'Female British Muslims are at last finding their voice'

Sara Khan, Guardian, Comment Is Free, Female British Muslims are at last finding their voice, 28 Apr 2012 "Increasingly, Muslim women know they are able to exert their rights through the British equalities and legal framework. Despite differences in education, profession and income, what many of these Muslim women have in common is the belief that they cannot allow these barriers, which existed in the previous generation, to continue into the next generation."

Manchester's Darul Aman mosque opens

BBC News, Manchester's Darul Aman mosque opens "The £1m Darul Aman mosque, on Greenheys Lane, is thought to be the second largest in Britain." There's a photograph on Ahmadiyya Mosques

Khalil Dale

Telegraph, British aid worker Khalil Dale beheaded by Taliban in Pakistan, 30 Apr 2012 "The decapitated body of a "gentle and caring" British aid worker has been found almost four months after he was kidnapped in Pakistan with all the hallmarks of a Taliban execution, police said."

'Divine Women from Islamic History'

Katerina Nordin, The Platform, Divine Women from Islamic History "The latest instalment of Divine Women on BBC Two opened a small but important window in to an all too neglected chapter in Islamic history."

Galloway: claims and counterclaims

Mail Online, George Galloway calls in lawyer over Jemima Khan’s claim that he converted to Islam in a secret ceremony more than a decade ago, 27 Apr 2012 "George Galloway has called in his lawyers over Jemima Khan's claim that he converted to Islam in a 'phantom' ceremony more than a decade ago."

'Milad rally'

Geo World, Thousands attend historic Milad rally in UK, 24 Apr 2012 "Of the thousands who attended the rally here, home to over 250,000 Pakistanis, nearly half were women and the rest included Sunni Muslim religious leaders, young and old of every age."

Respect

Guardian, Respect's Salma Yaqoob: 'Labour has gone a bit mad since Bradford West'

Scotland's imams

opinion piece: The Scotsman, Azeem Ibrahim: At the heart of what matters, 24 Apr 2012 "Scotland’s imams should not be opposing gay marriage but focusing their energies on the real threats facing young Muslims: drugs, poverty and crime, writes Azeem Ibrahim"

Queen Victoria's Last Love

On TV tonight (for UK viewers)

Channel 4, Queen Victoria's Last Love  "The story of Queen Victoria's relationship with her Indian servant Abdul Karim, which violated Victorian taboos and stoked royal jealousy, threatening her diamond jubilee celebrations."

Profile of Luton

Reuters, In Breivik's "war zone" Luton, fear - and scorn, 23 Apr 2012

Muslims in Europe face discrimination

AFP/khaleejtimes.com, Muslims in Europe face discrimination "European countries are discriminating against Muslims for demonstrating their faith, especially in the fields of education and employment, rights group Amnesty International said Tuesday."

Reading list: New books on Muslims in Europe - reviewed

Joshua Sinai, Washington Times, BOOK REVIEW: ‘Europe’s Angry Muslims’

Haven't read either of the books reviewed (yet). They are:

EUROPE’S ANGRY MUSLIMS: THE REVOLT OF THE SECOND GENERATION

By Robert S. Leiken
Oxford University Press, $27.95, 368 pages

THE EMANCIPATION OF EUROPE’S MUSLIMS: THE STATE’S ROLE IN MINORITY INTEGRATION
By Jonathan Laurence
Princeton University Press, $29.95, 392 pages

'Supporters of Tawheed' in Cardiff

Wales Online, Islamic teacher under fire for calling on Welsh muslims to support fight for sharia law abroad, 22 Apr 2012 "An Islamic teacher whose group was at the centre of an anti-terror raid on a Cardiff community hall has come under fire for calling on Welsh muslims to “physically” support the fight for sharia law abroad."

Arrests in Birmingham

Telegraph, Three men arrested by anti-terror police at Heathrow, 20 Apr 2012 'The group, all from Birmingham, were arrested on suspicion of possessing articles and documents with intent to use them for terrorist purposes overseas.'

Abu Qatada

Telegraph, Al Qaeda militants warn of terror attack in Britain if Abu Qatada is deported, 20 Apr 2012

Abu Qatada deportation appeal

BBC News, Abu Qatada deportation appeal lodged with European court, 18 Apr 2012

'Hajj show at British Museum' review

Guardian, Hajj show at British Museum surprise hit

I attended the Hajj exhibit (discussed above) at the British Museum last week. Fortunately, I pre-booked a ticket, as it was sold-out. It was quite expensive to get in, especially if you bought into the commentary and the catalogue. The hajj exhibit 'souvenirs' were over-priced.

 Inevitably, despite ticket number control, the exhibit was very crowded - also we were rushed through, as the museum was closing, so I didn't get to hear the audio section of personal experiences relating to hajj. 

There were some interesting sections, but I'd have liked more analysis and depth (especially in the audio commentary). There were no real references to digital technology and the hajj, either (maybe that's just my thing!) ... It was nice, however, to see the number of families attending the museum.

 Maybe the British Museum could put an exhibit on other forms of religious journeys relating to Islam and Muslims?

Muslim girl Scouts uniform

New uniforms help Muslim girl Scouts to be better prepared - Telegraph

www.telegraph.co.uk

"The Scouts have developed the first uniform for Muslim girls as the organisation seeks to attract children from different cultures."

Good initiative!

Labour 'failed to connect with Asians in Bradford'

BBC News - Labour 'failed to connect with Asians in Bradford'

"George Galloway's victory in Bradford West was partly due to Labour's failure to connect with the Asian community, the shadow home secretary says."