By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent
LONDON, April 16, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – Despite the fallout from the 7/7 attacks on London's underground by four British Muslims, the sizable Muslim minority in Britain still feels luckier compared to fellow Muslims across Europe thanks to the successful integrationist policy of the government.
"The status of British Muslims in society is the most distinguished in comparison with other Muslim minorities in Europe and the entire West," Ahmad Al-Dubayan, the director of the Regents Park Mosque in central London told IslamOnline.net.
He said British Muslims are more represented in the lower and upper houses of parliament than any Muslim minority in Europe.
"True that France has the largest Muslim minority in Europe (some six million people), but British Muslims (some 1.8 million) are well-represented in the House of Lords and the House of Commons, and matchlessly assume high-profile posts in the government," Al-Dubayan added.
Four out of the 50 Muslim candidates fielded by major parties won in last May's parliamentary elections, what was seen by analysts as a considerable victory helping the minority play a key role in the country's political landscape.
Mohammad Sarwar and Khalid Mahmood were re-elected, while Sadiq Khan and Shahid Malik became the parliament's new Muslim faces.
Multi-Culturalism
The Islamic Bank of Britain stand as proof of London's multi-cultural mosaic.
Al-Dubayan said Britain is based on multi-culturalism, giving Muslims and other minorities much more freedom.
One cannot hardly spot a hijab-clad Muslim woman or a turbaned Sikh at the tickets counter in Britain's largest and most famous Waterloo railway station or Heathrow airport, says IOL correspondent.
And at the station's historical and breathtaking Victory Arch, one can listen to the tuneful Easter songs by a church choir.
The Regents Park Mosque and the Islamic Bank of Britain in Edgware Road also stand as proof of London's multi-cultural mosaic.
Last year, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) Sir Iqbal Sacranie joined a star-studded array of public figures led by Prime Minister Tony Blair in presenting London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
MCB spokesman Inayat Bunglawala was also picked by the government after the July attacks as part of a taskforce of public figures to address the roots of terrorism.
Islamic Arts
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has decided to host Europe's biggest exhibition of modern-day Islam, IslamExpo, this summer in the splendid Alexandra Palace, London’s most stylish and versatile venue for exhibitions, conferences, hospitality and private celebrations.
"IslamExpo will be held at London's most spectacular venue for conferences for four days to shed light on the artistic and cultural faces of Islam," the exhibition's supervisor, Somiya Abdel Salam, told IOL.
"Our message is that Islam can contribute to the integration process with its arts," she said.
An ICM survey found in February that 91 percent of British Muslims are "loyal" to Britain and 80 percent still want to live in and accept Western society.
The poll showed that that 99 percent of British Muslims believed the July 7 bombers were "wrong" to carry out the atrocity.
British Muslim leaders have, however, joined forces with senior politicians and rights activists in opposing the recently adopted amendments to the anti-terror bill, which made the vaguely "glorification" of terrorism a crime and curbed personal freedoms.
___________________________________
Source: http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2006-04/16/article04.shtml
No comments:
Post a Comment