Some Muslim schools 'make children despise the West': Ban on cricket and Harry Potter

[Suomipoika]

Some Islamic schools are promoting fundamentalist views and encouraging children to despise Western society, a report warns.

An investigation by the Civitas social policy think-tank found websites of some of the UK’s 166 Muslim schools are spreading extreme teachings, while a handful had links to sites promoting jihad, or holy war.

Examples include web forums forbidding Muslims from reading Harry Potter books, playing chess or cricket and listening to Western music.

The Civitas report, entitled Music, Chess and Other Sins, claims Ofsted inspectors are incapable of scrutinising Muslim faith schools properly, and demands an inquiry by MPs.

Many of the websites featured in the report were shut down or edited in the hours before it was published.

Islamic schools educate thousands of Muslim children. Most operate in the private sector although increasing numbers are seeking state funding.

The study, overseen by Dr Denis MacEoin, a university lecturer in Islamic studies, looked at material found on Islamic schools’ websites, either content or via links.

Examples include the website of the Madani Girls’ School in East London which stated: ‘Our children are exposed to a culture that is in opposition with almost everything Islam stands for.

‘If we oppose the lifestyle of the West then it does not seem sensible that the teachers and the system which represents that lifestyle should educate our children.’

The report claims this ‘bruising comment’ gives children a ‘negative picture of Western life’.

The website comments have since been edited and parts deleted.

Dr MacEoin stressed that the problems were not found in all Muslim schools, but said some were instilling a disturbing ‘ghetto mentality’.

The Association of Muslim Schools condemned the study as ‘misleading, intolerant and divisive’, claiming it was ‘based on prejudices rather than evidence’.

A spokesman said: ‘Muslim schools provide an outstanding standard of education. Ex-pupils have developed into exemplary citizens and participate in all aspects of civic society.’

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said it was investigating the claims and would treat seriously any failure by state-funded schools to ‘promote community cohesion’.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti....html?ITO=1490

Links to Civitas, the report makers:
http://www.civitas.org.uk/press/prcs87.php
http://www.civicsociety.co.uk/MusicC...ins17Feb09.pdf

[AntiKarateKid]

Some Islamic schools are promoting fundamentalist views and encouraging children to despise Western society, a report warns.

An investigation by the Civitas social policy think-tank found websites of some of the UK’s 166 Muslim schools are spreading extreme teachings, while a handful had links to sites promoting jihad, or holy war.

Examples include web forums forbidding Muslims from reading Harry Potter books, playing chess or cricket and listening to Western music.

The Civitas report, entitled Music, Chess and Other Sins, claims Ofsted inspectors are incapable of scrutinising Muslim faith schools properly, and demands an inquiry by MPs.

Many of the websites featured in the report were shut down or edited in the hours before it was published.

Islamic schools educate thousands of Muslim children. Most operate in the private sector although increasing numbers are seeking state funding.

The study, overseen by Dr Denis MacEoin, a university lecturer in Islamic studies, looked at material found on Islamic schools’ websites, either content or via links.

Examples include the website of the Madani Girls’ School in East London which stated: ‘Our children are exposed to a culture that is in opposition with almost everything Islam stands for.

‘If we oppose the lifestyle of the West then it does not seem sensible that the teachers and the system which represents that lifestyle should educate our children.’

The report claims this ‘bruising comment’ gives children a ‘negative picture of Western life’.

The website comments have since been edited and parts deleted.

Dr MacEoin stressed that the problems were not found in all Muslim schools, but said some were instilling a disturbing ‘ghetto mentality’.

The Association of Muslim Schools condemned the study as ‘misleading, intolerant and divisive’, claiming it was ‘based on prejudices rather than evidence’.

A spokesman said: ‘Muslim schools provide an outstanding standard of education. Ex-pupils have developed into exemplary citizens and participate in all aspects of civic society.’

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said it was investigating the claims and would treat seriously any failure by state-funded schools to ‘promote community cohesion’.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti....html?ITO=1490

Links to Civitas, the report makers:
http://www.civitas.org.uk/press/prcs87.php
http://www.civicsociety.co.uk/MusicC...ins17Feb09.pdf

This is where I stopped reading. Jihad means struggle. Any report still ignorant enough to equate the word Jihad with crusade is not worth reading for their other views on Muslims.

[Fishman]

This is where I stopped reading. Jihad means struggle. Any report still ignorant enough to equate the word Jihad with crusade is not worth reading for their other views on Muslims.

Daily mail

That is where you should have stopped reading!
I'm not disputing whether some objectionable things have occurred or not, but the Daily Fail is a right-wing newspaper with a habit of distorting stories to make them more shocking. It's not suprising that they claim Jihad means holy war.

[doorster]

This is where I stopped reading. Jihad means struggle. Any report still ignorant enough to equate the word Jihad with crusade is not worth reading for their other views on Muslims.

regardless of what it meant or what it means linguistically, the question is what it is being used to describe today

regarding ban on Harry potter in Islam, I will go along with that for promoting/ sanitizing magic or illusion thereof is same as promoting shirk in my book.

[Pomak]

Chess- There is a debate if it islamically legal.
Harry potter- islamically illigal
Jihad - part of this deen. (both the military and inner ones)
Music- There is a debate if it islamically legal.

[doorster]

Chess- There is a debate if it islamically legal.
Harry potter- islamically illegal
Jihad - part of this deen. (both the military and inner ones)
Music- There is a debate if it islamically legal.

yes, I can accept that.

