Multi-faith Schools

[Iftikhar]

. Multi-faith Schools

• A Muslim charity In Swindon is bidding to run the first Multi-faith Muslim School for Muslim and non-Muslim children and have teachers from different faiths. An hour of the timetable each day would be dedicated to studying Arabic and the Holy Quran. Non-Muslims pupils would be able to be exempted from the lessons, but it is hoped that the majority would choose to stay in class to gain more “insight” into the Islamic faith.

• In my opinion, Multifaith school is not going to be successful because non-Muslim parents would not send their children. In the past, a plan for a Multi-faith secondary school in Westminster for 1000 pupils could not be materialised because faith groups could not come to any agreement. Now even Hindu community has set up state funded school in Harrow. Black community is also thinking of setting up its own school with Black teachers.

• According to David Lammy MP, there are still too many inequalities in the education system which prevents disadvantaged children from applying to study for a degree. British schooling is wholly responsible for the inequalities. A culture of low expectation and a lack of rigour holding these pupils back. Every child must reach his full potential regardless of his background. Justice Secretary Jack Straw MP said British society should be one which recognizes and celebrates differences. One in which we all have an opportunity to flourish, regardless of who we are or where we are from. British schooling has been trying to integrate and assimilate Muslim community through education in the name of integration. The Imams and Masajid have been playing their parts to keep Islamic faith alive, but that is not enough. British schooling does not promote global cohesion. It does not encourage dialogue and increases understanding.

• Bilingual Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. They need to learn and be well versed in Standard English to follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. They need to learn and be well versed in Arabic to recite and understand the Holy Quran. They need to learn and be well versed in Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.
• Iftikhar Ahmad

[CavJohn]

In my day we went to school to learn the 3 R's in order to build a future for ourselves.
I went to Sunday School to learn the faith side of life.

[Iftikhar]

Salaam

Muslim schools are not only faith schools but more or less bilingual schools. Priority is given to the teaching of English to follow the National Curriculum and also to the teaching of Arabic, Urdu and other community languages to keep the children in touch with their cultural roots and to enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.

Without state funded Muslim schools the Muslim community will be lost in western jungle.

[digitaltoast]

Bilingual Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teache

Oh dear, here we go again:
No they don't - they need to learn English. Faith-based education has no place in ANY state funded school. Education about faith is a different matter, but I find it intolerable that anyone would even dare to suggest state funding. If you want to build it, you fund it. How's the Oxford Road and Green Road Mosques coming along?

If anyone cares, you can follow this same posting by Iftikhar at any of the following (and more)
http://www.talkjesus.com/lounge/25024-m ... hools.html
http://www.politicsandcurrentaffairs.co ... hools.html
http://www.thepreciousnetwork.com/forum ... th-schools

[gilly]

You want it, you fund it!!! Grrrr

[Iftikhar]

Salaam

The demand for state funded Muslim school is in accordance with the law of the land. Muslim community is not asking for any favour. Muslim community is working for the economic prosperity of the British society by paying all sorts of taxes.

[Iftikhar]

Salam

We would like to wish you a HAPPY New YEAR. ALLAH shower His blessing upon you all-Ameen

[OLDMAN]

The Australian View – (it was in the news!!)

Prime Minister John Howard - Australia

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: ' IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.'

' This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'

' We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!'

' Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'

' We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.'

' This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,

' THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.'

' If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'

[Iftikhar]

Salaam

The demand for state funded Muslim schools comes from Muslim parents who want their children in a safe environment with an Islamic ethos. It is in accordance with the law of the Land. They are not asking for any special favour. Parnets see Muslim schools where children can develop their Islamic identity where they won't feel stigmatised for being Muslim and they can feel confident about their faith. Muslim schools are working to try to create a bridge between communities.

There is a belief among many ethnic minority parents that the British schooling does not adequatly address their cultural needs . Failing to meet this need could result in fueling resentment among a group who already feel excluded. Setting up a school is a defensive response.

The native Austrialians, American Indians and black community have been deprived of their cultures, languages and faiths. They have been forced to adopt western cultures, faiths and languages but still they are the under dogs of Austrian and American societies.

Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools because western schooling is the home of institutional racism. They are victim of racism, undermining their self-confidence and self-esteem. Majority of them leave schools with low grades because monolingual teachers are not capable of teaching standard English to bilingual children. At the same time they leave schools without learning Arabic, Urdu and other community languages, making them cut off from their cultural roots and are unable to enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.

Muslim community in the west ought to be recognised as a western faith community, not as an alien culture. Islam is not about ghettoes, Islam is about being part of society and contributing to every aspect of society. But the attitude of the western societies is hostile towards Masajif, Imams and Muslim schools. Muslim community is well integrated but its integration is not sufficiently acknowledged. Westerners think that they are superior than people from other countries and cultures.

A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village. He/she does not belong to East or West.

[Warren]

"Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented."

What, in the transcripts of the court cases?

If they were fine upstanding Christians, they wouldn't have been down-under in the first place

[digitaltoast]

The demand for state funded Muslim schools comes from Muslim parents who want their children in a safe environment with an Islamic ethos. It is in accordance with the law of the Land. They are not asking for any special favour.

There you go with the word "demand" again.

Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools because western schooling is the home of institutional racism.

