Mental Health

Arab News, Mental health no longer taboo in Muslim communities, say UK specialists, 30 Dec 2022 "The pandemic has made mental health more visible, while mental health issues have increased as a result of COVID and its implications, experts say"

Nationality and Borders Bill

Daily Mirror, 'I was born here but could be sent 'back to where I came from' with no warning', 9 Dec 2021

" The government's Nationality and Borders Bill could strip people of their British citizenship without notice or warning - even if, like me, you were born in the UK, writes Unzela Khan."

EastEnders

MyLondon, Islam storylines in EastEnders 'a step in the right direction we wouldn't have seen 5 years ago', 7 Dec 2021

"Speaking to MyLondon, MCB spokesperson Yasmine Adam said that despite the representation of Muslims in the area of fiction sometimes alluding to “well-worn tropes”, Bobby Beale’s conversion story has been “generally positive”.

I don't watch EastEnders myself, but thought this was interesting.

'Gay and Muslim'

BBC News, Gay and Muslim: Family wanted to 'make me better'

"When Asad came out as gay in 2020, some family members discussed taking him to see an imam to make him "better"."

Azeem Rafiq

#BREAKING Ex-player Azeem Rafiq tells UK lawmakers racism is institutional in cricket pic.twitter.com/CS6TGZ1cLi

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 16, 2021

Spectacular courage from Azeem Rafiq giving this testimony.

So so grim pic.twitter.com/njq1ROF2fi

— Oli Dugmore (@OliDugmore) November 16, 2021

Remembrance Day

Eve Howard, Diversitree.wales, Echoes of Remembrance (poem)

They served together then so we #RememberTogether today.
Students at @edengirlsWF, a Muslim girls school in East London, brought new meaning to #RemembranceDay this year by uncovering family stories of commonwealth WW2 contribution from within their own community. #armisticeday pic.twitter.com/MrEZx8zvuV

— British Future (@britishfuture) November 11, 2021

`

The names of #Indian soldiers who fell in #France and #Flanders in #WWI are inscribed in memorials #NeuveChapelle #MeminGate #BedfordHouseCemetery @CWGC School children should be taken there so they can learn their contribution. #LestWeForget #RemembranceDay2021 pic.twitter.com/FQbs1i3KbN

— Shrabani Basu (@shrabanibasu_) November 11, 2021

Today, we remember all those that lost their lives as a result of war & strengthen our resolve to work towards building a world of peace.

📸 FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images | Muslim soldiers pray outside Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking, Surrey#RemembranceDay #armisticeday pic.twitter.com/hUzL2k5WzN

— MCB (@MuslimCouncil) November 11, 2021

(Not) Cricket

Guardian, Protests and death threats stoke Yorkshire cricket’s racism scandal "The continuing racism scandal at Yorkshire County Cricket Club intensified this weekend with protests outside the ground on Saturday and claims staff have received death threats."

Proudly Muslim & Black E-Zine

Announcement from MCB, Proudly Muslim & Black E-Zine

"Team PM&B presents: 'Storytellers & Community Builders', the first edition of its new, quarterly digital magazine."

Download link

Sake Dean Mahomed

BBC Radio 4, You're Dead to Me, Sake Dean Mahomed

Here's an interesting BBC podcast on Sake Dean Mahomed, which I missed when broadcast last month:

"Greg Jenner and his guests examine the life of Sake Dean Mahomed who introduced curry, shampooing and therapeutic massage to 19th-century England. He grew up under colonial rule, but Sake Dean Mahomed ended up living in Brighton until the age of 92 and counted members of the Royal Family among his many clients. Greg's guests in this episode are Dr Arunima Datta from Idaho State University and the comedian and podcast host Eshaan Akbar."

It's a good podcast series format too - a mix of comedy and academia (the two can be close!).

Photography and Islam in Britain

Remarkable images have been entered into this competition:

Touseef Ahmed is the only entrant to have 2 images shortlisted for the Everyday Muslim #photography competition.

Park Picnic and Prayer
I was in the park and spotted this man praying. His devotion was admirable and his clothes matched up with the bag in front of him.
SEE MORE👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/jFvFM1X5o3

— EverydayMuslim (@Everyday_Muslim) October 31, 2021

Glenrothes mosque

BBC News, Glenrothes mosque terror plot accused 'started to hate Muslims', 25 Oct 2021

"A man who allegedly planned to attack a mosque started to "hate" Muslims after reading far right political posts on the internet, a court has heard."

Sir David Amess (Updated)

Guardian, UK Muslim groups brace for rise in hate crime after killing of David Amess

"Britain’s leading Muslim organisation is to issue new guidance to help British Somalis and other individuals and mosques deal with any incidents of hatred emerging in the aftermath of Sir David Amess’s death.

"Zara Mohammed, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said that mosques in and around Southend were devastated by the killing of the local MP and “they had regarded him as a member of their family”.

An MCB thread on the murder of Sir David Amess, from 15 October:

Muslim Communites have been paying tribute to Sir David Amess, a man who left a legacy of service for all communities pic.twitter.com/1n0qK3ayf1

— MCB (@MuslimCouncil) October 15, 2021

Fife Islamic Centre

BBC News, Man accused of plotting terror attack on Fife mosque "Prosecutors allege Sam Imrie intended to target the Fife Islamic Centre in Glenrothes and live-stream footage of the attack on social media."

