‘We were furious’: Uber driver rejects couple because of their Christmas ham

A couple were left stranded and out of pocket after a rideshare driver refused to pick them up because they had a Christmas ham

The couple had been for dinner at their local RSL in Melbourne’s south-east on Tuesday night, and picked up a ham they’d won there a few weeks ago.

They ordered an Uber, but as they approached the car the driver told them the ride was cancelled.

“My husband had it (the ham) in his hand and the boot opened,” stranded passenger Marion told 3AW’s Kate and Quarters.

“The guy said ‘what’s that?”

“My husband said ‘it’s ham’, and he said ‘no, you can’t get in. The trip is cancelled.”

The driver told the couple he wouldn’t take them home with the ham because he was Muslim,

But when Marion checked her bank account she got a rude shock.

She’d been charged a cancellation fee from Uber for the ride which the driver cancelled! [Radio 3AW] Read more

Amsterdam refuses mosque’s request for loudspeaker call to prayer

In a 21st-century answer to a proposal with its roots in the seventh century, Amsterdam has rejected a plan by a prominent mosque to become the first in the city to broadcast its call to prayer over loudspeakers – on the grounds that it’s unnecessary in a world of mobile apps.

In a response that’s unlikely to be appreciated by the Muslim community, the mayor of the Dutch capital, Femke Halsema, said that given advances in technology, from alarms to apps, it was not necessary to use loudspeakers to remind the faithful when to pray.

The amplification of the call to prayer, Ms Halsema said, was fundamentally “not of this time” – a phrase widely described in the Dutch media on Wednesday as perhaps betraying a lack of sensitivity in relation to her view of Muslim tradition. [The Irish Times] Read more

Muslim woman claims discrimination after being rejected as hotel waitress

A luxury hotel has been accused of discrimination after it denied a Muslim woman a job as a waitress because her faith stops her handling pork or alcohol.

Rufflets St Andrews hotel, in Fife, interviewed Fatima Elfakri for the role last month but decided against hiring her, citing concerns the job would make her feel “awkward and uncomfortable”.

The job involved serving afternoon tea to hotel guests, which would include ham sandwiches, sausage rolls and champagne.

In the interview Ms Elfakri, 20, told management that she would be unable to serve some of the items on religious grounds. She later received an email praising her interview performance but saying she was not suitable for the job.

The hotel, which is family run, said that it did not have enough staff for her to avoid certain duties. [The Times (£)] Read more

Norwegian mosque apologises to Crown Prince Haakon after three women refused handshake

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon visited the Al-Noor Islamic Centre last week to show support after the 10 August shooting attack on the mosque. Many people noticed that three women did not accept the Crown Prince’s outstretched hand as he attempted to greet them.

The Bærum mosque shooting, or the Al-Noor Islamic Centre shooting, was an attack that occurred on 10 August 2019 at the Al-Noor Islamic Centre mosque in Bærum, Norway, about 20 km west of the capital city of Oslo. One person was injured, and the gunman’s stepsister was later found dead in their family home. The shooter was taken into police custody after being subdued by mosque-goers. The shooting has been described as one attack in a recent “resurgence of white supremacy”.

Waheed Ahmed, information officer at the Al-Noor mosque, told NRK that they were unaware that the women did not want to shake the hand of the Crown Prince. [Royal Central] Read more

Cricket club alleges discrimination over Muslim festival

A cricket club claims it has been discriminated against for not playing a match during a religious festival.

Gloucester AIW said it has been docked 22 points, and its opponents awarded a further 20 points as a concession, for refusing to play last Saturday.

The club, which is made up mainly of Muslim cricketers, said the date clashed with the Day of Arafat - the day before Eid al-Adha.

Gloucestershire County Cricket League said it had acted "within its rules".

The club said the league has a specific clause in its constitution - introduced this season - requiring matches to be rearranged where there is a risk of games coinciding with Eid.

Club secretary Ahmed Goga said he informed the league in January about the clash, but "they ignored it".

