Foreign Secretary David Miliband launches 10th Hajj Delegation 2009

Foreign Secretary David Miliband Launches

Tenth Hajj Delegation 2009

Dr. Mozammel Haque

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has launched this year’s UK Hajj Delegation to Saudi Arabia, yesterday, Tuesday, the 27th of October 2009 from the Blue Room of the Foreign Secretary’s Residence, London, in the presence of Saudi Ambassador Prince Mohammed Bin Nawaf bin Abdul Aziz, Lord Adam Patel and diplomats and other members of the Hajj Delegation, guests and community leaders. Twenty-five thousand UK Muslims will go this year to perform the annual pilgrimage in Makkah with the British government offering advice, support and medical care to its citizens going there. British Hajj Delegation is a team that will provide on the ground medical and consular support for British pilgrims attending the Hajj later next month.

Referring to recently held Eid Reception at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Foreign Secretary said three messages came through for the non-Muslims to understand better some of the importance of the Hajj; “one is the message of empathy for others that was brought home to me by the various conversations I had. The second is the Islamic belief in the interconnectiveness of all people, which I think is a very important theme. And thirdly the values of Islam of compassion, of equality, of sacrifice, that are an important part of this important time of the year. And I think these are very important messages for all of us, whether or not we’re Muslim or non Muslim, and the chance for the whole of Britain to be educated about the faith and commitments of two million of our fellow citizens is I think an important wider message that comes through this Hajj Delegation that is now such an important part of British Muslim life,” mentioned Foreign Secretary.

Referring to French Hajj Delegation, Miliband, M.P. said, “I gather that our French friends have now copied us and now have a French Hajj Delegation. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and so we should welcome the fact, in a funny way, that Britain is not now the only European country with a Government sponsored Hajj Delegation, but it certainly gives me great pleasure that ours is the first and the best Hajj Delegation. And I’m confident that this year’s Hajj Delegation will live up to the enormously high standard of its predecessors and make the contribution to British society as well as more broadly, that I think is very, very important.”

Prince Mohammed Bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom and Ireland, said, “During Hajj, millions of Muslims from all over the world gather in the same spots to perform the same rituals at the same times, standing together on equal footing and dressed as one.”

Speaking about the importance of Hajj, Prince Mohammad said, “Hajj is a true reflection of the exalted principles of equality, modesty and human brotherhood that are at the heart of Islam. This also makes Hajj the most impressive manifestation of Islam’s ability to cross borders and cultures and unite nations.”

Speaking about the recent development of the Haramain for the convenience of the Pilgrims, the Saudi Ambassador mentioned the massive expansion programme and new projects have been implemented. He said, “Those who will perform Hajj this year will see stunning developments.”

“The huge expansion of the Mas’a, the extensive development of the Mena area and the expansion of the open courtyard around the Holy Mosque are just a few examples of such accomplishments,” mentioned the Saudi Ambassador.

Prince Mohammad also spoke about the Swine Flu and the medical preparation that the Government of Saudi Arabia has undertaken. As regards the vaccination against HINI Flu, the Saudi Ambassador said, “This year, however, the Saudi Health Authorities have taken additional measures to deal with any adverse effects of this new strain of flu.”

“The Kingdom has taken additional precautions by stockpiling sufficient quantities of anti-viral drugs. There will be three laboratories in Makkah and a fourth at the Holy places of Mina and Muzdalifah, specially dedicated to conducting tests on anyone displaying symptoms of the HINI flu Virus. Moreover an additional 15,000 medical personnel have been recruited to serve the needs of the pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and the other Holy places,” mentioned the Saudi Ambassador.

Prince Mohammad also added, “In addition the Saudi Health authorities have launched a system for the automated tracking of epidemics during the Hajj season which will create a centralised database, which will assist the development of health services for pilgrims this year and beyond.,”

The Saudi Ambassador also informed, “Out of approximately two million British Muslims in the United Kingdom, about 50,000 on average, performed Hajj or Umrah last year and the year before. A similar or a larger number is expected this year. Mentioning about the British Hujjaj, the Saudi Ambassador assured that the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will do everything it can to ensure that this year’s pilgrimage begins and concludes safely and peacefully, that the mission of the British Hajj Delegation is a successful one, and that the British Pilgrims’ journey to the Holy places in Saudi Arabia is a safe and fulfilling one.”

