Iftikhar
Age: 83
Total Posts: 96
Points: 0
Location:
United Kingdom, United Kingdom
The demand for state funded Muslim schools with Muslim teachers is nothing to do with
segregation or integration. It is purely an educational issue. Muslim children
must develop their cultural, linguistic and spiritual identity before they are
exposed to outside world, otherwise, they would be lost in western
jungle. Islamic studies must be a compulsory subject in all western schools and at the same time Muslim
children must have their own schools with their own teachers. Why can't each
nationality and religion keep its own identity. The animal world can see it. Of
the 40 species of sparrows they will not cross breed. This will keep the beauty
of each bird. People should learn from them. Human rights are protected for minority communities in a country. The customs of the majority do
not get special protection. Why? Because they are the customs of the majority,
which already tend to be dominant if not dominating. It is precisely because of
the tendency of majority cultural norms to be dominating that international
human rights laws protect minority communities from them. I see human rights
violations along two lines here: (1) the handshaking ritual is clearly a form of
ritualized (silent) nationalist oath, enacted in a daily way at school,
something that religious people do not have to engage in as they are able to
show support for the nation otherwise and it is usually read as a violation of
their religious right to hold God above everything, even the state; and (2) the
right to the physical integrity of one's personal body cannot be violated by the
state or the majority community without significant cause, e.g., a violent act,
which might allow a state to put a citizen in prison. Children being forced to
have physical contact with an adult against their will and the customs of their
community, or even just in general -- even in a handshaking ritual -- can have
emotionally damaging effects on children That the handshaking is expressed and
explained as a nationalist ritual is significant. There is no such thing as an
insignificant ritual of forced physical
obedience. Multiculturalism is not about integration but about cultural plurality. It is not about
separation but about respect and the deepening awareness of Unity in Diversity.
Each culture will maintain its own intrinsic value and at the same time would be
expected to contribute to the benefit of the whole society. Multiculturalism can
accommodate diversity of all kinds – cultural, philosophical and religious – so
that we can create a world without conflict and strife. Britain can assume the
role of accommodation and concern for all peoples, for our planet and indeed for
our survival. Multi-Culturalism is even more important and crucial after 9/11
and 7/7. Muslim youths are also likely to feel alienated by a focus on shared
Brutishness, rather than multicultural diversity. Rather than promoting a single
British “us” teaching should acknowledge that “us” can be diverse and plural.
Children should be encouraged to explore differences in appearance, history and
religion to reduce social and educational
fears. A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village. The whole world belongs to Muslims. West
must learn to respect and tolerate those who are different.
Muslims are part and parcel of the western society. Muslim community needs Masajid, state funded
Muslim schools with Muslim teachers, halal meat, sharia laws, time off on Friday
afternoon prayers in the Masjid, two official religious holidays per year and
Muslim cemeteries. Muslim children must develop their cultural, linguistic and
spiritual identities before they are exposed to wider society, otherwise, the
future generations would be lost in western jungle.
Muslim population is on the increase in all western countries because of immigration,
high birth rate and conversion. There will never be an end to immigration from
Muslim countries. Islamic studies should be a compulsory subject in all schools
and colleges for the benefit of the western people and Muslim children should
have their own state funded Muslim schools with Muslim teachers where they could
develop their cultural, linguistic and spiritual identities, otherwise, they
would be lost in western jungle. Muslim schools are nothing to do with
segregation or integration. It is purely an educational issue.
I have been campaigning for state funded Muslim schools since early 70s. I set up the first
Muslim school in London in 1981. At the time of 9/11, there were only 54 schools
and now there are 188 full time Muslim schools and only 28 are state funded. I
would like to see each and every Muslim child in a state funded Muslim school. I
hope one day my dream would come true. There are hundreds of state schools where
Muslim pupils are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be opted out
as Muslim Academies. IA http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk
