Glasgow: curry dish 'creator' dies

Arab News, Pakistani-born inventor of UK’s favorite curry dies aged 77 "Ali Ahmed Aslam opened his restaurant Shish Mahal in Glasgow in 1964, where he claims to have created the chicken tikka masala dish." There are other claims on this.

ONS Census 2021

BBC News, Less than half of England and Wales population Christian, Census 2021 shows, 29 Nov 2022

"Those identifying as Muslim rose from 4.9% in 2011 to 6.5% last year."

The ONS Results are here
PDF download here

Sisterhood FC

Hannah McKay, Reuters/Guardian,Sisterhood FC: football club for Muslim women breaks barriers – photo essay

I didn't see this photo-essay about Sisterhood FC when it originally came out earlier this month. "A female-only football club in London is giving Muslim women a chance to shine on the sports field. Buoyed by a surge in interest in women’s football after England’s Euro 2020 triumph, Sisterhood FC has grown to almost 100 players"

Muslim Heritage

Tharik Hussain, The Times, Britain’s hidden Muslim heritage – and where to find it "Tharik Hussain went in search of Britain’s unseen Muslim history. He picks out five of his favourite spots — including a mosque in surburban Surrey."

Cardiff Memorial Vandalised

Iran protests: Racist slurs on death memorial in Cardiff https://t.co/PhqqPACGCK

— Gary Bunt (@garybunt) October 4, 2022

Queen Elizabeth II

#QueenElizabeth opening the 'World of Islam Festival', 1976 - https://t.co/ECK1pR2tTx @Everyday_Muslim pic.twitter.com/h9Ej6enX2x

— Hassan Vawda (@HassanEVawda) September 11, 2022

STATEMENT: Muslim Council of Britain Pays Tribute to Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II | 8th September 2022

🔗 Read online: https://t.co/NxriOiGw33 pic.twitter.com/oH8dn0vADk

— MCB (@MuslimCouncil) September 8, 2022

Mahmood Mattan

Danielle Fahiya, BBC News, South Wales Police apology 70 years after hanging injustice "The family of a father who was wrongly convicted of murder have been given a police apology 70 years after he was executed in a British prison."

Prayer UK

Clea Skopeliti and Guardian readers, The Guardian, ‘God gives me reason to hope’: why young Britons are turning to prayer, 2 Sep 2022 "More young people in the UK are turning to prayer compared with 20 years ago, with one in three 18- to 36-year-olds saying they had prayed within the past month, a survey has revealed."

Mail Coverage

All of us at @StriveUKOrg stand in solidarity and support with @ZaraM01 and the @MuslimCouncil against this Islamophobic story. https://t.co/oV7VfFkORL

— StriveUK (@StriveUKOrg) July 18, 2022

Mo Farah

BBC News, Sir Mo Farah reveals he was trafficked to the UK as a child "He was flown over from the East African country aged nine by a woman he had never met, and then made to look after another family's children, he says."

Skateboarding

"Lena, Maysa and Ameya took up the sport after seeing British Olympian Sky Brown's "flicks and tricks" during the pandemic."

Arena Inquiry Update

BBC News, Arena bomb brother guilty of failing to attend public inquiry "The elder brother of the Manchester Arena suicide bomber has been convicted of failing to appear at a public inquiry he was ordered to attend."

Environmental Ethics - Research

Congratulations to Aminur Khosru Rahman for successfully completing his MRes here at UWTSD, with a dissertation on ‘Islamic Environmental Ethics: A model for shaping Muslim attitudes in helping to promote environmental education, awareness and activism.’ This is a timely and informed approach towards environmental issues. I supervised this dissertation, which is now in the university’s Repository. It has particular implications for Muslims in the UK. The photo shows Lampeter's (very green) campus.

Prevent and NHS

Aida Hassan, The New Arab, Interrupting care: How Prevent undermines Muslims’ access to UK’s public health sector, 22 June 2022 "Under assault by large swathes of the UK's public sector, British Muslims struggle to gain the access required to remedy their deep-seated issues. In particular, Prevent has infiltrated public health infrastructure, causing disproportionate damage." This is a must-read. It also points to the Medact, 2020 report False Positives: the Prevent counter-extremism policy in healthcare

A Scottish Pilgrimage

Auryn Cox, BBC Scotland News, Lady Evelyn Cobbold - why are Muslim pilgrims visiting her Scottish grave?, 15 June 2022 "They've travelled from Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leicester and beyond to honour Lady Evelyn Cobbold - thought to be the first British-born Muslim woman to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca."

