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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

PRESS RELEASE: iERA Responds to the “British Schools, Islamic Rules” Panorama Programme

PRESS RELEASE: iERA Responds to the “British Schools, Islamic Rules” Panorama Programme

Contact: Hamza A. Tzortzis
Company Name: Islamic Education and Research Academy (iERA)
Telephone Number: 0845 310 5397
Fax Number: 0208 961 6593
Email Address: media@iera.org.uk
Web site address: http://www.iera.org.uk/

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iERA Responds to the “British Schools, Islamic Rules” Panorama Programme
London, 23rd November 2010

On the 22nd November 2010 the BBC aired a Panorama programme entitled “British Schools, Islamic Rules”. This programme aimed to investigate the “disturbing evidence” that some Muslim schools were providing a platform to “extremist preachers” and “fundamentalist Islamic groups”. The programme also attempted to “expose” the extreme, anti-Semitic and homophobic material found within the curriculum of some Islamic schools.

In short, the programme misrepresented established Islamic teachings on a range of issues in a manner that portrayed them as crude and insensitive whilst linking them to social unrest and violence.
In a statement by Saqib Sattar, Vice-Chairman of the Islamic Education and Research Academy (iERA), he said “The attack on Muslim schools as an institution is both ill-informed and misguided. Muslim schools constantly achieve high academic standards with students continuously becoming highly responsible members of society, contributing positively to the public good. No ‘hard’ evidence has ever been presented otherwise. Muslim Schools have excelled in this regard, due in no small part to their ethos which is rooted in the Islamic scholarly tradition which provides an objective and cohesive basis for social values and norms, something which we find lacking in our increasingly secular society. The irony is that most of our social ills stem from the failure of state schools and society at large to provide such grounding, leading ever more conscientious parents to choose private or faith schools for their children’s secondary education. Faith schools and communities are providing that important moral voice for our society, making their presence felt through social welfare projects across the country. The contribution of faith communities should actually be championed and not maligned.”

The BBC has shown that it does not have the ability to convey the reality of the Islamic tradition. iERA condemns such irresponsible and sensationalist programmes. It is obvious that this Panorama programme has been designed to attract viewers without engaging their minds.

Hamza Andreas Tzortzis, iERA’s media representative said, “The attack on mainstream Islamic speakers because they hold established theological views is making the job of community cohesion difficult, as is the constant misconstruing or lack of context with regards to their statements. The programme-makers would have been better served to look deeply into the Islamic scholarly tradition and its historical impact, and they would have found a beautiful model of community cohesion. For example it is a well known historical fact that Islam and Muslims for centuries have been offering protection to the Jewish community. A contemporary Jewish Historian Zion Zohar for instance has written that Jews used to see Muslims as liberators from Christian persecution. There is a whole corpus of historical and theological material that strongly indicates conclusions that contrast with the content of the Panorama programme. Another example includes the Jewish Historian Amnon Cohen who writes that Jewish people, particularly women, used to go to Islamic authorities for adjudication of disputes even though they were always given the option to go to Rabbinical courts.

The reality that Islam has ensured security and peace for the Jewish people is not a historical accident, it is engrained in the Islamic traditional sources. For instance the Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessing be upon Him) said that ‘whoever harms a non-Muslim harms me’. Additionally the Qur’an, the holy book of the Muslims, states in its 60th chapter ‘And He does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly with anyone who has not fought you for your faith or driven you out of your homes: God loves the just”. The difference between political confrontation and communal engagement has always been clear in the Islamic tradition. It is very surprising that the BBC ignored this fact, and shows once again that it has prioritised sensationalism over substance.

For many Muslims, Islamic law is an important part of their lives. Islamic law covers politics, economics, criminal law, business, contracts, family life, hygiene, social issues and many more. There are similarities with Western secular law in terms of the rights it gives and the principles and values that it upholds. To reduce Islamic law to criminal punishments is a caricature of a comprehensive legal and social framework.”

Sattar further adds “The decontextualised references to cutting the hand of the thief and other criminal punishments in the programme are the equivalent of claiming that British law is unjust because it has short sentences for rapists without even taking into consideration the social and jurisprudential context of the British legal system. For example, Professor of Law at Harvard University Noah Feldman has tried to educate the west on Islamic punishments. He states “Today, when we invoke the harsh punishments prescribed by Shariah [Islamic law] for a handful of offences, we rarely acknowledge the high standards of proof necessary for their implementation.”

To warmly articulate the Islamic worldview and demystify the negative image this programme attempted to paint of Islam and Muslims, iERA will be distributing their new CD “Another View” and a leaflet clarifying the BBC’s misconceptions across the UK, and also on the morning of Monday 29th December 2010 outside the BBC Headquarters with specific educational packs for the programme makers.

