becomes increasingly fragmented and polarized."

Speakers are Dr Chris Allen and Dr Laura Zahra McDonald. The event takes place on 18 May 2011. Click on the above for details.

MINAB statement on Usama Hasan

MINAB condemns - in the strongest possible terms - the reported death threats issued against British Muslim "The Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) condemns - in the strongest possible terms - the reported death threats issued against British Muslim Imam, Dr. Usama Hasan.

"Maulana Ahmed Nisar Beg Acting Chairman of the MINAB said:

"“We all need to respect the principle of freedom of speech. All Muslims in the UK should stand united against the issuing of death threats, which is unacceptable. Usama is a scholar and a scientist and he has the right to debate and express opinions without fear of persecution.”"

Usama Hasan: update

Facebook group: Defend Usama Hasan -- Support Freedom of Conscience and Oppose Intolerance This is an open group in defence of Dr Usama Hasan (whose case was blogged here earlier this week].

National Center for Science Evolution, Imam threatened over evolution, 8 Mar 2011

Pickled Politics collected links and comments.

Other opinions are available.

London imam subjected to death threats for supporting evolution

The Guardian, London imam subjected to death threats for supporting evolution, 6 Mar 2011 "An imam of an east London mosque has been subject to death threats and intimidation for expressing his views on evolution and women's right to refuse the veil.

"Dr Usama Hasan, vice-chairman at Leyton mosque and a senior lecturer in engineering at Middlesex University, ceased delivering Friday prayers after 25 years of service when 50 Muslim protesters disrupted his lecture by handing out leaflets against him and shouting in the mosque for his execution."

Daily Star reporter quits in protest at tabloid's 'anti-Muslim' coverage

The Guardian, Daily Star reporter quits in protest at tabloid's 'anti-Muslim' coverage | Media, 4 Mar 2011 "The Daily Star has been accused of printing fictional stories by a disgruntled reporter who has resigned over its "hatemongering" anti-Muslim propaganda."

Video praising 'British Al Qaeda martyr' raises fears over fresh terror attack in UK

Video praising 'British Al Qaeda martyr' raises fears over fresh terror attack in UK | Mail Online, 2 Mar 2011 "A British Muslim has apparently been filmed alongside Al Qaeda fighters in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area for the first time." Haven't seen this video yet.