Cultural and social affairs Department
OIC islamophobia Observatory
Monthly Bulletin – August, 2009
1. Negative Incidents
i) US: New Islamophobic sign erected outside Dove World ministry – A new sign paraphrasing a
quote from the Quran has been placed in front of the Dove World Outreach Center in northwest
Gainesville, where the placement of an earlier anti-Islamic sign has stirred protests. The new sign reads
"Koran 9:5 Kill the disbelievers wherever you find them." It joins a series of signs that read "Islam is of
the devil," which were placed in front of the church recently.
Ramzy Kiliç, Tampa's executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who met Tuesday
(July 27) with Dove World Senior Pastor Terry Jones, said the new sign's message is not the common
wording on that Quran verse and added it has been isolated from a broader context. He said: "Anyone,
Muslim or non-Muslim, can take a verse, isolate it and almost formulate it to an idea they want to convey.
When you take something out of context, you are not appreciating the true message of the religion." He
added: "With the sign, it seems like (Jones) is antagonizing Muslims and wants to continue spreading a
message of hate."
Jones told The Sun in the past month of June that the initial sign was "an act of saying there is only one
way, and that is actually what Christianity is about. It is about pointing the people in the right direction,
and that right direction is Jesus and only Jesus." Jones called the sign a "great act of love."
In:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090731/ARTICLES/907319929/1002?Title=New-sign-erected-outside-DoveWorld-ministry# retrieved on 01.08.2009
ii) Netherlands: Pig's head left at mosque – Unidentified people left a pig's head by the Al Mouahidin
mosque in Ede on Sunday (Aug 2) night. The police confirmed the find on Tuesday (Aug 4). Images from
security cameras showed two unidentified bicyclists left behind the head, which was packed in a bag. The
mosque just opened its doors this past May. The mosque board spoke of a deliberate action against the
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mosque, and reported the find to the police. The last time that the mosque was the target of opponents
was more than a year and a half ago. While it was being built, the windows were smashed.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/netherlands-pigs-head-left-at-mosque.html retrieved on 06.08.2009
iii) Islamophobia in Australia: Christian leaders plan anti-Islam conference – The Reverend Hon
Fred Nile MLC, Leader of the Australian Christian Democratic Party is planning a National Conference
for all Concerned Christians on November 21 on the theme ”Australia’s Future and Global Jihad”, an
event Mr Nile said was about ‘strengthening Australia’s Christian heritage”.
In: http://www.daily.pk/anti-muslim-islamophobia-christian-leaders-plan-anti-islam-conference-8364/ retrieved on 11.08.2009
iv) Danish Gallery Exhibits Controversial Muhammad Caricature – the Galleri Draupner in
Skanderborg has decided to exhibit a caricature of Muhammad that unleashed a wave of protests in the
Muslim world against Denmark in 2006. Citing an article in magazine Sappho, Agence France-Presse
reported that the controversial caricature will be part of a larger exhibition dedicated to the watercolor
works of the artist-caricaturist Kurt Westergaard. The seventy-four-year-old artist had words of praise for
the gallery director, Erik Guldager. “[He] is the first to dare to exhibit my works, even if my watercolors
are not political.” In May 2008, Westergaard received the Sappho Prize from the Society for the
Protection of the Freedom of Expression of the Press and the Right to Criticize Religion. Westergaard
had originally hoped to show his watercolors in an unnamed gallery in Hoejbjerg near Aarhus. But his
participation was canceled when an unnamed Swedish artist invited to participate in the same exhibition
threatened to pull out if Westergaard showed his works. The exhibition at Galleri Draupner begins August
29.
In: http://www.artforum.com/news/mode=international&week=200933 retrieved on 11.08.2009
Related: Mohammed drawing now a commercial success – Kurt Westergaard’s controversial drawing
of Islamic prophet Mohammed is proving to be big business for printers, art galleries and – not least –
Westergaard himself. Skanderborg’s Galleri Draupner, which will soon be exhibiting several works by
Westergaard, indicated it has sold numerous autographed prints of Westergaard’s illustration. It was
reported that the gallery has asked famed auction house Sotheby’s in London to fix a selling price for the
original drawing, which Westergaard is considering selling. A top American collector has appraised the
illustration’s value at $150,000. A Baltic-based printing company is also profiting from the work. It has
sold 870 copies of the 1,000 copied and sells for $250 each.
In: http://www.cphpost.dk/news/national/88-national/46549-mohammed-drawing-now-a-commercial-success.html retrieved
on 13.08.2009
v) French Muslim woman wearing 'burkini' banned from Paris swimming pool – France’s struggle
with Islamic dress has moved into the swimming pool after a 35-year-old woman was banned from
bathing in her “burkini”, a head-to-toe swimsuit. The woman, identified only as Carole, was making her
third outing in a burkini to the town pool at Emerainville, on the eastern outskirts of Paris, when the chief
lifeguard ordered her to leave. She was said to be breaking hygiene rules, but her ejection has become the
latest episode in a battle between fundamentalist Muslims and a state that has banned head-cover from
schools and may curb face-covering in public.
Carole accused the pool officials of illegal discrimination and went straight to the police and the media.
“Quite simply, this is segregation,” she said. “I will fight to try to change things. And if I see that the battle
is lost, I cannot rule out leaving France.” The police refused to accept the complaint on the grounds that
the lifeguard was just enforcing a rule that applies at all French public pools. Women must wear swimsuits
and men must wear brief trunks rather than shorts, which are said to be more likely to harbour bacteria.
In: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6793574.ece retrieved on 13.08.2009
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vi) Jim Fitzpatrick, UK Government minister, condemns traditional Muslim wedding – The UK
farming minister and his wife walked out of the marriage ceremony of a constituent after discovering they
would have to sit in separate rooms. He said the gender segregation was a sign of increasing radicalisation
and was damaging to social cohesion.
On Sunday (Aug 9) he and his wife Sheila were invited to a wedding where they found male and female
guests were seated in separate rooms, and promptly walked out. The event was held at the London
Muslim Centre, next door to the prominent East London Mosque in Whitechapel. The minister later told
his local newspaper: “It’s a disappointment. We are trying to build social cohesion in a community but this
is not the way forward.” However, Muslim leaders insist the custom is traditional at Islamic weddings as
well as in mosques, and expressed surprise that Mr Fitzpatrick, a third of whose east London constituents
are Muslims, was unaware of the fact.
It was suggested that the Labour MP was trying to appeal to white voters who may fear divided
communities. George Galloway, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow who will contest the new
Poplar and Limehouse constituency against Mr Fitzgerald at the election, said: “If he doesn’t wish to
attend an Islamic wedding and observe the religious customs preferred by the bride and groom, he should
not go rather than insult them for perceived political gain. Tim Archer, who will stand for the
Conservatives locally, said: “I can’t help but feel he’s playing a certain race card to save his skin at the next
election. I think it’s a desperate strategy.”
Mr Fitzpatrick, a former fireman, has represented Poplar and Canning Town since 1997 and served as a
junior transport minister, London minister and as Post Office minister. Most of his constituency is in
Tower Hamlets, where an estimated 35 per cent of the residents are Bangladeshi Muslims, and he says he
regularly attends Islamic weddings where men and women mix freely.
In:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6023519/Jim-Fitzpatrick-Government-minister-condemnstraditional-Muslim-wedding.html retrieved on 15.08.2009
vii) US confirms Bollywood star stopped at airport – US officials confirmed Saturday (Aug 15) that
Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan had been questioned at an airport outside New York but played
down the incident as a normal inquiry. Khan earlier told an Indian television station by telephone from
Chicago that he had been held for two hours at Newark Liberty International Airport, opposite New York
City. He lashed out at US airport officials, who are frequently accused by human rights groups of profiling
Muslims, charging he was singled out because of his last name.
But US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesman Kevin Corsaro told AFP that the early Friday
afternoon questioning, which began at 1:00 pm (1700 GMT), was a normal procedure for anyone
requesting admission into the United States. Corsaro said Khan's situation was complicated after the
airline, which he did not identify, lost the star's luggage. Citing "privacy concerns," CBP declined to
provide specifics of the incident, but said the inspection lasted "a little more than an hour."
Corsaro said the additional verification can take place when an individual traveling on a tourist visa
attempts to enter the United States to work. There were reports Khan, 43, was promoting a movie. Earlier
this month, Fox Star Studios announced it had struck a deal to finance and distribute "My Name is Khan"
a movie starring Khan about an Indian Muslim setting out on a journey across the United States. It is
targeted for release in early 2010.
In: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i11kMdaechEdiTM3zNlnThivfGyw retrieved on 16.08.2009
Related: on Aug 19, commenting the recent incident with Indian actor Shahrukh Khan, an American
Writer and founder of GlobalEconomicCrisis.com, Sheldon Filger, posted an article titled "Has
Islamophobia Run Amok in America?" in the Hufftington Post website. Excerpts of his arguments are as
follows:
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Eight years after 9/11 that tradition seems to have been transformed, however, by a national security complex that
seems convinced that mindless profiling designed to humiliate foreign visitors is a valid substitute for effective
intelligence work and sound counterterrorism strategy. Several recent incidents involving high profile Muslim visitors
from India seem reflective of a pattern that will neither protect America from Al-Qaeda nor enhance her economic
competitiveness at a time of global financial contraction.
…large numbers of academicians, entrepreneurs and professionals are receiving the same treatment, though without
the media spotlight. There is a common thread in each case; a Muslim sounding name seems to have been the sole
basis for detaining foreign visitors, and subjecting them to at times humiliating and offensive treatment.
Unquestionably, especially after 9/11, the United States, as with any sovereign country, has the right to protect its
national security. There is a reason why visas, passports, and INS checkpoints are required at ports of entry.
However, an important aspect of national security is adopting measures that exhibit common sense. It doesn't seem
logical to believe that Al-Qaeda, not generally regarded as a stupid organization, will send only operatives into the
United States who have Muslim sounding names. And how does the "King of Bollywood" or former president of
India become a mortal danger to America's national security?
Islamophobia has run amok in the U.S., and it is actually undermining the nation's security and economic interests.
One trend has already developed; America is gaining a reputation as a land that does not welcome guests with
Muslim names. A growing number of students and entrepreneurs from Muslim countries are traveling to China in
lieu of the United States. As America becomes increasingly seen as hostile to Muslims irrespective of who they are,
while China is perceived as welcoming, these trends will translate into economic realities. Ultimately, there will be a
price to pay, in terms of America's economic security, if it continues to inflict inexplicable humiliation among human
beings who clearly harbor no ill intent towards the United States. There cannot be true national security without
sanity and reason.
The article is available in: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sheldon-filger/has-islamophobia-run-amok_b_260391.html
retrieved on 19.08.2009
viii) Denmark: Conservative Party proposes burka ban – according to Jyllands-Posten, the junior
minority coalition Conservative Party wants to introduce a ban on Muslim burka or niqab dress codes
which require women to completely cover their faces in the public space. MP Naser Khader, a SyrianPalestinian of extraction and the Conservative Party's recently-appointed integration spokesman, said: "We
don't want to see burkas in Denmark. We simply can't accept that some of our citizens walk around with
their faces covered". Khader said the burka was un-Danish and oppressive towards women and should be
completely banned, although he and his party stated that what people did in their own homes was their
business, but as soon as they walked into the public domain, one should be able to see their faces. The
Danish People's Party and the Social Democratic Party have welcomed the proposal, while the senior
coalition Liberal Party rejected the idea of legislating about citizens' clothing as long as they were not in a
public function.
In another development and in an interview with Danish newspaper Politiken, Lene Espersen, the head of
the Conservative People's Party and the current Trade and Economy Minister, said that the greatest threat
against Denmark and Danish values comes from militant Muslim extremism.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/denmark-conservative-party-proposes.html retrieved on 18.08.2009
ix) Pig's head hung on defaced French mosque – a public prosecutor said on Wednesday (Aug 19)
that a mosque in eastern France was sprayed with racist graffiti and defaced with pieces of pork overnight.
The mosque in town of Toul was daubed with inscriptions saying "France for the French", "Here it's
Nazi" and "Don't touch my pig," along with Nazi swastikas. Prosecutor Raymond Morey told Reuters:
"These are unacceptable acts of vandalism and incitement to racial hate," adding that the trotters and head
of a pig had been hung on the doors and windows of the mosque.
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French television said that two youths in their 20s were arrested hours after the vandalism, giving no other
information. Local Muslims said they were shocked by the attack, which came shortly before the start of
the fasting month of Ramadan. Nurdin Hamza, head of the local Maghrebi association, stated: "This is an
act of cowardice, whether it is a mosque or a church, a synagogue, a Buddhist temple, or any other public
place, we will always condemn this sort of act."
In: http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-41847520090819 retrieved on 20.08.2009
x) Northern Italian Mayor Bans Burkini – A mayor of a northern Italian town decided on Wednesday
(Aug 19) to slap a hefty fine on women seen wearing the Islamic head-to-toe swimsuit or 'burkini' in local
pools. Gianluca Buonanno, the mayor of Varallo Sesia in the northwestern region of Piedmont, said the
sight of ''a masked woman could cause dismay, especially among children'' enjoying a day at the pool.
Buonanno, who is also an MP with the devolutionist Northern League party, said he was similarly
concerned that the costume might pose ''hygienic problems''.
