Assalam Aalikum

I am pleasantly surprised that Shaikh Haitham Tamim has agreed to come to your event. I hope one of the things he covers is etiquette and the adab of disagreement as it seems we are all in need of it.

I would also like to pose some questions to MPAC and all those that have supported their methods (not their goal) with regards to "women only jihad".... It may be my ignorance, but it seems that MPAC have adopted a strategy of the ends justifying the means. If this is the case do you also support Al-Qaeda as they also employ an ends justifying the means strategy. If not, why not?

If I am mistaken, and this is not your strategy, what exactly is your strategy? Again, I am not referring to goals, but methodology, i.e. how you go about achieving your goals. What Islamic evidence are you using to justify your strategy of aggression, intimidation and public humiliation.

The other question I have to those that have supported MPAC and used terms such as "Mafia", "village idiots", "animals", etc... what is the evidence that allows you to use this language to address fellow muslims? This question equally applies to those that may have been derogotary to members of MPAC or their supporters.

The last question goes to all those that have said, at least MPAC are doing something, its better then doing nothing... Al Qaeda and all other groups which go to extremes are also doing "something" - but are they doing more harm then good? Is it sometimes better to do nothing then to do something really badly... Specifically, would you allow an incompetent surgeon to perform surgery on you or a loved one? Is a bothced job better then no job at all?

Something else for everyone else to reflect on... Anyone who has been to Mecca will know how crowded the haram sharif gets. They may also know its very meritorious to kiss the black stone in the Kaba when performing tawaf. However there are ALWAYS hundreds of others trying to do so at the same time. There is never an orderly queue and often there is pushing, shoving, arguing and even physical altercations in other words fitnah. So is it right for ppl to act in a haram way to do something blessed?

I see MPAC is trying to project an image of scholarlyness.

I wonder what the speakers, say about your C4 program. As much as having these programs, I suggest that the MPACers also learn the basics of Islam themselves. Because I am sure from the blogs posted, with so many people explaining the Islamic perspective on your so called Ji ha d, you must wonder, 'hold on, are they all wrong'.

Assalaamu alaikum

Muslim

You and people like you will never be happy. That is why our Ummah gets dragged down because someone does nothing you complain, someone does something you complain it's not done in the right way, someone does it the right you still complain - "why they don't help me and our area", and when they do help you and your area, you backstab them.

This event doesn't just happen in a day. Try it. It takes months and months planning. I would know, we did one in our city. It took 6 months preparation.

So speak positive and say Alhamdillah, there is an event for Muslims to gather, and I can meet these brothers and sisters of MPAC and maybe have a chat with them, get to know them, see how I can help, see who is in that area so they can stop watching TV and go out with their familu, see how can I help also with the change, and be an asset than BACK SEAT DRIVER.

Wasssalaam

I accepted Islam a little over a year ago and I have seen a lot of bad press since, but what I saw in the MPAC Channel 4 documentary was the worst of all because it made me feel sick, that Muslims were behaving like this in public and my non-Muslim family would be watching. I became a Muslim to get nearer to God, not to fight for a place next to men all over again. That is what I did all my life before I was a Muslim and I got nowhere trying to be like men. I now want to be me, I want to a Muslim woman who is comfortable as a female person who is feminine and gentle, not bullish and crass. MPAC should apologise for the shame it will cause me in front of my non-Muslim parents. You have made my new life in Islam so much more difficult. You were wrong to do what you did and your continuing arrogance in refusing to apologise is just beyond belief.

Assalaamualaikum,

Muslim,what you've just said hurts - everyone seems to have forgotten how the mosques reacted to the sisters - why aren't people holding the mosques accountable aswell?

A couple of sisters handing out leaflets asking for their God-given right = aggressive

More than 60% of mosques banning women from praying and refusing to listen to them = ummmmmmmmm....it's ok?

That's wrong, and everyone knows it. Atleast the MPAC sisters said something - look at the rest of us, we are so apathetic, we cry because of our situation, but we don't do anything, props go out to my sisters who actually did something.

What worries me as a muslim is that we muslims will not react till it's our own sisters being physically barred from mosques, or it's our brothers being shipped off to concentration camps, till it's our mothers having their headscarves being pulled off, but we forget, that child in Africa who can't afford to even cry IS our brother, that woman who lost her son because some sick minded soldiers killed her son while he was going to school IS our sister, or that woman who's made to give birth at a checkpoint because some Zionist soldier wants to get some cheap laughs IS our mother/daughter/wife/sister.

We have to do something and Praise Be To The All-Mighty that atleast MPAC did something - why don't we ask ourselves - when was the last time we stood up for truth.

Obviously I'm expecting someone to think the following: "But it's preferable for women to pray at home" - ofcourse it is! we're not denying that, but we seem to forget the following verse from the Qur'an Chapter 2 Verse 256: "There is no compulsion in religion", we can't force someone to pray or not to pray, but yet this rule doesn't seem to apply to 60% of our mosque leaders who do as they please.

And then someone else will think: "But why did the sisters have to be so aggresive?" Fine strong words were exchanged, but why aren't we getting angry at the mosques?! Fine Asghar Bukhari was shouting at someone, but when you've been as publicly demonised as he has by his own brothers and sisters in Islam then come and talk to me.

Always remember people, Chapter 17 Verse 81:

"And say 'Truth has come and Falsehood has perished, verily Falsehood by it's nature was bound to perish'"

Fiamaanallah,
Raza

Dear Anisa (Anita),
I understand your concern - but look at it from my point of view. My whole family are Muslim (and I have an ever extending family), generations of whom were Muslim. When I notice in public life that our women (and men) are thought of a less of a being, less competent, less intelligent, less in contributing back to the society they're living in, a community that is closed and afraid inturn putting fear into the hearts of its neighbours. That hurts. That is the situation we're in. That is the situation that our institutions (mosques) are guarding and upholding. You may say Muslims are contributing alot back to society and I'll agree - IT'S THOSE MUSLIMS WHO HAVE DISTANCED THEMSELVES FROM THE MOSQUES. When I first started "practicing" my parents got worried i.e. "here goes his life wasted". I used to think they were naive but now I know what they meant. I'm sorry you're hurt but it's for the greater good. We've been hurting for longer.
Salams

Wise words by Raza...;) probably the wisest I've heard from any commentor on this site for a while. The rest of ya'll should take a leaf out of his book

I am afraid mpac loses on the Adab argument.
The film seemed to be edited to sensationalise what was otherwise a very good cause taken up by the ever pioneering mpac.Your sincerity was exploited by people with media career aspirations.
What you need is a few more wise heads to advise you behind the scenes. And please listen to the advice. A failure to learn will put you in the same camp as the media-holics from Al-mahajroon. Being on the front pages isn't always beneficial to your organsiation or the wider muslim cause.

salams raza . i hope u are in good health and in high iman. Brother do u not understand that they didnt have to come on C4 or a non-muslim program to resolve this issue . they didnt have to tell the whole non-muslim nation in UK about our problems or about things we make out to be problems. I would expect non-muslims to have a documentary like that ... salams man take care... hope u dont take it in a bad way...