While it may have been written 14 centuries ago, the letter Khalifah Ali ibn Abi Talib wrote to Malik Ashtar is just as, if not even more relevant to us today.
May Allah SWT help us return to the noble wisdom of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his loyal companions, may Allah bless them.
Co-Director, The Association of British Muslims
Director, Khilafah Online
By Tehmina Kazi
Director, bmsd
The issue of campus extremism is never far from the spotlight, and the Government’s recent review of the “Preventing Violent Extremism” strategy has once again brought it to the fore. A myriad of organisations have lamented long and hard about sectarian attitudes emanating from certain Muslim students (as well as some of the speakers that have been invited to address student Islamic society events). It has been difficult for stakeholders to negotiate an appropriate balance between liberty and security on this issue. For example, the Home Secretary described some universities as “complacent” in their approach.
Conversely, the previous Prevent strategy was (rightly) criticised for its over-reliance on surveillance technology. For every stellar leadership project funded by Prevent, there was an equivalent project which ended up shattering trust. A pertinent example was recorded at a college in northern England, where a student who attended a Palestine meeting was reported by one lecturer as a “potential extremist” (it turned out that he was not). Greater clarity, consistency, and grassroots engagement are required to break the current impasse.
Firstly, there needs to be a consensus as to what constitutes unacceptable speech and behaviour on campus. This is particularly relevant to discussion of the protected equality characteristics i.e. gender, race, disability, religion and belief, sexual orientation and age. The Universities UK report, “Freedom of Speech on campus: rights and responsibilities in UK universities” (February 2011) draws the line at behaviour “which has the purpose or effect of violating another’s dignity or creating a hostile, intimidating, offensive, or humiliating environment.” All students – regardless of their background or beliefs – must be mindful of this when inviting particular speakers to their events. There is much talk of the invitees’ individual rights, including freedom of speech, but less emphasis on their concomitant responsibilities (as per the Qur’anic injunction that mentions “wisdom and beautiful preaching.”).
Secondly, the same standards must apply to all campus stakeholders, no matter which religion or ideology they represent (or claim to represent). Reciprocity should be the main guiding principle here; it is crucial that different groups on campus should apply the same high standard of behaviour to their own representatives as they do to others. Inflammatory, sectarian and divisive attitudes must be opposed across the board. Therefore, it is puzzling that the November 2007 Oxford Union debate between BNP leader Nick Griffin and historian David Irving (who served a prison sentence in Austria after being convicted of Holocaust denial) was allowed to go ahead. Much of the media focus has been on Muslim extremism, but the forty universities who responded to the Universities UK survey stated that the most common type of challenge they faced was “in connection with animal rights”. It is staggering that this finding has not received greater coverage in the mainstream media.
Thirdly, good practice manuals need to be distributed more widely (particularly those written by individual students themselves). Between May 2009 and March 2011, I acted as a consultant and facilitator for the Citizenship Foundation’s “Young Muslim Leadership Network” which featured three groups of Muslim students, all aged 16 to 21. One of the groups came up with a good practice guide, entitled “How can University Islamic Societies be more inclusive?”. In addition, Campus Salam, an initiative run by the Lokahi Foundation, has produced guidance for students on the etiquettes of debate and disagreement. This stresses the principle of reciprocity mentioned above: “Are you fair and even-handed, or are you judging them in a way you don’t judge your own group?”
Finally, substantial research has been conducted on the psychology of extremism, but there should be greater coverage of the findings in mainstream media platforms. Cambridge University researcher Shahzad Shafqat has conducted an international study on this issue, focusing on extreme positive behaviour as well as extreme negative behaviour.
He states, “We have to accept that extremism – positive and negative – is part of the human condition, just as stress and anger are also part of being human. You can’t eradicate these things but, by understanding them, you can learn to manage them”. Rather than exclusively relying on the superficial explanations given for extremism, we should give this kind of introspection the importance it deserves.
Some comments from Shiekh Muhammad Amin Evans of the Britslam Partnership regarding a few issues that came up during the AOBM / NUPSA conference, United for Pakistan held on Monday at Portcullis House in Westminster. The Association of British Muslims will shortly be releasing an official statement.
At AoBM’s conference ‘United for Pakistan?’, in the House of Commons yesterday, Deputy High Commissioner Asif Durrani stated that the most common experience of crime for Pakistanis is that perpetrated by near relatives. While this would be a poor reason for not dealing with the extremism, torture and extra-judicial killings that have disabled Pakistan’s society and marred its international reputation it is a valid observation that endorses my own work experience, sharing and implementing shari’ah rulings, of many Pakistani, although not exclusively, families. A functional family unit is the essential building-block of a wholesome society and it is clear that where dysfunctional families abound social order suffers. Even where families are apparently stable the customary use of force and torture are injustices that spread from the shelter of the home to undermine a nation’s social and humanitarian values.
