Islam in Britain

Study: "Muslims pass on faith at higher rates than Christians"

2012-02-14T15:58:00.002Z

BBC News, Muslims pass on faith at higher rates than Christians says Cardiff University study, 14 Feb 2012 “Researchers found 77% of adult Muslims actively practise the faith they were brought up in, compared with 29% of Christians and 65% of other religions.”

Abu Qatada

2012-02-13T20:07:00.000Z

NY Times, Britain Releases Militant Preacher, 13 Feb 2012 "Abu Qatada, a militant Islamic preacher held without charge for more than six years as a threat to Britain’s national security, was released from prison on Monday night after an immigration judge signed off on strict bail conditions earlier in the day."

Radicalisation issues

2012-02-10T13:07:00.000Z

Telegraph, Extremist preachers now radicalising young Muslims in private homes, says senior Government security adviser, 10 Feb 2012 "Extremist preachers are turning their backs on mosques and using private homes to radicalise young Muslims into becoming terrorists, according to one of Britain’s top security advisers."

Stock Exchange bomb plot: Wales Institute for Muslim Affairs reaction

2012-02-10T13:04:00.004Z

BBC News, Stock Exchange bomb plot: Wales Institute for Muslim Affairs reaction, 10 Feb 2012 "A Welsh Muslim think-tank says more must be done to tackle extremism after two Cardiff brothers were jailed for plotting to bomb the Stock Exchange."

Trial outcome

2012-02-10T12:43:00.002Z

AFP, Nine Islamists jailed for plotting terror attacks, 9 Feb 2012 “[Judge] Wilkie said they were “fundamentalist Islamists who have turned to violent terrorism in direct response to material, both propagandist and instructive, issued on the Internet by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.”“

Report. Roots of violent radicalisation

2012-02-06T10:12:00.002Z

Home Affairs Committee - Nineteenth Report. Roots of violent radicalisation, 31 Jan 2012

Commons Select Committee, MPs urge internet providers to tackle on-line extremism "The Committee concludes that the internet is one of the most significant vehicles for promoting violent radicalism - more so than prisons, universities or places of worship, although direct, personal contact with radicals is in many cases also a significant factor. Witnesses told the Committee that the internet played a part in most, if not all, cases of violent radicalisation."

smh.com.au, UK lawmakers: Most radicalism linked to Internet, 6 Feb 2012

Four men admit London Stock Exchange bomb plot

2012-02-01T14:23:00.000Z

BBC News, Four men admit London Stock Exchange bomb plot, 1 Feb 2012 "Four men inspired by al-Qaeda have admitted planning to detonate a bomb at the London Stock Exchange."

There are several references to internet materials in this case.

Call for Papers: Renaissance Old Worlds: English Encounters from the Levant to the Far East

2012-01-27T16:02:00.000Z

Conference announcement (please reply to organisers, not myself!)

Renaissance Old Worlds: EnglishEncounters from the Levant to the Far East

The British Library

29 June - 1 July 2012

The early modern period saw Englandestablishing its first colonies in the New World, but its ideas andexpectations about foreign nations, travel and its identity as a political andeconomic power on the global stage were influenced largely by its experiencesin other distant but familiar nations. This conference will investigate Englishinteractions with the ‘old worlds’ of the Middle East, South Asia and the FarEast. It will ask how such cross-encounters may have shaped not only theliterature, art and cultures of England and the host nations, but also a broadrange of intellectual, political, cultural, religious and economic determinantsof England’s relationship with the wider world.

Overarching questions to beinvestigated by the conference include:

(1) How did English cultural memoriesof the Old World, from art, literature and political events such as conflictsin the Islamic Mediterranean, influence actual travel encounters?

(2) How did information and expertiseabout distant places circulate, and who were the agents of such circulation(from missionaries, merchants, administrators, and indigenous informants, toartisans and scholars)?

(3) What form did the information take(from maps and texts to material artefacts)?

(4) How did religion inflect politicaland social negotiations? (How is anxiety about piracy in the IslamicMediterranean and North Africa, for instance, connected to anxieties aboutconversion between Christianity and Islam?)

(5) What role did trading companies,both those established by the English and their European trading competitors,play in determining structures of knowledge and cross-cultural encounters?

Proposals are invited for completepanels of three or four papers, as well as individual papers on one of thefollowing themes:

· Interplay between ‘old worlds’ and‘new’

· Circulation networks

· Visual and material culture (art,cartography, crafts)

· Trade, diplomacy, piracy

· Gift-exchange

· Religion and conversion

· Translation and transformation

Please send abstracts (250 words forindividual papers and 500 words for complete panels) and a brief biographicalstatement (if proposing a panel, one for each participant) to Nandini Das at row@liverpool.ac.uk by 1 March 2012.Papers should take between 15–20 minutes to present, and panels should last nolonger than 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Call for inquiry into media bias

2012-01-26T21:12:00.000Z

The National, Calls for UK inquiry into 'anti-Muslim media bias', 27 Jan 2012 "A campaign is under way for a public inquiry led by a judge into the way some British media whip up Islamophobia by "distorting and even fabricating" stories about Muslims."

Newham school dispute

2012-01-26T21:09:00.000Z

BBC News, Muslim school dispute with Newham over 'inclusivity', 25 Jan 2012 film report

Hajj exhibition

2012-01-26T21:02:00.001Z

Guardian, Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam – review I look forward to seeing this exhibition in due course (sounds like it might be difficult to get a ticket!). Also see the British Museums Hajj exhibition page

'UK's first course in women, Islam and the media launched'

2012-01-20T10:18:00.001Z

Guardian, UK's first course in women, Islam and the media launched, 19 Jan 2012 "The 12-week module, which the university claims is the first of its kind in the UK, will cover the often inflammatory topics of veil wearing, arranged marriage and "honour" crimes – looking at how they are portrayed in contemporary film, TV and other media, and how this reflects cultural biases in both the east and west."

'Growing use of Sharia by UK Muslims'

2012-01-20T10:16:00.001Z

BBC News, Growing use of Sharia by UK Muslims, 18 Jan 2012 "The use of Sharia law is thriving in Britain with a growing number of Muslims using it to settle their disputes."

Abu Qatada

2012-01-18T16:12:00.000Z

Evening Standard, The Abu Qatada case proves it's time to rethink human rights, 18 Jan 2012 opinion "As the European Court of Human Rights upholds Abu Qatada's appeal, it undermines its own claim to authority."

BBC, Abu Qatada wins Jordan deportation appeal, 17 Jan 2012 "Radical cleric Abu Qatada has won his appeal against deportation from the UK to Jordan, at the European Court of Human Rights."