"The day of Arafat is one of the most important days in Islam which comes a day before Eid al-Adha. [BBC] Read more

Greedy Pigs cafe stands firm after hate letter brands its name 'disgusting, shameful and offensive'

A CAFE owner has refused to change the name of her business after being told it was “wrong, disgusting, shameful and offensive” in an anonymous letter.

Shelly Harper, who runs the Greedy Pigs sandwich bar and diner on Paley Road, East Bowling, spoke out after receiving the worrying letter last week.

It has since been shared on social media, leading people to hit out at its message.

The letter says: “I am writing to you to inform you we as a whole community are extremely concerned about the name of your shop’s trade or the sign board. The name Greedy PIGS is extremely wrong, disgusting, shameful and offensive to the passer-bys and community.

.... It adds: “So the first thing you need to do is change that stupid name from the shop’s sign board and get rid of the pictures of the pigs. Not everyone finds the name Greedy Pigs or the pictures of pigs to be pleasant and not everyone consumes pork and pig products.” [Telegraph & Argus] Read more

Petition backing doctor who asked Muslim mum to remove veil has topped 74,000 signatures

A petition to save the career of a doctor who asked a Muslim patient to remove her veil so that he could better hear the details of her daughter’s medical condition has reached more than 74,000 signatures.

Dr Keith Wolverson admitted he was ‘rather fearful of the consequences’ after finding out he had been reported to the General Medical Council (GMC) and would be the subject of a racial discrimination inquiry .

But despite being upset at the inquiry, he described being ‘absolutely bowled over’ by the petition.

He said there was no sign the patient was upset during the consultation at the Royal Stoke University Hospital last June. [StokeonTrentLive] Read more

NHS watchdog releases statement on investigation into Royal Stoke GP who asked Muslim mum to remove veil

An NHS watchdog has revealed a GP who asked a Muslim mum to remove her veil has no 'restrictions on his record'.

Dr Keith Wolverson is being investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC) after he asked the woman to lift her niqab during a consultation at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

The 52-year-old claims he was struggling to hear the mother explain what was wrong with her young daughter and 'politely' asked her to take off the garment.

Dr Wolverson revealed he was 'deeply' upset at being accused of racial discrimination and has vowed to leave the medical profession after 23 years due to the 'injustice' of the investigation. [StokeonTrentLive] Read more

Doctor who faces inquiry for asking a Muslim to lift her veil says he will quit after 23 years as a GP due to the 'major injustice' of the investigation

A GP has revealed he is planning to quit medicine over an investigation by the doctors watchdog into claims he ‘discriminated’ against a Muslim woman for asking her to remove her veil.

Dr Keith Wolverson said he ‘politely’ asked the woman to take off the garment for patient safety reasons during a consultation last year because he was unable to hear her explain her sick daughter’s symptoms.

He was then ‘deeply upset’ when last week he received a letter from the General Medical Council, the professional regulator, informing him that he was subject to an inquiry over allegations of racial discrimination which could result in him being struck off. [Daily Mail] Read more

Midlands GP investigated after 'asking Muslim mum to remove niqab' during appointment

A GP in the Midlands is being investigated by the General Medical Council after asking a Muslim mum to take off her niqab during an appointment.

Dr Keith Wolverson reportedly asked the mother to remove the veil covering her face because he was struggling to hear what she was saying about her child during the appointment at Royal Stoke University Hospital, in Stoke-on-Trent.

The 52-year-old claimed he politely asked her to take it off and that the woman allegedly "willingly agreed to the request" as the three of them sat alone in a consulting room.

But half an hour later her husband arrived and she complained to NHS bosses about the incident. [Birmingham Mail] Read more

Swedish Muslims Look to Foreign Funding to Build Mega Mosque

The Muslim community in the Swedish municipality of Växjö has increased so dramatically, according to local leaders, that they are now planning to build a giant mosque to hold at least 1,000 people, possibly with the help of foreign backers in the Middle East.

Local imam Ismail Abuhelal said that the current mosque, the Växjö Muslim Foundation which was founded around 15 years ago, is simply not big enough to house the growing number of worshippers in the area, Lokaltidningen reports.

