23 June 2010

A Question for Mohammed Amin, vice-chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum

You say you wish to combat anti-Muslim hatred. [N.B. hate = to dislike intensely]

How to you propose that should be done? What would you like to change?

Awareness campaigns, promoting a positive image of the community, new terminology, PR spin, won’t do the trick.

Contrary to the view that critics of Islam are ignorant, they don’t know enough about Islam, it hasn’t really been explained to them, and they are unaware of the contributions to national life made by Muslims, most critics know a lot, some know a great deal and have studied Islam carefully, and they don’t like it, intensely in many cases.

What would you change about Sharia? The dreadful situation currently emerging here in Britain is summarised in a report published this June, “Sharia in Britain”, by “One Law for All”.

Just to remind you of a few of the things that people don’t like: Sharia stipulates that a woman's testimony is worth half that of a man's (see the UK based Islamic Sharia Council); a man may easily divorce his wife whereas a woman must argue her case and undergo a lengthy Sharia legal process; girls get half the inheritance of boys; and child custody is given to the father at a preset age irrespective of the welfare of the child.

The Islamic Sharia Council charges a fee for Muslims seeking a divorce, the fee for a man it is £100 and for women it is £250 because (they say) it is more work to process a woman's application as her word has to be corroborated. Sharia law rules on child custody were described by judges in the House of Lords as ‘arbitrary and discriminatory’ in the case of M (Lebanon) v Home Secretary ([2008] UKHL 64).

Would you like to change the view of Yusuf al-Qaradawi that Islam does not accept secularism (which also seems to be the aim of IFE the Islamist group that infiltrated the controlling political party in Tower Hamlets)?

Qaradawi is recently quoted by the Saudi Gazette as saying "Secularism can never enjoy a general acceptance in an Islamic society. …. As Islam is a comprehensive system of worship (Ibadah) and legislation (Shari’ah), the acceptance of secularism means abandonment of Shari’ah, a denial of the divine guidance and a rejection of Allah’s injunctions."

Do all Muslims strive for an Islamic society?

John Esposito, the well known expert on Islam, nominates Qaradawi one of Islam's "Martin Luthers" in his book the “Future of Islam” in which he unsuccessfully tries to show that there is genuine Islamic reform. This "Martin Luther "is no passing nuisance like Anjem Choudary.

I ask these questions because I would really like to know the answers.

LibertyPhile