Praising the British Hajj Delegation, the Saudi Ambassador expressed his “sincere thanks and appreciation firstly to the Foreign Secretary and secondly to the Hajj Desk at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office – for the invaluable support they extend annually to the British Hajj Delegation, said Prince Mohammad and also thanked the chairman and all members of the British Hajj Delegation “for their contribution to the success of the Hajj pilgrimage.”

The Saudi Ambassador concluded his speech by “wishing the British Hajj Delegation and all British Muslims who are performing Hajj this year, a safe journey, a blissful visit to the Holy Places, an accepted Hajj and a safe return to their homes and loved ones.”

The British Hajj Delegation teams will leave for Jeddah on 11 November and is scheduled to return on 5 December.

We celebrate the values of Ramadan-David Miliband Foreign Secretary

We celebrate the values of Ramadan:
Social Justice, compassion - Miliband

Dr. Mozammel Haque

If I understand rightly the values of Ramadan, the values that we celebrate tonight, the values of responsibility, the values of social justice, the values of compassion, the values that say something more important than ourselves - and those are important values that we should celebrate as a country and not just as a community here tonight, said the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, M.P., while inaugurating the Eid-ul-Fitr reception at the Durbar Hall of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, yesterday, Monday, 12th of October 2009 in the presence of other three Cabinet Ministers; Saudi, Syrian, Sudanese, Turkish and other diplomats, community leaders, businessmen and media people.

Miliband said, “those of you who are British citizens, each and every one of you is an ambassador for the best of what Britain can be. And I’ve spoken tonight who’ve on Foreign Office Missions to Bangladesh, people who are passionately engaged on issues of Darfur, people who care deeply about the plight of the Palestinians, people who are concerned about human rights in Sri Lanka. All of you are ambassadors for the sort of world we want to see, not just sort of Britain we want to see.”

“I think it’s important to say very clearly and very loudly that the sort of engagement we are beginning to develop from Britain’s Muslim communities to Muslim communities around the world, talking about the sort of Britain we want to see as well as the sort of world that we want to see, that is a huge new dimension to our diplomacy and one that I think gives us the potential to be even stronger diplomatic power in the years ahead,” said the British Foreign Secretary.

“So tonight is a chance to say, to say thank you to those of you who’ve engaged in our work but also to encourage more of you to be part of the honest, critical outward looking dialogue that I think is the heart of modern foreign policy,” said Miliband and added, “That we have Muslim communities who are immensely proud of their faith but are also immensely proud of being British and that is I think an important point of unity tonight.”

Miliband also mentioned, “Maybe I feel it especially because I am the first generation in my family to have been born in Britain, but I know this is a country that welcomes people, that brings the best out of people and that brings people together. And if tonight can be part of that process of bringing people together, of sharing what we have in common and debating where we have differences, and of committing together to be an outward looking force for our country; then we will not just be celebrating marking an important part of our holy calendar, we will also be contributing to the strength of this country.”

Welcome Ramadan Mubarak and Ramadan Greetings from Balad al-Ameen to you all

Welcome Ramadan Mubarak and Ramadan Greetings from Balad al-Ameen to you all

Dr. Mozammel Haque

It is very happy and good news that most communities and schools of thoughts of the United Kingdom have decided to start Ramadan from the same day, Saturday, the 22nd of August 2009 like their brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. In Canada, the month of Shaaban was completed 29 days on Friday when Ottawans got the shahadah from cities in Texas and Florida about the clear sighting of the Crescest, thus beginning Ramadan 1430 on Saturday 22 August 2009. Alhamdo Lillah, the wish of the Imam and Khateeb of the Masjid Al-Haram Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais expressed in his meeting with Muslim leaders at the East London Mosque and the Islamic Cultural Centre has been accepted and fulfilled.

I am sending my Ramadan greetings and prayer from the Balad al-Ameen, the City of Peace, Makkah al-Mukarramah and from the Masjid al-Haram to all the readers: May this holy month bring barakah, and Allah's boundless mercy upon the believers and harmony and tolerance for the world. Saudi Arabia also started Ramadan on the same day, Saturday, the 22nd of August 2009.