Same-day burial plan for Cardiff after Muslim request

2012-01-18T16:09:00.000Z

BBC News, Same-day burial plan for Cardiff after Muslim request, 18 Jan 2012 "A same-day burial service is being prepared for Cardiff, aimed at meeting the cultural and religious needs of mainly Muslim and Jewish communities."

Prison issues for Muslims

2012-01-11T13:01:00.001Z

Asian Age, 'Imams out of touch with young Muslims', 11 Jan 2012,

"Young Muslim men are turning away from religion in their droves because of the old-fashion attitudes in Britain’s mosques, according to the Prison Service’s Muslim advisor."

See this related story:

Guardian, Prisons inspector condemns Long Lartin's 'cages' and slopping out, 10 Jan 2012

"Hardwick [Nick Hardwick, chief inspector of prisons] [also] says Long Lartin needs much more help from the national prison service to work successfully with the 25% of its prisoners who are Muslim.

"He discloses that those held in the detainee unit – mostly those facing deportation on national security grounds – had been denied permission to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, with other Muslim prisoners."

Ongoing trial

2012-01-11T12:57:00.001Z

Daily Mail, 'Gay people should get the death penalty’: Five Muslim men on trial for stirring up hatred after 'handing out homophobic leaflets near mosque', 10 Jan 2012

New book: 'The Muslim Oskar Schindler'

2012-01-09T10:17:00.000Z

Michael Theodoulou, The National, The Muslim Oskar Schindler gets belated recognition, 8 Jan 2012 "He was an aristocratic and charismatic young bon viveur who loved parties, good food, fine clothes and beautiful women. But Abdol-Hossein Sardari was also a hero.

"As a junior Iranian diplomat in wartime Paris, he saved thousands of Iranian and other Jews from becoming Holocaust victims."

'1981 files: Mecca bingo hall row with Saudi Arabia'

2012-01-09T10:12:00.003Z

Duncan Gardham, Telegraph, 1981 files: Mecca bingo hall row with Saudi Arabia, 30 Dec 2011 "The opening of a chain of Mecca bingo halls in 1981 offended the Sunni Mufti of Beiruit, who said the name was "blasphemous"." [just spotted this one]

'Briton in Kenya radicalised in shoe bomber’s prison'

2012-01-09T10:10:00.003Z

AFP/capitalfm Kenya, Briton in Kenya radicalised in shoe bomber’s prison, 9 Jan 2012"An extremist accused of heading a wave of British recruits to an Al-Qaeda group plotting attacks in Kenya was radicalised in the same prison as shoe bomber Richard Reid, a report said on Sunday."

'The curry crisis'

2012-01-09T09:48:00.000Z

Homa Khaleeli, Guardian, The curry crisis, 8 Jan 2012 "Chicken tikka masala is now an integral part of British culture, but can our curry houses survive the recession – and the government's immigration policy?"

Exeter Mosque

2012-01-05T11:47:00.001Z

arabnews.com, Exeter Mosque: A testament to religious harmony in UK, 29 Dec 2011 "The little room used as a mosque in Exeter back in 1975 has grown and expanded into a beautiful mosque and Islamic cultural center to cater to the increasing number of Muslims in that sleepy university town in southwest England."

Syed Aziz Pasha

2012-01-05T11:46:00.001Z

Ahmed J Versi, Muslim News, Dr Pasha laid the foundation of the British Muslims in the UK, 30 Dec 2011 "Dr Syed Aziz Pasha, founder and Secretary General of the oldest British Muslim federal body in the UK, the Union of Muslim Organisations (UMO), passed away on November 23 after a long illness. Dr Pasha, 81, was one of the most respected Muslims leaders in the UK."

Opinion piece: 'Owen Jones: Beware the assumptions the Lawrence verdict gives rise to'

2012-01-05T11:45:00.001Z

Opinion piece Independent, Owen Jones: Beware the assumptions the Lawrence verdict gives rise to, 5 Jan 2012 "I'm not one to normally agree with the Conservative Baroness Sayeeda Warsi but she was right to say that Islamophobia now passes the "dinner-table test". It is a bigotry even indulged by some progressives."

'When Islam met the diversity industry' opinion piece

2012-01-05T10:59:00.002Z

Damian Thompson, Telegraph Blogs, When Islam met the diversity industry…, 23 Dec 2011 "This week, I was told about a London primary school whose pupils are overwhelmingly Muslim. It isn’t having a nativity play. There was a plan to sing carols in a lesson, but parents banned their children from attending."

Lost in Translation (Diaries of an Imam)

2011-12-19T10:21:00.001Z

Abdullah Hasan, onislam.net, Lost in Translation (Diaries of an Imam) Week 2 "Imams are supposed to be individuals whom the entire community follows, not just one section of the community. It is worrying that this is still a problem in the UK and in the 21st century. I do not think this is much of a problem among the younger generation. Yes, they do have other issues and concerns to tackle. I am not denying there will not be problems among the younger generation, there will be, but I am confident that they will be very easily resolved." opinion piece

"Bringing London’s “Christmas Bombers” to Trial"

2011-12-19T10:04:00.000Z

Raffaello Pantucci, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 9 Issue: 46, Bringing London’s “Christmas Bombers” to Trial, December 16, 2011 "Five of the men are also accused of possessing material useful in the preparation of terrorism, and four are charged with owning two editions of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s (AQAP) Inspire magazine and a copy of Saudi ideologue Muhammad bin Ahmad as-Salim’s famous tract “39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad”"

Writer is the author of a forthcoming book We Love Death as You Love Life: Britain’s Suburban Mujahedeen (Hurst/Columbia University Press)

Maktabah

2011-12-16T18:12:00.000Z

Telegraph, Terrorists' favourite bookseller guilty, 15 Dec 2011 "The Maktabah website received nearly 20m hits from 460,000 obsessive users, more than a third of whom lived in the US.

"Faraz made profits of at least £62,000 and employed a number of salesmen, sending unsolicited copies of his books to Islamic shops around the country."

"How much can we learn from the history of Islam in Britain?"

2011-12-16T18:07:00.003Z

I haven't viewed this yet, but thought I'd drop this item - hosted by Tariq Ramadan on Press.tv - into the blog anyway. I'll watch it when I have a bit more time ...

Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam

2011-12-16T17:46:00.002Z

British Museum, Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam, 26 January – 15 April 2012 "One of the five pillars of Islam central to Muslim belief, Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their lifetime if they are able. This major exhibition charts the history of this deeply personal journey."