''We're always very respectful of the customs and habits of those who are not of our culture but we
mustn't always be tolerant,'' said the mayor, whose party has been accused of being anti-immigrant. ''Let's
try to imagine what would happen if a western went swimming in a Muslim country wearing a bikini: she
might be decapitated, sent to jail or expelled from the country.'' ''We are simply banning it and if this
decision upsets anyone they can simply take a dip in a burkini in their own bathtub,'' said the mayor, who
said women seen wearing it would be fined 500 euros.
Italy had its first look at the outfit - consisting of head scarf, tunic and trousers - a few days ago when a
Muslim woman showed up at a Verona swimming pool wearing the swimsuit. Christian Panzarini, the
manager of the Verona pool, said he had not asked the woman to leave despite several complaints from
mothers who said she had frightened their tots. He asked the woman to mail him the details of the
material used for the outfit, to see if it was in line with hygienic regulations. But she has not been seen
since.
In: http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2009-08-19_119401623.html retrieved on 20.08.2009
xi) US: Town Says "No" To New Mosque – The Islamic Cultural Center of Niagara Falls bought an
old credit union property at 2931 Military Road in the Town of Niagara with the idea of turning it into a
mosque. The center currently operates from a smaller location at 18th Street and Pierce Avenue in Niagara
Falls. Their plan to move to the Military Road location though has hit a snag. The former credit union
property is zoned for general business use, not for a place of worship. On Tuesday (Aug 18) night the
Niagara Town Board turned down the Islamic group's request for a special use permit. The Town attorney
said the town board turned down the special permit request for the mosque simply because it does not
meet the zoning requirements for that particular location.
In: http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/53740977.html retrieved on 22.08.2009
xii) Swiss basketball body forbids Muslim headscarf – The Swiss basketball association has told a
Muslim player she could not wear a headscarf during league games. Shura Al-Shawk, a 19-year-old Swiss
citizen of Iraqi origin, would be making her debut in a regional women's league when the season starts
next month. Her team, STV Luzern, sought permission for her to wear the scarf. However, the Swiss
association ProBasket said it followed the rules of world governing body, FIBA (International Basketball
Federation), which says the sport has to be neutral, forbidding religious symbols and headcovers. The
FIBA rulebook says "headgear and hair accessories" are not permitted for safety reasons. Al-Shawk says
she is surprised by the decision, but has not said if she will play without the scarf.
In: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iEXZOOYsySkZFA6Ms2T7deQZ5h_wD9A6N11O1 retrieved
on 22.08.2009
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xiii) US: Long Beach artist brought illustrations along with Koran – Sandow Birk's 'American
Qur'an,' heading to San Francisco and Culver City galleries, breaks away from Islamic tradition to examine
the faith through contemporary images.
TERROR: "Sura 44 (A--B)" shows the towers of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. (Sandow Birk / Catharine Clark Gallery
/ March 26)
His series of works on paper, "American Qur'an," is an English-language version of the central text of
Islam, illustrated with scenes from contemporary American life. Selections from the project, which is
ongoing and will eventually include over 300 pages, will be on view at Catharine Clark Gallery in San
Francisco starting Sept. 5 and at Koplin Del Rio gallery in Culver City as of Sept. 8.
Executed in ink and gouache in an understated, realist style, many of the 16-by-24-inch works depict
everyday sights -- urban street life, office workers in their cubicles, a pregnant couple in their frontyard.
Others represent more historic moments, such as the smoking towers of the World Trade Center or a
funeral with a casket draped in a U.S. flag. In the center of each image are two neatly framed boxes
containing the text, hand-lettered in a font reminiscent of graffiti writing.
Birk was not available for comment, but a statement on Koplin Del Rio's website said that although he
followed "traditional guidelines" for color, formatting and decoration, " 'American Qur'an' is not to be
considered a 'Holy Qur'an' in that it does not contain the original text in Arabic."
Mohammad Qureshi, an administrator at the Islamic Center of Southern California, had a stronger
reaction. "That is not acceptable at all," he said after viewing images of the project on Birk's website. He
was particularly concerned about images of a liquor store and a woman he described as "half-naked," and
thought they would be offensive to Muslims.
In: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-birk23-2009aug23,0,5002675.story retrieved on 24.08.2009
xiv) Sebastian Faulks: Koran has ‘no ethics’ – a British novelist, Sebastian Faulks, has courted
controversy by saying the Koran has “no ethical dimension”. In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine
published on Aug 23, he added that the Islamic holy scripture was “a depressing book”, was “very onedimensional” and unlike the Christian New Testament had “no new plan for life”.
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Faulks was speaking in advance of the publication of his novel, A Week in December, addressing
contemporary London. Its characters include a health fund manager, a literary critic and a Glasgow-born
Islamic terrorist recruit. Researching the latter, he read a translation of the Koran which he found “very
disappointing from a literary point of view”.
He also criticised the “barrenness” of the Koran’s message and the teachings of the prophet Muhammad,
especially when compared with the Bible. He stated: “Jesus, unlike Muhammad, had interesting things to
say”, adding: “He proposed a revolutionary way of looking at the world: love your neighbour; love your
enemy; the meek shall inherit the earth. Muhammad had nothing to say to the world other than, ‘If you
don’t believe in God you will burn for ever’.”
The writer, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1993, went on: “It’s a depressing book. It
really is. It’s just the rantings of a schizophrenic. It’s very one-dimensional, and people talk about the
beauty of the Arabic and so on, but the English translation I read was, from a literary point of view, very
disappointing.”
In:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6806488.ece
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/122388/Faulks-Koran-is-depressing retrieved on 24.08.2009
and
Related: UK Author Apologizes for Qur’an Offense – Famed British novelist Sebastian Faulks
apologized on Monday, August 24, for any offence he has caused Muslims with his remarks about the
Noble Qur’an, insisting he was misquoted. Faulks told The Guardian: “I unreservedly apologize to anyone
who does feel offended by comments offered in another context, [I offer] a simple but unqualified
apology to my Muslim friends and readers for anything that has come out sounding crude or intolerant.”
This came a day after his interview with the Sunday Times stirred controversy after he reportedly described
the Qur’an as a "depressing book".
But speaking to The Guardian on Monday (Aug 24), the famed novelist insists that his answers during the
Sunday Times interview were “overstated” and taken out of context “to make a silly season scandal.” "If
such an overstatement is taken out of its heavily nuanced context, then pulled out of the printed article
and highlighted, it can have a badly distorting effect." He said that after reading the Qur'an and several
histories of Islam as part of his research, he "ended with a high regard for Islam, which seems to me more
spiritually demanding than Judaism or Christianity.” The apology came amid angry reactions from leaders
of Britain’s more than to two million Muslims.
In: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1251021133454&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout retrieved
on 26.08.2009
xv) US: 'Islam is of the devil' shirt appears at elementary school – A student at Talbot Elementary
School, in the City of Gainesville, Florida, wore a shirt bearing the message "Islam is of the devil" on the
first day of school and was sent home for violation of the school district's dress code. Asked about a
report of the dress code violation, School District spokeswoman Jackie Johnson confirmed that a student
did wear a shirt with the anti-Islam message and was sent to the school office until a parent could come.
Johnson said the student's parent had the option of bringing another shirt for the child to change into or
taking the child home and opted to take the child home.
The Dove World Outreach Center, a church in northwest Gainesville, began to draw protesters in July
after posting a sign that read "Islam is of the devil" on its property. The Dove World Outreach Center is
approximately one mile from the Talbot campus. School district officials would not comment on the
identity of the student, or whether the child was a member of the Dove Outreach Center congregation,
because of privacy issues. The School Board recently toughened the district's dress code. But a condition
banning clothing school officials deem to be "offensive" or "disruptive" was already in the code before the
revision.
In: http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090824/ARTICLES/908249947/1002?Title=-Islam-is-of-the-devil-shirt-appears-atelementary-school retrieved on 25.08.2009
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xvi) US: Upstate Mosque Hit By Vandals – Carved into concrete, the words outside the Islamic Center
in Taylors (South Carolina) might be hard to see. Worshipers found written on the floor ‘Death to
Muslims. It is believed that the anti-religious message was written sometime in the early morning hours
Saturday (Aug 22). One of the worshipers, Miriam Abbad, who has worshipped for 10 years at the
center, stated: “When they say death to Muslims, that means me, my young children, my husband, my
whole family. What did we do wrong to deserve such mean words to come out?"
The FBI is investigating every possibility, but as the case involved anti-religious messages, they are
considered hate crime. It’s the Islamic Center’s 3rd incident in several years. Many years ago, someone
tried to burn the center down. Now, leaders are looking into extra security and warning members to be
on guard. Interestingly enough, they’re also inviting the culprits back, so they can learn more about the
faith. “This is why they have this negative and very bad view of Islam,“ says Ahmed. “If they know
Islam, I believe they’re going to accept it."
In: http://www2.wspa.com/spa/news/local/article/upstate_mosque_hit_by_vandals_2nd_hate_crime_in_county_in_one_week/25635/
retrieved on 26.08.2009
xvii) Stop Islamisation of Europe to hold anti-mosque protest in Copenhagen – The demonstration
would be on August 28, at 17.00 – 18.30 outside the parliament buildings Christiansborg Slotsplads.
Following is the banner promoting the protest:
In: http://sioe.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/copenhagen-anti-mosque-demo-venue-change/ retrieved on 26.08.2009
xviii) Soccer: Mourinho in Ramadan Flap – Inter Milan coach José Mourinho has spurred a fresh flap
by suggesting that a Muslim midfielder, Sulley Muntari, a Ghanaian international, had a poor game after
drinking too little because of Ramadan. Speaking after Sunday (Aug 23)'s lacklustre 1-1 draw with newly
promoted Bari, the Portuguese coach said: ''(Sulley) Muntari had some problems related to Ramadan perhaps with this heat it's not good for him to be doing this (fasting)''.
The suggestion did not go down well with Italy's Muslims. Mohamed Nour Dachan, head of one of the
country's main Muslim associations, UCOII, said: ''I think Mourinho should talk a bit less", adding:
"There's no reason why a player who is religiously observant should perform less,'' said the UCOII chief,
who claimed the faith of Christian, Jewish or Muslim players would boost their performances by making
them more ''tranquil''.
Milan university motor science professor Stefano Tirelli, who trains Muntari with the national squad,
thinks differently: ''Not all players react the same way to...Ramadan. Some have less energy in training and
matches. But others have resources, in their character, emotions and genes, to put in adequate
performances. Muntari is one of those''. Tirelli said he had not heard from the player since the game but
reckoned that the display against Bari was the result of ''a series of contributory factors, not a direct link to
Ramadan''.
In: http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2009-08-25_125366387.html retrieved on 26.08.2009
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xix) NY man accused of threatening to kill Muslim women – NY police said on Thursday (Aug 27) a
landscaper with a virulent hatred of Islam tried to run over two Muslim women at a suburban gas station
after threatening to kill them because of their religion. Joseph Ballance, 23, pleaded not guilty to
aggravated harassment in the Aug. 20 confrontation.
Authorities said that Ballance approached 49-year-old Chervern Cartier and her 20-year-old daughter, who
were wearing the traditional Muslim robes called abayas, in a service station parking lot in Smithtown.
After hurling epithets at the women and threatening to "chop you up into little pieces and kill you,"
Ballance spat on their car and drove his own toward them before driving off, according to police and a
court complaint. Detective Sgt. Robert Reecks said that Ballance later told investigators, "They don't
belong here" and "They shouldn't be walking around like that". "He is full of hatred," Reecks said. "He
saw them, the way they were dressed, and it just set him off."
Ballance was being held on $10,000 cash bond. The women weren't hurt. One of them took down the
license plate number on the car Ballance was driving and gave it to police, Reecks said. The misdemeanor
aggravated harassment charge against Ballance is used for crimes related to a victim's race, religion or
certain other characteristics. If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison.
In: http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/ny-man-accused-of-threatening-to-kill-muslim-women-1.1399486 retrieved on
29.08.2009
1.1. The Case of Marwa al-Sherbini's Assassination in German Court
i) German prosecutors seek life for 'veil martyr' killer – German prosecutors said on Tuesday (Aug
25) they would push for a life sentence against a man charged with the brutal Islamophobic murder of a
pregnant Egyptian woman, dubbed the "veil martyr." Prosecutors in the eastern city of Dresden said Alex
W., a 28-year-old Russian-born German, was motivated by "a pronounced hatred of non-Europeans and
Muslims." As psychiatric experts had found no evidence of diminished responsibility, prosecutors said
they would seek a life sentence. Further information on when a trial might take place would be published
later in the week, they said.
In: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gRn7Sfa_V0N4BqTIaF17C9FA7a1g retrieved on 26.08.2009
1.2. On Gert Wilders' Film – Follow up
i) Turks turn anti-Islam Dutch MP into 'monkey' – Turkish hackers have put an edited picture of the
controversial Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders on hundreds of websites, which depicts him as a monkey.
The photo that was put on the hacked websites.
Turkey's Yenisafak newspaper reported that the move to hack the Dutch websites was spearheaded by a
Turkish hacker code named as "aLpTurkTegin". The move was aimed at staging a cyber-protest against
the lawmaker who is known for his anti-Islamic stance. He has recently announced his plans to make
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another film against Islam. The right-wing anti-immigrant lawmaker declared in April that he is working
on a sequel about the "Islamization in the West." Over the past week, more than 140 Dutch websites have
been hacked in order to put comments or pictures against Wilders.