I welcome Ramadan, the month of Mercy and Repentance, the month of the Qur’an, of laylatul qadr (the night of power) and of repentance and forgiveness. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Pillars of the Islamic faith. It was declared an obligatory duty (Fard) in the second year of the Hijrah upon each and every mukallaf (one capable of carrying out religious duties, i.e. a sane adult).

Allah the Almighty made Ramadan fasting compulsory for Muslims. Allah said, “O those who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as were enjoined upon those before so that you be God-fearing.’ [Surah Baqarah, 183]. Literally, Sawm means ‘to abstain’. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means ‘to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse: with the conditions that one abstains continuously from dawn to sunset, and that there is an intention to fast.’ Therefore, should one eat or drink anything even a minute before sunset, the fast will not be valid. Similarly, if one abstained from all these things throughout the day but made no intention to fast, there will be no fast here too.

Allah the Almighty said in the Qur’an “…And eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread…” (Al-Qur’an, 2:187) Literally defined, fasting means to abstain “completely” from foods, drinks, intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn till sunset, during the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year.

Fasting in Islam is based on the lunar calendar and is tied to the sightings of hilal, the crescent, or new moon. Allah the Almighty stated: “They ask you concerning the new moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time… (Al-Qur’an, 2:189). And the Traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Eat until you see the crescent and break not until you see the crescent. If it is cloudy calculate the period of the month.” (Muslim and others).

Fasting in Ramadan is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female, who has these qualifications, e.g. mentally and physically fit, adult full of age which is normally fourteen and fairly certain that fasting is unlikely to cause any harm, physical or mental, other than the normal reactions to hunger, thirst etc.

The said qualifications exclude the following categories: children under the age of puberty and discretion; men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the obligation of fast and bear its hardships; sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast; travellers may break the fast temporarily during their travel; pregnant women and women breast-feeding their children may also break their fast and women in the period of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days or of confinement (of a maximum of forty days. They must postpone the fast till recovery and then make up for it.

The holy month of Ramadan is the month of mercy, forgiveness, and seeking release from the Hell-fire. It is the month of repentance and acceptance of prayers. It is the month when the devils are chained, the gates of Hell are looked and the gates of Paradise are opened. That’s why; Muslims welcome Ramadan each year with energy and happiness, and are saddened only when the month departs. Fasting is for the living, not for mourning.

Ramadan is a month of worship. Muslims should welcome the month with repentance and seeking Allah’s pardon. We should keep away from committing sins; worship Allah sincerely and spending the night and day in prayer, supplication and recitation of the Holy Qur’an.

Fasting is a shield which helps prevent many sins and with which Muslim protects himself from Hell-fire. Fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also means to abstain from any falsehood in speech and action, from any ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and quarrelling. Therefore, fasting helps to develop good behaviour.

Fasting inculcates a sense of brotherhood and solidarity, as a Muslim feels and experiences what his needy and hungry brothers feel. This gives Muslim a new sense of togetherness and association.

Allah the Almighty said in the Qur’an: The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (between right and wrong). (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 185) As Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, every Muslim should prepare himself to welcome the blessed month of Ramadan by strengthening his relationship with the Qur’an. A Muslim is encouraged to complete one recitation of the Holy Qur’an during Ramadan.

We should engage more and more in the recitation of the Qur’an, in dhikr (remembrance of Allah), perform extra Salah (ritual prayers) at night and renew identity with one another in our obedience to Allah.

Ramadan is called the month of charity and sympathy; a month of giving in charity and sharing meals to break the fast together. Many Muslims also pay Zakah in the month of Ramadan.

Thus Ramadan becomes a blessed month of physical, moral and spiritual renewal through fasting, charity and worship. This is the moral and spiritual gifts of Ramadan. “We can say that Ramadan gives us the great gift of Taqwa (Piety). Taqwa is the sum total of Islamic life. It is the highest of all virtues in the Islamic scheme of things. It means God-consciousness, piety, fear and awe of Allah and it signifies submission to Allah and total commitment to all that is good and rejection of all that is evil and bad,” said Dr. Muzzammil H. Siddiqi, former President of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).