BBSI

Tim Wyatt, The Times, Council of sages exerts a growing influence on British Muslims, 9 Oct 2021

""Qari Asim, a Leeds imam and BBSI member, said the pandemic had given momentum to the fledgling panel, accelerating its acceptance within the fragmented British Muslim community. “In uncertain times there are some important opinions that are required,” he said. “BBSI brings the glorious ancient teachings and connects them with the modern world, for instance whether or not to suspend public prayers, which is a huge thing, or how to pray with social distancing. It all hinges on theological interpretation and the need to protect the community, and that’s where scholarship comes in. It’s very timely from that perspective.”"

History on the Curriculum

Nation Cymru, Wales to become first UK nation to make Black, Asian and ethnic history mandatory on school curriculum "Subject to final sign-off by the Senedd next month, the Welsh Government has added learning about the diversity of communities, in particular the stories of Black, Asian and minority ethnic people, into the new Curriculum for Wales guidance."

From Pakistan to Scotland: The many homes of my mother

Dur e Aziz Amna, Al Jazeera, From Pakistan to Scotland: The many homes of my mother

"Sometimes, this bifurcation, between those who self-mythologise and those who do not, seems gendered. Women’s lives do not lend well to mythology, because much of what we do is aggressively quotidian. Sewing the dangling button on a school uniform. Correcting homework. The vigil over the crib. It is all maintenance, and maintenance is not the stuff of myths."

Shamima Begum

'They'

BBC Radio 4, Sarfraz Manzoor, 'They'

Sarfraz Manzoor's 'They' was a Book of the Week on Radio 4. It's a worthwhile listen. There are some references to the influence of social media too (on episode 3), but I recommend the whole series.

Reunion

Sky News, Afghanistan: Woman 'forever indebted' to stranger who helped her mum flee Kabul after emotional reunion in UK

"Fereba Hafizi's mother was in Afghanistan for a funeral and feared she wouldn't get home after the Taliban's takeover. With the help of a good Samaritan, she finally returned to the UK via a flight from Dubai and has now reunited with her daughter following 10 days of hotel quarantine."

Attitudes towards the Taliban

Responses and opinion about the Taliban's re-emergence below (check out the Virtually Islamic blog for more on this)

Rakib Ehsan, Spiked, No, British Muslims do not support the Taliban

"There is no truth to [Khola] Hasan’s claim that British Muslims are united in welcoming the Taliban takeover. Admittedly, there has not yet been a poll on Muslims’ attitudes towards Afghanistan. But existing polling suggests that she is wrong."

Paigham Mustafa, The National (Scotland), Why are many UK imams silent over the Taliban's takeover? [opinion piece]

"The teaching of these imams is often unsuitable for a multi-cultural society. Their understanding of Islam, as laid down in the Quran, is being supplemented by a false tribalism that accepts things that are barbaric. This kind of teaching is being fed to unsuspecting minds. Having a group like the Taliban in power just underpins the legitimacy of this kind of thinking, even though much of it conflicts with the Quran."

Paigham Mustafa is a director of the 'Oxford Institute for British Islam'

Afghanistan in Crisis

Extensive coverage on the Afghanistan situation is on the Virtually Islamic blog, including general articles and social media posts.

Refugees in Wales

Two clips from the BBC with young refugees giving advice about Wales.

'Maybe when you come you're going to feel a bit different, but you're going to get friends'
A family of Syrian refugees offer advice to children fleeing Afghanistan on what they can expect if they settle in Wales pic.twitter.com/S0lYs4uAD1

— BBC Wales News (@BBCWalesNews) August 20, 2021

#Afghanistan #Syria #Wales https://t.co/pmkmnaTJtK

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) August 21, 2021

'They' - Sarfraz Manzoor's New Book

Sirin Kale, Guardian, Sarfraz Manzoor on how prejudice works both ways in British Muslim communities

"[But] now, aged 50, Manzoor is returning to the subject of British Muslims with his book They, a nuanced exploration of the lives of the 3.4 million Muslim people living in Britain today. (They specifically focuses on Muslims of south Asian descent, the community with which Manzoor is most closely connected.)"

Sporting Chances

A couple of sporting stories:

Daniel Storey, iNews, How Blackburn Rovers’ push for inclusivity brought the town’s Muslim community to Ewood Park

"“There was nothing planned about it; that was the most important thing,” Sufi says. “I had a few text messages from people in the Muslim community who reached out to say that they were considering coming to their first ever Rovers match [Morecambe in the EFL Cup] but were unsure how they would manage their prayers, not knowing that we had a prayer room. At that point, we decided to put something on social media to make people aware and it got a huge response."

North Belfast hurling and camogie club is reaching out to the Asian community - The Irish News https://t.co/uNZ2qeo0X5

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) August 19, 2021

Taxi Drivers Abused

Aasma Day, i Newspaper, Taxi drivers suffer racist abuse on a daily basis – but don’t report it as it’s a ‘normal part of the job’, 17 Aug 2021

"Dr Karamat Iqbal, an academic who works in race, equality and diversity, decided to research racial abuse of taxi drivers after seeing a shocking video of a taxi driver subjected to a racial rant from a passenger."

COVID-19: Bradford Women in Bradford - report

Muslim Women's Council, The Impact of Covid-19 on Muslim Women In Bradford

"The Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on our lives. Since the start of the lockdown in the UK in 2020, a national debate is constantly taking place amongst the political parties & public on how the pandemic has been controlled by the government. This has sparked local debates about the existing councils. This study looks at how the pandemic has affected the local communities and how the decisions that were made on a national level affected Muslim women in Bradford."