I hope I can get a ticket for this!

Check out Seán McLoughlin's survey in relation to this exhibit:
https://www.survey.leeds.ac.uk/hajj/

'Inside Iqra: Slough's Muslim primary school'

2011-12-14T13:59:00.001Z

Masood Khan, Guardian, Inside Iqra: Slough's Muslim primary school - video, 12 Dec 2011"In 2008, after years of campaigning and opposition, Iqra opened as one of the first Muslim primary schools in the United Kingdom. Film-maker Masood Khan talks to its head, chair of governors and a teaching assistant whose children attend the school, who make the case for faith-based education. Taking the opposite position, Jonathan Romain of the Accord Coalition tells Khan of his fear that such schools ghettoise children and fail to prepare them for a multicultural society."

Mosque arson case

2011-12-09T13:55:00.000Z

UKPA, Pair jailed for mosque arson attack, 8 Dec 2011 "The court heard that the pair set fire to the mosque, in Regent Road in the Hanley area of the city, in a revenge attack after Muslim extremists burned poppies on Armistice Day."

'Reading the riots'

2011-12-09T13:16:00.001Z

Guardian, Comment is Free, Reading the riots: ask the reason why, 8 Dec 2011 " ... as we report, nor were the riots entirely about race. Stop and search powers are used, in some forces, disproportionately against black people. There is a generation of young Muslims whose lives have been shaped by the war on terror. But what unites our interviewees is a sense of alienation. Barely half "felt part of British society". Race contributed to it, but more often it was poverty and a lack of hope."The associated reports on Reading the riots raise many significant issues, especially relating to this blog, including Shiv Malik's piece in the Guardian, Muslim rioters say police discrimination motivated them, 8 Dec 2011

Leicester - gang case

2011-12-07T12:21:00.000Z

Mail Online, Girl gang who kicked woman in the head while yelling 'kill the white slag' freed after judge hears 'they weren't used to drinking because they're Muslims', 6 Dec 2011 [rather a long and loaded headline - posted retrospectively]

Bradford litter campaign binned

2011-11-23T16:42:00.001Z

OnIslam, UK Council Axes Anti-litter Muslim Campaign, 23 Nov 2011 "A British local council has axed plans to distribute thousands of leaflets that invoke the name of Allah to encourage Muslims not to drop litter for worries of offending the minority, the Yorkshire Post reported."

Muslims proud to be British - report

2011-11-23T16:35:00.001Z

Guardian, Muslims Proud to be British? There's something to learn from the surprise, 23 Nov 2011. "The finding in Demos's report A Place for Pride that 83% of Muslims said they were proud to be a British citizen, compared with the national average of 79%, has been met with surprise in some parts of the press. Clearly many British citizens have both a strong religious identity and a strong national identity. Yet it also seems clear that many people see these identities as mutually exclusive. Why is this the case?"

Re-cap

2011-11-17T17:30:00.000Z

There's been a delay in posting, as I've been travelling. So I'm providing a re-cap of some recent events here:

Haj: Journey to the Heart of Islam

2011-11-17T17:18:00.001Z

arabnews.com, Journey to the heart of Islam under spotlight at Britain’s Haj exhibition, 13 Nov 2011 "The British Museum in London is to mount the first major exhibition dedicated to the Haj.

"“Haj: Journey to the Heart of Islam” will open Jan. 26 and run until April 15, 2012. Venetia Porter, curator of the museum’s Islamic and Contemporary Middle East Department, said the exhibition would examine the significance of Haj as one of the five pillars of Islam, exploring its importance for Muslims and looking at how this spiritual journey has evolved throughout history."

Scotland

2011-11-17T17:14:00.001Z

Scotsman, Khushi’s legacy curries favour, 16 Nov 2011

'British Muslims: active players in UK counterterrorism efforts' op-ed

2011-11-17T17:11:00.001Z

Azeem Ibrahim, globalarabnetwork.com, British Muslims: active players in UK counterterrorism efforts 16 Nov 2011 "Community-based counterterrorism, however, has a proven track record in preventing terrorist incidents, with the communities themselves being the first to condemn criminal activity in their desire for peace." op-ed

"Concern grows in U.K., U.S. over Somali-based militants"

2011-11-17T17:10:00.001Z

Reuters, Concern grows in U.K., U.S. over Somali-based militants, 16 Nov 2011 "In late October, two 18-year-old men from the Welsh city of Cardiff were arrested on Kenya's border with war-torn Somalia. The father of one of them told the BBC he believed his son had been "brainwashed" and was on his way to join an Islamic holy war."

Warsi

2011-11-17T17:00:00.001Z

Guardian, Lady Warsi: extremists forfeit their right to call themselves Muslim, 14 Nov 2011

'Muslims Against Crusades'

2011-11-17T17:00:00.000Z

BBC News, Muslims Against Crusades banned by Theresa May, 10 Nov 2011 "The home secretary is banning Muslims Against Crusades (MAC), a group that planned an anti-Armistice Day protest."

Butetown, Cardiff in WW2

2011-10-31T11:01:00.002Z

I found these links recently regarding Islam, Muslims and Wales. The ww2talk.com link features some good historical photos of Cardiff's Muslim community:

ww2talk.com, The Germans bombed our Mosque-Butetown, Cardiff

Green Booked, Islam and Wales, 12 Oct 2010

Andrew Papworth's Blog, The importance of religion in Butetown, 17 Mar 2010 (contains a 1950s photo of Butetown Mosque)

"Why Muslim women in the Middle East are doing Better than their Peers in UK?" op-ed

2011-10-20T15:15:00.004+01:00

Iqbal Tamimi, Director for Arab Women Media Watch Centre in UK, Middle East Online, Why Muslim women in the Middle East are doing Better than their Peers in UK?, 17 Oct 2011

"Alriyadh, the national Saudi newspaper published an interesting story on December, 18, 2008, about an unusual marriage condition requested by a Saudi woman at the court of the city of Qatif, where she demanded that her future husband should provide her with 3 personal computers as part of her Dowry, and that he should guarantee her a lifetime access to internet. The groom refused her request, claiming that “internet has bad influence on women and facilitates 'virtual' mixing between men and women”. This incident indicates how important the internet has become in the life of Muslim women especially those who are isolated for social or health reasons. But this incident also shows that internet flirting is a major concern for Saudi men who are living in a segregated society, even though they make the highest percentage of subscribers on dating websites in the Arab region."