In this connection, I would like to convey the Ramadan Message from the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, who have issued Ramadan Message in August 2009.

Message from British Prime Minister
On this auspicious occasion of the Blessed month of Ramadan, the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, MP, in his Ramadan Message in August 2009, said, “The message of compassion and justice is strong in the Islamic faith, not just in the holy month of Ramadan. It is a universal message that unites us all.”

While saying “Ramadan Mubarak” to the two million Muslims living in the United Kingdom, the British Prime Minister expressed his wishes to share with all the Muslim communities along with their families in the United Kingdom and throughout the world, his “sincerest best wishes for this the sacred month of Ramadan.”

British Prime Minister said, “Ramadan is a time for family and friends. A time when Muslims around the world focus more on others than themselves. As you come together everyday for the next month to break the fast, thoughts will be of faith, families and togetherness.”

“It will also be a time for prayer, contemplation and reflection; a time to remember those who are less fortunate today,” observed British Prime Minister.

Brown also said, “Britain is a country of around 2 million Muslims in a Europe of over 20 million. Britain today is a better place because of our diversity and openness. Our culture and society are stronger because of the contribution Muslims make everyday.”

British Prime Minister also said, “As British Muslim communities across the United Kingdom prepare for Ramadan, may I take this opportunity to say: may your Ramadan be peaceful and blessed. Once again Ramadan Mubarak to you all.”

Message from British Foreign Secretary
British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, MP, also sent his “warmest wishes to Muslim communities around the world for the holy month of Ramadan” in his Ramadan Message to the British Muslim Community. Miliband said, “Ramadan marks an important time in the Islamic calendar. Wherever they are in the world, Muslims will be busy preparing for this month of fasting, prayer and contemplation.”

“Ramadan also has a strong social aspect. It is a time for charity and giving – the outward expression of faith through acts of kindness and love, to complement the inner devotion and prayer. Ramadan’s focus on helping those in need is a good message for all of us, both Muslim and non Muslim,” Miliband said in his Ramadan Message.

“As we approach the holy month, let me wish you Ramadan Mubarak,” Miliband said

Message from British Communities Secretary
British Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, John Denham, MP, while passing on to all Muslim communities his “sincerest best wishes for the holy month of Ramadan” said, “Ramadan teaches patience and humility, and empathy for the less fortunate.”

“The Ramadan's message of compassion and social justice spreads beyond Muslim communities; it speaks of shared values that unite us all. Ramadan Karim,” said John Denham Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Message from the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques
‘Promote sympathy, love’
King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, urged Friday Muslims around the world to use the blessed month of Ramadan to promote sympathy, compassion and love for other human beings.

“Let us seek to embrace the spirit of brotherhood and fraternity, promote sympathy, compassion and openhandedness, and let us recall the great values of religion which are of the blessings of this good month and this tolerant religion,” the messages read.

The King and the Crown Prince thanked Almighty Allah for bestowing this blessed month on the Muslims. “Praise be to God Who said in His Holy Book: ‘(Ramadan is the (month) in which the Qur’an was sent down, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong)’, and peace and prayers be upon Prophet Muhammad, who was a Messenger of God, and upon his companions and followers until the Day of Resurrection.”

The King and the Crown Prince thanked Allah for honoring Muslims with the blessed month, with its first part of mercy, middle of forgiveness and last part a pardon from fire.

They said that in this blessed month “all Muslims begin to recall, during its great days and nights, sympathy, compassion and love, and acquire from its generosity all the great meanings given by the religion: the meanings of compassion, tolerance and generosity, of following the example of our master Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who hastened to perform acts of generosity and good.”

The speech ended by beseeching Allah to help “us worship Him, observe the fast including its night rituals, show us the way to acts of obedience, and make us among the pardoned during this month.”

Banning of Dutch MP from UK Entry;Reaction and Response

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Dutch Freedom Party MP, Geert Wilders, was invited by Lord Pearson, a member of the UKIP Party, to attend a parliamentary session to discuss the European Union and Islam where the Islamophobic film ‘Fitna’ was apparently to be shown in the House of Lords. He was excluded by the Government from entering the United Kingdom for public security.