Jihad - part of this deen. (both the military and inner ones)

aka strong Armed forces/Ministry of defence/A good up-to date defence industry, must be number 1 priority of a Muslim State

[Dawud_uk]

yes, I can accept that. jazakAllah khair

aka strong Armed forces/Ministry of defence/A good up-to date defence industry, must be number 1 priority of a Muslim State

wow, doorster i think this is the first time you and me agreed on the forum, time to get out the fizzy drinks and cakes and have a celebration!

[Dawud_uk]

i read this article and also an almost identical one on the telegraph online, yes i know that is a right wing zionist newspaper also but i find it interesting to find out what these nutters right and think.

the problem is they think we are being isolationist, just because we are not being intergrationist, but there is a middle path between the two which involves hanging onto your deen, interacting with the kuffar, but not isolating yourself or intergrating into their society.

i am sure this is what these schools are aiming for, but it is just these newspapers with the 'with us or against us' mentality cannot see the middle path.

[Malaikah]

wait, what's wrong with cricket? (Assuming the article is actually correct, of course).

[Pomak]

the problem is they think we are being isolationist, just because we are not being intergrationist, but there is a middle path between the two which involves hanging onto your deen, interacting with the kuffar, but not isolating yourself or intergrating into their society.

*takes a deep breath and remembers that integration means something else in UK*


PS. don't call non muslims kuffar, its not totally accurate.

[Pomak]

Chess- There is a debate if it islamically legal.
Harry potter- islamically illigal
Jihad - part of this deen. (both the military and inner ones)
Music- There is a debate if it islamically legal.

Just to add. Jihad, doesn't mean "holy war", its better translated as "just war", or "morally justified war". With some disagreement on the issue on offensive vs defensive war.

Just wanted to add that, because i know lots of people get confused with the term "holy war" because of its meaning in the Christian tradition.

[Dawud_uk]

*takes a deep breath and remembers that integration means something else in UK*


PS. don't call non muslims kuffar, its not totally accurate.

i would suggest you start a different thread if gets too long a discussion, but i have heard the arguments against not calling non-muslims kuffar and disagree with them,

Allah calls them kuffar, the prophet muhammad (saws) used this term also when referring to them, as have all the scholars down through the ages.

[justahumane]

i would suggest you start a different thread if gets too long a discussion, but i have heard the arguments against not calling non-muslims kuffar and disagree with them,

Allah calls them kuffar, the prophet muhammad (saws) used this term also when referring to them, as have all the scholars down through the ages.

U are absolutely correct brother. We too dont want to be deprived of the excellent and brotherly title which muslims have been bestowing upon us for ages. Thanks for ur affectionate views.

[Dawud_uk]

U are absolutely correct brother. We too dont want to be deprived of the excellent and brotherly title which muslims have been bestowing upon us for ages. Thanks for ur affectionate views.

look, you are not the same as me, you are a mushrik, if you become my brother in islam i would love you for the sake of Allah, but you are not, you do the worse sin possible and i have total rejection for that.

[justahumane]

look, you are not the same as me, you are a mushrik, if you become my brother in islam i would love you for the sake of Allah, but you are not, you do the worse sin possible and i have total rejection for that.

And brother I too have total rejection for ur habit of deciding other's faith, but it proves ur point that definetely I m not same as U, and I thank ALLAH for that. My religion and faith doesnt allow me to speak more after the coming full stop, at least in this post.

[Dawud_uk]

And brother I too have total rejection for ur habit of deciding other's faith, but it proves ur point that definetely I m not same as U, and I thank ALLAH for that. My religion and faith doesnt allow me to speak more after the coming full stop, at least in this post.

you publically declare yourself a hindu, how else am i supposed to judge you other than judging by the apparent?

[Pomak]

i would suggest you start a different thread if gets too long a discussion, but i have heard the arguments against not calling non-muslims kuffar and disagree with them,

Allah calls them kuffar, the prophet muhammad (saws) used this term also when referring to them, as have all the scholars down through the ages.

Calling someone a kaffir who isn't earns you hellfire. Also in some languages it means something.... rude.

[justahumane]

you publically declare yourself a hindu, how else am i supposed to judge you other than judging by the apparent?

U are supposed to get educated about whether all hindus are idol worshippers, or some can be monotheists too? U are supposed to learn a bit of Sunnah to find out whether the holy prophet used to talk like this to non-muslims? U are supposed to sit for a while, introspect, weigh the language U use while talking about non-muslims here and than judge urself whether it is in true sprit of Islam or not? U are supposed to learn exactly how should U talk while dealing with non-muslims so that U may invite them to Islam if ALLAH guides U so. And U are supposed to get rid of the attitude which prompts U to say" be a muslim first than I will be nice to U". There are many other pieces of advices I can offer to U, but I think this suffice for now.

[Pomak]

I feel inclined to agree with the hindu. I know at least one hindu who believes in monotheism and Muhammad's prophethood.

[Dawud_uk]

believing in islam also means rejection of taghoot and all false idiologies, anyone who claims another way of life is a kaffir by their actions and speech no matter what they feel is in their heart.

this is the meaning of imaan, what is in the heart, what is confirmed on the tongue and what is shown through actions.

anyone who has hindu on their id is a kaffir and there is nothing wrong with saying so, rejection of disbelief is part of our imaan, one of the conditions of the shahadah, al-wala wal bara