Cardiff teenagers arrested

2011-10-19T18:02:00.001+01:00

Wales Online, Cardiff teenagers held by Kenyan anti-terror unit due to be deported, 19 Oct 2011 "The father of one of two Cardiff teenagers arrested by anti-terror police in Kenya has said his son was “brainwashed” into believing he was “fighting in a holy war”."Also see BBC News, Two arrested Cardiff men, 18, 'deported by Kenya', 19 Oct 2011 "A joint statement from the Muslim community in Cardiff said the Somali and Pakistani community in particular, and the Muslim community in general, are anxiously waiting for the arrival of the pair."Internet recruitment link with this story.

Muslims and Political Participation: Conference 2012

2011-10-19T11:08:00.000+01:00

University of Edinburgh, Muslims and Political Participation: Conference 2012, 20th and 21st April 2012 call for papers"This conference focuses on the involvement of Muslims in all aspects of political life in Britain with a particular emphasis on contemporary developments.

"Muslims have played prominent roles at all levels of British politics and have been represented in various elected positions since Bashir Maan became a member for Glasgow City Council in 1970. Subsequent milestones have included Muslims first holding posts such as that of Lord Mayor in 1985, MP in 1997, life peer in 1998, Minister in 2007 and the first female Muslim MPs were elected in 2010. For many years the Labour party dominated politics in British Muslim communities and this relationship is still strong. Yet all the major parties now actively seek to court a Muslim electorate as evidenced by the establishment of groups such as the Conservative Muslim Forum.

"Despite the impact that Muslims have had on election campaigns and their roles in various political institutions, research on this topic remains scant. Indeed, much of the existing work was couched within the broader areas of the participation of ethnic minorities or the impact of race on electoral politics. The conference hopes to address this lacuna and thereby highlight current research that deals with Muslims and political participation in Britain, whether at local, regional or national levels. It seeks to pay particular attention to how this participation has changed over recent years and identify new trends for the future, although historical reflections are also welcome.

"In addition to electoral politics and representation, the conference also seeks the submission of papers on other aspects of civil society such as social movements, trade unions and NGOs as well as papers which give insights into developments in other European countries. Cross-country comparisons which include Britain would be especially welcome."

Full details via the above link.

File on Four, 'Madrassas'

2011-10-19T10:18:00.000+01:00

This programme is available on iPlayer and as a podcast.

BBC Radio 4, File on Four, Madrassas, 18 Oct 2011 "Earlier this year, an imam working in Stoke-on-Trent was jailed for raping a 12 year old boy at his mosque. In the wake of the case, File on 4 investigates whether the thousands of children who visit mosques and madrassas each week to study the Quran are being properly protected."

Also see:

Fran Abrams, BBC News, Child abuse claims at UK madrassas 'tip of iceberg', 18 Oct 2011 "Britain's madrassas have faced more than 400 allegations of physical abuse in the past three years, a BBC investigation has discovered."But only a tiny number have led to successful prosecutions."

Hip Hop

2011-10-10T16:44:00.002+01:00

muslimvoices.org, Hip Hop Link between Culture and Faith for Filmmaker "San Francisco filmmaker Mustafa Davis wanted to see how music became a link between Muslim identity and Western culture."

Hope this one gets shown in the UK - it sources UK and US artists.

'Creationism Attack Under UK Muslim Fire'

2011-10-10T16:19:00.006+01:00

OnIslam, Creationism Attack Under UK Muslim Fire , 9 Oct 2011

"Muslim groups in Britain have sharply criticized an atheist professor who attacked Muslim faith schools for teaching creationsim for their students."

“Winds of Change: Cinema from Muslim Societies”

2011-09-28T15:49:00.002+01:00

arabnews.com, Winds of Change: Cinema from Muslim societies, 28 Sep 2011"London’s Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), in collaboration with the academic publication “Third Text,” is presenting “Winds of Change: Cinema from Muslim Societies,” a series of talks and Islamic films."Details: ICA, “Winds of Change: Cinema from Muslim Societies”

'British Muslims reviving polygamy'

2011-09-28T15:47:00.001+01:00

IINA, Great Britain/Islam: British Muslims reviving polygamy, 27 Sep 2011 "A growing number of young British Muslims are taking second or third wives in an unexpected revival of polygamy, according to religious leaders."

'The British “Islamic” Lifestyle Experience: Religiosity or Commercialization?'

2011-09-23T11:51:00.000+01:00

Alia Raffia Ullah, Islam Online, The British “Islamic” Lifestyle Experience (1): Religiosity or Commercialization?, 20 Sep 2011 "This article explores the ideology of buying into Islam on the British high street, online and over the British Muslim media. It examines whether these recent developments are benefitting Muslims in Britain, or commercializing Islam; turning it into a profitable business."

Research on Muslim chaplains

2011-09-23T11:46:00.001+01:00

BBC News, Muslim chaplains connect communities to public bodies, 27 Sep 2011 "Amongst the findings were the "strong Islamic" justification for chaplaincy work in a health care context, with chaplains citing the example of the Prophet Muhammad visiting the sick."

This relates to research led by Sophie Gilliat-Rae at Cardiff University.

'Britain rounds up suspected terrorists'

2011-09-21T14:59:00.003+01:00

UPI, Britain rounds up suspected terrorists, 20 Sep 2011"Police in the Britain's West Midlands this week conducted intelligence-driven raids in Birmingham, arresting seven people and reportedly disrupting an Islamic terrorist plot."

Peace For Humanity Conference 2011

2011-09-21T14:55:00.000+01:00

OnIslam, Muslim Scholar to Issue Peace Declaration, 18 Sep 2011
"A prominent Britain-based Muslim scholar [Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri] announced his plans to issue a historic global peace declaration next week in London, protesting against terrorism and educating the whole world against anti-Muslim racism and xenophobia."

Details: Peace For Humanity Conference 2011 – ‘Muhammad the Merciful’

Official website: www.peaceforhumanity.co.uk and promo clip:

Modernist Islamic Architecture

2011-09-16T16:04:00.000+01:00

arabnews.com, Modernist Islamic Architecture: Toward preserving a migrant past, 14 Sep 2011

"Understanding the evolution of the mosque, people’s relation to it and communal reaction have all played a big role in the new aesthetic MakeSpace is developing. “I think it is important that architecture talks about the present, about where it is and what it is, about the society that it is in,” he says. “Muslim British society is complex and layered. With each generation you get vast cultural changes; it is the new generations that dominate the Muslim landscape.”"