Link FM

BBC News, Sheffield Link FM radio station faces sanction over 'Jihadi' chant "Sheffield-based Link FM was found to have committed two serious breaches of Ofcom's broadcasting code by playing the "Nasheed" chant twice in 2020."

Mahmood Mattan

BBC News, Booker Prize: Novel inspired by last hanging at Cardiff prison

"Mr Mattan was posthumously acquitted in 1998 - 46 years after he was executed - when it was found evidence had been largely fabricated and manipulated by police at the time.

"Somali-born author Nadifa Mohamed said her motive for writing the semi-fictionalised The Fortune Men was to portray the real Mahmood Mattan."

'We Are Lady Parts' review

Mona Eltahawy, Feminist Giant, Essay: Too Loud, Swears Too Much, Goes Too Far: The Emancipatory Power of We Are Lady Parts

"To have had a show like We Are Lady Parts while I was in my 20s and fighting off Niqabis on the Metro, the Brigade of Hijabis-Aren’t-Supposed-To-Watch-Wild-At-Heart, and the You’re-Making-Us-Look-Bad so-called friends, would have freed up so much of my cosmic energy, I might have truly taken over the world." This review was published in June, but I have only just come cross it.

Slavery and Wales

Important thread from punkistan93 on Twitter" "The links between Welsh slate and slavery are underexplored and swept under the carpet. This is because of Welsh historiography and a systemic lack of scholarship on the slave trade and on slavery in Wales, bar a few notable exceptions."

Check out this thread… https://t.co/6Mxwpk9l2M

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) August 6, 2021

Sarah Hussein

BBC News, Sarah Hussein: Tribute to Bury woman found on fire in street

"Sarah Hussein, 31, was severely injured from burns when she was found ablaze on East Street, Bury, at about 19:30 BST on 31 July and died later in hospital."

Aya Hachem

Those responsible for the murder of Aya Hachem have now been sentenced. Some of the coverage of this tragic case is below:

ITV News, Aya Hachem: Seven men jailed for more than 200 years for murder of Blackburn law student

'I hope they rot in prison' says brother of those responsible for Aya Hachem's death.

Ibrahim Hachem was speaking outside court where sentencing was handed down.

Read more here: https://t.co/32WjD1m0JU pic.twitter.com/2yv2XcXPoE

— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 5, 2021

The murder of Aya Hachem

A THREAD 🚨 pic.twitter.com/TMioQHlsr3

— Lancashire Police (@LancsPolice) August 5, 2021

Nazir Azfal

BBC Radio 4, Desert Island Discs, Nazir Azfal

This is an insightful and interesting programme. I would have liked to have heard more. I also enjoyed the music choices!

https://t.co/jDI6uF4lkz

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) August 5, 2021

Dr Abbas Khan

My story today: In 2012 Dr Abbas Khan travelled out to Syria to treat civilians in Aleppo. But the British surgeon was captured by the regime and killed in custody a year later. Now, eight years after Abbas’ death, his legacy is inspiring a new generation of doctors. pic.twitter.com/reSeL2PDOM

— Charlie Haynes (@charliehtweets) August 2, 2021

Abdalqadir as-Sufi

Ian Dallas or Abdalqadir as-Sufi the founder of the Murabitoon in UK has passed away. Quite a significant moment for Muslims in UK especially for converts. pic.twitter.com/COaSRPSLNA

— Tam Hussein (@tamhussein) August 1, 2021

Nazir Afzal

Not only some interesting insights into Nazir Afzal's career, but some decent music choices:

A very good Desert Island Discs with former Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England @nazirafzal He chose some great songs as well! @BBCRadio4 pic.twitter.com/RI9PNX0KAK

— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) August 1, 2021

Islamic Responses to COVID-19 Conference Videos

Virtually Islamic: Islamic Responses to COVID-19 Conference Videos Conference YouTube Channel()

The edited videos from the recent UWTSD 'Islamic Responses to COVID-19 Conference' are now available

Videos can be viewed sequentially (as in the original order of the conference) or you can pick and choose. The speakers were excellent, on what is a timely subject. Putting the presentations online seems logical, so hopefully those who could not attend can catch up.

I hope that this subject can be further developed in due course.

Update: Cardiff University, Islam UK Centre, Blog, Two videos: Islamic Responses to COVID-19]

Jason Mohammad

‘first Muslim presenter of Match of the Day, and for Muslim kids to see someone like you present one of the most iconic shows on television, that’s massive. You’ve given them hope that they can achieve their own dreams’ https://t.co/QhpdMugslE @jasonmohammad powerful read

— Zara Mohammed (@ZaraM01) July 18, 2021

Anjem Choudary

BBC News, Anjem Choudary: Radical preacher's public speaking ban to be lifted

"Radical preacher Anjem Choudary's ban on speaking in public is to be lifted as conditions which were imposed after his release from prison come to an end."