In: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=102654&sectionid=351020204 retrieved on 06.08.2009
ii) Geert Wilders not to be prosecuted on cartoons – Dutch prosecutors declined on Tuesday (Aug 18)
to put far-right MP Geert Wilders on trial for distributing caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
But they found that a Holocaust-denying cartoon in a separate case was punishable.
The prosecution service had received complaints about Wilders reproducing controversial Danish
cartoons of the prophet on his website, as well as their display on a television programme. It had also
received complaints about two cartoons published on the website of the Arab-European League (AEL)
lobby group, one of which allegedly shows Jews denying that the Nazi Holocaust happened. The Danish
cartoons and their reproduction were not punishable, the prosecution service said in a statement, adding:
‘The cartoons are about the Prophet Mohamed, but don’t say anything about Muslims. None of the
cartoons are offensive towards Muslims or contribute to hatred, discrimination or violence against
Muslims.’ However, the Holocaust cartoon ‘is punishable because it offends Jews on the basis of their race
and/or religion.’ The AEL has agreed to remove the cartoon from its Dutch website, said the statement.
‘If it complies, charges will be provisionally dropped.’
In:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/07-geert-wilders-not-to-beprosecuted-for-distributing-cartoons-ha-07 retrieved on 20.08.2009
iii) Wilders Compares Prophet Mohammed to Pig – Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders
has seized on a news report from Saudi Arabia for peppery written questions to the cabinet. In these, he
compares the Islamic prophet Mohammed to a pig. Wilders has requested clarification from Foreign
Minister Maxime Verhagen on a marriage in Saudi Arabia between an 80 year old man and a 10 year old
child. The child had run away from her elderly husband, but was brought back to him by her father, the
English-language website Arab News reported. Wilders asks the minister if he shares the view that "this
man is behaving like a pig, just like the barbarous Prophet Mohammed, who married the six year old girl
Aisha." The PVV leader wants Verhagen to summon the Saudi Arabian ambassador to express his
repugnance.
In: http://www.nisnews.nl/public/280809_1.htm retrieved on 29.08.2009
2. Positive Occurrences
i) Yale Press Bans Images of Muhammad in New Book – Yale University and Yale University Press
consulted two dozen authorities, including diplomats and experts on Islam and counterterrorism, and the
recommendation was unanimous: The book, “The Cartoons That Shook the World,” should not include
the 12 Danish drawings that originally appeared in September 2005. What’s more, they suggested that the
Yale press also refrain from publishing any other illustrations of the prophet that were to be included,
specifically, a drawing for a children’s book; an Ottoman print; and a sketch by the 19th-century artist
Gustave Doré of Muhammad being tormented in Hell, an episode from Dante’s “Inferno” that has been
depicted by Botticelli, Blake, Rodin and Dalí.
The book’s author, Jytte Klausen, a Danish-born professor of politics at Brandeis University, in Waltham,
Mass., reluctantly accepted Yale University Press’s decision not to publish the cartoons. But she was
disturbed by the withdrawal of the other representations of Muhammad. All of those images are widely
available, Ms. Klausen said by telephone, adding that “Muslim friends, leaders and activists thought that
the incident was misunderstood, so the cartoons needed to be reprinted so we could have a discussion
about it.” The book is due out in November.
- 10 -
John Donatich, the director of Yale University Press, said by telephone that the decision was difficult, but
the recommendation to withdraw the images, including the historical ones of Muhammad, was
“overwhelming and unanimous.” The cartoons are freely available on the Internet and can be accurately
described in words, Mr. Donatich said, so reprinting them could be interpreted easily as gratuitous.
Rather than sign a joint editor’s note for the book and the removal of the images, Ms. Klausen has
requested instead that a statement from her be included. “I agreed,” she said, “to the press’s decision to
not print the cartoons and other hitherto uncontroversial illustrations featuring images of the Muslim
prophet, with sadness. But I also never intended the book to become another demonstration for or
against the cartoons, and hope the book can still serve its intended purpose without illustrations.”
In: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/books/13book.html retrieved on 13.08.2009
ii) UK: Man charged over anti-Muslim leaflets – British police said that former British National Party
election candidate Anthony Bamber, 53, is accused of incitement to commit religious hatred. The leaflet
was also distributed in Burnley and circulated in other parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire. A Lancashire
Police spokeswoman said: “Following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service a 53-year-old man from
Preston has been charged in connection with an investigation into the distribution of leaflets in Lancashire
which claim Muslims are responsible for the heroin trade.” Bamber, of Greenbank Street, Preston, and
who stood for the BNP at local elections in the city in 2006, was due to appear at Preston Magistrates’
Court on Aug 12. Three other men, all from East Lancashire, were also arrested as part of the
investigation. They were told by police last month that they would not face charges over the matter.
In:
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/man_charged_over_anti_muslim_leaflets_1_597190?referrerPath=news/south_lakes
retrieved on 13.08.2009
iii) On Aug 23 Jerry Earl Johnston, an American journalist writing in his column “New Harmony,” which
appears on MormonTimes.com, posted an article titled "Book shows humanity of Muhammad" in
which he reviewed Karen Armstrong's recent biography of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH),
"Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Times." Some of his reviews are as follows:
Armstrong's book on Muhammad is a sympathetic and respectful attempt to take the prophet from the shelf of
saints and show him in the world, struggling with forces everyone must battle.
In her book, Armstrong firmly puts Muhammad in the society of this time. He is buffeted about by work-a-day
worries, economic concerns and family matters. (…) there are moments when Muhammad feels abandoned. He
struggles through dry seasons of the soul, only to find an outpouring of spirituality waiting for him at the end.
During one such dry time, Muhammad felt he may never hear from God again. Then, in a burst of revelation, he is
given Sura 93 of the Quran.
The book, which might be called The Psalm of Muhammad, is one of the loveliest passages in scripture. For
Mormons, it may also chime in the mind with Section 121 of the Doctrine & Covenants. It is a message of hope
delivered during a time of despair:
By the morning hours
By the night when it is still
Your lord has not abandoned you
and does not hate you
What is after will be better
than what came before
To you, the lord will be giving
You will be content
Did he not find you orphaned
- 11 -
and give you shelter
Find you lost
and guide you
Find you in hunger
and provide for you
As for the orphan –
do not oppress him
And one who asks for help –
do not turn him away
And the grace of your lord proclaim
Armstrong's comments in the last paragraph of her book sum up feelings worth remembering, especially at
Ramadan:
"If we are to avoid catastrophe, the Muslim and Western worlds must learn not merely to tolerate but to appreciate
one another. A good place to start is with the figure of Muhammad."
The article is available in: http://mormontimes.com/mormon_voices/jerry_johnston/?id=10359 retrived on 24.08.2009
iv) Helsinki politician accused of incitement of hatred against an ethnic group and defamation of
religion – In March, Deputy Prosecutor General Jorma Kalske charged the city councilman, Jussi Hallaaho who went on trial on Tuesday (Aug 25), over allegedly racist, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim
comments made on his blog in June 2008. Halla-aho, who was elected to the Helsinki City Council as an
independent candidate on the ticket of the right-wing populist True Finns party, denies breaking any laws.
On Tuesday morning, Halla-aho appeared without a lawyer at Helsinki District Court, where he pled
innocent to the charges. Kalske is seeking a suspended prison sentence or fines.
In: http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/08/true_finns_politician_faces_defamation_charges_951658.html retrieved on
26.08.2009
3. Muslims in the United Kingdom
i) 20 Muslims honoured by the Queen – The majority of Muslims honoured gave their expertise to
charities and the voluntary sector and six worked to advance social cohesion or Black and Minority Ethnic
(BME) standard of living.
One of three Muslims to be made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) is Chair of the
Association of Muslim Social Scientists UK, Dr Anas Al-Shaikh Ali. Ali gained his PhD on American
studies and is a founding trustee of FAIR and Executive Director of Legacy Publishing. Ali, who is also an
academic advisor to the International Institute of Islamic Though, told The Muslim News the award
would work as “a motivational factor bringing additional impetus to continue the work of developing
better understanding and trust as well as peaceful relationships between our different communities and
societies.” Judges for this award considered personal skills, local initiatives to combat crime and
relationships with the community. “Being a Muslim and an Asian myself, I feel that I have a good
understanding of the culture and the religion in the community. That’s been more helpful than anything
else. I know how they feel when they say it’s our culture and our religion that people are attacking. But
from my perspective, I have to be professional about it all as well,” said Aziz.
Muslim recipients in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2009:
 Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE): Dr Anas Al-Shaikh Ali, academic advisor,
Intl Inst of Islamic Thought, for services to community relations. Shaukat Moledina, for services
to social housing & to charity.
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 Order of the British Empire (OBE): Reshard Auladin, Deputy Chair, Met Police Authority, for
services to police & to the admin of justice. Rokhsana Fiaz, Dir, Change Inst, for services to,
BME. Dr Mohammed Hossain, Dir, Research & Intl Coop, national physical lab, for services to
industry. Fiyaz Mughal, Dir, Faith Matters, for services to, the voluntary sector.
 Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE); Jamila Aftab, for services to the community
in Bristol. Ashuk Ahmed, for services to young people. Syeda Begum, fst Bengali & Somali people
in Tower Hamlets. Mostapha Bouker Deputy Race Equality Officer, Prison Officer, HM Prison
Belmarsh, Ministry of Justice. Ahmadul Haque, Chair, Al Islah Community Trust, for services to
the community. Iftakhar Hussain, for services to Asian people in Hartlepool. Nurul Islam, for
services to Bengali people. Ebrahim Kharodia, for services to, pharmacy in London & to charity in
Malawi. Javaid Naveed, for services to BME in N Ireland. Dr Haifa Takruri-Rizk senior lecturer,
Uni of Salford, for services to women, BME in science, engineering & tech education. Yusuf
Saleh, admin officer, pension disability & carers’ service, Dept for Work & Pensions, for services
to, public & voluntary service.
 British Empire Medal (BEM); Anis Tiki, for services to the community.
 Queens Police Medal (QPM); Mohammed Aziz, constable West Yorkshire Police.
In: http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/paper/index.php?article=4184 retrieved on 02.08.2009
ii) UK: Stop attacks on the Muslim community – a coalition called Stop the War signed a petition this
month stating that Muslims in Britain are facing attacks on many fronts. These include:
a) The high-profile arrests under terror legislation of Muslims who are subsequently released without
charge, creating a climate of fear and harassment;
b) An increase in violent attacks on Muslims in the streets and on Muslim places of worship;
c) The targeting of Muslims by the far-right British National Party;
d) Aggressive policing of Muslims on demonstrations, apparently designed to deter them from
participating in peaceful protests;
e) The racist misrepresentation of Muslim views and practices in the mass media;
f) The political harassment of Muslim leaders by government ministers.
According to them, these and other developments threaten to create a climate of hostility towards
Muslims in Britain in contradiction to traditional tolerance and damaging to community cohesion. They
believe that all people should come together in support of Muslims in Britain, and not leave them to
confront these challenges alone. And they call for a broad-based campaign to confront the growth of
racist attitudes towards Muslims and rising governmental and state harassment of Muslim citizens.
Signed:
Daud Abdullah Muslim Council of Britain, Annas Al-Tikriti British Muslim Initiative, Amir Amirani
filmmaker, Lord Ahmed, Mohammed Ali Islam Channel, Moazzam Begg ex-Guantanamo prisoner, Tony Benn,
Lauren Booth journalist, Louise Christian human rights lawyer, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Professor Terry Eagleton,
David Edgar playwright, George Galloway MP, Lindsey German Convenor StWC, Father Alan Green Chair of
Tower Hamlets Inter-Faith Forum, Shamiul Joarder Friends of Al-Aqsa, A.L.Kennedy writer, Bruce Kent, Ken
- 13 -
Loach filmaker, Lowkey rapper, Alice Mahon, Drew McConnell Babyshambles, John McClure Reverend and the
Makers, Councillor Abjol Miah, Seumas Milne journalist, Andrew Murray Chair StWC, Peter Oborne
journalist, Gareth Pierce human rights lawyer, Murad Qureshi AM GLA, Mohammed Sawalha BMI, Mark
Serwotka General Secretary PCS, Phil Shinerhuman rights lawyer, Clare Short MP, Jonathan Steele journalist,
Baroness Jenny Tonge, Walter Wolfgang, Councillor Salma Yaqoob
In: http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1300/27/ retrieved on 05.08.2009
iii) Muslim fury after racist avoids jail for bomb threat – Scotland's legal system was accused of
applying double standards after a Scottish man who threatened to blow up a mosque was yesterday spared
prison. Neil MacGregor, 36, was sentenced to three years' probation after sending e-mails to police
threatening to blow up Glasgow Central Mosque and "execute" a Muslim every day until all the mosques
in Scotland were closed.
The Scottish Islamic Foundation (SIF) told The Scotsman that if a Muslim had been prosecuted the
outcome would have been very different. The case caused controversy among Scottish Muslims when it
was announced earlier this year that MacGregor would be indicted on a charge of breach of the peace,
aggravated by racial hatred, rather than terrorism offences, and tried by a sheriff rather than a high court
judge. SIF has already contrasted the trial with the case of Mohammed Atif Siddique, a student from Alva,
Clackmannanshire, who was jailed for eight years for internet-related terrorist crimes.