Now the question comes up why he was banned? Dutch MP Mr. Wilders describes the Holy Qur’an as a fascist book” and compared it to Hitler’s Mein Kampf. He has called for the Qur’an to be banned. Mr. Wilders also links the Islamic Holy Book to terrorism. The film ‘Fitna’ caused outrage across the Muslim world when it was posted on the internet last year. Mr. Wilders faces trial in his own country for inciting hatred. Earlier, this year, a Dutch court ordered prosecutors to put Mr. Wilders on trial for inciting hatred and discrimination by making anti-Islamic statements.

Under the circumstances, Mr. Wilders was denied entry by the Home Office amid fears his presence would endanger public security. The Government said it would not allow extremism and hatred to be spread through the communities of Britain.

The Home Office said there was a blanket ban on Mr. Wilders entering the UK under EU law enabling member states to exclude someone whose presence could threaten public security. “The Government opposes extremism in all forms,” it said in a statement, adding that it had tightened up rules on excluding those engaging in “unacceptable behaviour” in October.

“It will stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred, and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country.”

Reaction
The Home Secretary has the power to stop people entering the UK if she believes there is a threat to national security, public order or the safety of UK citizens. The British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, MP. said the home secretary made a decision on an individual case. “We have profound commitment to freedom of speech but there is no freedom to cry ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre and there is no freedom to stir up hate, religious and racial hatred, according to the laws of the land,” he added.

Commenting on the decision to exclude Geert Wilders Cohesion Minister Sadiq Khan, MP., said: “Actions that incite hatred towards an individual or group that undermine our shared values are unacceptable.

“The Government opposes extremism in all its forms and we will stop anyone who wants to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country. We act consistently in making decisions to refuse anyone entry, having taken all the factors in each case into account,” Minister Khan added.

“Our aim is to foster community cohesion in this country and we will do that by promoting a sense of shared values that includes respect for the rule of law, freedom of speech, equality of opportunity and respect for others,” said Minister Khan and added, “We have legislation in place to protect people from incitement and hate crime which we have and will continue to enforce.”

Commenting on the BBC’s Panorama programme shown last night (!7 February 2009), Sadiq Khan said: “The preventing extremism work that we have been doing with communities up and down the country is in partnership between local communities and local authorities. We have invested highly in some of the most vulnerable communities in our country.

“The Panorama programme made some very serious allegations about prevent work being used to spy on British Muslim communities. This is untrue,” Minister Khan also said.

Cohesion Minister Sadiq Khan also said, “Prevent is about stopping people from being drawn into violent extremism and it is about working with Muslim communities at every level to build their resilience and enable them to challenge robustly the ideas of those extremists who seek to undermine this country’s shared values. We continue to expand our relationships to ensure we are talking to, and working with, those at the grassroots. Our emphasis is on engaging with those within our communities who acknowledge the problem of extremism, who voice this acknowledgement and who are actively seeking to address the problem.”

“Parents of all faiths and communities want to keep their children safe from radicalisers. We are committed to helping them to do that, and the money we are providing to local authorities for Prevent work is being used to do just that,” Minister Khan observed.

Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman, Chris Huhne, said even with freedom of speech, there was a line to be drawn.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs committee, insisted that Fitna could incite violence in its audience.

Response from Muslim Parliamentarians
Labour Peer Lord Ahmed, who expressed his concerns to the Parliamentary authorities about Mr. Wilders’ visit, said he welcomed the Home Secretary’s decision to ban the MP from entering the UK. Lord Ahmed said “this man is facing serious charges of inciting hatred and discrimination in Amsterdam, and has incited hatred amongst the communities in the UK.”

“This film creates hatred, and further segregates communities,” he reportedly said.

Lord Ahmed continued, stating “we are peace-loving citizens of the UK and do not want to see extremist groups incite hatred. This is something we campaign against.”

Lord Patel of Blackburn said, in an interview with me, “The government is absolutely right. The person, in the name of freedom of speech, tries to divide the community on the basis of religion, should not be allowed in our country, where the government is trying to unite the all faith communities and also all heritage communities and belief in community cohesion.

“So, under the circumstances, how can any government of the world, allow the person who spreads racial prejudice and tries to divide the community,” said Lord Patel.