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Notes to the Editors:

iERA stands for the Islamic Education and Research Academy
iERA is committed to presenting Islam to the wider society, http://www.iera.org.uk/.
iERA will distribute the CD’s and the leaflets at stalls and various outlets in the UK.
The distribution at the BBC will happen on Monday 29th November from 7:30am until 10:00am.
To contact our media team please email media@iera.org.uk.
iERA is a registered UK charity in the United Kingdom, number 1134566.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Eid al Adhaa' ( 10th Zul Hijjah) Tues 16th November 2010

Eid al Adhaa' will be on Tuesday 16th November. There will be 2 Eid prayers taking place at al Medinah Masjid. The 1st at 8am. The 2nd at 9:30am.

Be on time as prayers will start promptly!!

 

Etiquettes of Eid
The Sunnan (plural of sunnah) that the Muslim should observe on the day of Eid are as follows: 
1 – Doing ghusl (bathing or showering oneself) before going out to the prayer. 
2 – Eating before going out to pray on Eid al-Fitr and after the prayer on Eid al-Adha: 
Part of the etiquette is not to go out to pray on Eid al-Fitr until one has eaten some dates. It is mustahabb to eat before going out to emphasize the fact that it is forbidden to fast on that day and to demonstrate that the fast has ended. Whoever does not have any dates may break his fast with anything that is permissible. 
But on Eid al-Adha it is mustahabb not to eat anything until one comes back from the prayer, so he should eat from the udhiyah if he has offered a sacrifice. If he is not going to offer a sacrifice there is nothing wrong with eating before the prayer. 
3 – Takbeer on the day of Eid 
This is one of the greatest Sunnahs on the day of Eid because Allaah says: 
“(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him” [al-Baqarah 2:185] 
The time for takbeer on Eid al-Fitr starts from the night before Eid until the imam enters to lead the Eid prayer. 
In the case of Eid al-Adha, the takbeer begins after the Fajr of the 9th until the after the Asr of the 13th of Dhul Hijjah.
Umar Ibn Khattab (RA), Ali Ibn Abi Talib (RA) & Ibn Abbas (RA) said, “Recite the Takbeer from the Fajar of the day of Arafah (9th of Dhul Hijjah) until the Asar of the last day of Ayamul-Tashreeq (13th of Dhul-Hijjah). (Tafseer of Imam Qurtubi)
Takbeer Tashreeq is the recitation of Allahu akbar, La ilaha illa hu Wallahu akbar, Allahu akbar wa lillahil hamd (There is no god but Allah and Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest and to Allah belongs all praise.) after every fardh salaah commencing from the Fajr of the 9th of Dhul Hijah until after Asr of the 13th of Dhul Hijjah.
According to authentic Islamic sources, it is obligatory on each Muslim, to recite this Takbir after every fard salah. For women also, it is commendable though not obligatory. Whether you are performing salah with Jama'ah (collectively) or on your own (individually) makes no difference. You must recite the Takbir. However, male Muslims should recite it in a loud voice, while females should recite it in a low voice
Description of the takbeer: 
It was narrated in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah with a saheeh isnaad from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he used to recite takbeer during the days of tashreeq: 
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar, Allaah akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is most Great, there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is Most great, Allaah is most great, and to Allaah be praise). 
4 – Offering congratulations 
The etiquette of Eid also includes the congratulations and good wishes exchanged by people, no matter what the wording, such as saying to one another Taqabbala Allaah minna wa minkum (May Allaah accept (good deeds) from us and from you” or “Eid mubaarak” and other permissible expressions of congratulations. 
5 – Adorning oneself on the occasion of Eid. 
A man should wear the best clothes that he has when going out for Eid. 
With regard to women, they should avoid adorning themselves when they go out for Eid, because they are forbidden to show off their adornments to non-mahram men. It is also haraam for a woman who wants to go out to put on perfume or to expose men to temptation, because they are only going out for the purpose of worship. 
6 – Going to the prayer by one route and returning by another. 
May Allah Azza wa Jall accept us all - Ameen

Friday, November 5, 2010

Coming soon, not to be missed!

Charity week - Almost over..

MashaAllah! Well done to the Sisters of Brighton & Sussex Unis and the Muslim Women of Brighton & Hove and surrrounding areas.

Last wednesday (3rd Nov), at al Medinah Masjid Brighton, in a space of 3 hours they managed to raise £1331.31p for charity week.

MashaAllah, May Allah Azza wa Jall accept - Aameen