Opinion: Baroness Flather: 'Polygamy, welfare benefits and an insidious silence'

2011-09-16T16:00:00.000+01:00

Opinion piece

Daily Mail, Baroness Flather: Polygamy, welfare benefits and an insidious silence, 16 Sep 2011"In this disturbing and brave exposé, a Pakistan-born baroness reveals how some of her countrymen have as many children as possible by several wives so as to milk our welfare system..."

Belgium

2011-09-16T15:49:00.001+01:00

Soeren Kern, Hudson Institute, Islamic Sharia Law Court Opens in Belgium, 15 Sep 2011

"Sharia4Belgium is linked to Anjem Choudary, a Sharia court judge based in London. Choudary, who was the leader of a group called Islam4UK before it was banned by British anti-terrorism authorities, believes in the primacy of Islam over all other faiths and has long campaigned for Islamic law to be implemented in all of Britain.

"Choudary is also a leader of the British Islamic Emirates Project, a campaign to turn twelve British cities – including what he calls "Londonistan" – into independent Islamic states. The so-called Islamic Emirates would function as autonomous enclaves ruled by Islamic Sharia law and operate entirely outside British jurisprudence."

Book: Pointing the Finger: Islam and Muslims in the British Media

2011-09-16T14:31:00.003+01:00

Peter Stauber (Reviewer), Counterfire, Pointing the Finger: Islam and Muslims in the British Media

Book review of Pointing the Finger: Islam and Muslims in the British Media, eds. Julian Petley and Robin Richardson (Oneworld Publications 2011), 352pp

There's also a review by Tom Mills at New Left Project, Book Review: Pointing the Finger

As with so many other titles I refer to in my blogs, I haven't read this book yet (it cropped up in one of my student's papers!), but look forward to seeing it sometime.

"Student in al-Qaida raid paid £20,000 by police"

2011-09-15T11:42:00.000+01:00

Guardian, Student in al-Qaida raid paid £20,000 by police, 14 Sep 2011"Police say sorry and pay damages to student held for seven days after downloading al-Qaida manual for his masters degree"

Opinion piece: 'Time to break free?'

2011-09-14T10:42:00.000+01:00

Ahmad Ali Khalid, Dawn.com, Blog, Time to break free?, 11 Sep 2011 "“No, Jihad does not mean holy war, it means struggle in Arabic,” this was a phrase that my Muslim friends and I repeated all too often in the aftermath of 9/11 in Britain. My generation who grew up in the shadow of 9/11 have had our religious experiences shaped not by moving Sufi poetry, reading philosophy, speaking about theology or researching about our religious traditions. Our religious experience has been shaped by an act of symbolic political violence; it has been shaped by questions of war, accusations of terror and interrogations about our loyalty which brought up the question of identy."

London protests

2011-09-12T10:12:00.001+01:00

CNN, Atika Shubert: In London, a 9/11 event both solemn and confrontational Telegraph, 9/11 anniversary: Muslim protesters burn US flag outside embassy in London

Manchester trial

2011-09-10T10:12:00.000+01:00

Guardian, Jihad recruiters jailed after anti-terror trial, 9 Sep 2011 "Munir Farooqi, 54, Israr Malik, 23, and Matthew Newton, 29, were exposed after undercover police officers infiltrated faith stalls in Manchester and found they were trying to groom vulnerable men to travel to training camps and battlefields abroad, where they would "fight, kill and die" in a jihad against coalition forces."

'Britain's Muslim Soldiers - Voiceless yet Victorious'

2011-09-08T16:38:00.003+01:00

Britain's Muslim Soldiers - Voiceless yet Victorious "The Shared War Project is a cross-community programme that retells the accounts of Muslim soldiers and also draws attention to African, African-Caribbean, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh and British efforts. For almost 4 years, we have witnessed the impact of telling these shared stories first-hand at schools, youth centres and community events. The Project encourages young people to view Britain as their home, to appreciate the contributions of their ancestors and to see themselves as stakeholders in Britain and not as voiceless subjects within a foreign land." [thanks to Yahya Birt for the link]

Event Announcement - 'Islam in a Secular Europe - Panel'

2011-08-31T12:55:00.000+01:00

Event Announcement (please direct any questions to the organisers, not myself):

ISLAM IN A SECULAR EUROPE - PANEL

Date: 16 September 2011
Time: 6:30pm for 7:00pm start - 9:30pm
Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
Tickets: £10 general (£5 concession for BHA and Central London Humanist members, students and members of Conway Hall) from http://www.humanism.org.uk/meet-up/events/view/152

Islam in a Secular Europe is the theme of the 2011 annual Secular Europe Campaign debate, hosted by the British Humanist Association (BHA) and the Central London Humanists, in association with Conway Hall. Using a ‘Question Time’ format, this timely debate comes one year on from the Pope’s state visit to the UK, which prompted the largest ever protests against the policies of the Holy See, and demonstrated the strength of secularist beliefs held in the UK. This year’s event will bring together some of the country’s leading thinkers and activists to debate and discuss topics including: whether religious freedom of Muslims in Europe depends on secularism; if veil and burkha bans are secularist or counter-secularist; what the relationship should be between sharia rules and secular law; and if secularism can admit any limitations on freedom of expression in religious matters.

Panellists include:
Yahya Birt, the Commissioning Editor at Kube Publishing and co-editor of British Secularism and Religion: Islam, Society and the State;
Sir David Blatherwick, diplomat, writer, distinguished supporter of Humanism, and current Trustee for the British University in Egypt;
Humeira Iqtida, lecturer at King's College London and author of Secularising Islamists? Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamaat-ud-Dawa in Pakistan;
Maleiha Malik, Professor in Law at King's College London teacher of courses in Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, Discrimination Law and European Law;
Maryam Namazie, well-known critic of political Islam and commentator on women's rights, violence against women, cultural relativism, secularism, Humanism, religion, and Islam.

East London Mosque

2011-08-17T16:28:00.000+01:00

The National, 100 years on, London mosque takes stock, 17 Aug 2011

Birmingham

2011-08-15T17:07:00.000+01:00

Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Riots: Muslims and Sikhs guard each others' places of worship in show of unity, 13 Aug 2011

"As Muslims held Ramadan’s night-time Taraweeh prayer at mosques in the city, Sikhs stood outside to act as deterrents to any potential thugs.

"And the honour was returned by Muslims as Sikhs did their own night-time Kirtan Sohila prayer at city temples."

