LEYTON: Death threats issued against Imam (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

And Islam is such a peaceful religion! NOT!

It is wrong to form an opinion on a culture utilising an example of a handful of radical opinions.

We await words of support for Dr Hasan from our councillors and community leaders, and high level intensive mediation from Commander Wisbey, with bated breath.

What a tragedy that a religion which once sustained a world-leading scientific and intellectual community in astronomy, geometry, geography, medicine, philosophy etc should apparently have degenerated into a force for closed-minded puritanical bigotry and hatred. Part 2 of Niall Ferguson's fascinating 'Civilization: Is the West History?' on Channel 4 on Sunday looks at this very issue in relation to the Ottoman Empire centred in Istanbul.

It is also wrong to bury our heads in the sand and form an opinion on a culture failing to take into account such examples of radical opinions.

The key question is, how many others share these extremist opinions and how many in a community are willing and able to stand up against them? At the moment, the evidence seems to be, not enough.

All the more reason, Techno2, to give our wholehearted support to those brave souls who dare to challenge ignorance and intolerance from within their own faith communities. Politicians in Pakistan (one Muslim, one Christian) have been killed recently for supporting relaxation of blasphemy laws. Dr Hasan is potentially risking his life for being so outspoken even in the UK.

I assume if someone threatens another person with death then a crime has been committed. I trust the Police are investigating. Most religions have a fundamentalist fringe. What marks Islam out at the moment is where people can be murdered simply because of what they say as evidenced in Pakistan recently. I agree there seems to be very little public manifestation of people within the Muslim community challenging threats against free speech.

Sam Hain wrote:
All the more reason, Techno2, to give our wholehearted support to those brave souls who dare to challenge ignorance and intolerance from within their own faith communities. Politicians in Pakistan (one Muslim, one Christian) have been killed recently for supporting relaxation of blasphemy laws. Dr Hasan is potentially risking his life for being so outspoken even in the UK.

I would love to give my wholehearted support to such people. Right-thinking people should challenge such intolerance and ignorance. Sadly, they seem few and far between in the leadership of our local Pakistani community.

More often we see the spectacle of the 'leaders' of the local Pakistani community - people like Liaquat Ali and whatshisname our local mayor - figging themselves out in their suits and regalia to kiss the backside of populism. They even shared a platform with an extremist military dictator like Musharaf the other week: The scene was vomit-inducingly cringeworthy as the crowd in Walthamstow was whipped up to whoop and holler in favour of a man who supports the blasphemy laws people are getting killed for opposing in that country.

What the local Labour Party is doing allowing these anti-democratic hypocrites to stand as Councillors on their party ticket, I don't know, but the attraction of raw money has been more important than moral fibre and values for some time locally.

'They even shared a platform with an extremist military dictator like Musharaf the other week..'
And amazingly, our local paper carried not a single mention of the affair,attended by the mayor, only a couple of days before Pakistan issued an arrest warrant for our Borough's honoured guest!
Only techno's blog carried film of the meeting: it seems that reporting the news, like scrutinising the Council, is now a job for the man in the street: is this what the Big Society really means?

I find it regrettable but at least understandable when British Pakistani Muslim politicians find their loyalties divided in the sort of ways Techno2 describes. What I cannot forgive is when white British, supposedly left-wing politicians do the same, as witness Ken Livingstone supporting Lutfur Rahman in the recent campaign for the Tower Hamlets elected mayor. Livingstone not only supported an independent candidate against the official labour candidate, in apparent contravention of party rules, but he supported a Muslim candidate well-known for his illiberal views on such issues as gay rights. Worse, Livingstone has taken money from the hardline Iranian regime to appear on its state television English language channel, Press TV. Meanwhile, the regime hangs gay men from lamp posts and stones to death women accused of adultery. Nevertheless, last time I looked, Livingstone was still Labour's official candidate for the London Mayoral race in 2012. I never thought I'd find myself saying this but, go Boris!

BMSD condemns the death threats and fatwas issued against Shaykh Usama Hasan

Press Release, March 8th 2011, 1:46 pm

On 22nd January 2011, Shaykh Usama Hasan gave a lecture on “Islam and Evolution” at a mosque in Leyton, re-iterating his personal views on the issue. A fatwa had already been issued against him, and this was followed by death threats. This is not unlike the threats that scholars and scientists receive from Creationists in the US.