Election discussion

‘Alarm bells’ (The Guardian), 03 Jul 2021
Discussion on Muslim voting patterns - not a singularity (despite some of the headlines) https://t.co/H9HOzRlmF4

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) July 3, 2021

‘Will I ’eck’ (The Guardian), 03 Jul 2021
https://t.co/rd6Z6OC8rA

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) July 3, 2021

LemonAid Boys

Arab News, Seven-year-old LemonAid Boys in east London have caught the public’s imagination with their fundraising campaigns for Yemen and Palestine

"Best friends Ayaan Moosa and Mikaeel Ishaaq, from Ilford in east London, set up their homemade lemonade stand to raise £500 ($700) for Yemen’s humanitarian and famine crisis and, to their surprise, managed to raise £140,000, gaining them international recognition in such a short span as their campaign went viral."

Shamima Begum

References to internet radicalisation influences here: Independent, Shamima Begum says she was a ‘dumb kid’ when she left to join Isis

"In an interview for a new documentary from the al-Roj prison camp in Syria where she is still being held, Begum said: “I don't think I was a terrorist. I think I was just a dumb kid who made one mistake."

Organ Donation

Are you an organ donor?

📌 We are producing a short film designed to educate our community about organ donation, transplantation, and the need for more Muslim donors

📌 If you would like to get involved with the project, email healthpromotion@britishima.org pic.twitter.com/IoWulYBlqj

— British Islamic Medical Association (@BritishIMA) June 14, 2021

Representing Muslims On-Screen

BBC News, Actor Riz Ahmed wants to stop Hollywood's 'toxic portrayals' of Muslims

"The study by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, titled Missing and Maligned, found that fewer than 10% of top-grossing films released between 2017-2019 from the UK, US and Australia featured a speaking Muslim character." Links for the Annenberg report are here. I haven't looked at this in detail yet, but imagine that it will be useful in teaching on media concerns.

Responses to Ed Husain's Book

A Daily Mail newspaper article based on Ed Husain's new book has received negative responses online, of which this is one of the most high-profile:

These are complete and utter lies designed to do nothing but divide. The damage this does to all of us is devastating. It’s shameful, disgusting and a national embarrassment. Many are trying to bring us together, yet those with the largest platforms spread vile, dangerous hate. pic.twitter.com/5gQa7aOaAu

— Adil Ray OBE 💙 (@adilray) June 5, 2021

Here's a review of the book:

Yahya Birt, Medium, A Brown Sahib’s Lament: Ed Husain Among the Minarets

"Ed Husain’s latest screed on British Islam is a mashup between a Thomas Friedman in-depth ethnography via Uber, V. S. Naipaul’s gothic horror of all things Islamic, and a “brown sahib” reworking of post-Brexit English nationalism. In lieu of a review that it doesn’t warrant, I offer this brief visceral reaction instead."

Publisher's page

I haven't seen the book myself (not sure I am encouraged by the views of the above).

Social Media and 'Honour' in Communities

Important conversation in the first hour of BBC Five Live's Naga Munchetty programme today on social media, cultural-religious sensitivities, gender and 'honour' issues in communities.

Teaching in Wales

Proud teacher moment! My children on Sky News, talking about how children in Wales will be taught about racism and the contributions of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. @laurabundock @wgmin_education @charwilliamsOBE @BameedWales pic.twitter.com/Du2RempLXX

— Mrs Aziz (@MSPSMrsAziz) May 30, 2021

The Singh Investigation

I haven't had an opportunity to read this report yet. It should be generating more headlines, but other political events have taken over:

Foster Friday Khutbah drive.

Foster Friday Khutbah drive. pic.twitter.com/j4YBh2BodL

— The British Board of Scholars & Imams (BBSI) (@BBSIOnline) May 19, 2021

Mental Health Tests Report

Guardian, Mental health tests in the presence of counter-terror units ‘unethical’, says charity

"Mental health assessments are being conducted in the presence of police in little-known hubs that embed nurses and psychologists with counter-terrorism units, raising “serious ethical concerns”, a medical charity has said."

Report link here: Racism, mental health and pre-crime policing: the ethics of Vulnerability Support Hubs

Palestine-Gaza Situation

Coverage of the Palestine-Gaza situation features on my Virtually Islamic blog, where there is a specific page of rolling news (focused on social media issues).

Muslim Women in the Fire Brigade

"You can't be what you can't see" - @SayeedaWarsi.

Despite opposition from within her own community, Uroosa Arshid achieved her dream to become a fire fighter and she's now hoping to inspire other young Muslim women to join the brigade. pic.twitter.com/hPLNDqSIdk

— Steph's Packed Lunch (@PackedLunchC4) May 17, 2021

Arrests on Anti-Semitic Abuse Charges

ITV News, Four men arrested over video of 'anti-Semitic abuse being shouted from car' in London "Footage on social media showed a convoy of cars covered with Palestinian flags passing down Finchley Road, in north London, with passengers heard to shout offensive language and threats against Jews."