Human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, who represented Siddique during his trial, last night criticised the way
prosecutors and police deployed their powers. He said: "If a member of a far-Right organisation threatens
to murder or cause mayhem, then they are dealt under ancient legislation and existing common law
powers. If you happen to have a beard and are dark-skinned, then you will be prosecuted under the
Terrorism Act. He added that there was a perception of "double standards" in how cases were prosecuted
that needed to be addressed.
MacGregor admitted making the threats from a flat in Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, between 30 January
and 15 February, 2007. Sentencing was repeatedly adjourned at Glasgow Sheriff Court as investigations
were carried out into the state of his mental health, which emerged as the key factor in his case.
In: http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Muslim-fury-after-racist-avoids.5535826.jp retrieved on 09.08.2009
iv) UK: Government should not focus on Islamic extremism – The Government’s flagship scheme on
tackling extremism is alienating Muslim communities and should be scrapped according to a new report
"Stronger Together: A New Approach to Preventing Violent Extremism" by the New Local Government Network
(NLGN) think tank and released on August 10. NLGN is calling for the £45million scheme to focus on
tackling all extremism – including far-right extremists – rather than just focusing on Islamic extremism.
The Government set up the Prevent scheme in 2006 to help local councils to tackle violent extremism at a
local level. Currently 94 local authorities receive funding from the scheme.
NLGN’s independent report argues that whilst the scheme has helped in some areas, overall it risks
alienating some local communities and particularly Muslim communities. The report calls for the
Government to allocate resources to tackle all extremist ideologies, arguing that the recent increase in farright extremism is as much of as a challenge for local communities as Islamic extremism. In July this year
Scotland Yard warned that far-right extremists are planning a “spectacular” terrorist attack in Britain to try
to stoke racial tensions and that more resources need to be targeted to tackle this form of extremism. It
also calls for reform of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) to allow an expert on ‘home-grown’
terrorism to sit on the Committee. It suggests that the Communities and Local Government department
should have a permanent seat on the JIC alongside the seven other government departments on the
Committee and that experienced local authority Chief Executives should be consulted when assessing
potential security risks.
- 14 -
Author of the report, Anna Turley argues that reform of Prevent is vital to rebuilding confidence within
local communities:
“While Islamist extremism remains a very serious threat to our security, this kind of extremism is not the only
threat to the stability and security of our communities.”
“Prevent is too prescriptive from the centre, undermines broader community cohesion objectives and lacks sufficient
integration with police and security services at local and national level. Concern has also been acknowledged over the
agenda’s impact on relations with Muslim communities and whether it unfairly stigmatises an entire community.”
While it is too early to assess the success of the Prevent agenda in terms of outcomes, the lack of support from within
the Muslim community, as well as the changing threat of wider extremist voices mean that it is time to review
whether the separation of the Preventing Violent Extremism approach from wider community cohesion approaches is
still relevant.”
In:
http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/press-releases/stronger-together-a-new-approach-to-preventing-violent-extremism/
retrieved on 11.08.2009
v) No Burquini, No Bathing: British Pools Impose Muslim Dress Codes On All Swimmers –
British swimming pools have begun hosting special Muslim swim sessions during which swimmers –
including non-Muslims – are banned from entering the pool if their swimming attire doesn't comply with
dress code required by Islamic custom. Under the rules, men must be covered from the naval to the knees,
while women, who swim separately, must be covered from the neck to the ankles, according to the U.K.'s
Daily Telegraph newspaper.
The special sessions in Britain have elicited anger from critics who say they are divisive and put a strain on
relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, the Telegraph reported. The trend counters developments
in France, where a woman has threatened to sue after being told she could not wear her "burquini" — a
headscarf, tunic and trouser swimsuit worn by Muslim women – on hygiene grounds, the paper reported.
One British lawmaker defended the Muslim swim sessions, telling the Telegraph that they show an
appreciation for certain religious groups, like Muslims, who have strict rules on segregation for activities
including sports.
In: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,539864,00.html?test=latestnews retrieved on 17.08.2009
vi) UK: Muslim majority at some Catholic schools – A survey has found 24 Catholic primary schools
in the North West and the Midlands teach a minority of churchgoing children, and that Christian pupils
are now outnumbered by Muslims at Roman Catholic schools in some parts of England. The Tablet, a
British weekly Catholic magazine, found that in Oldham, Blackburn, Wolverhampton and Birmingham
there has been a sharp decline in the proportion of Catholics being educated in local faith schools.
At English Martyrs in Sparkhill, Birmingham, just 36 of the 410 pupils are Catholic while the vast majority
is Muslim. At Sacred Heart Primary in Salford, there are only seven Catholic pupils and moves are under
way to remove it from the diocese’s jurisdiction.
In:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6028500/Christian-pupils-outnumbered-by-Muslims-even-inRoman-Catholic-schools.html retrieved on 17.08.2009
vii) Muslim youths in UK feel much more integrated than their European counterparts – according
to the survey by researchers at Lancaster University The research that was published in a new book on
Aug 21, titled Children of International Migrants in Europe, Muslim teenagers in the UK are much more
assimilated with the nation than their counterparts growing up in other European countries, new research
claims, and young British Asians are less radical, do better in school and suffer less discrimination than
Muslim youngsters brought up in France and Germany. The researchers also said that their poll, based on
2,500 young adults aged 16 to 25, is proof that multiculturalism is working.
- 15 -
For the study, young second generation Pakistanis and Indians who were also Muslims living in Blackburn
and Rochdale were compared with Moroccan and Algerian youngsters in France and Turks and former
Yugoslavs in Germany. It showed British Asian youngsters are remarkably similar to their white
contemporaries; they enjoy watching soaps like EastEnders and Coronation Street, are most likely to read
The Mirror or The Sun newspaper and are turned off by politics. Although there is a 'moral panic' about
young Muslims, the British 'multicultural' approach of accommodating immigrants actually works better
than the French or German approaches, it is claimed.
In France, where head coverings have been banned in schools, there is no allowance for ethnic and
religious differences by the state. In Germany, unless you have a German ancestor you cannot legally
become a German citizen no matter how long your family has settled in the country. Citizenship relies on
a German blood line. This leads to the fact that British Asian youngsters expressed very little interest in
the politics of their parents' country - a sharp contrast to Turks living in Germany and North Africans in
France.
Ethnic disadvantages within education were pronounced in Germany but far less evident in Britain,
according to the study. For example, Turks living in Germany and North Africans in France did relatively
poorly at school and in college. And Indians and Pakistanis living in Britain were three times more likely
to enter a university than their counterparts in France and Germany.
Religion remained an important part of the day to day lives of British Asian youngsters with 59 per cent of
Indians attending a place of worship regularly along with 38 per cent of Pakistanis. However only 15 per
cent of Indians and 8 per cent of Pakistanis were members of a religious organisation.
In: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1207935/Muslim-youths-UK-feel-home-European-counterparts.html retrieved
on 22.08.2009
4. Muslims in US and Americas
i) In Fairfax County, Virginia, Islamic Saudi Academy gets approval for mosque and school - the
Board of Supervisors has approved a new school and mosque in Fairfax County now that. The Islamic
Saudi Academy had a long-standing zoning request to allow it to build the school and mosque on a 34acre property, but many county residents had strong objections, calling the academy a school for
terrorism and citing a former valedictorian serving a life sentence for threatening the life of President
George W. Bush.
James Lafferty of the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force said: "We don't think it should exist, let alone
expand [because] it teaches shariah law. It teaches terrorism. They're raising the next generation of
homicide bombers right here in Virginia." Neighbors along Popes Head Road said traffic congestion,
safety and protecting the environment are the reasons they oppose the Islamic Saudi Academy expansion.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors acknowledged it was a hard decision, Gordon reported. The
board emphasized that the zoning exemption was granted based on zoning issues, not what goes on in the
ISA classrooms. The supervisors took two votes, and in the end Supervisor Gerry Hyland's motion to
approve the plan passed after he dispelled the notion that the school poses a danger. The plans granted
approval permit construction of a building at a Popes Head Road site that would eventually accommodate
500 students.
The academy was founded in 1984 and has some 1,000 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. It
is the only Saudi-funded school in the United States. About 80 percent of its students are U.S. citizens
from the area's Muslim communities. Most students attend classes at a second campus in the Alexandria
section of Fairfax. The school has undergone a series of high-profile examinations of its religious
curriculum, which has been revised repeatedly to remove passages that extolled militant jihad and
- 16 -
martyrdom. In 2007, at least one textbook still said that the killing of adulterers and apostates was
"justified." Students, parents and teachers have said the school does not teach intolerance. The school's
curriculum was again revised at the start of the 2008-09 school year after the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom condemned its textbooks. Critics of the academy said most of the
offensive material has been taken out. But they said the textbooks clearly remain guided by Wahhabism,
the fundamentalist school of Sunni Islam that is dominant in Saudi Arabia.
In:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Fairfax-County-Approves-School-for-Terrorism-52385527.html
retrieved on 05.08.2009
ii) Minneapolis mosque opening private Islamic school – Minnesota's largest mosque is opening a
private Islamic school this fall, the second of its kind in the state. The Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic
Center in Minneapolis just added ten classrooms to its second floor.
Abdulaziz Sugule is a mosque board member and co-founder of the Iqra Islamic School. He said the
mosque will fight what he calls a "youth crisis" among local Somalis by teaching students to embrace their
unique identity. He added: "Number one, they have to stick with their religion and their culturen. Number
two, they have to go into the mainstream -- go to schools and universities and study different fields, to be
citizens in this country. We're teaching all these things. We want to make sure these kids know who they
are: Somali-Americans." Sugule said the mosque has raised about $760,000 in private donations to help
pay for the school, despite recent controversy surrounding Abubakar.
The Iqra School is expected to open in September with classes for kindergarten and first grade, but the
mosque hopes to expand the offerings as the school grows. In addition to core subjects such as math and
English, the school will also offer classes teaching the Somali language and Islamic studies. "Iqra" means
"read" in Arabic. The renovated space will also house the mosque's weekend Islamic school and summer
programs. The mosque needs to raise an additional $173,000 to pay for the project. Abubakar purchased
its building, a converted roofing warehouse, in 2005 and opened it the following year.
In: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/08/03/islamic-school/ retrieved on 05.08.2009
iii) Madison Board Approves Mosque Project – The Madison Board of Supervisors has given leaders
of a mosque an approval to build, with some conditions. Supervisor D.I. Smith told 16 WAPT News that
the mosque leaders planned to build a private sewage treatment plant but didn't have plans for drinking
water. So the board told the group planning to build the mosque to come up with plans for drinking water
before they would get the final approvals. Smith also said the board wanted to see more detailed plans for
the site, including a site plan and elevations. There is no deadline for these things to be done, but Smith
said the group couldn't start building until that work was done first. In July, more than 300 Madison
County residents signed a petition opposing the construction of a proposed mosque that if built, would sit
on Highway 51 North in Madison County. It's not clear what the opponents of the mosque plan to do
now that the Board of Supervisors have given tentative approval to the project.
In: http://www.wapt.com/news/20266801/detail.html retrieved on 05.08.2009
iv) NYPD Reaches Out to Muslim Community Ahead of Ramadan – The NYPD is preparing for
the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by keeping the lines of communication open with the Muslim
community, including some of its own officers. This year, as in years past, the NYPD is offering the City's
Muslim congregations additional support and protection during their month-long period of fasting and
prayer. Detective Ahmed Nasser leads the NYPD's Muslim Officers Association. He says the additional
training non-Muslim officers get, can help them establish a better relationship with the neighborhoods
they patrol. He added: "We tell officers that you have to be mindful that when you enter a house of
worship, Muslims do kneel and bow and put their head on the floor, so it is required that you remove your
shoes out of respect." The NYPD held a seminar with Muslim community leaders yesterday, to discuss
security during Ramadan, which is August 22nd through September 19th.
In: http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/138499 retrieved on 12.08.2009
- 17 -
v) FBI Profiling of Muslims on the Rise, Says Asian Law Caucus – Muslim Americans are being
increasingly targeted for unwarranted house searches and questioning, said Veena Dubal, staff attorney of
the Asian Law Caucus, during a brown-bag seminar at the organization’s headquarters here Aug. 5.
Last October — in the waning days of the Bush administration — FBI director Robert Mueller signed
new guidelines allowing broader FBI authority in pursuing potential threats to national security. The new
guidelines allow agents to consider race or ethnicity in determining whether someone is a suspect. These
guidelines – which became effective Dec. 1, 2008 — allow the FBI to launch a criminal investigation
against someone without any factual predicate and without approval from FBI headquarters, said Dubal,
adding: “Under the current guidelines, FBI agents are allowed to racially profile an individual if it is
determined to be in the nation’s national interests,” and that the guidelines may also be used ambiguously
to “prevent conduct.” “A really negative shift has occurred,” said Dubal, who received the Northern
California South Asian Bar Association’s Public Interest Attorney of the Year award in 2009.
Equally problematic is the practice of recruiting informants from within the community, said Dubal. The
FBI has set up a Citizens’ Academy, ostensibly to train community leaders into the field-gathering
techniques of the agency. Business, civic and religious leaders, nominated by an FBI employee or previous
academy graduate, are given training in several aspects of espionage, including firearms usage, evidence
collection and fingerprinting. Dubal pointed to the recent case of an Irvine, Calif., man hired by the FBI
for $130,000 to infiltrate area mosques and incite people to say things about the jihad and terrorist
activities.