You seem really unhappy here. Perhaps another more Muslim-friendly country might suit you better? All of the following have benefited from the richness of a near-exclusive Muslim population: Sudan; Somalia; Iran; Iraq; Afghanistan; Pakistan etc. In fact, so I'm not seen as being controversial, I'm going to quote from the CIA World Fact book (2007) - here are a list of countries in order of Islamic population

20%: hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, & church and synagogue burnings (Ethiopia).
40%, Widespread massacres, relentless terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare (Lebanon, Chad, Bosnia).
From 60%: unfettered persecution of non-believers and other religions, sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Shariah law as a weapon and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels (Albania, Malaysia, Qatar, Sudan).
At 80%: State-run ethnic cleansing and genocide (Palestine, Turkey, Egypt, Gaza, Indonesia, Pakistan, UAE, Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Bangladesh.)
100% - the peace of Dar-es-Salaam, the Islamic House of Peace; (Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia).

Muslim community in the west ought to be recognised as a western faith community, not as an alien culture. Islam is not about ghettoes, Islam is about being part of society and contributing to every aspect of society.

Are you thinking more of demanding not to wash hands when working in hospital, of handling alcohol when working in a supermarket, or just shouting "how dare you come to a Muslim area" like Abu Izzadeen shouted at the home secretary when he visited Leytonstone, east London?

But the attitude of the western societies is hostile towards Masajif, Imams and Muslim schools. Muslim community is well integrated but its integration is not sufficiently acknowledged. Westerners think that they are superior than people from other countries and cultures.

Any wonder?! No one group in the UK has demanded (and got) so much respect and given so little back. You even get messages of Happy Ede and Ramadan on the PMs Youtube channel - no other faith gets a lookin! And it's just that when we read stuff from your Holy Book like this, is there any wonder that we get a little bristly?
"Enmity and hatred will reign between us until ye believe in Allah alone." (Qur'an 60:4)
"Fight the unbelievers in your surroundings, and let them find harshness in you." (Qur'an 9:123)
"For he who believes in the Trinity, "the Fire will be his abode … a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemer." Qur'an (5:72-73)

So, there you go. I'm sorry our shameful government has given you false promise of a gradual Islamification of the UK. It will not happen - our freedoms, our tolerance and our values will not let it happen. I suggest a more productive venture for you might be to look at how you can integrate into your host country, or look around for another place to go. And I think (in fact I know) that for all the handwringing and minor palpitations a few people reading this might suffer, if they can actually stop their knees jerking for just long enough to engage a brain cell, you'd probably find the majority in agreement with this opinion.

[Netizen]

Nice!

[smiff]

Warren, you guys should sign up digitaltoast. I'd forget your namby enviro-policies for a moment and vote for you (actually, I walk to work, so rarely use the car, but that's not the point). dt's post here has restored my faith in common sense. Good man!

[Warren]

Warren, you guys should sign up digitaltoast.

This is a man who quotes from the CIA World 'Fact' Book

[digitaltoast]

Warren, you guys should sign up digitaltoast.

This is a man who quotes from the CIA World 'Fact' Book

And what's wrong with it? Many newspapers use it for reference, especially The Guardian. And TVU have it listed as a resource in the LRC.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publication ... -factbook/

Why do you suddenly seem uncomfortable around facts?

[Warren]

Why do you suddenly seem uncomfortable around facts?

I am when you quote CIA and The Guardian in the same sentence. I trust neither of them, especially when it comes to telling us "the facts".

At least they've changed the entry that said that the UK gained it's independence in 1801.

[smiff]

I'm with you on the Guardian. Can't stand that comic. Apart from their online obo cricket coverage, which is occasionally quite amusing.

[sambuca]

I think this author is using one of these

[digitaltoast]

I think this author is using one of these

A mouse on a fishing rod?! Yes, he seems to have spun off onto another thread, too.

Why do you suddenly seem uncomfortable around facts?

I am when you quote CIA and The Guardian in the same sentence. I trust neither of them, especially when it comes to telling us "the facts".

You'll have to forgive me - I had just had one of my forays into trying to reason with conspiracy theorists - it angers the blood, I tell you!

I'm with you on the Guardian. Can't stand that comic. Apart from their online obo cricket coverage, which is occasionally quite amusing.

Talking of comic and Guardian, what the HELL is Doonesbury about? It has NOTHING to recommend it. Awful.

Now, back to the point - if you REALLY want a robust view on Islam in Europe, here's Pat Condell's latest following this new item (scroll down after watching)


When I saw the figures this morning, it had had 66,000 views in 24 hours and had the following stats (there are "global", not just by category, which makes it even more impressive)
#1 - Most Discussed (Today)
#1 - Top Favorited (Today)
#1 - Top Rated (This Week)
#1 - Top Rated (Today)
#1 - Top Rated (Today) - Global

What will happen now is what usually happens with this chap's vids - youtube will receive thousands of "flags" against the vid and take it down. Shortly after, they'll be forced to re-instate it after agreeing that it doesn't actually break any rule. In fact, the Daily Telegraph got involved last time and the National Secular Society are usually quick to mobilise when youtube takes a vid of his down, too.

My point? This is the UK. This is Europe. This is not Eurabia. And I have a question for anyone who watched the video above:
Be honest: Was your initial reaction that the video was offensive and racist? If so, stop and go back through it, point by point, fact by fact.
Surprised at yourself?
You see, when you stop to THINK before having a kneejerk reaction, the world becomes a better place

[Les]

I have to say Digi that I was not offended by it at all, I thought that what he is saying makse a lot of sense.
Mind you, he does look a bit like me doesn't he, it must be the haircut!

[OLDMAN]

Ah Les I'm disappointed - I thought it was you all along??

[sambuca]

Les, I thought you were this Les.

[Les]

Watch it Sam, you might get you Hob Nob dunked!