Eid Celebrations

Dr @fhussain73 has some advice on celebrating Eid safely this year. COVID-19 still remains a part of our lives so please:
• Remember hands, face, space, fresh air
• Get regularly tested
• Get vaccinated when offeredhttps://t.co/x41aJVHmZh #KeepNewhamSafe#EidMubarak pic.twitter.com/3NGCdzXSXk

— Newham London 💙 (@NewhamLondon) May 11, 2021

We will be celebrating #Eid on Thursday. #EidMubarak to all celebrating from us at MDC. Please continue to follow #COVID19 rules and keep yourself and your loved ones safe. #SafeEid pic.twitter.com/CswgT9zLG5

— Muslim Doctors Cymru (@muslimdoccymru) May 11, 2021

Thank you @fmwales for your kind wishes on #eid & your continued support with our work in striving to reassure all communities that the #covidvaccine is safe and effective. #wales #EidUlFitr #community https://t.co/MXTJI17alw

— Muslim Doctors Cymru (@muslimdoccymru) May 14, 2021

Covid: Eid marked in Wales' first trial event for crowds https://t.co/gEfKt9Yw0c

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) May 14, 2021

Glasgow Power

This is incredible. The perfect antidote to all the hate we see in this world. ❤️ https://t.co/ap4v5tuWim

— Adil Ray OBE 💙 (@adilray) May 13, 2021

After watching #KenmureStreet reports on TV, I am surprised no report showed the scale of the protest. Here is my unedited WindaesTV report of the detainees’ release #PeopleMakeGlasgow pic.twitter.com/gCx3ZS0HBC

— David Millar (@david_millar) May 13, 2021

This was the proud moment that after hours of negotiations with @policescotland I went into @pritipatel enforcement van to tell 2 men they were free because of the power of the people & #PeopleMakeGlasgow ❤️ #EidMubarak 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 pic.twitter.com/mgkiBu516K

— Aamer Anwar🎗✊🏽#BlackLivesMatter (@AamerAnwar) May 14, 2021

Mental Health Research

"Bangladeshi men have been hit hard by the pandemic – in terms of higher death rates compared to other communities, shut down industries and job losses. But with lockdown easing, many fear that the impact of the pandemic on their mental health may be overlooked."

'We Are Lady Parts'

iNews, Nida Manzoor on writing We Are Lady Parts: ‘Why is being honest so scary?’

"When Nida Manzoor set out to write We Are Lady Parts, a comedy about a Muslim female punk band, she had no idea of the responsibilities that would come with it."

'Miracle' baby

BBC News, Covid: 'Miracle' baby born to Newport mum in coma

"A woman who was in a coma with Covid while pregnant has told how she woke up the day after her baby was born."

Ramadan through Art

MyLondon, Designer capturing the beauty of Ramadan through art

"London-based digital designer Natasha Ahmed, is shining a light on the different ways Ramadan is observed by Muslims across the world ..."

Muslims in Belfast observe Ramadan

With Ramadan now falling twice during the coronavirus pandemic, Belfast's Muslim community has had to find a new way to come together pic.twitter.com/FaN7CKwA9I

— BBC News NI (@BBCNewsNI) May 10, 2021

Mayra Zulfiqar

Update:

Metro, Suspect in murder of British woman in Pakistan pictured

BBC News, Mayra Zulfiqar shooting: Men sought over killing of Londoner in Lahore

"Police in Pakistan are searching for two men following the fatal shooting of a British woman in Lahore."

Restricted Mosque Access for Women (?)

Mariam Khan, Opinion Piece, the i Newspaper, Mosques have becomes men’s clubs – if they don’t give women equal space to pray they should face consequences

"The conversation around this inequality is often silenced. I’ve been told not to voice my views about the lack of space for women because it will make Muslim men look bad. We’re often told that our criticism within the community will be taken by Islamophobes to further demonise Muslim men. This isn’t a lie – it does happen – but it also means that the Muslim patriarchy continues to control the narrative and nothing changes." I know many mosques have sought to address this long-standing issue, but there would seem to be some way to go for equality.

Muslim Organisations' Responses to Human Rights Issues

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, The i, Opinion piece, The silence from powerful British Muslim organisations on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and others is striking, 5 May 2021

"I did ask members of powerful Muslim organisations in this country about this lack of engagement. Not enough resources, one replied, no comment said the Muslim Council of Britain, while another said they did not involve themselves in foreign affairs because bad stuff is going on in too many Muslim countries."

Muslim History in the UK

Al-Jazeera, A Muslim history of the UK

"Sadiya Ahmed has been busy during Britain’s latest COVID-19 lockdown. She has produced a podcast, created a heritage photography competition, and is working on setting up a Muslim History module to run alongside the national curriculum." I recommend the podcasts and related resources.

New and Noted: Islam in Victorian Liverpool

Out next month: I haven't seen it yet, but it looks interesting. Details: "The history of Abdullah Quilliam’s activities as the leader of Liverpool Muslim Institute from 1887 to World War One provides a rich laboratory to understand the formative period of modern Islamic thought and the long-lasting geopolitical legacies of the Ottoman and British imperial relationship in shaping contemporary Muslim political identities. Scholars have been fascinated by the extraordinary success of Liverpool’s convert Muslim community and Quilliam's personal charisma in establishing transnational intellectual links with Muslims across the world, the support they received from Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid, and the unprecedented impact they had on contesting the racialization of Islam in the metropole of the British Empire. By translating and publishing an Ottoman-Egyptian intellectual’s critique of this community, Birt, Macnamara and Maksudoğlu shed new light and insight on the global politics of pan-Islamic thought in the high age of imperialism. With great attention to details of personalities, events and conflicts within and around the small Liverpool Muslim Institute, this book provides an excellent example of microhistory that informs, challenges and revises our big narratives of caliphate diplomacy, pan-Islamic solidarity and imperial politics. This annotated translation of Yusuf Samih Asmay’s critical account of “Islam in Victorian Liverpool” is presented with an authoritative scholarly introduction, and should be a required primary text on both graduate and undergraduate courses on imperial Muslim thought and politics."