The caucus is organizing a series of town hall meetings at religious gathering places throughout the state
— particularly in Stockton and Lodi, which have high concentrations of Muslim American residents —
letting people know their rights while under investigation. You do not have to talk to the FBI, said Dubal,
adding that people have a right to – and should – bring an attorney along. Federal Criminal Code 1001
makes it a crime to lie to an FBI agent, and that code is now being used to recklessly incarcerate people,
said Dubal. “We tell people its better not to talk to an FBI agent, because if you do and you misrepresent
yourself, you could be subject to criminal penalty.” A household search can be conducted by the FBI
without a warrant, noted Dubal.
In: http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=11a699af1441226d96c0b7d4f9d59330 retrieved on
16.08.2009
vi) Portland: City, Muslims Reach Mosque Agreement – The city of Portland and a group of Afghan
Muslims have come to an agreement that will allow them to use a building on Washington Avenue as a
mosque. The Maine Civil Liberties Union (MCLU) filed a lawsuit on behalf of Portland Masjid and
Islamic Center, saying the city's zoning ordinances violate the group's right to religious freedom.
City spokesperson Nicole Clegg said this wasn't about religion, but about zoning issues, adding:
"Operating a house of worship comes under zoning ordinances just like clubs, or hospitals. They all come
under our zoning ordinances because that's how we can thoughtfully build and grow our city." Under the
interim agreement, the Islamic Center can use the former TV repair shop on Washington Avenue for
religious purposes while the MCLU's lawsuit moves forward. Clegg said the city hoped to continue to talk
with the group, and to consider amendments to zoning ordinances.
In: http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=108221&catid=2 retrieved on 19.08.2009
vii) Judge dismisses deportation case against Florida Muslim immigrant – An immigration judge on
Friday (Aug 21) rejected the federal government's attempt to deport an Egyptian immigrant who had been
acquitted on charges of illegally possessing and transporting explosives. According Charles Kuck, the
attorney for Youssef Megahed, a student at the University of South Florida, the government had until
Monday (Aug 24) to decide whether to appeal. The government did not have an immediate comment after
the judge's ruling.
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Megahed has been detained for almost five months by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or
ICE, in a politically explosive case that has pitted national security claims against charges of profiling and
discrimination against Muslims. Megahed came to the United States from Egypt in 1998 as a legal
immigrant, when he was 12. His problems started two years ago when, as a university engineering student,
he went on a road trip with a new friend, Ahmed Mohamed. The men were pulled over for speeding near
Charleston, South Carolina. Police said a search of their vehicle turned up PVC pipe with potassium
nitrate inside, along with a detonator cord that was inside one of Mohamed's bags.
The government said the materials were "low explosives." Mohamed said they were materials for
homemade model rockets. Megahed said he did not know that the materials were in the car. A search of
Mohamed's laptop computer found research concerning rockets and propellants and how to manufacture
them, as well as information about Qassam rockets - crude rockets used by terrorists in the Middle East,
according to prosecutors. Prosecutors also had a video, made and narrated by Mohamed, in which he
demonstrates how to outfit a model car with explosives. He posted it on YouTube. Mohamed pleaded
guilty to providing material support to terrorists and is serving a 15-year prison sentence.
Megahed, however, was found not guilty on two charges of possession and transportation of explosives
and was set free. Three days after his acquittal, however, he was detained again on grounds that he was
"engaged or likely to become engaged in ... terrorist activity" - even though he was never criminally
charged with terrorism. Federal authorities used the allegation to attempt to deport Megahed. The Muslim
community, the Megahed family and the jurors at his trial have said they believe that Megahed is a victim
of profiling.
In: http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=10970163 retrieved on 22.08.2009
viii) Obama Wishes 'Ramadan Kareem' to Muslims – President Obama released videotaped Ramadan
wishes Friday (Aug 21), sending "best wishes to Muslims in America and around the world" and wishing
them "Ramadan Kareem" on "behalf of the American people, including Muslim communities in all 50
states." The remainder of his remarks in the five-minute YouTube clip seemingly provide a tutorial on the
meaning of Ramadan for non-Muslim viewers tuning in to watch, and outline the basics of his views on
issues of importance to the Muslim world. The president makes sure to mention "my own Christian faith"
and the values shared by Islam and Christianity when it comes to service, even as he speaks of Muslim
ceremonies he knows well.
He also recapitulates his basic foreign policy positions involving Muslim nations. "We're also committed
to keeping our responsibility to build a world that is more peaceful and secure. That's why we're
responsibly ending the war in Iraq," he says, adding, "That is why we strongly and actively support a twostate solution that recognizes the rights of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. That is
also why America will always stand for the universal rights of all people. I want to reiterate my
commitment to a new beginning between America and Muslims around the world," he continues,
emphasizing his Cairo message of seeking common ground and that "an important part of this is
listening."
"In last two months, American embassies around the world have reached out not just to governments but
directly to people in Muslim-majority countries," he says, adding, "We have listened, and, like you, we are
focused on pursuing concrete actions that will make a difference over time. ... These consultations are
helping us implement the partnerships that I called for in Cairo." The president lays out collaborations
with international health authorities to eradicate polio in Muslim-majority nations, and to mitigate H1N1
flu transmission risks during the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca by devout Muslims which this year
will fall at the end of November. "May God's peace be upon you," he concludes.
In: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/08/21/obama_wishes_ramadan_kareem_to.html?wprss=44 retrieved on
22.08.2009
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ix) Somali-American professors angered over repeated searches – Two Somali-American scholars at
the University of Minnesota say they're outraged by what they consider invasive questioning and searches
while traveling abroad this summer. Abdi Samatar chairs the University's geography department. He's
married to Cawo Abdi, a sociology professor. Since June, the husband and wife say they've been pulled
aside a total of six times at airports for lengthy interviews that have lasted up to two and a half hours.
They believe customs officials targeted them for being Muslim and ethnic Somalis. Abdi Samatar said,
recalling the inspection of one customs officer: "He went through every little thing that was in my wallet,
one by one".
Samatar, who sports a graying beard and bookish, gold-rimmed glasses, said he has counseled the U.S.
State Department on Somali affairs and travels around the world for his research. But he now believes he's
of interest to the government for other reasons. Since June, Samatar has gone through four secondary
searches, which he described as demeaning and humiliating. U.S customs officers, sometimes acting
apologetically, have rummaged through his personal diary, his toiletries, his kid's diaper bag, and academic
papers on Somali pirates. One officer took a keen interest in the papers, Samatar said. The officer wanted
to know why he was reading them. The professor said he was planning to write about the issue of Somali
piracy. When the officer asked why Samatar wanted to write such things, the professor said he responded:
"We are scholars, and we write papers and books."
Both professors believe they're on some kind of government watch list. They also think that the
birthplaces listed on their passports may have automatically triggered the extra scrutiny. She was born in
Somalia. He was born in neighboring Djibouti. Brett Sturgeon, a spokesman for the U.S Customs and
Border Protection, said it's possible a traveler's home country could be of interest to customs officers. But
that alone wouldn't lead to a secondary inspection, he said. The department maintains that does not
practice ethnic or religious profiling. While Sturgeon couldn't speak to individual cases, he said someone
who is being stopped every time he or she is re-entering the country might have a name that's popping up
on a federal law-enforcement database. It could be for reasons ranging from immigration matters to
criminal offenses.
In: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/08/21/somali-professors-travel/ retrieved on 25.08.2009
x) School campuses help non-Muslims learn about Ramadan – California local Muslims see
Ramadan as an opportunity to educate others, particularly students, about their religion. Zain Irfan,
president of the Muslim Student Association at California State University, Fresno, says he gets asked
many questions during Ramadan:
"Why are you not eating or drinking?"
"Ramadan - what's that?"
"Fasting - what is that for?"
Irfan, who is from Faisalbad, Pakistan, always tries to provide answers in peaceful ways. He and other
members of the Muslim Student Association also work at information tables in the Free Speech Area on
campus. He said: "It is important to get along, especially in America where you have so many people with
different religions. In a mixed society, it's just better."
During Ramadan, the interfaith clubs on campus usually present Muslim guest speakers to talk about the
holiday. Some mosques also provide Ramadan kits, which students can use to educate others about the
crescent moon, the Quran, prayer, Allah and volunteer work. Kim Leslie, an English teacher at Clovis
East and adviser to the school's interfaith club, said it is important to share information that creates a
better understanding of various religions, adding: "There is a lot of ignorance. There can be a lot of
misunderstanding and a lack of respect. We have a diverse school, probably the most diverse in Clovis
Unified. So trying to promote cross-cultural understanding and interfaith is important."
In: http://www.bradenton.com/living/faith/story/1657894.html retrieved on 25.08.2009
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xi) Michigan: Muslim woman sues judge who told her to remove scarf – A Muslim woman on
Wednesday (Aug 26) sued a Michigan judge for telling her to remove her headscarf in his courtroom,
claiming he violated her First Amendment right to practice her religion. Raneen Albaghdady, 32, says she
felt humiliated when Wayne County Circuit Judge William Callahan ordered her to remove her hijab at a
June 16 hearing in his Detroit courtroom.
The Council on American-Islamic Relation's Michigan chapter joined her in the federal lawsuit against
Callahan and Wayne County. Callahan said Albaghdady, a native of Iraq, removed the scarf without
protest and never mentioned its religious significance. If she had, he said, she would have been allowed to
continue wearing it. In a statement released by the court, he said: "Judge Callahan has the greatest respect
for spiritual practices and all religious preferences. He accepts that some women cover their hair as a
religious practice, including Muslims and some nuns. He has never prevented a Muslim woman from
exercising her right to cover her hair."
In: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5glJaKUaZ1Okb1orDGallDjO93lUwD9AAORP80 retrieved on
29.08.2009
xii) Top Officer Says US Bungling Muslim Outreach – the US highest-ranking military officer wrote
on Friday (Aug 28) that the U.S. military was bungling its outreach to the Muslim world and squandering
good will by failing to live up to its promises. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
said there was too much emphasis on telling the U.S. story and not enough on building trust and
credibility.
Mullen wrote in an essay published in a military journal, Joint Force Quarterly: ''We hurt ourselves and the
message we are trying to send when it appears we are doing something merely for the credit. 'We hurt
ourselves more when our words don't align with our actions.'' Mullen said he disliked the military's focus
on ''strategic communications,'' which he said had become a cottage industry where the shaping of a
message eclipsed what that message said, adding: ''Most strategic communication problems are not
communications problems at all, they are policy and execution problems.''
Efforts to reach out to the Middle East and elsewhere in the Muslim world is a main priority of the vast
communications and public relations machinery of the Defense Department. Mullen suggested that much
of the effort was wasted, or at least misdirected. Public opinion in the Muslim world would seem to bear
him out. A survey of two dozen nations conducted this spring found that positive public attitudes toward
the United States have surged in many parts of the world since President Barack Obama's election, but not
in most of the Arab and Muslim world. The poll registered continuing levels of profound distrust about
U.S. influence and motives among Muslims, particularly in Turkey, Pakistan and the Palestinian territories.
There, the report from the nonpartisan Pew Research Center said, animosity toward the United States
''continues to run deep and unabated.''
U.S. intelligence considers Pakistan, a nuclear-armed Muslim country that Mullen has made a priority with
nearly a dozen visits over the past 18 months, among the most profoundly anti-American places on Earth.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates frequently remarks that the United States has let itself be ''outcommunicated by men living in caves,'' a wry reference to the skill with which al-Qaida uses the Internet
to distribute its messages and capitalize on U.S. failings. Mullen noted one of those failings, the abuse of
Iraqi detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison, but he said the problem isn't the skill of the communicators. He
wrote: ''Our biggest problem isn't caves, it's credibility. Our messages lack credibility because we haven't
invested enough in building trust and relationships, and we haven't always delivered on promises.''
In: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/28/us/politics/AP-US-Mullen-Muslims.html retrieved on 29.08.2009
xiii) Muslims should show the world who they are: Dalia Mogahed (INTERVIEW) – Advisor at
President Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Dalia Mogahed,
spoke with Trend News Middle East Desk in an exclusive interview.
- 21 -
Trend News: The Muslim world has sensed the President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo as a
step forward to "open a new page in the American-Islamic relations". What steps must the US
administration take to promote a new dialogue with the Muslim steps? In its turn, what should
the Muslim world do to help the USA in its plan of promotion the dialogue with the Muslim
world?
Dalia Mogahed: The United States must first seek to understand the problems at the heart of the
relationship. These include Muslims' anger at violent conflicts involving the United States directly or
indirectly, like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the ongoing Israeli Palestinian conflict. Muslims
were further alienated because they believed the United States disrespected Islam and wished to dominate
and exploit the region. Muslims must also seek to understand how Americans perceive them. The main
issue which Americans see as straining relations is of course violent extremism committed by Muslims
against Americans. Muslims around the world are at least as concerned about violent extremism as are
residents of the United States, so in fact this issue is a shared concern. Furthermore, Muslims around the
world are at least as likely as Americans to condemn terrorism. But Muslims should show the world who
they are, not just tell the world what they are not. They should come forth with constructive solutions to
global problems as engaged global citizens.