Birmingham hit & run victims

2011-08-15T17:02:00.000+01:00

sal.am, 3 Muslim Brothers killed in Birmingham riots, 10 Aug 2011 [posted retrospectively]

BBC News, Three killed protecting property during Birmingham riots, 10 Aug 2011

YouTube; Sky News, Birmingham Riot 2011: Tariq Jahan (Murdered Son's dad) speaks

Telegraph, UK riots: I'm no hero says bereaved father whose dignity stopped race riots, 13 Aug 2011

Riot victim

2011-08-15T16:03:00.001+01:00

The Star Malaysia, British riots: Malaysian student injured in London, 10 Aug 2011 "The robbery on Mohd Asyraf Raziq Rosli which took place at 7pm London time (3am Malaysian time) yesterday was recorded by someone and later uploaded on YouTube." [posted retrospectively]

Reading List: The Dragon and the Crescent

2011-07-27T11:22:00.000+01:00

Grahame Davies, The Dragon and the Crescent (Seren, £12.99) "In the early twenty-first century, the relationship between the West and Islam has, due to recent political events, become the subject of intense study, curiosity and tension.

"But to understand contemporary anxieties, we need to trace their historical roots. The Dragon and the Crescent does this for one small European nation, revealing for the first time, the full and surprising story of the Welsh relationship with Islam."

More info from Seren books

I've yet to read this, but it sounds interesting.

Islamic Psychology Conference

2011-07-04T10:18:00.001+01:00

BME Mental Health: ISLAMIC PSYCHOLOGY CONFERENCE

27 Jul 2011 - London
28 Jul 2011 - Manchester

"This conference aims to explore and debate the critical perspectives, themes and concepts that underpin 'Muslim Psychology' in theory and therapeutic practice; and how these might relate to 'mainstream' psychological and mental health services in the UK."

Report: Britain urged to intervene to end forced marriages

2011-06-27T14:53:00.001+01:00

Guardian/gulfnews : Britain urged to intervene to end forced marriages, 27 Jun 2011: "Plan UK will publish a report this week entitled Breaking Vows, which states that ten million under-18s become child brides every year. In developing countries in South America, North Africa and parts of Asia, one in three under-18 year olds, and one in seven of all girls under 15, are married."

The Platform launched

2011-06-15T12:03:00.001+01:00

MCB, The Platform is Raised: Celebrating the launch of a revolutionary new site, 7 Jun 2011 "The event celebrated the launch of a blog designed to facilitate a space for expression, promote proactive engagement and encourage a renewed and dynamic thinking for progress. The Platform is a site that unites talented Britons of diverse ages and backgrounds in the common cause of bettering Britain."

And here's the site itself (logo shown):

The Platform

'Newport Muslims launch anti-terror campaign'

2011-06-15T11:56:00.000+01:00

South Wales Argus, Newport Muslims launch anti-terror campaign, 15 Jun 2011 "A coalition of Newport Muslim groups yesterday launched a grassroots campaign that spells out why terrorism and extremism are against the teaching of Islam."

Shari`ah-compliant Pensions

2011-06-15T11:54:00.002+01:00

OnIslam, Shari`ah-compliant Pensions for UK Muslims

"Eyeing to get a share of the booming Islamic finance industry, a British firm has launched a Shari`ah-compliant fund to enable Muslims to save for retirement, the Zawya website reported."

Sheffield's Muslim Environmentalists

2011-06-15T11:52:00.000+01:00

OnIslam, Sheffield's Muslim Environmentalists, 11 Jun 2011 "Drawn together by appreciation of mother nature and teachings of faith, a group of Muslim environmentalists in the central British city of Sheffield rolled up their sleeves in the service of their wider community and their religion as well.

"“For Muslims the Qur'an is very clear: Islam teaches us about our duty," Nabeel Nasser, the vice-chair of the Sheffield Islamic Network for the Environment (ShINE), told the Sheffield Telegraph on Saturday, June 11."

Tony Blair

2011-06-15T11:51:00.000+01:00

Mail Online, I read the Koran every day, says former prime minister Tony Blair who claims it keeps him 'faith-literate', 13 Jun 2011

"Reading the Islamic religion’s holy book - considered by Muslims to be the exact words of God - ensured he remained ‘faith-literate’, the former Labour leader said."

Opinions on 'Islamophobia'

2011-06-15T11:48:00.000+01:00

Andrew McCorkell, Independent, Muslims call for action against hate crimes, 12 June 2011 "The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) will challenge the "ethnic profiling" of members of its community, claiming that minorities are 42 times more likely to be targeted under the Terrorism Act."

International Islamic News Agency, UK/Islamophobia: UK Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes on Rise "Amid growing attacks on their worship places and religious leaders, British Muslims are calling for more robust efforts to fight rising hate crimes against their minority."

Also see Andrew Gilligan, Telegraph, Islamophobic crime fell in London last year – MCB spins the opposite, "There is, of course, plenty of anti-Muslim hatred in Britain, and it’s disgraceful. But these police figures are the only the latest in a great deal of evidence to suggest that it is, thankfully, diminishing."

I haven't seen the statistics (which don't necessarily tell the whole story). Clearly, there are many perspectives on this issue.

Prevent strategy

2011-06-08T17:09:00.001+01:00

Home Office, Prevent strategy 2011

"The Prevent strategy has been re-focused following a review. The strategy now contains three objectives: to respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat from those who promote it; to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support; and to work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to address."

There's a set of pdfs on the page, including versions in Arabic and Urdu.

I have yet to read any of these documents in detail.

Home Office sets out plan to block websites

2011-06-08T16:53:00.000+01:00

ZDNet, Home Office sets out plan to block websites, 8 Jun 2011 "The government is considering a national blocklist to prevent people in state-funded networks from accessing websites that promote Islamic fundamentalism and other extremist views."

Prevent strategy

2011-06-08T16:24:00.000+01:00

eGov, Counter-Terrorism: Home Secretary Theresa May Launches "Radically Different Prevent" Strategy, 8 Jun 2011

OnIslam, New Extremism Policy Alarms UK Muslims, 8 Jun 2011 "Muslim groups were united Wednesday, June 8, in criticizing a new revamped government policy to fight extremism, warning that the strategy fuels anti-Muslim sentiments and stigmatizes the sizable minority."

Also see Yorkshire Post, Leeds and Bradford to lead renewed drive against Islamist terror, 8 Jun 2011 "Ministers have identified Leeds and Bradford as being among 25 areas where funding will be targeted. They hope to stop British Muslims being radicalised with a new focus on tackling pro-terrorist ideologies and on challenging extremism in schools, universities and on the internet."

Expect further updates on this ...

