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| London Branch Campaign Diary: 90% of Mosques Can’t Answer the 'Phone |
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| Tuesday, 27 November 2007 | |
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Muslims are threatened by new laws doubling detention without charge to 2 months, taking away our basic right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty (http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/4166/34 /). MPACUK have reached out to mosques to engage in the campaign to defend our freedom (http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/4165/34/). In addition to meeting mosque leaders in person, MPACUK London wrote to over 40 mosques in key constituencies explaining the issue and provide campaign materials and translations of our letter in Urdu and Bengali. We followed up with phone calls – only to find that the majority of mosques were incapable of actually answering the ‘phone. Out of this malaise there are some outstanding mosques and mosque groups that have been very responsive to the message of this campaign. ( http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/4165/34/) One of the mosques in South London received my call, took a message and said would get back to me … and actually did. The responses from the mosques are also interesting. From “our MP had voted against it last time and he’ll vote against it this time” (in other words – we don’t have to do anything) to “yes brother, send us all the information and we’ll look into it” (when we did already post them all the campaign materials) or “please can you speak to so and so” (who’s nearly impossible to get a hold of). I tried to predict the responses I’d get from certain mosques that I am familiar with and didn’t bother ringing them because some responses can be disheartening. So instead I called on one of the umbrella organisations that many of my local mosques subscribe to. I was happy to have been greeted by a very pleasant brother who tried to explain to me why it’ll be fruitless to go to the mosques direct. He suggested that we gather the manpower, go to the mosques on Fridays and gather signatures ourselves, send out any other paperwork and they’ll get the authorisations from the mosques. It would be great if MPACUK had the manpower to station teams of activists outside mosques every Friday, but that situation simply doesn’t exist. And why should this be the duty of MPACers? The campaign is for the civil liberties of all people, not just the civil liberty of MPACers. It’s everyone’s duty to defend it.
“Nature has made up her mind that what cannot defend itself shall not be defended” There has been a lot of antagonism voiced in the media against the extension of detention without charge. I seriously hope that our mosques and institutions are adding to the strengthening of that voice and the subsequent defeat of this bill (insha’Allah) again in Parliament. And success is from God.           Readers have left 18 comments.
Mashfiq:
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Did you contact the model mosques, specifically the one that won this year's 2007 Model Mosque. The Bradford Mosque? What did they say?
(1)
2007-11-27 15:28:21
Ming:
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Did you contact the model mosques, specifically the one that won this year's 2007 Model Mosque. The Bradford Mosque? What did they say? — MashfiqOr maybe modle mosuqe can save the world, on its own. bloody useless every mosque should employ a secretary for the phone! everytime i called when i needed help from v
(2)
2007-11-27 18:58:51
Ming:
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some radom stranger always picks up, doesnt have a clue what im saying.
(3)
2007-11-27 19:00:08
Abdul Hakim:
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Did you contact the model mosques, specifically the one that won this year's 2007 Model Mosque. The Bradford Mosque? What did they say? — Mashfiqwell done mpacuk, may Allah bless you :)
(4)
2007-11-27 20:37:03
Abdul Malik:
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I have to say as a Public Health worker - I have to sit around and wait for someone to then pass me onto another one before I even get to arrange a meeting - newham mosques
(5)
2007-11-27 21:39:07
muhammed mahmud:
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They spend millions to build Mosques and put locks to open at prayer times only. What a shame that the building look nice but no real islamic work is carried out. Its time to get involve and improve of running of our mosques. I think its everybodys responsibility to ask some though questions and let make our Mosques a real learning centres.
(6)
2007-11-27 22:47:24
MA:
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We the Muslims have made ourselves a laughing stock around the world today. Could the Sudanese authorities not use their commonsense and see that this was an innocent mistake. And she did not even name the teddy, it were the children who did it. Seeing it a popular name in Sudan and the Muslim world she allowed them to go ahead. Sudanese have already punished her for something she is not guilty of. Now they MUST release her immediately.
Where did their love for the Prophet (PBUH) go when they raped and killed, even during the month of Ramadan, fellow Muslims in Darfur? Shame on Sudanese authorities!!
(7)
2007-11-28 07:36:56
Islamic Torch:
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I'm surprised with you guys - here we go again another crusade... a day in Mpacuk campaigners life - Wake up, have a wash, have some breakfast - scratch their head - lets take the mick out of the Mosques...
Come on guys I'm getting bored with your entries about Mosques - how about something about the Church, or a Hindu temple or better still the synagogue and as for those who think they know better, why don't you volunteer and act as the telephonists for your local Mosque, ya'll like to criticise and the truth of the matter is - you probably never have answered a call yourselves - too busy texting I guess. And AM just for you ALLAH bless our Mosques and those who run them (Its not a case of may its a case of Inshallah).
