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An Open Letter to Ed Balls

An Open Letter to the Secretary of State for Education Ed BallsThe debate over the trajectory of the western sociopolitical system and its strained relations with Islam is the most pivotal of our time.  Muslims are in one of the most difficult phases of their history when malicious attacks including allegation of terrorism are being made on Islam and Muslims all over the world. The malicious campaign against Muslims is politically motivated. The world is obsessed by Islam. Anti-terror measures are ruining lives of Muslim youths. If you go around arresting young Muslims, you are going to find that you are going to ostracise this community. Young Muslims don’t need to be ostracized, they need to be engaged. According to the Arch Bishop, Rowan Williams, acceptance of some facets of Sharia not only “seems unavoidable”, but could actually improve social cohesion. Muslims should be able to choose to have marital or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia Court. Such courts should therefore be incorporated into the British legal system as a constructive accommodation with Islam.  Schools are being asked to help “win hearts and minds” in the battle against violent extremists on both sides. British born Imams should go into schools to supplement the teaching of RE, PSHE and Citizenship so that all pupils can learn about the Holy Quran and Islam in the context of a multicultural society. OFSTED must make sure that their services should be fully utilised by the schools, otherwise, it will be waste of public money. The British Establishment is wrong to assert that Imams and Masajid have been radicalising Muslim youths.  The roots of extremism are in the British society and schools where institutional racism is at its peak. The racism within schools has got little media coverage. The school attended by 7/7 bombers in a part of Leeds known for its history of racial tension between British Asians and native Brits. Leeds council was so worried about the violence that it had to call in Foundation for Peace, a government funded peacekeepers who were used to keep Catholics and Protestants from killing one another in Northern Ireland. True message of Islam should be promoted because British media and society have always portrayed Islam in a negative way since Crusades and the siege of Vienna in 1683.  School Curriculum should be used to convey a deeper understanding of Islamic faith, history and culture. Prison is not the answer of those who are vulnerable to, or are being drawn into violent extremism unless they have clearly committed an offence. The greatest challenge to humanity is learning to live in a crowded and interconnected world that is creating unprecedented pressures on human society. The rector of Oxford’s largest Anglican Churches has called a Muslim call to prayers from the main Masjid “un-English”. This is a clear case of intolerance. Gibraltar is a British colony. Five Pound currency note has a queen image on one side and on the other side there is an image of the Muslim Conqueror with a sword in his hand. There is more hatred of Muslims seduced by the Western media, education system and church leaders like Bishop Nazir Ali. Catholic nuns have worn veils for centuries, with no public controversies arising. There is no reason why any girl’s school uniform can not now be modified to include a veil. Wearing a veil to school or to work must be a matter of choice for all. Iftikhar Ahmad www.londonschoolofislamics.or.guk

Iftikhar Ahmad ● 6559d75 Comments

SalaamLondon School of Islamics is an educational Trust. Its aim is to make British public, institutions and media aware of the needs and demands of the Muslim community in the field of education and possible solutions.The demand for state funded Muslim schools is in accordance with the law of the land.I do not blame the parents, Imams and Masajid for the plight of the Muslim youths. All Muslim youths suffer from identity crises because they find themselves cut off from their cultural roots, literature and poetry. All of them lack self-confidence and self-esteem. British education has made them stupid. They have become economic slaves of the British society. They do not know where they belong. They are unable to enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry. A man is a product of his culture, language and faith. They go hand in hand.The solution of all the problems is state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models right from nursery classes. The Charter of Islam teaches true tolerance and equality and indeed is more acceptable to all people of the world than the United Nation Human Rights Charter. Islam does not just mean a beard, a cap and a bunch of self-interpreted fatwas. Accoding to a research by Goldsmiths, university of London, bilingual learning can provide substantial benefits for second and third generation children whose families speak a language other than English. Even when children have grown up in the UK with English as their stronger language,using both languages aids cognitive development and strengthens their identity as learners. It is crucial that schools support c hildren's mother tongue through bilingual learning activities connected with the mainstream curriculum. Now Primary National Strategy recognises the value of bilingualism and promotes early language learning. Policy makers need to encourage good practice in schools, otherwise, the potential benefits of bilingual leaning will be lost to future generations.The research also discovered that many second and third generation children are in danger of losing these skills if they do not  have opportunities to develop their mother tongue through academic work at school. Bilingual children who learn in their family's  language as well as English do better at school. It is very important that parents continue to talk to their children in their first language.It is absurd to say that Muslim schools threaten the social cohesion of the nation. Diversity is a blessing and we should feel proud of diversity. The real threat to social cohesiondoes nt come from Muslim parents but from government that seeks to force these parents to conform with the state's ideas about how and what their children should be taught. There is no evidence that Muslim schools are undermining social cohesion.

Iftikhar Ahmad ● 6555d

"By all means have a debate, but in a reasonable, sensible and fair way like what the traditional "British" way, which I LOVE and ENJOY about in this country. Speaking as an immigrant ."The "British Way" hasn't got us very far has it. That is why we have been put at the bottom of the pile, we can't open our mouths without upsetting some ethnic group. The British answer should be "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" We have had enough of being walked over, not only by our politicians, who you must surely have noticed, will fall over backwards to do ANYTHING for the newly arrived....what do you think that people who were born and bred here, will be thinking as they slide further down the list for housing. Pensioners are left to decide whether they eat or heat their homes on a pittance, while we hand this woman and her son, who allegedly doesn't work £20,000. My pension is £101 per week £5,000 per Annam. No help for me or my wife...why, because i worked and saved to keep me and my family fed, clothed and housed. You say you are offended Mr Wong by  being called racist, how do you think we/I feel, when we have heard it for years, that's their way of showing their gratitude, especially from our friend Iftikhar Ahmad! I, like millions of us have worked all our lives and this is our reward. The time for the kid glove approach has gone. I am going to speak out for us until I draw my last breath. The time to stop taking us all for mugs has arrived?

