I adore your speeches all the ways and I have attended a lot og your lectured around London!
In your opinion, could the strict terrorism laws increase the British Muslim youth's tendency towards extremism in terms of making them feel more isolated and not being welcomed by the British Government?
Answer
Thank you for your kind words sister, to answer your question, absolutely, strict terrorism laws that target a wide section of the community and which are not based on intelligence do create an ‘Us Vs them’ mentality.
This mentality ensures the community does not feel ‘onside’ when it comes to tackling terrorism, but the victim of Government knee jerk pandering to the press for tough laws.
In short it’s completely counter-productive.
Name
Ihsan Khan
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Profession
Question
Dear Asghar,
I would like you to tell us more about MPACUK is it a british Muslims-related NGO? What are its main goles, vision, mission, etc?
W jazak Allah Khayran..
Ihsan
Answer
Ihsan, to answer your question about what is MPACUK and now MPACIE Ireland), it is an organization that was created to teach Muslims both the most practical and logical way to stand up against the attacks against Islam and the Muslims and more importantly, demand the reform of our society and institutions to cope with the world we live in today.
Ask yourself this, how can so many Muslim be murdered, displaced, oppressed, and demonized and yet so many of us are totally inactive and unsure of what we can do. This is basically the fault of our leaders, not just governmental leaders, but leaders at a grass roots level, from Mosque leaders here in the UK to so called Islamic scholars who debate about every minor point of fiqh, teaching us to focus our mind on the minor, when all around us the Muslim world goes up in flames.
So MPAC is here to challenge the people who attack us and to ensure the Muslims leaders are held accountable for their failures in protecting us from that attack. We will demand these changes until we as a people are free.
Name
Mujaahid
- Ireland
Profession
Education
Question
Why do you think Muslims resort to acts of terrorism? What's the root cause?
Answer
Mujahid thanks for your excellent question. The root cause of terrorism is one thing and one thing alone – the barbaric foreign policy of certain western Governments against the Muslim world.
No people on this earth have ever allowed themselves to be murdered and oppressed so brutally without fighting back and the Muslims are no different.
Some groups have resorted to terrorism to fight back an extreme reaction to an extreme action.
Now the Governments of western capitals as well as pro Israel forces within those same circles as well as the Media do not want the general public to know this, for they fear it may lead to the public asking for a change in foreign policy, so they are now blaming ‘extremists’ and "jihadists" and any other word they can invent to explain the problem.
However the fact remains – there is only one solution to breaking the back of terrorism – stop terrorizing Muslims and they won’t react by terrorizing you.
Name
Saleema
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Salam Alikum..
I hope evrything is going fine with MPACUK...
What is your organization's plan for sheding light on the Muslim police officers in UK rights as they are facing a lot of discrimination and also the MET is discrimnating against Muslim citizens..do you agree and hoe can we, Muslims in UK, react?
Answer
Muslims are being discriminated throughout Britain, there is no area in the UK where Muslims do not see their rights as citizens being eroded, the police force is no different.
The reason for this is because Muslims have failed to organise themselves to demand their rights in the face of attack by organised Islamaphobic forces.
Until our so called local Muslim leaders, our mosques and students leaders as well as the many, many other leaders we have are forced to teach us to stand up, get active and fight the racism coming from the Media and certain Governmental circles we will only see our rights slip away until we are in the same position the blacks were in America 50 years ago or worse .. Muslim in Bosnia.
I would urge the Muslims to get organised and start fighting campaigns across Britain to stop any authority or person taking our rights away – including the police.
Complaining is not an option – no human being on earth got their rights by wishing things will change – it only came when they were prepared to stand up and sacrifice and fight back.
In Britain that can be done democratically, by media pressure and by demanding more from our bankrupt so called Muslim leaders.
Name
Mohamed France
- France
Profession
Question
Do you encourage British Muslims to get integrated into society or have their own Muslim community..and how can they reach integration while keeping Islam's rules and obligations?
In france, I can say that Muslims are not integrated enough, how is the case in UK and is london a terrorist enclave?
Answer
Mohamed, London is not a terrorist enclave at all. They need to create fear in the public mind to keep them from asking too many questions and to justify attacks against Muslim countries.
As to the fact should Muslims be involved in mainstream life of Britain and all European countries – my answer is yes, and i also believe they can keep the principles of Islam while doing so.
The only reason why they have not fully integrated is because we took the easy root, we feel safe and take comfort by being with our own, but in my mind this is the road to ruin.
If we do not reach out, get involved in mainstream society, in all areas, including the Media and Politically – those who seek to create an image of the Muslim as an outsider that cannot be trusted will win.
Neither will our own children benefit from learning new ideas and fresh concepts. Our fear of integration is based on nothing but ignorance and poor leadership that failed to challenge that ignorance.
I would say the Muslim Leaders in France are probably as backward as those in Britain. I feel sorry for you.
Name
Qorasheen Khan
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Profession
Question
Asghar, I can't really get your theory of the role of Mosques in UK...it's confusing for me..would you explain??