1.BMSD believes that freedom of expression is a right of citizens in a democratic society. However, it comes with concomitant responsibilities. While open debate should be encouraged, individuals and groups should refrain from using threatening words or behaviour that stirs up hatred against individuals or groups of people, as defined by their beliefs. Theologians and other religious educators must be able to express multiple opinions on various issues, without fear of vigilante threats or violence.
2.Shaykh Usama Hasan’s case highlights the need for immediate action on at least two fronts. Firstly by the state, and secondly by Muslim individuals and communities:
•The state must provide adequate protection for Shaykh Usama Hasan.
•Action must be taken against people who incite vigilante violence and hatred.
•Within Muslim communities, imams and religious scholars must affirm the importance of proper etiquette when faced with differences of opinion. There are established traditions of debate and disagreement within Islamic societies. Furthermore, Muslim scientists’ contribution to this debate must be given due appreciation.

BMSD (British Muslims for Secular Democracy) is made up of a group of Muslim democrats of diverse ethnic and social backgrounds, who support a clear separation between religion and the State.

I hoped that people would not tar everybody with the same brush. This gentleman is a modernist who is trying to counter extremism. I do hope he is offered the protection he deserves by the Police who have no problem affording protection to the minor royals at their night club attendances.

Surely this is part of living in a gloriously multi-cultural part of London? I'm surprised the council aren't telling us we should support this rich diversity of views and opinions as part of some expensive Awareness Week.

And with regards Sam Hain's suggestion of prominent figures like Liaquat Ali or the mayor showing some community leadership - don't be ridiculous! These people are more in hock to local squabbles, petty concerns and shaking the right hands than actually doing the right thing!

Seeing Sense wrote:
Surely this is part of living in a gloriously multi-cultural part of London? I'm surprised the council aren't telling us we should support this rich diversity of views and opinions as part of some expensive Awareness Week. And with regards Sam Hain's suggestion of prominent figures like Liaquat Ali or the mayor showing some community leadership - don't be ridiculous! These people are more in hock to local squabbles, petty concerns and shaking the right hands than actually doing the right thing!

Sorry, Seeing Sense, I must have missed that. Where did I make my alleged suggestion of "prominent figures like Liaquat Ali or the mayor showing some community leadership..."? I think I said that I was not surprised when British Pakistani Muslim politicians find their loyalties divided, quite the opposite of what you imply. By all means disagree with me but please don't misquote me and then dismiss my misquoted opinions as "ridiculous". A little more care and a lot less rushing to judgment might lend your opinions more credibility.

Sorry Sam, my comment was made in a rush and was supposed to be facetious rather than incendiary. My point had been that these local bigwigs seem more interest in having their photograph taken with other bigwigs rather than doing the right thing. I would respect messrs Ali and Ahmad far more if they tried to do something for the local community rather than burble platitudes to a visiting dictator. No offense meant!

Question – is rational thought, scientific study or the notion of debate contrary to Islam?

Islam had its golden age between the mid 8th Century and 13th Century. Science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, literature and argument were applauded, promoted and actively developed. It can be said that contemporary fatwas testify to the fact that no longer is there room amongst followers of the faith for rational debate. Therefore, is it true that Islam stifles intellectual thought?

From one Imam’s fate to another Imam’s life story Imam Al Ghazali, the 12th Century Islamic theologian, jurist and philosopher is hailed as being one of the most influential men in Islam after the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Not only a formidable thinker but he should also be held up as a model for the confused Muslims of today. Those Muslims that propound the notion that Muslims can only be true to the reality of Islam by their strict adherence to the ritual requirements of the practice of Islam. A deep look at Imam Al Ghazali’s life proves how erroneous these ideas are. He offers the means by which Muslims can be creative and original in applying Islamic insights and principles - a particularly important process given the many problems that confront the Muslims of today.

Imam Al Ghazali’s long journey into the certitude of his faith led him to the conclusion that "the self has an inherent yearning for an ideal, which it strives to realise and it is endowed with qualities to help realise it." With this in mind one sees the shortcomings and limitations if how fanatical Muslims interpret and apply Islam. This is where Imam Al Ghazali holds illumination for those with imagination. A widespread perception of many Muslims of limited imagination and a limited understanding fail to recognise or have any interest in some of the deeper dimensions of their own faith and their own Islamic tradition. It is their insistence that the normative type of faith and practice is one of a legal nature and that the Sharia’h or the divine law is the all embracing and predominant expression of Islamic religiosity. Their insistence of an archaic ritualising or re-enactment of religious dogma blinds them to the inner vitality of Islam. Islam should have the power to transform one’s perception of the world and one’s self in the world. Imam Al Ghazali constantly warned against the trap of the religious scholar, extremist, fanatic and fundamentalist who thinks that with a little knowledge he has the authority to tell other people how to practice his faith. What are lacking are the humility and the awareness of one’s own limitations and the possibility that humans have as God’s creatures the ability of thinking in other dimensions. Imam Al Ghazali is an excellent reminder for all Muslims of today of the vitality of their faith which stresses the thirst for knowledge; a thirst that can only be properly quenched with intellectual thought which is in many cases still dormant in the breasts of Muslims today.