Grenfell Five Years On

This Times' podcast is an effective and powerful reminder of the Grenfell Fire and its aftermath. It leads onto a second episode.

Poll Results

Hyphen, Exclusive: the majority of British Muslims believe that life in the UK is better than it was five years ago, 7 June 2022 "The nationwide survey asked more than 1,500 UK Muslims about their socioeconomic standing and future aspirations. The results reveal broad optimism in a number of areas. Over half (53%) said that their lives are better than five years ago, while 68% noted an increased participation in society by Muslims over the same period."

'The Lady of Heaven'

BBC News, Cineworld cancels The Lady of Heaven film screenings after protests, 8 June 2022 "The film, which was released in UK cinemas on 3 June, claims to tell the story of Lady Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad."

Woking Mosque

An early British Muslim prayer guide, first published in Woking, 1914 @Everyday_Muslim pic.twitter.com/TXBiAV6Iz7

— Hassan Vawda (@HassanEVawda) May 31, 2022

'Islamophobia in schools'

The Scotsman, Teaching union calls for action on Islamophobia in schools "A teaching union is calling for more action to tackle Islamophobia in Scottish schools, saying understanding the issue should be integrated into the curriculum."

Manchester Arena: Five Years On

Always remember. Never forget. 🐝

Today marks five years since the Manchester Arena attack pic.twitter.com/eEozzODl66

— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) May 22, 2022

Ramadan & the Cost of Living

BBC News, 'Rise in Muslim families' seeking Ramadan food help

"As Ramadan, Islam's holy month of fasting and prayer, comes to a close this Sunday, charities say many Muslim families have struggled to afford food to break their fasts."

Adam Mohammed Ali, BBC News Wales, Ramadan: Cost of living stops Muslims observing

"Some Muslims have been unable to fully observe Ramadan because of the soaring cost of living."

Update: Sir David Amees

BBC News, Sir David Amess murder: Ali Harbi Ali given whole-life sentence, 13 Apr 2022 "The jury took just 18 minutes on Monday to convict Ali of murder and preparing acts of terrorism."
PA/Belfast Telegraph, Sir David’s killer known to authorities, police said, 11 Apr 2022 "“By his own admission, he (Ali Harbi Ali) spent an awful lot of time on the internet as part of his radicalisation journey and his research into conducting this attack"” (Detective Chief Superintendent Dominic Murphy)

Rawḍah mosque

Greensville Trust, The Making of an English Gothic Mosque "This short documentary takes a look behind the scenes during the early stages of the development of the Rawḍah mosque at Muṣṭafā Mount in Bradford." A very interesting clip. (tip: Yahya Birt)

Ramadan Reflections

This is an interesting Ramadan development from BBSIOnline streaming live on Facebook every evening at 6.30 BST (with recordings also available). (tip: @YBirt) Details via British Board of Scholars and Imams' Facebook and Twitter

'Local Muslim Representation'

Muslim Council of Britain, Local Muslim Representation: Empowering Council of Mosques and Local Umbrella Organisations (PDF) "The report makes several recommendations for Muslim civil society and Local Authorities around increased knowledge and experience sharing, greater recruitment of women and youth, financial sustainability and further engagement with local authorities."

The Iftar Next Door

From Now In A Minute Media:

UK Food Poverty

Sadiya Chowdhury, Sky News, Half of UK Muslims will struggle to provide enough food to break fast during Ramadan, charity says, 2 Apr 2022 "Half of the UK's Muslim population will struggle to provide enough food for their families to break their fast during Ramadan, according to Islamic Relief, which warns an estimated 1.6 million live in poverty and deprivation."