“When we celebrate that Ramadan is over and in connection with the trip to Mecca there can be up to 2,000 people who come to the mosque, then we have had to use the old Folkets park or be outdoors,” Abuhelal said.

The imam added that the new mosque would be a mix of traditional and modern architecture and would feature a prominent minaret, as well.

Last year the Muslim community was able to get permission from local authorities to broadcast the call to prayer publicly, despite opposition from the populist Sweden Democrats who voiced their concerns saying, “Prayer announcements in public places and in foreign languages are not part of Swedish society.” [Breitbart London] Read more

Saatchi Gallery covers up SKU artworks after complaints by Muslims

A top art gallery was forced to cover two paintings last week after complaints from Muslims that they were “blasphemous”. One expert described them as “The Satanic Verses all over again”.

Exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery by an artist known as SKU, the works overlaid Arabic script on nude images, and were meant to represent the conflict between America and Islamic extremists.

However, the inclusion of the Islamic declaration of faith, known as the shahada, in the painting prompted complaints from Muslim visitors, who asked for them to be removed from the west London gallery’s exhibition, Rainbow Scenes, which finished on Friday.

Usama Hasan, head of Islamic studies at the think tank Quilliam, said the paintings were not only offensive but blasphemous and sacrilegious. “They are really dangerous,” he said. “It’s The Satanic Verses all over again.” [The Times (£)] Read more

Still thumbing their noses at the law: Muslim brothers haven't demolished their illegal religious hideaway months after being ordered to tear it down

Two Muslim brothers ordered to demolish an illegal religious compound north of Sydney have done almost nothing to abide by court orders made three months ago.

Mustapha and Diaa Kara-Ali were told to stop all work on the bushland hideaway at Colo in the Hawkesbury region but instead erected more buildings on the site.

On August 27 the Land and Environment Court ordered the pair to demolish and remove sheds, slabs, fences and every other structure they had illegally built on the property within 28 days.

.... The Kara-Ali brothers had previously said they would not obey Australia law and indicated they would refuse to abide by any court rulings over their religious retreat.

They refused to acknowledge legal action brought by Hawkesbury City Council and for months ignored all orders of the Land and Environment Court.

Mustapha Kara-Ali had told Daily Mail Australia he would refuse council officers access to the land, stating they were 'Cruasaders' and an affront to Islam.

He and Diaa refused to attend the court because they did not recognise its authority. [Daily Mail Australia] Read more

Anger over pork sausages at Germany Islam event

Germany's Interior Ministry has said it regrets serving pork sausage at a conference on Islam in Berlin earlier this week.

The ministry said the food selection had been designed for the "diverse religious attendance" at the German Islam Conference in Berlin.

But it apologised "if individuals felt offended in their religious feelings".

The event was led by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, who in March said Islam "does not belong in Germany".

Most of the attendees at the Islam conference were Muslims, local media reported. Under Islamic law, Muslims are forbidden to eat pork.

The type of sausage on offer was blutwurst - or "blood sausage" - which is made of ingredients including pig's blood, pork and bacon. [BBC] Read more

Swedish Municipality Refuses Conservative Request to Ban Public Muslim Call to Prayer

The municipality of Karlskrona has rejected calls from the populist Sweden Democrats and the conservative Christian Democrats to ban the public call to prayer at a local mosque.

The municipality rejected the proposal to ban the public call to prayer saying that neither the Sweden Democrats nor the Christian Democrats could prove that the broadcasted Arabic prayer was causing a public disturbance that would warrant it being banned, local newspaper Sydöstran reports.

The Sweden Democrats said, “Prayer announcements in public places and in foreign languages are not part of Swedish society.

“These prayer announcements are not only a call to prayer but also an imposition on other religions.”

Initially, the matter was supposed to have been decided in September but was delayed because lawyers of the municipality claimed they needed time to look into the legality of banning the call to prayer. [Breitbart London] Read more

A Month of Multiculturalism in Britain: August 2018

August 1. In a landmark ruling, a high court judge declared that a Muslim wife could divorce her husband and claim his assets, despite the fact that they married in an Islamic ceremony called a nikah, which is not legally recognized in Britain.

