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