Mapping Mosques

Here's an interesting site containing a map of every prayer room and mosque in London: Islamic Music Hub, Map Of Every Prayer Room & Mosque In London I would think this has potential as an app?
(tip: Sadek Hamid)

Birmingham Muslim Communities

BirminghamLive, How Brummie Muslims are embracing Shab e Barat in preparation for Ramadan

"Shab e Barat 2022 is observed by Muslims across the world including in the UK, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere - and is seen as an opportunity to prepare for Ramadan."

Organ Donation

BBC Radio Wales, Organ Donation "Joining Azim Ahmed to discuss the issues are Dr Mansur Ali, Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Cardiff University and a qualified Imam. His current research is into what the Islamic tradition says about organ donation. Dr Trevor Stammers has been a GP for 30 years and also chair of the Christian Medical Fellowship."

Ghusl Mayyit

Shabnam Mahmood, BBC News. Ghusl Mayyit: Why young Muslims are learning the funeral tradition "A scheme to teach the traditional Muslim funeral ritual of Ghusl to a new generation has been set up in the UK."

Mental Health Podcast

Arab News, UK Muslim podcast to shine light on ‘unspoken’ mental health issues "The podcast, entitled the “Unspoken Truths about Mental Health,” will feature a range of guests, including people who have experienced mental health issues, as well as emotional support volunteers, imams, counselors and therapists." An important initiative

Digital British Islam

UWTSD, £800k ESRC funding awarded to new UWTSD led research project

This relates to my new research project, for which I am Principal Investigator: "The three-year project, entitled ‘Digital British Islam: How do Cyber Islamic Environments impact everyday life?’, is an innovative multi-institution project led by Professor Gary R. Bunt. As the Principal Investigator, Professor Bunt will work in collaboration with Co-Investigator Dr Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor (Coventry University) and Co-Investigator Professor Frédéric Volpi (University of Edinburgh). The team also includes two research fellows, Dr Khadijah Elshayyal and Dr Sadek Hamid, along with two Post-Doctoral Research Assistants (to be appointed)."

PCYDDS, £800 mil o gyllid ESRC wedi ei rhoi i brosiect ymchwil newydd a arweinir gan y Drindod Dewi Sant "Mae’r prosiect tair blynedd, o’r enw ‘Digital British Islam: How do Cyber Islamic Environments impact everyday life?’, yn brosiect arloesol aml-sefydliad a arweinir gan Yr Athro Gary R. Bunt. Fel y Prif Ymchwilydd, bydd Yr Athro Bunt yn gweithio mewn cydweithrediad â’r Cyd-Ymchwilydd Dr Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor (Prifysgol Coventry) a’r Cyd-Ymchwilydd Yr Athro Frédéric Volpi (Prifysgol Caeredin). Mae’r tîm hefyd yn cynnwys dau gymrawd ymchwil, Dr Khadijah Elshayyal a Dr Sadek Hamid, ynghyd â dau Gynorthwyydd Ymchwil Ôl-Doethurol (i’w penodi)."

Prisons

Nicky Harley, The National, UK urged to separate extremist inmates after Manchester Arena terrorist formed gang, 23 Feb 2022

"The UK’s independent adviser on terrorism has urged the authorities to look at separation centres to prevent extremists from forming gangs in prison."

Updated: the Trojan Horse Affair (podcast)

Updated: here's a link to my Virtually Islamic blog page on the Trojan Horse Affair podcast.
New York Times, Why Claiming British Identity Is Complicated

This long-read looks interesting, and has an accompanying podcast series.

"This article was produced in collaboration with a new podcast from Serial and The New York Times.

“The Trojan Horse Affair,” an eight-part mystery, investigates a strange letter that transformed Britain — and the lives of many British Muslims."

Direct link to podcast (from different providers)

And here's the trailer on Spotify:

Aberystwyth Arabic Cuisine

Laura Clements, Wales Online, The Syrian chef who fled to Wales and tried to open a restaurant at the start of a global pandemic - when she did there were 200 people queuing to get in, 6 Feb 2022

I look forward to visiting this restaurant: "Her food - drawing on Lebanese, Syrian and Turkish influences - proved an instant hit. Looking at the precisely-cooked food on the Arabic Flavour social media pages, it's easy to see why. From her mouth-watering falafel to delicious-looking Manakeesh (a sort of Arabic pizza), everything looks fresh, authentic and above all else, tasty. She's also adapted a few recipes to make them gluten-free or vegan. Her attention to detail is such that every Facebook post is translated in Welsh as well."