Support from Muslim Community leaders
The Muslim Council of Britain, the Umbrella organisation of the British Muslims, said Mr Wilders was “an open and relentless preacher of hate”. “Geert Wilders has been an open and relentless preacher of hate, there is little difference between his views and those of the far right. We have no problem with the challenge of criticisms to our faith, but the film that will be screened tomorrow by Lord Pearson and Baroness Cox is nothing less than a cheap and tacky attempt to whip up hysteria against Muslims. Mr Wilders' xenophobic and repugnant views has been identified by a Dutch court, and is now confirmed by his official exclusion to the United Kingdom. It now time to ask why Peers of Realm who promote such demagogues without any censure are allowed to be regarded as mainstream, responsible leaders in our community,” said The Muslim Council of Britain.

Dr. Syed Aziz Pasha, General Secretary of the Union of Muslim Organisations (UMO), said to me in an interview, “We, the British Muslims, are glad that our government has refused entry to the Dutch M.P. – Mr. Geert Wilders, because his presence will cause discord between faith communities. Our Union, for the last 39 years, have been striving to promote good relations with all faith communities. So, we do not want anyone to come to this country to create discord and friction in this multi-faith society. We are also very much concerned how some members of the House of Lords has screened this film in the House of Lords knowing fully well that it is a blasphemous film intended to incite religious hatred, which is legally forbidden in this country.”

“People have wrong conception about Holy Qur’an. It should clearly be understood that this is a literal Word of Allah the Almighty sent for the guidance of the whole mankind and unless the entire Holy Qur’an is completely read and understood it is impossible to take a few passages and make unwarranted comments,” said Dr. Pasha and added, “People of intelligence and fair-mindedness acknowledge the fact that the Holy Qur’an brought about an intellectual revolution. Europe which was in a state of darkness became civilized on account of the contribution Muslims made through the Universities of Saville, Granada and Toledo.”

Dr. Pasha also mentioned, “All the modern sciences owe a great deal of debt to the Holy Qur’an and the Muslims as a result of which Europe now is a civilized continent. One example which we can quote is that of Ibn Sina (well-known in the West as Avicenna) – his book on medicine was a textbook in the Universities of Europe for forty years. It is enough to say that the Holy Qur’an is the fountain head of all knowledge and humanity owes a debt of gratitude to Allah the Almighty for sending this unique revelation through Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to conveyed to the humanity at large.”

Dr. Pasha said, “We want to make it clear that women were treated like chattel in the Western world until the Holy Qur’an was revealed which raised the status of women to that of legal equality with men. It is travesty of truth to say Islam treats women as inferior. The Muslim women enjoy the life of dignity and honour and upholders of high moral standard.”

Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, also supported the Home Secretary’s decision. “His fascist views are not welcome in our country where we pride ourselves as a multi-faith society,” he said. “This is not about freedom of speech but about stopping the incitement to religious hatred this man promotes.”

After he was sent home Thursday a Dutch foreign ministry spokesman said: “The United Kingdom has the right, just like the Netherlands, to refuse people entry for reasons of safety and security. “Of course we acknowledge that right, but we do not agree with the way it is being exercised in this case.”

Opinion of the Press
The Observer editorially observed on Sunday, the 15th of February, 2009, “Geert Wilders’s short film Fitna is a poisonous dose of brutal propaganda, designed to foment fear and hatred of Muslims.”

“But that is not its only purpose. Mr Wilders, a Dutch MP, is touting his shoddy little oeuvre around Europe to provoke outrage, stoke aggressive reaction and thereby promote the real product – himself,” wrote The Observer editorially.

The editorial continued, “How sad then that the Home Office should oblige that ambition by barring Mr Wilders from the UK. How sad also that members of the upper chamber of parliament should conspire to erect the stage on which Mr Wilders can play out his deluded fantasy of a political crusade: Lord Pearson and Baroness Cox by inviting him to show his film; Lord Ahmed by asking that he be banned.”

Writing in The Sunday Times, on 15 February, 2009, Minette Marrin wrote, “Those who insist that freedom of speech within the law must be absolute are also missing the point; there are times when public order trumps free speech, as the wildest of libertarians must agree. Careless talk can cost lives and grown-up governments have a duty of pragmatism. So if the home secretary rightly judged that Wilders is a man likely and possibly anxious to stir up serious trouble, then she was right to have him put on the next plane home at Heathrow last Thursday. But did she judge rightly? Or was she guilty of the poor judgment, moral funk and cultural appeasement that we have come to expect of new Labour?”