UK Muslim Women Declare Jihad on Violence

2011-06-08T16:17:00.000+01:00

OnIslam, UK Muslim Women Declare Jihad on Violence, 6 Jun 2011

"In an effort to clear misconceptions about the term of jihad, a group of British Muslim women have initiated a new campaign to fight against all types of violence, terrorism and domestic abuse."

Further details: wewillinspire.com

Reflections on 2001 Census and the 'Religion Question'

2011-06-07T13:08:00.000+01:00

New and noted: Jamil Sherif, ‘A Census Chronicle: Reflections on the Campaign for a Religion Question in the 2001 Census for England and Wales’, Journal of Beliefs & Values, Vol. 32, 2011, pp. 1-18.

I haven't read this one yet.

'Islamic groups that do not embrace 'British values' to be targeted in UK'

2011-06-07T11:04:00.000+01:00

David Sapsted, The National, Islamic groups that do not embrace 'British values' to be targeted in UK, 7 Jun 2011 "Several ministers, including the deputy prime minister and Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, chairman of the Conservative Party and the first Muslim woman to hold a British cabinet post, worry that radicals will be driven underground without open debates in which their views can be challenged."

Tackling 'radicalisation'

2011-06-07T10:54:00.000+01:00

Daily Record, National blocking list of violent and unlawful websites at centre of new Government plans to tackle radicalisation, 7 Jun 2011 "Plans will be unveiled to prevent computers in schools, libraries and colleges from accessing unlawful material on the internet.
Mrs May has criticised universities for their "complacency" in tackling Islamic extremism on campus, saying that for too long they have not been sufficiently willing to recognise what was happening.

""We want to explore the potential for violent and unlawful URL lists to be voluntarily incorporated into independent national blocking lists," the new strategy will say."

Universities and 'radicalisation'

2011-06-06T09:35:00.000+01:00

Mail Online, 40 UK universities are now breeding grounds for terror as hardline groups peddle hate on campus

"Officials have identified 40 English universities where ‘there may be particular risk of radicalisation or recruitment on campus’.

"A soon to be published Whitehall report – seen by the Daily Mail – will point to a string of examples of students going on to commit terrorist acts against this country or overseas."

Telegraph, Universities 'complacent' over Islamic radicals, 5 June 2011, Theresa May warns, "Theresa May told The Daily Telegraph that universities were not taking the issue of radicalisation seriously enough and that it was too easy for Muslim extremists to form groups on campuses “without anyone knowing” ...

" ... There will also be a move to limit access to extremist websites from public buildings, particularly schools and public libraries.

"Details of partnerships with YouTube and AOL to try to tackle extremism online, using lessons learned from anti-paedophile policing will be made public."

Samira Shackle , New Statesman, We will continue to spy on Muslims, says Theresa May, 6 Jun 2011 "The whole scheme is predicated on the idea that every Muslim is engaged in a battle for their souls between extremist and moderate forces. This is hugely overstated: the vast majority of ordinary Muslims go about their lives in the same moral universe as the rest of the population. A better idea would be to return to the pre-9/11 era of community cohesion work - integrating communities to foster a sense of belonging in the UK, rather than entrenching divisions along religious lines."

"Report warns of 'new generation' Islamic militants radicalised in back streets"

2011-06-06T09:25:00.000+01:00

Patrick Sawer and Patrick Hennessy, Telegraph, Report warns of 'new generation' Islamic militants radicalised in back streets, 4 June 2011 "The report prepared for the Association of Chief Police Officers by the Universities' Police Science Institute at Cardiff University, found that 11 out of the 12 mosques it examined in London, Luton, Birmingham and Manchester have been targeted by extremist Islamist groups."

First cousin marriages in Muslim communities

2011-06-06T09:20:00.001+01:00

Sue Reid, Mail Online, It's time to confront this taboo: First cousin marriages in Muslim communities are putting hundreds of children at risk, 3 Jun 2011

A sensitive subject, explored in depth in this report.

Also see: Saira Khan, Mail Online, Deformed babies and a shameful conspiracy of silence, 3 Jun 2011 "Professor Jones’s research showed that children of first cousins were ten times more likely to have recessive genetic disorders and face deafness, blindness and infant mortality.

"This is a shocking statistic, which is why I’m grateful that someone has finally been prepared to stand up and say what many of us in Islamic communities have known for decades."

Other opinions will no doubt present themselves online.

'Wish You Waziristan'

2011-06-03T16:05:00.003+01:00

AP/businessweek.com, UK delays release of anti-terror cartoon movie, 1 June 2011

"The six-minute movie follows two England-raised Muslim brothers as they travel to a terrorist training camp in Pakistan and back to Britain -- where they're taken into custody.

""It's a cautionary tale," said Martin Orton, whose company Bold Creative made the animated short with funding from the British government."

The clip has been taken down from YouTube, but you get a sense of the perspective from this SkyNews report ...

Teacher's attackers jailed

2011-05-27T15:05:00.003+01:00

Nadia Sam-Daliri, East London Advertiser, Gang jailed after attacking teacher for giving lessons to Muslim girls, 27 May 2011

"Akmol Hussain had pre-planned the attack with the others because the teacher was “mocking Islam” and “putting doubt in people’s minds”, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard in evidence."

BBC, RE teacher Gary Smith's Muslim attackers jailed, 26 May 2011

"Four Muslim men who assaulted a religious education teacher because they did not approve of him teaching Muslim girls have been jailed."

Duncan Gardham, Telegraph, Men who beat up RE teacher were terrorist suspects, 27 May 2011 "Jailing the gang at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Judge Hand said they had “literally smashed Mr Smith’s face in.”

"He said the motivation for the attack was solely down to the victim’s religious beliefs. He told them: “You believed there was a higher authority to which you were responsible and that authority dictated you must attack Mr Smith.""

East London Mosque, East London Mosque Condemns Attack on Religious Education Teacher, 11 Feb 2011 ""This horrendous attack on teacher Gary Smith by young thugs was all the more shocking because they made religion an excuse," said Dilowar Khan, Executive Director of the East London Mosque. "Their abhorrent actions are entirely contrary to the teachings of Islam.""

Bradford's new mayor

2011-05-27T15:02:00.000+01:00

OnIslam, Britain Gets First Muslim Woman Lord Mayor, 24 May 2011 "Councilor Ikram was installed on Tuesday as the new lord mayor of Bradford. Chosen as the first Muslim woman for the post, Ikram is a Labour councilor for Little Horton since 2004."

'Oldham: A town still divided?'