Arabic Flavour's Facebook is here

Abdullah Quilliam - radio programme

BBC Radio Wales, All Things Considered, 'Britain's First Skeikh', 30 January 2022

"Azim Ahmed looks at the extraordinary life and work of the nineteenth century Liverpool solicitor William Abdullah Quilliam. Although brought up as a Wesleyan, Quilliam would convert to Islam after a visit to Morocco. He returned with indefatigable zeal to establish a mosque in Liverpool, and to create a British version of Islam, complete with hymns and a very distinctive version of the national anthem. Quilliam used the title of 'Sheikh al-Islam' of the British Isles, a title he claimed was conferred on him by the Sultan of Turkey. Azim talks to Professor Ron Geaves of Cardiff University, and to Yahya Birt, an Islamic community historian. In addition, Azim talks to writer and historian Christina Longden, whose Cardiff-born ancestor Robert Stanley went on to become one of Quilliam's most significant converts"

The Dinner Table Prejudice

Stephen Jones & Amy Unsworth, The Dinner Table Prejudice (University of Birmingham) (PDF)

"The survey, presented in a report titled 'The Dinner Table Prejudice: Islamophobia in Contemporary Britain', interviewed a sample of 1667 people between 20th and 21st July 2021 which was weighted by age, gender, social grade, voting record, region and level of education to ensure representativeness. Weighting was based on the census, Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics estimates, and other large-scale data sources." Quote source

Islamophobia adviser ignored

Kaya Burgess, The Times, PM and Gove have ignored me, says Islamophobia adviser "Imam Qari Asim, who was asked to help draw up a definition of Islamophobia, says letters and emails have gone unanswered in the more than two years since the government appointed him."

Survey findings

Lisa Dowd, Sky News, 'Death threats are a way of life': Gypsies and Irish Travellers and Muslims 'least-liked' in UK, survey finds "The statistics revealed by the University of Birmingham also found that Muslims are the second "least-liked" community."

Nusrat Ghani Case

There's lots on social media about this ongoing case of Nusrat Ghani, a Conservative MP, who is alleging that her "Muslimness" was a factor in her removal from a miniserial position. I've more posts on Twitter (@garybunt) The case is ongoing as this post is prepared, so expect updates. Note: the original story was in the Sunday Times, Nusrat Ghani: I was sacked as a minister ‘because I was a Muslim’ (by Caroline Wheeler, Rosamund Urwin and Gabriel Pogrund) (subscription required). Also see:

BBC News, Nusrat Ghani: Muslimness a reason for my sacking, says ex-minister, 23 Jan 2022

"A Muslim MP says her faith was raised by a government whip as a reason why she was sacked as a minister in 2020."

This is defamatory
(a) She made complaint in March 2020, not suddenly
(b) Govt appears to have a big problem with Muslim women - see Baroness Warsi too & Boris Johnson’s comments about “letterboxes”
(c) a lot of unimaginative & mediocre ministers are still in cabinet or left pic.twitter.com/2Sbmy0PIms

— nazir afzal (@nazirafzal) January 22, 2022

Everyday as parliamentarians we speak up against racism and injustice faced by others, yet we work in a political culture where to speak up against racism we have faced in politics is still dismissed and career ending.#standwithNus @PackedLunchC4 https://t.co/vTSnk2DRer

— Sayeeda Warsi (@SayeedaWarsi) January 24, 2022

Burials and Covid-19

Euro-Islam,The consequences of COVID-19 on Muslim burials

"... the billionaire Issa brothers are planning to build a new Muslim cemetery, the Issa Memorial Garden. –With a £3.5bn fortune, Zuber and Mohsin Issa are businessmen and founders of Euro Garages, a chain of over 5,200 petrol filling stations operating in Europe and the USA that has become the UK’s second-largest privately owned company and that in 2020 bought one of Britain’s largest supermarket chains, Asda. This new cemetery would be built in northern England, west of the town of Blackburn (Lancashire), and would accommodate 35,000 burial plots in a space of 33 hectares."