The Islamic model of the family is a structure built with rights, duties and obligations applied to and respected by all its members. It is the nature of this structure that human dignity and status are not merely recognised but also enhanced. Even a servant may become a member of such a household. However, all too often rights and duties are applied selectively and obligations are held to be duties to serve the needs of a rigidly unjust patriarchal family structure dominated by a male-gaze.
Male and female heads of families feel entitled to excessively misuse the limited Islamic right to use corporal punishment, conceived to deter immoral behaviour, as a means to enforce their own sense of importance and interests upon weaker or vulnerable relatives. Children are brainwashed and brow-beaten into believing that such hierarchical and gender based injustice is ‘Islamic’ and acceptable. Thus, in extreme cases, as adults they are coerced into unsuitable marriages, or to maintain loveless or violent marriages, inheritance rights are voided, inter-sibling violence erupts, self-respect is destroyed and with it the respect for law and humanity. Although, these are extreme cases the belief culture that relies upon misinterpretations of Islamic texts and false honour values to spawn them is all too common.
Parents and elder relatives do not have the right to be obeyed absolutely. Parents do have the right to be respected and not treated rudely but this does not extend to their bad guidance being followed or their wrong deeds being praiseworthy. Muslim children should remember that on the last of days they will be called upon to give evidence against themselves and their loved ones. It is our belief that if they have aided and enabled their parents to do wrong, they will all be accountable before a Judge who sees through the cloaks of lies and false honour.
The aim of the conference was to see how British Muslims might help and support our brothers and sisters in and from Pakistan. While we can, and should, talk about a fairer and more prosperous economy to promote peaceful and law-abiding societies free from the threats of corruption and terrorism there is little that we can do as voluntary organisations or as individuals to implement such sound advice. Where we can have an immediate and important effect is in our homes and neighbourhoods by conducting our family affairs according to moral Islamic principles rather than feudal customs, expecting this of our friends and demanding that our governments, like good parents, do the same.
Today is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia and AOBM would like to make a small contribution to this important day. Here is a short correspondence between Paul Salahuddin Armstrong, Co-Director of the Association of British Muslims and I, a British Muslim about LGBT people and faith, we hope it can help a spread a message of acceptance and understanding.
To Paul from I:
assalaamu alaykum
I also am against those posters that were put up in london. i dont see any benefit in them. i do not disagree with the content only the methodology used to preech that message. I hate the sin not the sinner
the BBC has quoted your organisation as saying that homosexuality is not forbidden in the Quran. “There is nothing in the Koran against Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) people,” said Mohammed Abbasi, co-director of the Association of British Muslims.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12526820 after reading this i began to read the articles on your website
below are quran ayats directly mentioning men having sex with men
“We also sent Lut : He said to his people : “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.” Quran 7:80-81
Allah Most High says: “Do you approach the males of humanity, leaving the wives that Allah has created for you? But you are a people who transgress” Quran 26:165-66
jazakallahu khaira
I
To I from Paul:
Salaam alaikum I,
Thank you for getting in contact with us. I understand your perspective on this, it is indeed one shared by many Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. In reference to the Qur’anic ayats you’ve quoted, I have read the Qur’an and wasn’t unaware of these verses. However, the key as always is in the interpretation. If someone is already biased against LGBT people, it’s pretty obvious how they’re likely to interpret the verses. On the other hand, if one starts out with an open mind and reflects upon what the verses are actually saying, one can see there is far more to them than initially meets the eye…
Consider, “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?” – Homosexuality is not new and has been known to be around since the very earliest days. So, what could this sentence mean? Surely, the “lewdness” alluded to here, is something very much out of the ordinary, something far more strange than private relationships between LGBT people. No, this indicates something more akin to public orgies, in which it wouldn’t matter whether hetero or homosexual acts were taking place. Most people, gay or straight would find this offensive and completely unacceptable.
Another point to consider is the second part of the same ayat - would it be okay to practice our lusts on women? As in Judaism and Christianity, any kind of sex outside of marriage has traditionally been regarded as sinful in Islam. That is not to say it never happened of course, but this was the line scholars and clerics adopted in many religious traditions, not only Islam. The Qur’an doesn’t say anything specifically about “LGBT” people, the term isn’t even found in the Holy Qur’an. From what we read about the people of Lot (Lut), their society had a lot of issues… As the text implies, the people were basically having orgies in the streets, and not limiting their sexual practices in any respects – even wanting to have sex with the angels who were visiting Lot, basically wanting to rape them. I do not see how this remotely compares with civilised LGBT people today. The two scenarios are really quite different!
All the very best, wa Salaam,
Paul
From I to Paul:
wasalaam
The best thing for the both of us to do is to sit at the feet of a scholar of islam and learn from him. if we are unable to do that then we should use reliable (tafaseer) commentaries of the quran.