(8)
2007-11-28 08:10:17
azaad:
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Keep up the pressure MPAC!
The Mosques in the UK (and elswhere -- but let's concentrate on our own ones) NEED reforming. Far too many of them are staffed by those whose English is poor (or heavily accented). Come on! How long have Muslims been in UK? How difficult is it to get English lessons? (Every Mosque should have an individual (fluent in idiomatic English) specifically appointed for the purpose of speaking on behalf of it. Although Imams ARE getting better, they do need a lot more improvement particularly in concentrating on the essence of Islam and not get hung up on Arabist cultural traditions. They need to involve the local non-muslim communities. I have heard that the congregation at the East London Mosque is very hostile towards white converts (MPAC please investigate). An English convert told me that he doesn't go there anywmore because of the hostility, and goes to Regents Park instead. And not to mention the toilets in Mosques: I've found them to be uniformly in disgusting condition. They are designed for open-air environments and not for closed premises (soemtimes even without windows!)They also need re-designing (with tilted (yes, 'tilted') floors)
(9)
2007-11-28 11:59:11
Musa:
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Lets be honest here, as someone who has had the pleasure of calling all 1100 mosques in the UK, for various communal purposes, I can reliably inform you that the further North you go the less liklihood of even an answering machine being available to pass on your request. But the majority of London Masajid iether answered or you were able to leave a message to which they on the whole responded to. Were going into the controversial but real secterian debate again, could the mighty Mosque Reformers MPAC undertake a more specific study of phone call attendance rates between the culturally convuluted, folk-Islam inclined, docile Muslim creating mysticly run Barelwi Mosques against all the others...by the way, get a life MPAC people!
(10)
2007-11-28 18:48:42
Shaista:
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Lets not forget that you can go to the masajid 5 times a day - at least - if you can't get hold of someone on the phone.... isn't it far better than getting an answering machine? Why the big huff about answering the phone?
And whats everyones problem with heavy accents? That's just not acceptable! It's unislamic to discriminate in this way, it's arrogance. So when all the Imams are English speaking, they have to lose their accents. And when they lose their accents a Queens English voice will be the only one that's good enough will it? Get REAL people and fear Allah.
(11)
2007-11-28 21:23:30
dude:
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Maybe if you frequented the mosque more often (like 5 times? - maybe as a suggestion) someone without an "accent" can answer the phone. Maybe if more people attended the mosques there would be no need to lock up after salaah prayers. At the moment due to the social and political nature of this country it is understandable why the mosques doesn’t stay opened unattended. Dont try to blame "them" - "They" are you, if you want change - make it, stop whining. The problem is never with the mosque, the community makes the "mosque", the muslim community are losing their way, i see alot of uneducated, unsocial, bad mannered, bad charactered young muslims everyday - its sad. Thats the reason the mosques are empty - ignorance about islam + backward culture = young people confused and hating islam. its quite simple really.
(12)
2007-11-29 21:30:55
manic:
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Did you contact the model mosques, specifically the one that won this year's 2007 Model Mosque. The Bradford Mosque? What did they say? — MingOr maybe modle mosuqe can save the world, on its own. bloody useless every mosque should employ a secretary for the phone! everytime i called when i needed help from v I come from a small community of Muslims in which there is only one mosque. We simply don’t have the financial resources as we struggle to pay the imam, utility bills & maintenance of the mosque. If we were blessed with the financial resources we would most probably employ a second imam as the current one caters for over fifty children rather prioritise a secretary for answering phone calls. Each & every community knows best the sentiments the lie within. The last thing we need is MPAC defamatory means, to come barging in as some proprietor of the Muslim cause. I’m sick and tired of MPAC uniformly condemning the committee members, with complete disregard & awareness of the situation, sentiments & struggles for change that lie within the local community. I suggest you learn to spell in future before you decide to post a meaningful comment. As for you Ming, I suggest you learn to spell before you contemplate a meaningful post in future.