Answer
Qorasheen, ok allow me to explain. In Britain we the Muslim’s have a billion pounds worth of infrastructure – that could be used to educate us, to organise us and most importantly to protect us.
That infrastructure is called a Mosque. We have 2000 centres where hundreds of thousands of Muslims visit – and yet all they have become are prayer halls for old men to sit in.
They should instead be used as they were in the time of the Prophet PBUH as the centre of all our local community affairs.
When all around us we have so many challenges, we are the most demonised community in Britain, our young people are least educated community in Britain, we have the highest percentage of young in prison, our sisters no nothing about their faith or how to protect it as they are barred from the Mosques – how can we allow the most powerful, well funded, most capable centres within the Muslim world to remain in the hands of incompetent men who have no idea to how to help us.
Imagine 2000 centres across Britain 100,000 across Europe and America all becoming a network of hives educating, and organising our community to face the challenges we so need to face. To become the centres of planning and resistance against our attackers ..imagine the best Muslim brothers and sisters being in control of those mosques and leading our community.
Instead we have village elders who don’t even know how to read. Without change in time of oppression we cannot become free. We brave intelligent leaders to lead our most powerful infrastructure – not ignorant cowardly men who have never lifted a finger to save us.
Name
Ishtshraq
- United Kingdom
Profession
Irish Muslims based in London
Question
Salam all and IOL,
Thanks for getting such an interesting guest on IOL.
Asghar,
Salamu Alikum w Rahmut Allah,
To which extent do you consider any organization, such as MCB, as the representative of British Muslims and what do you think of this issue in general… personally, I do believe that we lake representation here in London, many organizations and this may lead to problems with our government and terrorism as well???
Answer
The MCB is not representative of anyone but the Mosque Leaders, who in Britain represent only themselves.
They are a large body but have totally failed to change the very decaying old system that makes their members up. Their members are mostly unelected and out of touch old men.
We do however need democratically elected representatives here in the UK to represent our views, and I agree it does cause problems, because the Muslims are ill served by their current leaders and worse certain Government groups are now claiming to represent the Muslims to push a Government agenda.
The crisis of a true leadership within Britain cannot be over stated. It’s the biggest failing we have and the reason our enemies have a free hand in attacking us.
Without a leadership we cannot teach young Muslims how to change foreign policy using political influence, as our leaders are simply not interested in any real world problems let alone solving them, more interested instead about arguing of minor religious fiqh issues.
Without a peaceful means to stop foreign policy, there is no doubt some Muslims will take matters in their own hands and turn to terrorism to overturn this criminally unjust foreign policy.
Name
Islam Fateh -- Birmingham University
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Profession
Question
4- To which extent does the Terrorism Act effect the British people's day to day life? Here I mean, have they started to watch out what they are doing while using the internet or being in a public place so that no one can get them wrong?
Answer
I can only say it has made them paranoid without an real knowledge of the root of the problem or how to solve it.
Name
Yara
-
Profession
Question
Salam Asghar,
The daily action's of some British Muslims, like Samina Malik, may be considered "provocative" by some people, to which extent do you see the British Muslims' rights to choose what to do and what not to do? Bearing in mind that we avoid generalization but we want to sense the water as well!
Answer
Being a Muslim is provocative right now. You don’t need to do anything wrong.
The Media of course will jump on any Muslim who they want to use to create some anti Muslim sentiment, so yes we have to be very careful not to do or say anything stupid.
The problems is being careful is not translated to ‘being passive’, most Muslims think that if they keep their heads down they will be ok.
A wolf doesn’t leave the sheep who is quiet alone, he just waits until the other sheep are finished before moving on to the next one. Muslims as I have said earlier need to get intelligent and start fighting back against attacks on their community.
Hiding and hoping without organised intelligent action never helped anyone.
Name
Tomasz
-
Profession
Question
As-Salamu 'Alaykum:
It seems the Government is moving toward the style of governance they claim of Stalin ie., claiming people enemies of the state, and under that pretext detaining them. People are always suspicious of those they know not. This gives opportunity for the malfeasant elements in Government to turn suspicion into fear.
Globally we are moving toward a society not based on proof, but rather suspicion and spin. If I have coffee with someone, there shall be those who portray that as a strategy session to plan the next attack. That is a simple example.
What is needed, therefore, is for the community of muslims to declare intentions and wants in society in one clear and unambiguous voice. I hope in declaring there is not pandering, such as "We love this country." Rather say "We love humanity and want to move it toward what is good and clean and pure."
You have more experience than I do in such matters. Please tell me what you think about all I have said, so that I may benefit and learn from the experienced.
Shukran wa Yarhamuk Allah wa Allah Hafizun Muslimeen wan-Nas.
Answer
Brother all I can say is - i like what you are saying. I hope you dont keep these thoughts in your heart .. but get out there are start to make it happen. It's brilliant!
Else join MPACUK ! See you at the next meeting!
Name
Editor
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Profession
Question
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Answer
This session has come to an end.
We would like to thank Mr. Asghar Bukhari for speaking to IslamOnline.net viewers today and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue.
We apologize for not being able to accommodate any further questions. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