Q: Islamophobia remains the main problem of the Muslim world and America. Do you think this
problem needs a political solution with participation of the US and Muslim governments?
A: I think that Islamophobia, or any other prejudice, is a problem that requires education, not legislation.
Q: The western world asserts that the religious and political split in the Islamic society put
obstacle on promotion of dialogue with Muslims. To what extent do you find negativeness of
division within the Muslims on understanding Islam in the West?
A: I think it would be unrealistic to expect 1.5 billion people [Muslims] to agree on everything, since we
certainly don't expect this of Christians who are split up into hundreds of denominations. Muslims are not
one monolithic group. The irony is that when it comes to inter religious dialogue, I think Muslims struggle
with the same issue and ask who among the Christians should they be speaking to? The answer in both
cases is that each community's rich diversity must be represented for dialogue to be authentic and
effective.
That said, Muslims should work actively to not allow anyone to exploit Muslim diversity to incite violence
and conflict. This is important for Muslims' own progress and prosperity, aside from their relationship
with other communities.
In: http://en.trend.az/news/other/1530595.html retrieved on 30.08.2009
5. Muslims in Europe
i) Dutch Muslim party to run for seats in country's biggest cities – The Dutch Muslim Party NMP's
chairman Henny Kreeft told reporters on Monday (Aug 3) that his party would run for seats on the
councils of the Netherlands' three biggest cities in next year's local elections. In June, the NMP announced
plans to run in "five to 20 cities," but declined to mention which. Kreeft now said his party would run for
seats in the city councils of Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam. He said that the NMP aimed to get
"two seats or more" in Amsterdam. The NMP is also due to run for seats in the new municipalities of
Almere and Noordoostpolder, north-east of Amsterdam.
Kreeft described his party as the Muslim version of the Christian Democrats. Like with the Christian
Democrats, family values rank high on the NMP's political agenda. The party also aims at improving the
image of Islam and supports having Muslim cemeteries and banking systems inthe Netherlands. However,
Kreeft emphasized that his party "does not want to establish a Muslim republic in the Netherlands." The
NMP, which also set its sights on participating in general elections in 2011, expected to present its political
- 22 -
program in late September, after the holy month of Ramadan. Kreeft, who converted to Islam in the
1990s and was previously active in liberal left and populist parties, founded the NMP in 2007. The party's
board consists of native Dutch nationals and immigrants.
In:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/280008,dutch-muslim-party-to-run-for-seats-in-countrys-biggest-cities.html
retrieved on 04.08.2009
ii) Sweden: Far Right Split Over Sale to Mosque – A councillor for the xenophobic Sweden Democrat
party is facing expulsion from his party - after preparing to sell land to people who want to build a mosque
on it. The Sweden Democrats often express hostility against Muslims and the Islamic religion, and some in
the leadership have proposed a ban against the building of mosques in Sweden. But their councillor Jan
Hansveden explained to local paper Helsingborgs Dagblad that the land sale involves 'a scary amount of
money' - around 850,000 US dollars. And that as far as he is concerned, it is his business who he sells his
property to. The councillor sits in Landskrona local government council, one of the far right party's
biggest success areas. But SD party leader Jimmie Åkesson has slammed the councillor as 'greedy' and said
that if the deal goes ahead, he's not welcome in the party any longer.
In: http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?nyheter=1&ProgramID=2054&artikel=3004954 retrieved
on 04.08.2009
iii) Budapest district green-lights Islamic center – The district council of Ujbuda has decided to allow
a project to build an Islamic centre. The plan has faced the objections of locals, and it is also suspected
that difficulties in obtaining the necessary permits have been due to worries over national security, said the
paper. Islamic organisations in Budapest currently hold prayers and other events in an apartment. In 2005,
however, the Charity and Peace Foundation tied to the Islamic congregation bought from the local
council of Budapest's eleventh district in Ujbuda a large plot of land with the intention of building a
religious and cultural centre containing a library with 50,000 volumes, among other amenities.
An amendment to urban regulations was needed for the project to go ahead, and the local government
board passed the decision with a large majority in June in the absence of the members of opposition party
Fidesz, who decided not to participate. It is unlikely that a minaret will be built due to height restrictions,
but, barring any last-minute obstacles, the project will be allowed to go ahead, said the paper. The
Hungarian census carried out in 2002 found there were over 3,000 Muslim residents.
In: http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/article/11/budapest_dis-7/ retrieved on 04.08.2009
iv) Muslims complain about Schalke anthem - Schalke of the German Bundelisga has asked a scholar of
Islam to look into complaints sent to the club by Muslims angered by what they view as lampooning of
the Prophet Muhammad in the club's anthem. The verse -- which also caused short-lived protests in 1997
-- refers to the Prophet Muhammad, who it says knew nothing about soccer but picked the colors blue
and white, the Schalke colors. The club has received hundreds of e-mails and letters of complaint and has
contacted police and state security, club spokesman Thomas Spiegel told German media. Police said many
of the e-mails and letters demanded the removal of the passage.
In: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2009-08-04-3833161809_x.htm retrieved on 05.08.2009
Related: Muslim group: Schalke anthem OK – A top official with a German Muslim group says he saw no
problem with a decades-old anthem at Bundesliga club Schalke that mentions the Prophet Muhammad.
Schalke has asked a scholar of Islam to look into complaints sent to the club by Muslims angered by what
they see as the lampooning of the Prophet Muhammad in a verse in the club's decades-old anthem. The
verse -- which also caused short-lived protests in 1997 -- refers to the Prophet Muhammad, who it says
knew nothing about football but picked the colors blue and white, the Schalke colors. Aiman Mazyek, the
general secretary of Germany's Central Council of Muslims, said: "From our point of view, the song is
neither blasphemy, nor does it constitute mockery of the prophet," arguing that the anthem could stay the
way it is.
- 23 -
The prophet "lived before the invention of football," Mazyek noted, adding that it was best "to take it
with humor." Mazyek suggested that the background to the flap could be the fatal July 1 stabbing in a
German courtroom of an Egyptian woman, which caused outrage in Egypt and beyond.
In: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2009-08-05-3833161809_x.htm retrieved on 06.08.2009
v) Sweden: 80-90% of Muslims vote for the Left – Magnus Hagevi, a university lecturer in political
science at Växjö University, wrote an opinion article blaming the Swedish right-wing for failing to
politically integrate Muslims. In the article he brings the conclusions of his research: Swedish Muslims
overwhelmingly vote for the Left, but do not hold Leftist views. Some of his findings are as follows:
(..)
Swedish Muslims are a small voting group. To study them, I use 6 questionnaire surveys carried out by the SOM
Institute at Gothenburg University all over the country, Västra Götaland County and the Bergsjön, Gårdsten,
Hjällbo and Norra Biskopsgården districts in Gothenburg. They represent a population of Swedish and foreign
citizenship 15-85 years old. The responders identified themselves as Muslim by answering "I am Muslim" with
either a 'yes' or a 'no'. In total 747 Muslims answered the questions on party sympathies.
The results are clear. Swedish Muslims are a homogeneous political-party voting group. 70-75% of Swedish
Muslims sympathize with the Social Democrats. In total the Red-Green Block [ed: Socialists/Green] gets 80-90%
of Swedish Muslim sympathies. The right-wing parties together get just 10-20% of the Muslim vote.
Class can not explain the support of Swedish Muslims for the Social Democrats. Though many Swedish Muslims
are workers there remains an independent effect of religious identity. The same is true for all other background
factors taken into account.
In my recent book "Political opinion and religiosity in Västra Götaland", where, despite the book's title, I also
analyze the entire Swedish population, it is clear that Swedish Muslims are not characterized by having leftist views,
notwithstanding the strong sympathies for the Social Democrats and the Red-Green Block. Instead Swedish
Muslims show that they are not a unified group.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/sweden-80-90-of-muslims-vote-for-left.html retrieved on 08.08.2009
vi) Denmark: Defence Minister told Parliament that Muslim women in the armed forces are not
to be allowed to wear headscarves as part of their uniform – Søren Gade, in a written answer to a
parliamentary question from Unity List MP Per Clausen, stated: “I find wearing for example a headscarf,
to be incompatible with a military uniform. Both in the regular defence forces and the Home Guard,”
Clausen asked the minister whether Muslim women are to be excluded from the Home Guard if they wear
a headscarf. The minister’s response came following a week of controversy involving a Home Guard
soldier Maria Mawla, who was allowed to wear a headscarf under her helmet when in uniform. But the
Danish People’s Party, which is the minority Liberal-Conservative government’s safety net in Parliament,
reacted strongly to the disclosure, resulting in the Home Guard text being removed and Mawla being told
that she was no longer welcome in the Home Guard if she continued to wear a headscarf.
In: http://politiken.dk/newsinenglish/article759397.ece retrieved on 08.08.2009
vii) '20% of EU will be Muslims by 2050' – The Telegraph reported on Sunday (Aug 9) that there were
forecasts appointing that twenty percent of the European Union will be Muslim by 2050. The current
figure, according to the article, sits at five percent, and will be pushed up due to immigration, and low
birth rates among native Europeans. The article noted that the UK, Spain and Holland would hit the 20%
mark faster. It also reported that experts have criticized lawmakers' failure to address this "demographic
time-bomb." They called for a discussion on how these demographic changes would affect "areas of life
from education and housing to foreign policy and pensions." The article cited polls, however, which
showed that the Muslim community in EU countries was not radicalizing.
In: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1249418558006&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull retrieved on 10.08.2009
- 24 -
Related: Netherlands: PVV concerned about growth of Muslim population – The Dutch PVV
(Party for Freedom) was concerned about the quick growth of the Muslim population in the Netherlands
and the rest of Europe. The party of Geert Wilders wanted the cabinet to make it clear how many
Muslims there were in every European country, at this moment and the estimate for the upcoming years.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/netherlands-pvv-concerned-about-growth.html retrieved on 11.08.2009
viii) Iceland: Mosque opened at University of Iceland – With the rapid approach of the holy month of
Ramadan, a prayer room has opened for Muslims at the University of Iceland. A student in the Finnish
language department at the university made a formal request at the Student Council for a prayer room
which was later approved by the university. A Holy Quran and prayer rugs were set up in the university’s
Chapel making it into a multi faith prayer room, making Icelandic history in the process.
The Head of the Islamic Association in Iceland and graduate at the Iceland University, Salmann Tamimi,
told IceNews: “We are really very happy that we have a prayer room at the University of Iceland. It gives
the opportunity for Muslim students who have to pray 5 times a day to be able to perform it at the right
times. It helps the other non Muslim students and teachers to have a better understanding of Islam, which
we are really in need of.” There are about 20 to 30 Muslim students at the University of Iceland from all
over the world as well as Icelandic Muslims.
In: http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2009/08/12/multi-faith-prayer-room-at-the-university-of-iceland/
13.08.2009
retrieved
on
ix) Netherlands: Mohamed most popular name in major cities - Mohamed is by far the most popular
name for babies in the four major cities in the Netherlands. Unlike what is often reported, the name of
the Muslim prophet is also in the national top twenty. This according to data from the Dutch national
security (SVB) provided upon request by elsevier.nl. According to the SVB data it appears that in the four
major cities - Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague and Utrecht - Mohamed (and its variations - Mohammed
and Muhammed) is by far the name most given to boys. Despite it's popularity, the name did not get into
the national top twenty in the past, but this is due to the various ways in which the name is spelled. If the
four most popular variations of the name are put together, the name of the propphet is at 16th place, just
under Luuk, and above traditional Dutch names such as Gjis and Jan.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/netherlands-mohamed-most-popular-name.html retrieved on 13.08.2009
x) Drink provisions for farm workers rile Muslims in Italy – A campaign to oblige farmworkers,
including Muslims observing the Ramadan fast, to drink water during the most torrid time of the day, has
sparked controversy in the northern Italian city of Mantua. The provision is contained in a document
drafted ahead of the harvest season and aimed at safeguarding workers' health, according to its authors,
labour unions and associations representing landowners. Hundreds of mostly casual labourers, many of
them Muslim immigrants from North Africa, are employed to pick vegetables and fruit, including
tomatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe, grown in the fertile Po River valley around Mantua.
The document, which is to be distributed on local farms, stresses the risk of dehydration faced by those
toiling in the fields in 'hot and humid' conditions, especially Muslim workers who during the holy month
of Ramadan don't eat or drink during daylight hours. Employers are urged to suspend or, in cases of
continued refusal, to fire workers who refuse the intake of water, a point which has drawn condemnation
from Islamic community representatives.
A Muslim spokesman in Mantua, Ben Mansour, said: 'Nobody can force a person to break their fast,'
noting that under Italian law no individual is obliged to drink water against their will. But the head of the
Confagricoltura, agricultural producers body in the city, Daniele Sfulcini, has defended the drinking
provision, noting that health authorities hold 'land owners responsible for the health of their workers'. He
told the daily La Stampa: 'The prospect of firing people can sound like a provocation, but it serves to shift
responsibility on the person who refuses to drink'.
