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Campaign launched in the UK:

http://islamispeace.org.uk/


The report on BBC website states that it was launched by some prominent British Muslims, including a certain Michael Barry who is more known as being a TV Chef on the BBC 'Food and Drink' (before TV chefs became celebrities, it must be said) - and most would not know that he is a muslim!

Cheers,
Shafique

Shafique,
There have been several attempts likewise. But the fact remains that muslims who moved to the west will not be looked upon as peaceful no matter what campaigns they launch. The war is played between the west govt and islamic terrortists (as west call them) and now it has reached to the general public.
I am of the opinion that muslims should not migrate in the first place to these western countries at all. I mean certainly not today. They should all come back to their origin countries and yes all muslim countries should open their doors to all muslims. Thats my personal opinion. It seems on the surface that the general public wants peace and harmony from both sides but to be honest inside their hearts they dont want to mingle atleast not after inicents followed 9/11.



Cheers

Daniyaal,

Interesting viewpoint.

One slight problem with the suggestion - Islam happens to be the fastest growing religion in the west (certainly is the case in the UK).

My father and his brothers came to the UK when they were teenagers (Mauritius was still a colony at the time) - and myself and my cousins see ourselves as British, even English.

One cousin, for example, is married to a French lady who converted to Islam (and she is 'white') - they have a couple of kids who are definitely European citizens with little link to other countries.

Another cousin is married to a Spanish gentleman who also converted to Islam - they have children as well.

And just to make it complete, I have a cousin married to Irish guy (white, but born Muslim - his mother converted) and another married to an English man.

I'm using personal examples to make the point that there are many European muslims - should these people emigrate? Which particular country would you suggest?

As far as I am concerned, I have British nationality and Islam as my religion. There is no issue at all with me practicing my religion in the UK - we have complete religious freedom in my view. Just as the early Muslims were instructed to obey the law of the land when in Abysinnia (i.e. Ethiopia), so Muslims should obey the laws of any land they are resident in. Notably, Ethiopia was never invaded/conquered by Muslim armies - but the Muslim nation always had good relations with Ethiopia and its Christian rulers.

Therefore, given the fact that Muslims in Britain are increasing in numbers and increasingly the numbers are being swelled by non-Imigrants, this campaign should be seen as a positive step and hopefully it will change some minds.

I remember I was surprised to find out that the TV Chef Michael Barry was a Muslim - this is not a fact that is paraded by him on Telly - he just got on with the job and cooked food on the program!

Cheers,
Shafique

Dear shafique,
Honestly I did not mean to conclude the way you have misundersood my viewpoint. Certainly there are cases and will continue where muslims marry non-muslims who are converted to Islam for the sake of marriage/love, most likely they do convert wholeheartedly. And there will also be other type of muslim reverts who will see the light true islam.

My point was that the western countries opened their doors to other nations and eventually offered them citizenship yet all this time muslim countries esp privileged/blessed ones have kept the old slavery system in place for other muslims (whether he originates from muslim or non-muslim) to work and then leave. If Israel can set an example, why not powerful muslim countries offer the same to their brothers and sisters, after all islam is about one nationhood , isn't it? If muslim ummah went on this direction in the first place you would not have seen so many of em flock to western countries and create cultural conflicts (which is nothing but religious conflict).

In view of above, we may conclude that western countries are much better in terms of human rights and in terms of treating people equally as they have allowed so many muslim to actually enter into their territories and actually spread islam , marry with locals and have the same rights as indigenous natives have. While rich muslim countries with so much abundance of wealth (actually blessing from GOD) can not provide the same status and would want one day that all expats (muslims or non muslims) leave their countries.

If you really want my opinion, I firmly believe that this is a conspiracy against islam perhaps started in early 19th century and it is in the interest of west to continue with this approach of offering muslims in the world to emigrate to their homeland, this to me is a divide and conquer policy.

You have given an example of Britain, what I felt there when I visited few times is that majority of Muslims work in the retail business and 99% of the mission critical jobs are actually owned by indigenous white British citizens.

Cheers

I see your point - I agree that Muslim countries should also encourage migration. I think most Muslim countries do - but many Arab countries don't...

Islam is a religion. There are many Muslims who aren't 'eastern', 'arab' etc.

I also agree there is a campaign against Islam - some of it is religious, some of it is just that after the end of the Cold War a new enemy was required.. I recommend you watch a BBC documentary series called 'Power of Nightmares' - it is available on You Tube.