Book page

Cardiff's Muslim Community in 1947

An interesting photo from the opening of the Peel St mosque (which is also the subject of other photos elsewhere); I'm not certain of the origins of this one.

Opening of the Peel St Mosque in Cardiff in 1947. Sheikh Abdullahi Ali al-Hakimi (ca.1900-54) is handed its keys by a member of the Iraqi royal family. In attendance is the city mayor and the young Jim Callaghan, later to serve as Prime Minister (1976-9). (H/t: @AbdulAzim Ahmed) pic.twitter.com/pWCYvsAgNo

— Yahya Birt (@YBirt) April 27, 2021

Brick Lane Identity Crisis

Alice Kemp-Habib, GQ, The battle for Brick Lane's curry houses goes to the heart of British-Bangladeshi identity

"A row over a plot of land in East London has ignited mass protest. Could this mark the end for Brick Lane’s iconic curry houses, a focal point for the Bangladeshi community's identity and resistance?" Interesting article. Let's hope Brick Lane's character is maintained.

Muslim Representation

Khadijah Elshayyal, Cage, Rethinking Muslim Representation – 20 years after 9/11

"What can a Muslim political advocacy look like, that addresses Britain’s Muslims themselves and their institutions, with all their diversity and disagreements, their rivalries and their richness?"

Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan in Wales

BBC News, Covid: Muslims celebrate second Ramadan with restrictions

"Despite communal worship being allowed, ongoing Covid rules mean that social distancing must be enforced and different households cannot yet mix indoors."

Brick Lane

The National, London’s Brick Lane marks second Ramadan in lockdown with hope for the future,

Sewell Report

Plenty of coverage of the Sewell Report on my Twitter, but here are a few key items: Kalwant Bhopal, Guardian, The Sewell report displays a basic misunderstanding of how racism works

"The government must move away from perpetuating a hierarchy of oppression that promotes the idea of white victimhood and discounts race inequity as a lesser problem. The result of refusing to acknowledge institutional racism is that the government will refuse to act upon it. Instead, Black and minority ethnic children will be blamed for their failings. The commission’s denial of institutional racism is based on an illusory meritocracy, where individuals are wholly responsible for their own success, and Black and ethnic minority pupils must simply work harder and pull themselves up by their bootstraps if they are to succeed."

PRESS RELEASE: Muslim Council of Britain responds to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report | 31 March 2021#RaceReport #SewellReport https://t.co/AE6aN0pXDA

— MCB (@MuslimCouncil) March 31, 2021

Batley School

Sky News, Batley Grammar School parents call for calm after uproar over image of Mohammed used in lesson

"On Sunday evening, Yunus Lunat, spokesperson for the Batley Parents And Community Partnership, said the teacher had failed to realise the image was "loaded with Islamophobic tropes"."

WATCH: #BatleyGrammerSchool parents issue statement saying “grossly inappropriate materials” of Prophet Mohammad caricature used in RS lesson last week has led to “productive” conversations with school.
They “call for calm and space for a transparent investigation”. @SkyNews pic.twitter.com/F6AGCxRHBp

— Inzamam Rashid (@inzyrashid) March 28, 2021

Earlier coverage: Sky News, Batley Grammar School: Is Prophet Mohammed caricature offensive or freedom of expression? [opinion and analysis]

Vaccines in Wales

More coverage of vaccination efforts in Muslim communities in Wales, this time at Dar ul-Isra in Cardiff.

Some picture from today’s vaccination event at @Darulisra . Thanks to the team for giving up their Sunday to vaccinate the Cardiff Community! #getvaccinate #Darulisra #MDC pic.twitter.com/t1Nw07ml2a

— Muslim Doctors Cymru (@muslimdoccymru) March 28, 2021

Climate Issues in Bangladesh

BBC News, Bangladesh at 50: Why climate change could destroy my ancestral home

"As Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of independence, Qasa Alom reflects on how the country his British-Bangladeshi family still calls home is being affected by climate change."

Newport Vaccinations

Vaccination programme commences in Newport:

Make sure you spread the word. Over 60 please come for your first vaccine @jamia mosque in Pill, Newport pic.twitter.com/WqUv2YAR7J

— Muslim Doctors Cymru (@muslimdoccymru) March 23, 2021

Great start to the vaccination campaign today Jamia Mosque Newport Jamia And Al Noor Project

We have vaccinated Muslims and non Muslims and many homeless people that have struggled to access vaccination.

Anyone over 60 needing their first vaccine please come down! pic.twitter.com/bgry5C5dtK

— Muslim Doctors Cymru (@muslimdoccymru) March 23, 2021

Nurse's Legacy

BBC News, Coronavirus: Dying nurse told sister 'follow in my footsteps'

"Nurse Areema Nasreen was one of the youngest NHS workers to die from coronavirus at the start of the pandemic. Almost a year on from her death, her sister reveals how Areema's last words changed the course of her life."

British Muslims boycott Prevent review

MEMO, British Muslims boycott Prevent review over 'rigged' appointment of Friends of Israel founder

"An unprecedented coalition across the British Muslim community is opposing the British government's decision to appoint one of the founding members of the Friends of Israel Initiative to lead a review of a discredited anti-radicalisation programme. More than 450 Muslim civil society groups plus 100 leading figures have said that they will boycott the Review of the controversial Prevent policy to be headed by William Shawcross, whose appointment has been called "rigged" by one of the contenders for the post, a former leading prosecutor."