In: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1495430.php/Drink-provisions-for-farm-workers-rileMuslims-in-Italy retrieved on 15.08.2009
- 25 -
xi) Brussels: Turkish community to build new mosque – the Belgian daily, Le Soir, reported that the
Turkish community in Brussels requested building permission for a mosque in Sint-Joost-ten-Node. The
new mosque will allow 750 people to assemble. This will be the largest mosque since the building of the
mosque in the Brussels Jubilee Park (1978). The Consultative Committee gave favorable counsel but made
a pre-condition that the volume would be 30% smaller. The plan for the new mosque had been requested
by the Union of Islamic Centers in Belgium.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/brussels-turkish-community-to-build-new.html retrieved on 15.08.2009
xii) The PST (Norwegian Police Security Service) wants imams to systematically be employed to
fight extremist communities in Norwegian prisons – More and more non-Western criminals serve
time in Norwegian prisons and the PST knows of prisoners who have move in an extreme ideological
direction. Therefore they want imams to work to prevent that at a later point they will commit terrorist
attacks after they finish their sentence. In at least one concrete case it was revealed that a non-Western
immigrant with extreme attitudes carried on recruiting in the prison.
PST head, Jørn Holme, suggested using imams to prevent negative development because they're one of
the few resources of support the prisoners can meet. He said: "Good and sensible imams would be able to
say that such opinions are outside the religion and are a dangerous direction which isn't religiously based."
Imam Tayyib Mian says imams will naturally contribute to all measures which support positive
developments. He said: "We have traditions to visit people at hospitals and in prisons. So we think that
the initiative from the PST and Jørn Holme are extremely positive". The initiative will presumably lead to
the PST, correctional system and representative from the Muslim communities to discuss a more formal
cooperative effort.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/norway-employ-imams-against-prison.html retrieved on 15.08.2009
xiii) Denmark: More supervision of Muslim schools – Danish Trade and Economy Minister Lene
Espersen (Conservatives) said in a speech at the party's summer convention on Tuesday (Aug 10) that the
Muslim parallel society in Denmark should be fought against, and this will be done by having the schools
teach more democracy and Danish values. The country's private schools - including the Arab and Muslim
private schools - will be under strict control to prevent teaching that causes hate and contempt towards
Danish values. He said: "We have children who grow up in this country, who in principle could just as
well have lived in Saudi Arabia. Since the TV they see at home, the language they speak at home, and what
goes on at various private schools, has nothing to do with Denmark".
The demands from private schools will be even stricter. First, all teachers would have to match up to the
requirements of teachers in public schools, but additionally, private schools will be visited the local
municipality at least once a year to ensure that the teaching of Danish values is being maintained.
Ebbe Lilliendal of the Danish private school association, which organizes 250 of the country's 500 private
schools, including a large portion of the Muslim private schools, is not happy about the Conservative
proposal. He said that Muslim private schools were already under inspection, adding: "Muslim private
schools have asked to be inspected exactly to avoid this criticism. This means that they're a supervisor
from the municipality there at least two teaching days a year. And not once was there any sign that there's
education which goes in the direction of parallel societies".
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/denmark-more-supervision-of-muslim.html retrieved on 17.08.2009
xiv) Liege: Koran extracts at Black Madonna festival – The annual procession of the Black Madonna
in Outremeuse, Liège (Belgium) took place this Saturday (Aug 15). For the first time the booklet of hymns
and prayers included extracts from the Koran, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which showed tolerance and
integration towards Muslims and their belief.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/liege-koran-extracts-at-black-madonna.html retrieved on 17.08.2009
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xv) Dutch university fires Islamic scholar Ramadan – Erasmus University, a Dutch university, fired
Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan on Tuesday (Aug 18) for hosting a show on Iran's state television, which
the school said could be seen as endorsing the regime. Ramadan has recently been criticized in the Dutch
press for allegedly voicing more conservative views for Muslim audiences than he does in the West.
Both the City of Rotterdam and Erasmus University dismissed Ramadan from his positions as "integration
adviser" and professor, saying his program "Islam & Life" airing on Iran's Press TV was "irreconcilable"
with his duties in Rotterdam. Both said in a joint statement that Ramadan "continued to participate in this
program even after the elections in Iran, when authorities there hard-handedly stifled the freedom of
expression". It also said Ramadan had "failed to sufficiently realize the feelings that participation in this
television program, which is supported by the Iranian government, might provoke in Rotterdam and
beyond." He had worked at the university since 2007.
The professor told Dutch radio he would appeal the "naive and simplistic" decision. He has written an
open letter to Dutch media saying the show was a debate forum, and that he had no involvement with
Iran's government. "Repression against and killing of civilian people cannot be accepted and must be
condemned," he said in the letter, published by Dutch media last week when the debate broke out. "I
support transparent, democratic process, and I expect the Iranian regime to respect this principle."
In: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hGyD-Y_fXLt4qUxUrgKylIbbcReAD9A5GVLO0 retrieved on
19.08.2009
xvi) Netherlands: More halal on the shelves – Halal food is gaining Dutch shelf-space. Manufacturer
Mekkafood from Venlo drove up production 25% this year, to 7,800 tons of halal meat. This includes
snacks such as sausages and meatballs, where the meat is process according to Islamic law. Dutch are now
eating 80,000 halal Turkish pizzas a week, made by the Venlo manufacturer. According to manager Rene
van Appeldorn, they particularly noted the demand for halal products among non-Muslims, but he stated
that naturally the increase in the total number of Muslims also played a role.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/netherlands-more-halal-on-shelves.html retrieved on 19.08.2009
xvii) Bosnia: Mufti urges Sharia law to be incorporated in the Constitution – Bosnia’s Muslim
spiritual leader, Reiss-ul-Ulema Mustafa Ceric, has drawn strong criticism from moderate Muslims and
from Bosnian Serbs, after he called for Islamic Sharia law to be incorporated into the Bosnian
constitution. Ceric made the controversial suggestion when he conducted Bosnia's first Sharia mass
wedding on Saturday (Aug 15) in the central city of Zenica. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi reportedly
paid for the weddings for the 20 couples and some 500 guests. Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik reacted
angrily to Ceric's remarks, saying he was deliberately ignoring the presence of Serbs and Croats in Muslimmajority Bosnia.
In: http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=3.0.3666977693 retrieved on 19.08.2009
xviii) Antwerp: School to open headscarf changing room – following the ban on the headscarf
introduced in June this year, the Royal Atheneum of Antwerp is building a changing room with mirror for
Muslim girls, where they could take off their headscarf when they come to school and put it back on when
they go back home. Starting September 1st, the school is introducing a headscarf ban. Principal Karin
Heremans said: "It wouldn't be nice for the girls if they had to change on the street outside the schoolgate. Therefore we thought of a changing room with mirror in the school. The idea originated by the
teacher and the administration during the discussions about the headscarf ban. If the Muslim girls will go
outside the school to exercise, we'll also offer them a sports-headscarf."
Though there are no more public schools in the city that allow headscarves, Principal Heremans expected
that a number of students will leave to other schools due to the headscarf ban.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/antwerp-school-to-open-headscarf.html retrieved on 19.08.2009
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xix) France: 70% observe Ramadan fast – according to an Ifop poll on Islam in France in 2009, published
on Thursday (Aug 20), 70% of the Muslims in France observe the fast of Ramadan, a stable number from
a report in 2001, but a significant increase since 1989 (60%). At the same time, the number of people who
say they don't fast dropped from 32% in 1989 to 20% in 2007. The rest of the people said they fasted
some days or had no opinion.
Friday mosque attendance remains a very male practice, with 34% of men and only 12% of women.
Attendance varies with age, with 20% of 18-20 year olds compared with 41% of those over 55. The
average attendance of Muslim men and women is 23% compared to only 5% of Catholics who attend
Church at least once a month.
The amount of those who pray daily went up from 31% in 1994 to 39% in 2007, among youth 18-24 less
pray daily than among people over 55 (28% vs. 64%).
The data was collected by Ifop in the period 2005-2009. The data was collected from 135 surveys each with
a nationally representative sample of 950. In total the combined sample consists of 131,141 interviews.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/france-70-observe-ramadan-fast.html retrieved on 22.08.2009
xx) Chechnya opens first Islamic University – Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov opened Russia's
first Islamic University on Thursday (Aug 20), another move in his campaign to establish Islamic values in
the North Caucasus republic. Kadyrov joined Chechen religious leaders at ceremonies to mark the
opening of the Kunta-Khadzhi Russian Islamic University which is located next to Grozny's big central
mosque.
The first year students at the new university watched as Kadyrov, accompanied by the Grand Mufti of
Russia, Mufti Ravil Gainutdin and other religious leaders, cut the green ribbon and declared the campus
open. Students at the new university, which remains under Russian jurisdiction, will study both Islamic
and secular disciplines. The curriculum includes Russian and Chechen languages, sociology, political
studies, philosophy and English. During the first two years students can take a beginners course in Arabic
which is a requirement for any student wanting to go on and study Islam. Teachers at the institution have
reportedly been recruited from the Egyptian University Al-Azhar, one of the oldest world universities, the
Asia Minor University, the Abu-Nour University in Syria. It offers places for nearly 300 students in its first
year, of whom 270 are starting with the preparatory course - a two-year language course which they must
complete before going on to the main five-year course.
In: http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=85486 retrieved on 22.08.2009
xxi) Denmark: Less than half practicing Muslims – Fewer than half of the 200,000 Danish Muslims
practice their religion. Only a few of the Danish Muslims regularly go to the mosque for Friday prayer,
and during Ramadan, many will probably do with fasting an hour a day. Two Danish Islam researchers,
Jørgen S. Nielsen, professor of Islam at Copenhagen University, and Lone Kühle, religion sociologist at
Aarhus University said that with their secularized attitude towards religion, Danish Muslims are
comparable to the Muslims in the rest of Western Europe.
Jørgen S. Nielsen said: "The 200,000 Muslims in Denmark is an ethnic definition. But less than half
practice the religion, and many don't keep the fast". He works together with other international
researchers on a big study of Muslims in Europe.
Religion sociologist Lone Kühle researched how many of the Danish Muslims use the mosques. And her
estimate is that over half have the same attitude towards religion and its institutions as many Danes have
towards the Danish Church: it's good, it's there, but they don't use it, adding: "Many Muslims have a basic
respect for Islam and a positive attitude towards religion, but they leave going to the mosque to others".
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Lone Kühle estimates that fewer than 10% of Danish Muslims go to a mosque every Friday for Friday
prayers, and that only a third regularly go to a mosque, adding: "In the Ramadan month some might fast a
day or two and participate in the feasts at the conclusion. But people don't have any orthodox Muslim
practice". Jørgen S. Nielsen also points out that most of the Danish Muslims see religion like the average
"Danish Church Dane". But that doesn't mean that they don't fast on Ramadan. They might fast a few
days, or on the first week.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/denmark-less-than-half-practicing.html retrieved on 24.08.2009
xxii) Denmark: Boy charged for anti-Islamic posters – A 15 year old boy from Rønne will appear in
court next week. He was charged with trying to distribute racist posters. The Bornholm court said that the
15 year old was charged with having produced posters and fliers at home with the titles: "Denmark will be
a Muslim country?", "Denmark wake up". The posters said: "Yes to an Islam-free country" and "Send the
Pakis home".
The boy also wrote, for example, that Muslims "preach to renounce all our freedoms," and that they
advanced "devastating the cities with gangs and drugs." The prosecution demands that the boy be
imprisoned, says chief prosecutor Bendte Pedersen Lund. Due to the boy's age the Bornholm Youth
Center was called in to the court meeting. Breaking the racism act can lead to a fine or up to two years in
prison.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/denmark-boy-charged-for-anti-islamic.html retrieved on 25.08.2009
xxiii) France: Growing halal market – According to a recent study by the Solis agency, which is
specialized in 'ethnic marketing', the halal market in France is valued at close to 4 billion euro for 2009,
and is estimated to grow at annual rate of 15%. According to Solis, 93% of North Africans and 55% of
sub-Saharan Africans buy halal products.
Muslim consumers are more inclined to buy at supermarkets offering halal, and the supermarkets have
significantly expanded their product offerings over the past five years. Auchan, Leclerc, Super U and
Casino have special halal shelf area during the Ramadan period, but also during the rest of the year. At
Carrefour they explain that Ramadan is an important commercial opportunity. Halal supermarkets arrived
in the 80s. But the products were initially kept only to certain stories in areas with large Muslim
populations. Today, thanks to sophisticated techniques of consumer profiling, particularly through loyalty
cards, stores can effectively know the habits of consumers in different place and times.
Though halal foods are not a recent phenomenon, the staging of these products in stores during Ramadan
is new. For these stores the objective is not to pass by a business opportunity. Georges Chétochine, a
consultant, says that in certain areas the Muslim population represents 30% of the clientele and products
specific to Muslims can reach a turnover of 6-7%. Distributors try to seduce people who until now turned
mostly to traditional shops. According to a study by Solis, most of the halal consumers (95%) still prefer
grocery stores and butcher shops over the big supermarkets (43%).