Account suspended ● 6553d

"All Muslim members of the House of Lords, all Muslim MPs, Muslim councillors and majority of Muslim leaders are the foot and mouth disease of the Muslim community... They are not the representative of the Muslim community. "For one Iftikar I completely agree with you. The "average" muslim in Britain is likely to be:- poorly educated as evidenced by the limited participation in 16+ and University education by children of Pakistani families- living in poor health because of poor diet and lack of exercise, as evidenced by the health inequalities in wards where the majority of households identified themselves as muslim in the last census- playing a limited role in the community at large and more likely to be playing a role in introverted Muslim community groups / charities as evidenced by the significant sums of money raised for "islamic charities" that are little more than a front for funding terrorist activities abroad (see recent charity commission findings)- more likely than the average person to be living on benefits and in a house paid for by everyone else e.g. 80% of Somalis in Britain live in housing paid for by the state- more likely to have a disproportionately large family despite not having the means to pay for it- for women, more likely to be isolated and not involved in any gainful economic activity e.g. fewer than 5% of Somali women work and for all muslim women the most recent figure was 80% of working age women were not in employment, education, employment or trainingAnd above all else, the "average" muslim is more likely to bleat on about discrimination when Hindus, Sikhs and people of all creeds and colours manage to do very well in the UK and the institutions underpinning it.By contrast to the "average", Muslim MPs, Councillors etc play a constructive role in our society, doing their very best to further social cohesion for a community that steadfastly struggles to play any constructive role in the modern world. Something you could probably learn from.

Ed Yelland ● 6552d

SalaamIt is easy to say" Go back to where you came from",but do not forget that British Muslims are actually born and educated here. They are in the unenviable position of trying to combine two diffent worlds. That is no easy.Multiculturalism is not about separation, ghettoisation or balkanisation. It is, instead, a recognition of both diversity and the need for common ground, mutual espect,and cultural engagement.Muslims all over the world never opposed English as a language what they did was opposition of the English culture and their system of education. In Pakistan, the medium of instruction is English and the official language is both English and Urdu. Pakistan is going to send English teachers to Korea for the teaching of English language.Muslim parents would like their children to be well versed in standard English to follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. Majority of Muslim children leave schools with low grades because state schools with monolingual teachers are not capable of teaching English to bilingual children.At the same time, they need to learn and be well versed in Arabic, Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.I am concerned with the education of the Muslim children. It is nothing to do with integration or segregation. Those state schools where Muslim children are in majority, in my opinion, may be designated as Muslim community schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models.

Iftikhar Ahmad ● 6546d

Don't dispute what you say in broader terms. I think that as long as keeping in touch with the language and culture of your ancestors doesn't lead to isolation from the rest of a community it is a good thing.Perhaps the model you need to be following is that of the Poles who have one of the largest weekend schools in Ealing in which their children are taught Polish language and culture. As far as I am aware this is not state funded and is staffed by volunteers. They are not demanding that existing schools change the curriculum for their benefit. Your case for state funded teaching in 'community' languages would be much stronger if you could provide examples of existing efforts by these communities to make provision for themselves. It may be of benefit to the taxpayer to support community based education in minority cultures if demand for such exists. However, if there is nobody as yet making efforts in this direction diverting much needed funds away from mainstream education is not the answer.Even if you got your wish for funding of Muslim schools I don't think your demands are in any way practical. Perhaps Arabic could be part of the curriculum although it would be a fiendishly difficult language for those children not already familiar with but, as you well know, the Muslim community in this country is too diverse for 'community languages' to be part of the curriculum. Of all the Muslim people I know I would say less than 10% have Urdu as their ancestral language and not all of them speak it. I don't think Somali or Iraqi Kurd parents would have the slightest interest in their children learning it and I don't think Pakistani parents would want their children to learn Turkish. The only way for you to pass on a 'community language' to the next generation is for your community to take responsibility for doing it themselves.

Andy Jones ● 6545d

"Majority of Muslims are from Pakistan. "This is simply not true. I am surprised that someone trying to claim academic credentials should make such a basic mistake. I doubt that Pakistani Muslims make up more than 20% of the total in London.'They must learn Urdu to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.'Maybe but if is so important then why are you looking to the state to do this for you."State schools with monolingual non-Muslim teachers are not in a position to povide balanced education to the Muslim children. "I presume your bilingual teachers would be Urdu speaking. This would not provide a 'balanced education' in the view of most Muslim parents."The demand for state funded muslim schools is in accordance with the law of the land. They pay all sorts of taxes. Muslim community is not asking for any favour. "As far as I am aware there is no bar to the Muslim community setting up schools. Like other religions they have to provide the premises and part of the maintenance cost and meet appropriate academic standards amongst their staff and a school can be opened with state funding. If the existing situation is so critical for your children then you should get on with raising the necessary funds and support to make this happen.I think your arguments smack more of Pakistani nationalism than genuine concern for the Muslim community of this country. The problems that children who have origins in Pakistan have in the school system are well-documented but in blaming the system you ignore that many children from immigrant communities including Muslim ones thrive in our schools and actually outperform the indigenous population. Your unbalanced and preposterous condemnation of the school system in this country looks to me like a refusal to accept that your own culture is largely to blame for your children's low educational standards. I write this as my Pakistani colleague with post-graduate qualifications nods agreement. Although a Muslim he was educated by Catholic priests in Lahore.

Andy Jones ● 6545d