In a written ruling, Mr. Justice Williams, who heard the case in the family division of the high court in London, concluded that the marriage fell within the scope of the 1973 Matrimonial Causes Act because the couple had expectations similar to those of a British marriage contract. The decision came after Nasreen Akhter divorced her husband, Mohammed Shabaz Khan, who attempted to block her separation on the basis that they were not legally married according to English law and only under Sharia law.

.... August 31. Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman, a 21-year-old jihadi from Finchley, north London, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for plotting to kill Prime Minister Theresa May. [Gatestone Institute] Read more

UK: Two Muslims in Niqab banned from tea room in Ritz Hotel London

On September 17, two women in Niqab, one from the north of London, arrived at the Ritz Hotel “the finest 5 star Luxury hotel in Piccadilly”, London, to celebrate their friend’s birthday.

They had made reservation a the tea room. They had also ordered a birthday cake.

When they reached the Ritz and were going towards the tea room, they were told by hotel management that they would not be allowed into the tea room.

The women were shocked, offended and disappointed to hear that they wouldn’t be able to celebrate the birthday in hotel they had booked in advance.

In a recorded video of the encounter, the hotel management person says they the reservation was cancelled and that they will be refunded the costs.

The Muslim women said they would provide him with their IDs.

The hotel person replied: “I’m really sorry”.

The women were clearly upset demanded to speak to the Manager but were refused.

The Ritz website clearly states that “due to the Ritz’s elegant hotel architecture, guests need to arrive within a dress code allowed by the Ritz. Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie (jeans and sportswear are not permitted for either ladies or gentlemen) for afternoon tea in The Palm Court.” There is no mention of prohibition of face veil. [The Muslim News] Read more

Bavarian town votes against building mosque

Citizens in the small Bavarian town of Kaufbeuren voted not to provide public land for a mosque. A local initiative was started by a retired detective and garnered enough votes to stop the negotiations.

In a local vote on Sunday, the residents of Kaufbeuren, a small town in Bavaria, decided against providing public land for the construction of a mosque.

At issue was the question of whether the city would provide the local branch of the nationally active Turkish-Islamic religious association DITIB with a 5,000-square-meter (54,000-square-foot) plot in an industrial area.

At least 45 percent of approximately 34,000 eligible voters took part in the local referendum. A minimum turnout of 20 percent was necessary to make the vote valid. The city must now break off its negotiations with DITIB.

According to the direct democracy NGO "More Democracy," there had only been one referendum in Germany before on building a mosque: in 2002, and then, a majority in Schlüchtern in Hesse voted in favor of construction. [Deutsche Welle] Read more

Outrage as a Thousand Muslims Pray in French Street Following End of Ramadan

A thousand Muslims in the southern French city of Nice took to the street to pray on Friday following the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan, in defiance of the country’s laws.

The open-air prayer, which took place at around 6 a.m. at the Ariane quarter of Nice, was condemned by Mayor Christian Estrosi of the conservative Republicans who took to Twitter to post a picture of the incident.

In two separate posts, Mayor Estrosi slammed the street prayer, saying: “I condemn with the utmost firmness the street prayers which have been held at the Ariane since 6 a.m. this morning. The laws of the Republic must be respected everywhere.”

Estrosi noted that the group had used loudspeakers to attract worshipers to the area and said: “Even if #AidElFitr is an important moment for Muslims, nothing can justify street prayers and thus disturb public order.” [Breitbart London] Read more

How Australian KFC stores are refusing to sell bacon in their burgers - because they only use HALAL products

KFC has refused to sell bacon at three Australian stores to keep in line with Halal certified products.

A customer revealed the rule after contacting the fast food company about the lack of bacon offered at a store in Punchbowl, in Sydney's west.

'Why is bacon not available at KFC Punchbowl, NSW?' Disgruntled customer Marc Miller? wrote on Facebook.

In response, KFC said the fast food chain's stores in Punchbowl and Bankstown South in NSW, as well as a location in Fawkner in Victoria, don't sell bacon to keep in line with other halal products. [Daily Mail Australia] Read more