Since Islam remains a sensitive topic, distributors advance cautiously. Chétochine says that in a secular
country like France, they do not want to offend the non-Muslim consumers. They therefore use as neutral
a language as possible - "Flavors of the Orients' or the 'spice route' instead of talking explicitly about
Ramadan.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/france-growing-halal-market.html retrieved on 25.08.2009
xxiv) Protests rise as Turkish renovation work turns church into mosque – the daily Turkish
newspaper, Milliyet, on Tuesday (Aug 25) reported that restoration work that would result in an historic
Greek Orthodox church being recognized as a mosque has caused uproar in Turkey. At issue is the 178year-old St Dimitrios church in the northern Turkish village of Silivri. The village was once a Greek
settlement but, after the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, ethnic Greek residents had to leave in a forced
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resettlement that swapped 1.5 million ethnic Greeks from Turkey for 600,000 ethnic Turks living in
northern Greece. After the resettlement, the church was briefly used for prayers while work was underway
to build a mosque for the new Muslim residents. A minaret was attached to the building, but its cross was
never removed. Later, the church was used for storage and as a stall.
However, current work on the church is being billed as 'restoration of the Ortakoy Mosque,' causing an
uproar. The renovation work was approved by local leaders of the AKP Justice and Development Party,
which runs the government at the national level. Representatives of the Greek Orthodox Church in
Turkey have not commented on the issue.
In: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1497234.php/Protests-rise-as-Turkish-renovation-workturns-church-into-mosque retrieved on 26.08.2009
xxv) Mosque being built in Copenhagen – Muslims in the capital will finally have fitting place of
worship with a mosque being constructed. Copenhagen’s first mosque will be a blue dome structure in the
Nørrebro district after the City Council voted in favour of approving a district plan for its construction.
The council voted on Aug 27 for a 2000sqm former machine factory on Vibevej Road to be transformed
into the 32m tall place of worship for the city’s Muslims. The building’s frontal facade will be 13m tall,
while the blue dome stretching another 24m up. The mosque will also have two minarets at a height of
32m. The minarets will be largely symbolic as they will not be used to call people to prayer, reports TV2
News.
The building will include a prayer room, amphitheatre, conference centre, library and housing quarters for
visiting imams. The project is being organised by the Ahlul Bait Association and is expected to cost about
50 million kroner, which will be funded through private donations. Klaus Bondam, head of the city’s
technical and environmental department, said: ‘Copenhagen has a cathedral, a Russian church, a
synagogue and of course we should also have a new mosque. I hope it will be a place that’s full of life and
inviting to show that Copenhagen is a diverse city’.
In:
http://www.cphpost.dk/culture/culture/122-culture/46717-mosque-being-built-in-copenhagen.html
29.08.2009
retrieved
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5.1. The Proposal of Banning Burka in France
i) French minister calls for full ban on burka – according to the country's Muslim minister for urban
regeneration, Fadela Amara, who is of Algerian descent, an outright ban of the wearing of the burka in
France would help stem the spread of the "cancer" of radical Islam. She said the veil and headscarf
combination covering everything but the eyes represented "the oppression of women, their enslavement,
their humiliation".
In an interview with the Financial Times, Ms Amara said she was "in favour of the burka not existing in my
country". Along with sexual oppression and poverty, she said, Muslim women suffered "a third form of
oppression - extreme religiosity, the presence of fundamentalist groups who continue to propagate their
discourse". France was a beacon for an enlightened Islam at ease with modernity, so it was necessary to
fight the "gangrene, the cancer of radical Islam which completely distorts the message of Islam", she said.
Getting rid of the burka would help women to stand up to the extremists within their communities, she
argued. "The vast majority of Muslims are against the burka. It is obvious why. Those who have struggled
for women's rights back home in their own countries - I'm thinking particularly of Algeria - we know what
it represents and what the obscurantist political project is that lies behind it, to confiscate the most
fundamental liberties." She also said she did not regard the burka as a religious symbol or as a piece of
clothing but instead as an instrument of subordination used by Islamic fundamentalists. Ms Amara added:
"The burka represents not a piece of fabric but the political manipulation of a religion that enslaves
women and disputes the principal of equality between men and women, one of the founding principles of
our republic."
In: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6f953d3a-8933-11de-b50f-00144feabdc0.html retrieved on 16.08.2009
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6. Interfaith Dialogue and Events Related to It
i) Christians, Muslims forging new bonds in Southland – Southern California has long been on the
front lines of religious and cultural diversity and the challenges and promises that brings. Locally,
interfaith strains surfaced in 2006 when Jewish leaders objected to plans by the Los Angeles County
Human Relations Commission to honor a prominent Muslim leader, Maher Hathout, who had spoken
critically of Israel. Christian and Muslim leaders came to Hathout's defense, saying that he had long
backed interfaith engagement and had spoken out against terrorism and radical Islam. The award was
ultimately upheld, but some tensions remain.
A new effort is unfolding among Christians and Muslims to build additional bridges at a time when
President Obama has made reaching out to the Islamic world a national priority. Southern California
religious leaders said they viewed the president's speech as an affirmation of their work. The next step will
unfold in the months ahead when local churches and mosques will be asked to work together in a new
educational program called Standing Together.
Members of a relatively new organization called the Christian-Muslim Consultative Group have developed
the program and say they hope it will become a national model. In seven sessions, the program seeks to
educate Christians and Muslims about one another's beliefs and customs, and to encourage dialogue and
understanding that lead to concrete cooperative actions.
The challenges are formidable. For decades, interfaith talks here have produced soaring rhetoric and
polished statements. But polls have indicated that despite the intentions and efforts of religious leaders, a
good deal of ignorance and misunderstanding about other faiths remain in the pews. The Standing
Together program does not include discussion of political issues, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or
the lack of religious freedom for non-Muslims in some Muslim-majority countries.
In: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs3-2009aug03,0,2619089.story retrieved on 04.08.2009
7. General Issues
i) Demographics: Young Muslims situated around 11% of the World's Population – CNN
published a map on their site showing the percentages of Muslim youth around the world. For every
country the map gives the total population, percentage of Muslims and percentage of Muslims under 25
out of the total population. The list of the countries with over 60% young Muslims is a list of the hotspots around the world: Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia.
For example, turning to Europe, the numbers are as follows:
France - 8% Muslims, 2.38% Muslim youth (30% youth out of Muslim population)
UK - 3% Muslims, 0.93% Muslim youth (31% youth out of Muslim population)
Sweden - 3% Muslims, 0.92%, Muslim youth (31% youth out of Muslim population)
Norway - 2% Muslims, 0.66% Muslim youth (33% youth out of Muslim population)
Denmark - 2% Muslims, 0.6% Muslim youth (30% youth out of Muslim population)
Germany - 4% Muslims, 0.98% Muslim youth (25% youth out of Muslim population)
Austria - 4% Muslims, 0.41% Muslim youth (10% youth out of Muslim population)
Netherlands - 4% Muslims, 1.19% Muslim youth (30% youth out of Muslim population)
Belgium - 4% Muslims, 1.14% Muslim youth (28% youth out of Muslim population)
In other words, it looks like the general trend/average is that about 30% of the Muslim population
consists of young people under 25. Some of the estimates for the general Muslim population seem a bit
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off. Belgium is said to have 6% Muslims, the Netherlands 5% and Denmark 3-4%. The percentages for
France and the UK seem to be the high-side estimates.
Worldwide, CNN reports Muslim youth make up 11% of the population. Dr. Weeks say they estimate
3,079,575,000 people under 25, of whom 837,985,353 are Muslim. That is, 27% of the worldwide
population under 25 is Muslim.
In Europe they estimate 103,839,236 people under 25, of whom 5,286,539 are Muslim (5%). Including
Turkey and Russia, there are estimated to be 178,415,236 people under 25, of whom 41,958,479 are
Muslim (24%). Most of these are in Turkey, where almost 43% of the population is Muslims under 25.
In: http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/demographics-muslim-youth-5.html retrieved on 18.08.2009
ii) New PBS film about Muslims – "On a Wing and A Prayer" is an intimate, funny family feature that
takes its viewers into the sky with Monem Salam as he follows his American Dream of obtaining a pilot
license even as he draws the attention of the FBI. The film carries viewers deep into the life of the Salam
family in the small town of Bellingham, Washington, not only shattering stereotypes about Muslim
Americans, but also by sharing their unique personal narratives.
The film tells an emotionally uplifting story about the fears, hopes, and aspirations of a Muslim man and
his family attempting to achieve their simple, yet increasingly challenging, dreams. Since its broadcast into
dozens of markets via PBS, "On a Wing and A Prayer" has been a big success with interfaith and outreach
organizations.
The film, produced by Unity Productions Foundation, is now used in a nationwide interfaith dialogue
project called "20,000 Dialogues." "20,000 Dialogues" is like a book club using film. It’s based on the
premise that an entertaining film about Muslims combined with dialogue can help to shift some of the
negative attitudes and opinions people hold about Islam and Muslims.
The film has been used for more than 40 community-based interfaith and civic dialogues, and dozens of
living room dialogues. As one of the participants shared after one such dialogue, "Thanks for sharing your
feelings with us, I didn’t know Muslims had any." This sort of reaction is quite common with participants
whose main exposure to Muslims comes from the mass media. "These sorts of comments are frequent at
dialogues with ‘On a Wing and a Prayer,’" commented Daniel Tutt, the project manager of 20,000
Dialogues. "The film has not only enabled people to create dialogue using the medium of an entertaining
film, it’s also enabled participants to see Muslims in a new way."
Not only does the film help to break down barriers of misunderstanding, the dialogue format encourages
participants to sustain their curiosity and think of new ways to combat stereotypes of Muslims and others.
One participant commented after the event, "At the end of the discussion, people were very excited to
speak about ‘takeaways’ and action items."
In: http://www.infocusnews.net/content/view/38481/1174/ retrieved on 20.08.2009
iii) World’s first Muslim superheroes, the 99, out to conquer the West – An animated series is being
produced by Endemol, the Dutch company that made Big Brother internationally ubiquitous where
Muslim superheroes are fighting for truth, justice and the Islamic way. Its mission: to instil old-fashioned
Islamic values in Christian, Jewish and atheist children. The story follows a group of preternaturally gifted
Muslims: The 99, each with a superpower that mirrors one of the 99 attributes of Allah. The cast includes
Jabbar, a Saudi Arabian Hulk-type figure with an improbable physique, and Darr the Afflicter, a paraplegic
American who can manipulate nerve endings with his mind to trigger pain. There is also a character in a
burka — Batina the Hidden. The 99 has faced resistance in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia,
where it was only passed by the country’s censors when it gained financing from an Islamic bank with a
Sharia board. There will never be 99 characters because it is forbidden to depict all of Allah’s attributes.
In:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6802598.ece
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retrieved
on
22.08.2009
iv) NATO chief Rasmussen underlines his ‘respect for Islam’ – NATO Secretary General Anders
Fogh Rasmussen, who when in office as Danish prime minister sparked ire in the Muslim world because
of the Danish cartoon controversy, said during a visit to Turkey that he had "respect for Islam as one of
the world’s great religions". Rasmussen, whose candidacy as NATO chief was initially blocked by Turkey
before US president Barack Obama brokered a deal, made the comment at an Iftar meal, an evening
dinner traditional during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
He said at the dinner, attended by Turkish leaders: "Fasting is meant to teach patience, modesty, selfrestraint and giving and reaching out to the less fortunate. These are all universal human values that go
beyond cultures and religions". Today’s Zaman said that during his visit, Ankara would suggest to
Rasmussen that he organise a joint conference by Nato and the OIC to discuss misunderstandings
between the Western and Muslim worlds.
In: http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/08/28/775942_nato-chief-rasmussen-underlines-his-respect-for-islam retrieved on 29.08.2009
v) Holocaust's untold heroes: Their story is rarely told, but Albanian Muslims took in fleeing Jews
during World War II, saving thousands of lives – When no other European country dared to
withstand the wrath of Nazi Germany, it was the Muslims of Albania who saved a large number of Jewish
people from extermination. Albania, a Muslim majority country in Europe, opened its borders during
World War II and took in thousands of Jews fleeing from different countries. They were treated like
honored guests, and many were given fake names and even passports.
This little-known chapter of history is the focus of the photographic exhibition Besa: Muslims Who Saved
Jews During the Holocaust , which kicked off in July at the Holocaust Museum Houston and continues
through February. The exhibition displays photographs taken by Norman Gershman, a Jewish
photographer based in Colorado, who traveled to Albania in 2003 to research the topic
These stories have remained unknown for decades, even to students of the Holocaust. Rob Satloff,
director of the Washington Institute of Near East Policy in Washington, D.C., offers an explanation.
“First, we — Jews, Israelis, Western historians — didn't look very hard,” Satloff said. “And second, they
— Arabs and Muslims, even those who rescued Jews — often did not want to be found. The result is a
tacit conspiracy of silence about this lost chapter from the Holocaust.” Satloff wrote the book Among the
Righteous: Lost Stories from the Holocaust's Long Reach into Arab Lands. Ellen Kennedy, interim director of the
Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota, believes these stories
remained untold because many surviving Jews and Albanians were reluctant to share them. “When
survivors first began speaking about their experiences in the years immediately after the war, they were
met with disbelief,” Kennedy said. “The public simply could not imagine that such horrors occurred.”
Gershman's work is an attempt at building bridges between Muslims and people of Jewish faith. “Islam
and Judaism are Abrahamic faiths, and we have lot of things in common,” said Dr. Aziz Siddiqui,
president of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston. “We must strive to highlight these as Gershman has
done and avoid everything that tends to divide us.”
In: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6592238.html retrieved on 30.08.2009
Compiled by:
Abdula Manafi Mutualo,
Secretary of the Observatory
Culture and Social Affairs Department
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