A row over a primary school teaching tolerance of same-sex relationships has exposed weird fissures in Birmingham’s politics
the massacre of Muslims in New Zealand last month, representatives of five other faiths stood in front of Birmingham Central Mosque and proclaimed their solidarity, as worshippers streamed out of midday prayers. “O Lord, keep us and preserve us in life and in security,” intoned Yossi Jacobs, an Orthodox rabbi. Soon after, the routine business of this bustling hub resumed.
Guardians of the city’s Muslim community say they themselves can help tackle the problems of crime and extremism. As Muhammad Afzal, the central mosque’s chairman, is keen to recall, his establishment has led efforts to dissuade people from joining the war in Syria. It has also steered an inter-faith campaign against knife crime in the city.
Amra Bone, one of the central mosque’s leaders , retorts that a rich woman may fare better under Islamic rules than British law. She adds that, like it or not, young Muslims use theto legitimise relationships that might not be permanent, which they call “halal dating”. Aina Khan, a Muslim lawyer who leads a campaign to make all marriages state-registered, is unconvinced. For her, halal dating is a cynical practice: “God is not fooled.
The parents are warmly praised by Tahir Alam, a Muslim educationalist who was barred from Birmingham’s teaching system in 2015 after an inquiry into attempts to Islamise state schools. “Education should be done with the community, not to the community,” he argues. “And in Islam, it’s not okay to be in a gay relationship.” Mr Alam also defends the effort he led to introduce more Islam into city schools: it helped improve dismal standards, he says.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Pakistan court rules teenage Hindu girls converted to Islam voluntarilyTwo Pakistani Hindu sisters whose parents said they were kidnapped and forced to...
Read more »
Nipsey Hussle memorial: LAPD and Nation of Islam will provide securityThere will be extensive security presence at the memorial at Staples Center for Nipsey Hussle as well as a procession from the memorial through the streets of South L.A.
Read more »
Duncan Hunter draws bigotry accusations for tying opponent to PLORep. Duncan Hunter is facing new accusations of bigotry after again suggesting that a Democratic opponent is advancing an Islamist political agenda
Read more »
France’s Islamophobia and its roots in French colonialismThe Australian who carried out the terrorist attack in Christchurch was influenced by French Islamophobes, but just how far back does the country’s antipathy towards Islam go?
Read more »
Funeral procession will follow Nipsey Hussle’s Staples Center memorialNipsey Hussle’s memorial service at Staples Center today will be followed by a procession through South Los Angeles. LAPD and the Nation of Islam will provide security during the procession.
Read more »
ISIS militant who allegedly let girl die of thirst faces trial in landmark caseJennifer W. was allegedly a member of the ISIS 'morality police' and is charged with allegedly murdering a five-year-old Yazidi allegedly enslaved in her home in Iraq.
Read more »