only 8 per cent speak english as a first language - does that mean that the rest dont have english as a second language?

though i have to say one can always rely on the beeb to do the dirty work on behalf the neo cons and zionists.

I do not think the main issue is English rather it is the society those imams are bought up and the societies they are preaching.. for example you could have a Imam from abroad who can give a lecture in good english but he does not and cannot help the youth of this country as they are all on a different level due to the upbrining.. this is why we need British Imams born and bread here yet they are not dollor for scholors..

Finally MPACUK has the guts to expose the hard fact that the moral leaders of the muslim community in UK stem from foreign muslim countries where barbaric practices like infibulation and wife beating are positively encouraged or at least condoned. This is the root of all problems.The Muslim community in the UK needs enlightened leaders able to preach the fundamental tenets of Islam: morality, modesty, piety and respect.

Racist withchhunt beeb.... racist witch hunt beeb..... racist witchunt beeb...

Yes kashianinks we should have another version of Islam. One that non muslims agree that muslims can have and follow as their religion so people only follow the Islam that non muslims want them to follow.

We could also indoctrinate all young muslims so they have our and not their own Islamic morality. They could be made to be modest and respect everyone and made to not question political decisions especially foreign policy. We could socially engineer all young muslims so that we had total control of their hearts and minds.

The only preachers that would be allowed to preach would be ones that are vetted and employed by the government and so that they follow the government line. The speeches could be written for them by government ministers

..... and then if something happened we could blame it on the preachers as they could speak english and so would be capable of radicalsing young english speaking muslims.

Assalamu alaikum,

This seems to be the case. As the imams are on very low wages they have to be brought from other countries in order to serve the role.

Do priests and rabbis get paid just as lowly as imams? i do not think that is the case or is it?

To Get Real....I simply said that the UK Muslim community need enlightened leaders able and willing to preach the fundamental tenets of Islam: morality, modesty, piety and respect.

But obviously, the blind reply of Get Real, underlines that "that would be another version of Islam", "one that non Muslims agree that Muslim has to follow".

Probably Get Real is right: the concept of morality, piety and respect is so alien to Islam that only suggesting it provoke this type of reaction.

Get Real has yet not understood that every Muslim or non Muslim is entitled to fight (non violently) against foreign policy decisions.

But Get Real has not yet understood that foreign policy has got nothing to do with brutal practices like infibulation and women's beating that have been imported in this country by uncivilized brutes calling themselves religious leaders.

MUSLIMS NEED ENLIGHTENED LEADERS LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING AND GANDHI

Our Imams need to be properly trained to deal with issues effecting UK muslims - yes we care about whats happening in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan etc etc etc. But right now we are in the United Kingdom and there are 1.6-1.8 million of us - the majority of the British Muslim population is British born and they speak English, they think in English and communicate in English - we need British Trained Imams. We also need to deal with the 'committees' of these mosques in a firm and organised manner - most of them are unelected and unrepresentative of British Muslims - I think MPACUK should take a stronger lead in this and join forces with other Muslims to begin the evolving of the mosque structures to bring it forward - and truly representative.

Most mosques are run by self appointed old men from asian sub continent. I get the impression some are in competition with each other ie my mosque is bigger then your mosque). The mosque committees seem to behind closed door.

The imans are nearly always old men from indian, pakistan etc and probebly village background with no eductions apart from islamic. They mostly give talks about same old boring topics usually about past events and about topics that are too eoteric.

They are from a foreign culture and stuck in the past. They are uninspiring and boring. The ones that grab media headlines come across as freaks, ill-mannered, loudmouth maniacs that give a poor image of islam.

The present set of religious leaders would be more suitable for the victoria era then the 21st century. They could also do with buying some suites as some look scruffy on TV.

In singapore the mosques are regulated by the government. However, they do display the names and pictures of the mosque committee. These also have women on them as well as some young people. They also have activities for people to get involved in. Also come across as more forward thinking then UK ones.

I rememner watching a tv programmer about rabbis in the UK. The local jewish community (being MORE well organised then muslims as per usual) got together. Each household made a certain contribution each year to a fund that went to pay for a salary for a rabbi and place of worship.

Mosques are too old fashioned and stuck in the past.