Dawn: IF you were to read only the tabloid press in the UK, you could be excused for thinking that an Islamic takeover was imminent. From Sharia courts to the stealthy introduction of halal meat into the national diet, it would appear that a shadowy Muslim army is waiting in the wings.
The current scare is about the revelation that Pizza Express, a national franchise, uses halal chicken in all its poultry-based pizzas. Shock! Horror! But it turns out that the fast food chain laid this out clearly on its website a couple of years ago. Then we are informed by Nesrine Malik in the Guardian that 96 per cent of halal poultry is stunned before being ritually slaughtered.
The supposed objection in the West to halal meat is that animals suffer unnecessary pain by having their throats cut. But the reality is that unlike much of the Muslim world, animals in the UK are stunned by electric bolts, so they feel nothing at the end. In the case of halal meat, a ritual prayer is recited at the moment of death. “Ah!” say the critics. “But what if we don’t want our meat to be ritualistically prepared? What if our faith — or the lack of one — demands that we eat meat that is not halal or kosher?”
Categories: Europe and Australia, ISLAM, UK
Native Brits must learn to respect and tolerate those who are different. The needs and demands of the Muslim community are different from those of natives. Muslims are in Britain not to give up their cultural heritage. They must integrate in their new home country, learn new languages and apply for political representation — without forgetting their cultural heritage. It is important to learn Standard English, but their languages should not be neglected. They need Masajid and grave yards. Muslim children not only need halal meat or Eid Holidays but they need state funded Muslim schools with Muslim teachers as role models during their development period also. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.
A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village. He/she does not want to become notoriously monolingual Brit. The whole world belongs to Muslims. He/she must learn and be well versed in Standard English to follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. At the same time, he/she must learn and be well versed in Arabic, Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural heritage and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry. For a Muslim English is an economic language and Arabic is a religious while Urdu and other community languages are their social and emotional languages.
Muslim children not only need halal meat or Eid Holidays but they need state funded Muslim schools with Muslim teachers as role models during their development period also. There are hundreds of state primary and secondary schools where Muslim pupils are in majority. In my opinion all such schools may be opted out to become Muslim Academies. This means the Muslim children will get a decent education. Muslim schools turned out balanced citizens, more tolerant of others and less likely to succumb to criminality or extremism. Muslim schools give young people confidence in who they are and an understanding of Islamic teaching of tolerance and respect which prepares them for a positive and fulfilling role in society. Muslim schools are attractive to Muslim parents because they have better discipline and teaching Islamic values. Children like discipline, structure and boundaries. Bilingual Muslim children need Bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods, who understand their needs and demands. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school. Legally, the state has an obligation to respect the rights of parents to ensure that ‘education and teaching(of their children) is in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.’ The schools must satisfy the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural needs of Muslim pupils. State schools with non-Muslim monolingual teachers are not in a position to satisfy their needs. A good school is not just a knowledge factory or a conveyor belt for churning out exam passes – it is a community, a family. A community is held together by common values and principles.
IA
London School of Islamics Trust
@ — Iftikhar Ahmad—quote Arabic is a religious while Urdu —unquote
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Sorry Iftikhar Ahmad, I would criticize you that Arabic is not religious language, it is Arab language.Just happened prophet Muhammad (saw) was born in Arab’s land. it is easy for him to understand what Allah/angle told him with Arab language…
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Please be honest, honesty is the core of Islamic teaching…do not misguide people. Not all that came from Saudi Arabia are religious matter…some of them are Arab’s culture.
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50 years ago, we have to learn Al Quran from Arab language alone, now we have 25 translation with different languages ..we do not need to learn Arab language to study Islam’s laws. It is better understanding to learn Al Quran with our own language.
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Allah is All Wise and All Fair. Refer to QS 49:13.
All love