Not the most informed appointment for such a sensitive subject.

Burchill Case

Ash Sarkar, Guardian, Julie Burchill abused me for being Muslim – yet she was cast as the victim "Last December, I was referred to as an Islamist and a paedophile worshipper. I read multiple tweets speculating about whether I’m any good in bed, and insults about me supposedly having a moustache. Strange poems popped up portraying lurid sexual fantasies about having a threesome with me and the French far-right leader Marine Le Pen. I saw posts being liked on Facebook that told me to “kill myself for shame” and suggested that I had been a victim of female genital mutilation. None of these were the actions of an anonymous troll – they were the work of Sunday Telegraph columnist Julie Burchill."

Covid-19 UK

Aina Khan, Al Jazeera, British South Asians suffer heavy toll as coronavirus surges

"Ethnic minority communities in the UK, hard-hit by the pandemic, have been forced to adapt how they say farewell." Important article by Aina Khan, and photos by Abdu Pilgrim

Mental Health Issues

Attendees will receive hard copies of the mental health toolkit for Imams and scholars - join our next webinar. Details will be posted soon. pic.twitter.com/E88owh025Y

— The British Board of Scholars & Imams (BBSI) (@BBSIOnline) February 23, 2021

Cornwall's Trade Links with Egypt and Iran

Just come across this, published in November 2020 (links into the previous post too) - Caitlin Green, Some Arabic and Persian accounts of the export of tin from Cornwall to Egypt and Iran in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries

"The aim of the following piece is simply to share some interesting accounts of the tin-trade in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, particularly one written in Arabic and another in Persian. Taken together, these two accounts suggest that tin from southwestern England (i.e. Cornwall and Devon) was exported via southern France to both Egypt and ultimately Iran in this period, with it being used by potters in the latter area to make tin-opacified ceramic glazes." This one is particularly interesting to me as I have some Cornish family connections ...

Medieval England and 'Muhammad'

Caitlin Green, Macamathehou in Lincolnshire and the evidence for people named Muhammad in medieval England "The aim of the following draft is to offer some thoughts on a local name from thirteenth-century Lincolnshire, Macamathehou, that involves a version of the Arabic name Muhammad (Middle English Makomet/Macamethe, Old French Mahomet)."

Cambridge's Muslim Heritage

Cambridge Independent, Shahida Rahman interview: 'My mother may have been the first Bengali woman in Cambridge'

"Writer Shahida Rahman discusses the small but significant Bangladeshi community in Cambridge, in a year that marks the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence." There's a great website for Cambridge Muslim Heritage here

#takethevaccine

Thank you to everyone for your support for the film. We would love to hear from you if this has made a difference in your family or with your friends. Please do share and save lives. #takethevaccine pic.twitter.com/0t2fEZ3FRx

— Adil Ray OBE 💙 (@adilray) February 19, 2021

Heathrow: Appalling Conditions for Drivers

BBC News, Heathrow Airport: Muslim minicab drivers forced to pray in bus stop

"Muslim minicab drivers working at Heathrow Airport have described feeling "humiliated" after being forced to pray in a bus stop car park.

Vaccinations

⁦@EnfieldCouncil⁩ community Covid vaccine webinar. Qari Asim from MINAB informs us that the Covid vaccine is completely halal & having a vaccine in Ramadan does NOT break your fast “If anyone saves one life, it is like saving the whole of humanity” (Quran) #getthejab pic.twitter.com/VM6vgQNUwx

— Farzana Hussain (@fhussain73) February 17, 2021

Bradford Central Mosque to become a Covid-19 vaccination centre https://t.co/vMjPuzzsD5

— Telegraph & Argus (@Bradford_TandA) February 17, 2021

Bradford Central Mosque has become the latest mosque to open its doors to become a community COVID-19 vaccination centre.

It follows the likes of other mosques in the region, such as the Jamia Ghausia Centre in Sheffield and Keighley Mosque.https://t.co/6FVTfG8tZL

— Miqdaad Versi (@miqdaad) February 17, 2021

Woman's Hour Under Fire (updated)

Here are a series of posts relating to the Woman's Hour interview with Zara Mohammed:

Guardian, BBC under fire over 'strikingly hostile' interview of Muslim Council of Britain head

"Exclusive: 100 public figures sign letter criticising Radio 4 Woman’s Hour segment with Zara Mohammed.

Nesrine Malik, Opinion, The Guardian, There's a reason Muslim women struggle to make their voices heard

"It has become popular to claim that Islamophobia is a fiction to “shut down” debate. But the reality is that we have now been living in such a hostile environment that we are unable to create a clearing within which the things that we all care about – women’s rights, radicalisation, social and economic exclusion – are discussed without fear. With so many years of suspicion bearing down on every exchange, a conscious effort needs to be made to create that space, one in which conversations are longer, not optimised for viral social media buzz, and in which Muslims are playing a role behind the scenes so they can point out when content is inflammatory and editing unhelpful. If we want to talk about chilling effects on free discussions, let’s start here."

Fatima Rajina, Middle East Eye, BBC vs Zara Mohammed: An exercise in Islamophobia

"Interestingly, the clip that the BBC chose to share on social media was when Barnett asked Mohammed how many female imams there are in Britain. It was less about the question itself than the persistent and seemingly arrogant way in which it was asked - the undermining and condescending manner by which Barnett kept insisting on getting an answer, even interrupting her guest."