She also observed, “It is difficult to avoid thinking the man must be as aggressively silly as his preposterous cockscomb hairdo; he has urged the Dutch government to ban the Koran as “fascist” and he is facing prosecution there for incitement to hatred and discrimination. He seems to be entirely the wrong man to make a balanced, thoughtful case about anything.”

About the nature of the film ‘Fitna’, Marrin commented, “Fitna is extremely unbalanced and, in that sense, misleading.”

Commenting on Mr. Wilders’ statement on the Qur’an, Marrin wrote, “To call the Koran “fascist” as Wilders has done is stupid, empty and needlessly offensive.”

Comparing this issue with the Salman Rushdie affairs vis-à-vis freedom of speech, Catherine Bennett mentioned in The Observer, on 15th of February 2009, “A year later, Norman Tebbit agreed that the “villain” Rushdie had “betrayed” and “degraded” Islam. On the Labour side, a lot of us will never forget Lord Hattersley, then plain Roy and deputy leader of his party, explaining why the paperback of The Satanic Verses should not be published. “The proposition that Muslims are welcome in Britain if, and only if, they stop behaving like Muslims is a doctrine which is incompatible with the principles which govern and guide a free society,” he argued.”

“Whatever “behaving like Muslims” actually meant,” Bennett raised the question and quoted from the former member of the radical Islamic political group, Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Ed Husain, 34, who authored the book ‘Islamist’ and presently one of the directors of the controversial counter-extremism think-tank, The Quilliam Foundation. “Today, Muslim Ed Husain tells us: “Geert Wilders should be allowed in because this is a country that has pioneered freedom of speech, from Milton and Locke through to Mill,” wrote Bennett in The Observer on 15th of February, 2009.

The Foundation, set up ten months ago, which have been given almost £1 million of public money, says that it is working to tackle the extreme Islamist ideology coming out of mosques, universities and madrasas in countries such as Syria and Pakistan.

Ramadan teaches humility, Gordon Brown

By Dr. Mozammel Haque
Saudi Gazette
8 September 2008

“RAMADAN teaches patience and humility, and reminds us of our shared moral universe; our obligation to others,” said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in his Ramadan Message in September 2008 on this auspicious occasion of the Blessed month of Ramadan.

While saying “Ramadan Mubarak” to the two million Muslims living in the United Kingdom, the British Prime Minister said, “I would like to give you, your family, and all Muslim communities, my sincerest best wishes for the holy month of Ramadan.”

“The message of empathy for the less fortunate is reflected in Ramadan by the daily fast. And Ramadan’s message of compassion and social justice spreads beyond Muslim communities; it speaks of shared values that unite us all,” Brown said and quoted one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

“The hadith of the Prophet Muhammad emphasize(s) the duty of care we owe one another. So during this special month, let us also celebrate the diversity that contributes to Britain’s strength,” said Gordon Brown.

Acknowledging the huge contribution of the British Muslim community, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom said, “Muslims make a huge contribution to Britain’s success – to our prosperity, our society and our culture. And of course, Ramadan is an opportune time to consider the contribution of Islam not just to Britain, but to the world: Islamic art, science, and philosophy have enriched our lives over many centuries.”

Concluding his Ramadan Message, the British Prime Minister said, “Finally, Ramadan is also a time to recall the Prophet’s message that “the best richness is the richness of the soul.” This speaks to me, as it speaks to so many others. I look forward to continuing positive engagement with British Muslim communities across the UK.”

British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband also issued his Ramadan message. “This is the first week of Ramadan and I am delighted to be able to send my very good wishes to the two million Muslims in Britain who will be celebrating this important festival and of course to Muslims around the world as well,” Miliband said.

“Ramadan is a month of contemplation, prayer and spirituality. A chance for Muslims to look at their own lives and judge them against the high standards that they set for themselves. Ramadan is also a chance to look outwards as well as inwards. To look at compassion, charity, responsibility. Not just within the Muslim community but across all of our communities.”