2011-05-27T14:18:00.001+01:00

Ben Chu, Independent, Oldham: A town still divided?, 26 May 2011

"The Oldham riots raised ugly questions about segregation. Ten years on, Ben Chu argues that the problems were always more nuanced – but that the town, along with Bradford and Burnley, is learning the lessons of its past."

Also see Ben Chu, Independent, Muslims in Britain continued, 26 May 2011 unpacks his findings further

Shah Jahan Mosque, Woking

2011-05-11T12:51:00.000+01:00

BBC News, In pictures: UK's oldest purpose-built mosque in Woking, 10 May 2011 good set of pix (tip: Yahya Birt)

Zamzam health scare

2011-05-11T10:10:00.000+01:00

AFP/alarabiya.net, Saudis reject claims that holy water in Mecca is hazardous, 8 May 2011: "Saudi authorities have rejected claims that holy water from a spring in the Grand Mosque of Mecca is polluted and hazardous to health, reported Agence-France Presse on Sunday.

"On May 5, the BBC reported that it had found holy water, known as Zamzam, to be contaminated with arsenic and being sold in shops in London.""

Remembering 1981

2011-05-11T09:57:00.004+01:00

BBC - BBC Radio 2 Programmes - Jeremy Vine, 11 May 2011: "After one o'clock, a special programme looks back thirty years at the riots in Brixton, Toxteth and Moss Side."

Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 yesterday had a good section on the Brixton, Toxteth and Moss Side Riots of 1981. You can hear it via the BBC iPlayer (it came on after 1 o'clock, so scroll through an hour). Of course, the events are not specifically relating to Muslim communities, but the issues are relevant, and it will probably be of interest to many readers of this blog.

Events in London

2011-05-10T10:54:00.000+01:00

This looks really good. Unfortunately, I will not be in London for this, but some readers of this blog might enjoy these events. Please contact the organisers if you have any questions about this, not myself! I have cut-and-pasted it from the organisers' email - I recommend you confirm details with them ...

CITY UNIVERSITY LONDON AND LONDON CENTRE FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE (LCACE)
In association with: Institute of Musical Research, University of London, Iran Heritage Foundation, Centre for Iranian Studies, SOAS and The Royal Anthropological Institute

FESTIVAL OF MUSIC IN MIDDLE EASTERN CINEMA
Saturday 14th May to Friday 20th May 2011

A mini-festival of feature and documentary films, and a two-day conference, focusing on the rich musical heritage and the burgeoning new music scenes in the Middle East.

TWO-DAY CONFERENCE: Tuesday May 17th and Wednesday May 18th 2011
Venue: Institute of Musical Research, University of London
Speakers: Martin Stokes (Oxford), Nacim Pak (Edinburgh), Kay Dickinson (Goldsmiths), Kamran Rastegar (Tufts), Peyman Yazdanian (Iran), John Baily (Goldsmiths), Tony Langlois (Limerick), Havana Marking and Federico Spinetti (Alberta). Plus film screenings. Further details: http://music.sas.ac.uk/research-groups/middle-east-and-central-asia-music-forum.html#c1448

Contact: music@sas.ac.uk
http://music.sas.ac.uk/

FILM SCREENINGS (all films are in the original language with English subtitles)

FEATURE FILMS: Saturday May 14th 2011 and Sunday May 15th 2011
Venue: Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn: http://www.tricycle.co.uk/
Tickets: £8.50/£7.50
Box office: 020 7328 1000

Saturday May 14th 2011, 4pmThe Band’s Visit (Dir: Eran Kolirin, 2007/Israel/France/USA/89 mins)

Sunday May 15th 2011, 3pmSanturi (Dir: Dariush Mehrjui, 2008/Iran/106mins)

DOCUMENTARY FILMS: Thursday May 19th and Friday May 20th 2011
Venue: Khalili Lecture Theatre, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
Admission free to all screenings below

Thursday May 19th 20111pm - Back Vocal (Dir: Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, 2003/Iran)
2pm - I love Hip Hop in Morocco (Dir: Joshua Asen & Jennifer Needleman, 2007/USA/Morocco)
3.30pm - Umm Kulthum, A Voice Like Egypt (Dir: Michael Goldman,1996/ USA/ Egypt)
4.40pm - Two Bows (Dir: Bahman Kiarostami, 2004/Iran)
5.40pm - Arabic Fusion: The Sound Between the Notes (Dir: Cyril Eberle, 2010/ Dubai)
6:30pm - Breaking the Silence (Dir: Simon Broughton, 2002/UK/Afghanistan)
7:30pm - Crossing the Bridge (Dir: Faith Akin, 2005/Germany/Turkey)

Friday, May 20th 20112pm - Sounds of Silence (Dir: Amir Hamz & Mark Lazarz, 2006/Germany/ Iran)
3pm - A Kabul Music Diary (Dir: John Baily, 2003/UK/Afghanistan)
4pm - Muezzin (Dir: Sebastian Brameshuber, 2008/Austria/Turkey)
5:30pm - The Singing Barber of Mosul (Dir: Katia Saleh, 2007/Lebanon)
6pm - Slingshot Hip-Hop (Dir: Jackie Reem Salloum, 2008/Palestine/USA)
7:30pm - Heavy Metal in Baghdad (Dir: Eddy Moretti & Soroosh Alvi, 2008/USA/ Iraq)

Times may be subject to change. Full details on: http://middleasternmusicandcinema.wordpress.com

Conference; "The Umayyads: History, Art and Culture in the First Century of Islam"

2011-05-09T12:36:00.000+01:00

"The Umayyads: History, Art and Culture in the First Century of Islam", University of Edinburgh, 24-25 June 2011 "The aim of the present conference is to revisit the Umayyad era – history, art and culture – in the light of recent research, and to stimulate reflection on the representation of this past in the modern world."

Sounds interesting. Please address any enquiries to the organisers (not myself!).

OBL

2011-05-09T10:31:00.000+01:00

AP, Internet chatter up on bin Laden revenge attacks, 7 May 2011 "Pipe bombs, a targeted car crash, a lone gunman: Western intelligence officials said Friday they are seeing increased Internet and phone chatter about cheap, small-scale terror attacks to avenge the death of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

"More than 100 protesters, meanwhile, gathered Friday outside the U.S. Embassy in London shouting, "USA, you will pay!" and warning of such revenge attacks.

"Ex-Taliban fighter in 'jihad recruitment bid'"

2011-05-06T10:32:00.000+01:00

BBC News, Ex-Taliban fighter in 'jihad recruitment bid', 5 May 2011 "A former Taliban fighter tried to recruit undercover police officers in Manchester to fight in a holy war in Pakistan or Afghanistan, a court heard."