Sabah Hussain, Gal-Dem, Zara Mohammed can fight for women’s rights in British Muslim communities without Woman’s Hour

"If there was one thing that the recent Radio 4 Woman’s Hour interview of the first woman leader of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) set to achieve, it was to peddle the narrative that Muslim communities and organisations are exclusive, oppressive and unsafe for women. Of course, fighting for women’s rights and representation in British Muslim communities and institutions is important, but this wasn’t the way to go about it."

Shahed Ezaydi, Aurelia, The treatment of Zara Mohammed on Woman’s Hour was clickbait Islamophobia, plain and simple

"Many Muslim women will have seen their own experiences reflected in the way Barnett approached her questions to Zara. It’s yet another attempt by white women to paint and reassert Islam in its typical negative stereotype: a ‘backwards’ religion that just doesn’t care about women. It’s a stereotype as old as time. Islam is viewed as this violent and misogynistic religion, where women are treated badly and are living oppressed lives. And because of this, Muslim women couldn’t possibly be linked to feminism, let alone be leading feminists in their fields."

Online magazines and social media have effectively responded to (in my opinion) a poorly informed BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour interview with Zara Mohammed of MCB. The interviewer, Emma Barnett, has just started on Woman's Hour. I used to listen to her on Radio 5 Live, at a similar time slot. I now listen to Naga Munchetty, who is doing an excellent job at that time (Mondays to Wednesdays).

Let's hope that this is just a blip for Woman's Hour

[Woman's Hour podcasts] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qlvb/episodes/downloads)

Vaccination

Here's some important advice on the vaccination situation in the UK from Qari Asam. It's significant how social media is being utilised to promote these messages - and one hopes they get through to vulnerable audiences.

Important advice on the vaccine from @QariAsim https://t.co/21ABK4Hi3f

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) February 2, 2021

MCB Leadership

MCB, PRESS RELEASE: Zara Mohammed Elected Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain | 31st January 2021

“My vision is to continue to build a truly inclusive, diverse and representative body; one which is driven by the needs of British Muslims for the common good. Being elected as the first female Secretary General is quite an honour and I hope it will inspire more women and young people to come forward to take on leadership roles. They are the future of this organisation and our society.”

At the Halal Restaurant

I saw this online via EverydayMuslim, and wanted to post it here (even though it is from 2012). I look forward to getting back to east London soon (after the lockdown!).

Spitalfieldslife.com, At the Halal Restaurant

"Held in the affections of East Enders and City Gents alike, the Halal Restaurant is an important landmark in our culinary history, still busy and still serving the same dishes to an enthusiastic clientele after more than seventy years. Of the renowned Halal Restaurant, it may truly be said, it is the daddy of all the curry restaurants in the East End."

Mosque Survey

I'm running this survey with @MuslimWales @MuslimCouncil and @MuslimScot

Unless we plan properly, we may leave this pandemic with less mosques than we entered.

If you're from the UK, please let your imam/mosque committee know, or even fill it on their behalf. https://t.co/RqXyL0aYCK

— Abdul-Azim (@AbdulAzim) January 23, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccination

Note: there's more coverage on Covid-19 on my other blog, Virtually Islamic

But still too many in their local community don’t believe that Covid is real or that the vaccine is safe for Muslims. So the imam got the vaccine pic.twitter.com/tRjIn6JK4s

— Michael Buchanan (@BBCMBuchanan) January 22, 2021

Covid-19

A significant thread on Covid-19 and its impact, based on ITV reports

This is a significant thread. https://t.co/735kgI2yy1

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) January 25, 2021

Covid-19 responses

Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds-based Imam urges for places of worship to be used as vaccine hubs to inspire 'confidence' in communities

"Leeds-based Imam Qari Asim, chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, said some people who were initially hesitant about getting a vaccine have decided to get one since the first vaccination site in a Mosque opened at Al-Abbas Islamic Centre in Birmingham."

Belfast Multicultural Centre

After the news of this arson attack, it was encouraging to see the local response in Belfast:

Belfast multicultural centre staff stunned as nearly £60k donated after arson attack. Racist blaze results in 'unbelievable' flood of donations. Mohammad Atif & Asim Sattar outside the Belfast Multi Cultural centre after the racist attack https://t.co/Abwi15Mg9x

— Amanullah De Sondy (@desondy) January 18, 2021

Vaccination Advice

Good to see this advice from Dr Nighat Arif:

I had my #COVIDVaccination. I explain in #urdu / #Punjabi my experience.

Please help share & dispel the myths. We must support each other & refer to creditable sources @NHSuk @projecthalo @BritishIMA #stopmisinformation #muslim #teamNHS #protecttheNHS💙 pic.twitter.com/SODZ08HArh

— Dr Nighat Arif (@DrNighatArif) January 18, 2021

Vaccination Advice

Challenging social media rumours and 'fake news' on vaccinations:

🚨Imams challenging vaccine misinformation

Imams Online Senior Editor, Imam @QariAsim’s important message about the #COVID19 vaccines being halal & permissible for use, building on the ‘Verify Before You Amplify’ campaign, challenging misinformation related to the #Vaccine pic.twitter.com/Ll8CgJ9s2z

— Imams Online (@ImamsOnline) January 17, 2021