I have no bias as I used to be a athiest darwinian before becoming muslim and i hate the sin not the sinner.
Your approach of being open minded is an excellent one however we should not accept haram as halaal in this endevour.
From Paul to I:
Salaam alaikum I,
Masha Allah. I agree, we should learn from authentic scholars and reliable sources. I have myself been studying Islam for over 11 years, both sitting with scholars such as Shaykh Sufi Muhammad Abdullah Khan, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdul-Hakim Murad, Imam Abdassamad Clarke, Shaykh Abdur-Raheem Green, Shaykh Tahir-ul-Qadri and Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, as well as studying the works of Imam Malik, Imam Ali, Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Imam Ghazali and the writings of more contemporary scholars such as the ones I mentioned previously and others like Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Shaykh Abu Muntasir etc. There is really no substitute for seeking knowledge and understanding oneself.
We should study and reflect as much as we are able, so that as far as is possible, we understand Islam ourselves and do not become overly reliant upon any particular scholars or groups. To err is human and the scholars are human. Each of these scholars also has a cultural background and has studied in particular cultural environments which may also affect their understanding of Islam. Which is why they themselves vary quite markedly in their views. A wise approach to studying the deen, is to ask Allah for guidance, study widely and always refer back to the Holy Qur’an, which is unique in being the divine, pure guidance from Allah. Everything else has been touched by human hands and is thus therefore prone to human error and other faults.
May Allah forgive me if anything I’ve said is wrong… All guidance comes only from Allah and any mistakes are my own.
All the best,
Paul
When a YouTube video emerged last summer showing Pakistani policemen taking turns to beat prisoners in their custody, it sparked a surge of anger among Pakistanis around the world. In the weeks following, a notable pessimism set in as bloggers and commentators mused on the inevitability of police abuse in Pakistan. But for those working towards a fairer Pakistani justice system, including my team at legal action charity Reprieve, these are exciting times — with plenty of reasons for hope.
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are enabling citizens and police alike to communicate and disseminate information like never before, even with limited resources. This means cases of police abuse are better disseminated, increasing debate around an issue that many were previously too scared to raise. Yet there are also many positive stories to be told about the police– real-life day-to-day anecdotes that encourage citizens to trust officers more, and inspire police to be the best they can be.
Positive stories are important because, despite their reputation, many members of the Pakistan Police Force are hard-working, trustworthy pillars of society – the embodiment of the childhood career ambitions of so many. This is despite numerous inadequacies in their employment, notably the low level of financial reward that comes with such responsibility.
Of course there are exceptions. Some corrupt officers demand bribes and abuse those in their custody, and it is these stories that may now be taking permanent residence in many people’s minds. The recently published report by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the incarceration and subsequent torture of Ruby Masih in August 2010 is available to all at www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2010/3595. Following police occupation of her Karachi home, Ruby filed a First Incident Report against those police responsible, which led to her being arrested, allegedly gang raped and held incommunicado for 50 days. It has also emerged that 50 year-old father-of-five Akbar Khan was apparently beaten to death by police in Harbanspura Precinct in February 2010, after allegedly being found to possess a small amount of hashish.
These incidents are crimes committed by corrupt officers and should be treated as such. Yet the fact that they are increasingly emerging into the public domain is the crucial first step. While all police forces struggle to control officers who would abuse their power, it is the persistent cover-ups which have roused so much resentment in Pakistan. And for this, sunlight is the best disinfectant. We’ve seen how the media attention surrounding the Sialkot killings generated debate, demonstrations and much-needed criticism of the officers involved; the police were subsequently disciplined.
That’s why we at Reprieve’s Pakistan Police Torture Project are trying to shine a light on the Pakistan Police Force, for better or for worse. Based in Birmingham in the UK, we are collecting witness statements of both British Pakistanis and Pakistani nationals who have passed through police stations and prisons across Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. With lawyers in the UK and Islamabad, and experience representing those held in Guantanamo Bay, Reprieve is well-placed to assist those who have suffered at the hands of authority. We have helped release many prisoners, including Moazzam Begg and Binyam Mohamed, and taken important confidential testimony about the so-called ‘War on Terror’ from countless more. Personal stories about encounters with the police, both positive and negative, help us to assist prisoners in seemingly hopeless situations.
With your help we can assist people like Ruby, Akbar and the families of those poor boys murdered in the summer of 2010 in Sialkot, and eventually restore trust and transparency in the police force in Pakistan Help us to create pride in a country where so many positive stories still remain to be told.
Our ultimate aim is to have torture abolished and restore trust in the Pakistan Police Force, thereby making life easier for all Pakistanis, British or otherwise. If you too want this, please contact us or visit www.reprieve.org.uk/pakistanpolicetortureproject.
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