As for the position of Muslims in the UK - poorly paid jobs are mostly done by the newest immigrants which happen to be Eastern European (i.e. White) people at this moment in time. Poles, Czechs etc are working the building and service industries.

A couple of years back for example, only Indian/Pakistani workers would be waiters in the 'ethnic' Indian restaurants catering to immigrants (eg in Southall or Green Street). Now, there are Eastern European women working as waitresses in these cafes (I'm not talking about main restaurants, but small cafes etc that are usually mainly used by Indians!)

People of my age who happen to be Muslim do not fall into one category - but most of my peers are professionals or successful business men and women.

So, the last statement that 'most' muslims work in the service industry is one that I would challenge. I think you are perhaps confusing economic immigrants with 'muslims' - and even then you'll find that many are doctors and nurses etc.

That said, many people of my fathers generation did come and work in factories etc. However, their children have gone on to benefit from the education system and trade environment and bettered themselves. It is a pattern that was earlier followed by other immigrants - such as the Hugenots, Irish and Jews. East London is particularly interesting in this regard - as it has a long history of immigrants settling, doing well and moving out. The current area around 'Brick Lane' is now proudly labelled something like 'Bangla town' by the council and has popular restaurants and shops etc. Before the Bangladeshis, there were the Irish (I think) and certainly Jews - all working in the textile trade.

Cheers,
Shafique

daniyaal wrote:Dear shafique,
Honestly I did not mean to conclude the way you have misundersood my viewpoint. Certainly there are cases and will continue where muslims marry non-muslims who are converted to Islam for the sake of marriage/love, most likely they do convert wholeheartedly. And there will also be other type of muslim reverts who will see the light true islam.

My point was that the western countries opened their doors to other nations and eventually offered them citizenship yet all this time muslim countries esp privileged/blessed ones have kept the old slavery system in place for other muslims (whether he originates from muslim or non-muslim) to work and then leave. If Israel can set an example, why not powerful muslim countries offer the same to their brothers and sisters, after all islam is about one nationhood , isn't it? If muslim ummah went on this direction in the first place you would not have seen so many of em flock to western countries and create cultural conflicts (which is nothing but religious conflict).

In view of above, we may conclude that western countries are much better in terms of human rights and in terms of treating people equally as they have allowed so many muslim to actually enter into their territories and actually spread islam , marry with locals and have the same rights as indigenous natives have. While rich muslim countries with so much abundance of wealth (actually blessing from GOD) can not provide the same status and would want one day that all expats (muslims or non muslims) leave their countries.

If you really want my opinion, I firmly believe that this is a conspiracy against islam perhaps started in early 19th century and it is in the interest of west to continue with this approach of offering muslims in the world to emigrate to their homeland, this to me is a divide and conquer policy.

You have given an example of Britain, what I felt there when I visited few times is that majority of Muslims work in the retail business and 99% of the mission critical jobs are actually owned by indigenous white British citizens.

Cheers

I do love a conspiracy theory, but I don't really think this one is to valid. The UK originally opened it doors to immigrants of many nationalities which held many different religious beliefs (Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Rastafarian, Jewish and Christian and Catholic). The motive was not to divide and conquer the Muslim world (as much as it was the Rastafarian world) it was economic just in the same way as Dubai is doing the same today.

Also I really don't know where you got the 99% figure from. I was born in the UK (live here again now). At my work I have an Indian English Born Boss and we are on the whole quite a mixed bunch (An African, A Chinese and a French guy)- but we are all British Citizens - we take the same motorway to work, watch the same crap telly and laugh at same stupid joke, we also all want to be happy and healthy in life and look after our families. I don't want to go to a temple on Sunday or Friday which is my right, but is also there right to go if they wish - and I will fight for either s cause, which is one of the few things I am proud of in my country.

Also none of my mates whom happen to be Muslim (mainly with families originating from Pakistan) work in retail?

We all hold different beliefs which we respect as I don't go around telling them that god does not exist and they don't spend all day trying to make me see the true light of Islam.

To be up front with you I think the whole separation view you express is the problem - its about division - I personally know we can all get along and live together just fine with different beliefs, as has been proved in the past thousand years in many countries. This why I tell the BNP where to go as much as I will some fanatic who thinks England should be under sharia law.

Shafique - I got a lift back from the airport off a guy who moved to the UK when he was 17 (now must be early fifties) he was moaning about 'the bloody polish nicking all our jobs'.