(13)
2007-12-07 10:14:15
manic:
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They spend millions to build Mosques and put locks to open at prayer times only. What a shame that the building look nice but no real islamic work is carried out. Its time to get involve and improve of running of our mosques. I think its everybodys responsibility to ask some though questions and let make our Mosques a real learning centres. — muhammed mahmudIn a Hadith Hadhrat Umar Radiyallahu anhu narrates that Nabi Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said when people’s work becomes (debauched or deteriorate) then they begin to decorate their Masajid (with carved, engraved, floral designs, etc.) [Ibn Majah] – [Aadaabul Masaajid by Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ sahib] Hadhrat Ibn Abbas Radhiyallahu anhu says that excessive decoration of the Masajid is a custom of the Jews and Christians. And in a tone of grief he predicted ‘you will decorate the Masajid the way the Jews and Christians did’. [Abu Dawud] – [Aadaabul Masaajid by Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ sahib]
(14)
2007-12-07 10:15:04
manic:
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We the Muslims have made ourselves a laughing stock around the world today. Could the Sudanese authorities not use their commonsense and see that this was an innocent mistake. And she did not even name the teddy, it were the children who did it. Seeing it a popular name in Sudan and the Muslim world she allowed them to go ahead. Sudanese have already punished her for something she is not guilty of. Now they MUST release her immediately. — MAWhere did their love for the Prophet (PBUH) go when they raped and killed, even during the month of Ramadan, fellow Muslims in Darfur? Shame on Sudanese authorities!! Firstly, It’s a shame that our very own Muslims have to fallen for this propagandist ploy by certain individuals in the western media that we all have to take collective blame for the actions of a few in the third world somewhere half way across the globe. Secondly, are you hinting in any way that the rape & pillaging of innocents is acceptable or any less of a crime, in any other month of the Islamic calendar? It is this precisely this type of mentality that we Muslims are in the tainted circumstance that we are today besides this is totally irrelevant to the abovementioned article.
(15)
2007-12-07 10:15:48
manic:
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Lets be honest here, as someone who has had the pleasure of calling all 1100 mosques in the UK, for various communal purposes, I can reliably inform you that the further North you go the less liklihood of even an answering machine being available to pass on your request. But the majority of London Masajid iether answered or you were able to leave a message to which they on the whole responded to. Were going into the controversial but real secterian debate again, could the mighty Mosque Reformers MPAC undertake a more specific study of phone call attendance rates between the culturally convuluted, folk-Islam inclined, docile Muslim creating mysticly run Barelwi Mosques against all the others...by the way, get a life MPAC people! — MusaEntirely agree on you assessment of the predominantly Barelwi run mosques & MPAC who share a similar mentality but on opposite extremes of the spectrum.
(16)
2007-12-07 10:16:28
manic:
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Maybe if you frequented the mosque more often (like 5 times? - maybe as a suggestion) someone without an "accent" can answer the phone. Maybe if more people attended the mosques there would be no need to lock up after salaah prayers. At the moment due to the social and political nature of this country it is understandable why the mosques doesn’t stay opened unattended. Dont try to blame "them" - "They" are you, if you want change - make it, stop whining. The problem is never with the mosque, the community makes the "mosque", the muslim community are losing their way, i see alot of uneducated, unsocial, bad mannered, bad charactered young muslims everyday - its sad. Thats the reason the mosques are empty - ignorance about islam + backward culture = young people confused and hating islam. its quite simple really. — dudePrecisely my point In order to change the mosques you have to change the community, but the likes of MPAC prefer using shock and awe tactics, rather than work with the community in a civilised manner, in order to reform it.
(17)
2007-12-07 10:17:42
manic:
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Keep up the pressure MPAC! — azaadThe Mosques in the UK (and elswhere -- but let's concentrate on our own ones) NEED reforming. Far too many of them are staffed by those whose English is poor (or heavily accented). Come on! How long have Muslims been in UK? How difficult is it to get English lessons? (Every Mosque should have an individual (fluent in idiomatic English) specifically appointed for the purpose of speaking on behalf of it. Although Imams ARE getting better, they do need a lot more improvement particularly in concentrating on the essence of Islam and not get hung up on Arabist cultural traditions. They need to involve the local non-muslim communities. I have heard that the congregation at the East London Mosque is very hostile towards white converts (MPAC please investigate). An English convert told me that he doesn't go there anywmore because of the hostility, and goes to Regents Park instead. And not to mention the toilets in Mosques: I've found them to be uniformly in disgusting condition. They are designed for open-air environments and not for closed premises (soemtimes even without windows!)They also need re-designing (with tilted (yes, 'tilted') floors) I do think it’s essential that we need more local grown imams not because the imams from abroad are in any manner inherently inferior but due to the huge cultural gap & language barrier that exists between them and our youth. As communication is an essential part of teaching & keeping the youths’ interests, as well as understanding their problems. If it wasn’t for the continuous contempt and disregard that we show for our faith, then we wouldn’t be in this situation. Perhaps if we valued Islam more than we did for our worldly possessions or our quest to attain them, more of our youth would want to be Imams, who we continue to pay peanuts. Similarly if the inhabitants of the community treated the mosque with the prestige it deserved rather than some artistic monument & each individual saw it upon themselves to maintain the Masjids they wouldn’t be in the conditions they’re in. As far as the toilets are concerned if you so concerned about the hygiene of toilets then I suggest you voluntary elect yourself to clean them once in awhile, as I do.
(18)
2007-12-07 10:19:26
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Trying to get mosques activated in campaigning on issues that impact seriously on their congregations is, to say the least, a difficult business. The first thing is to try and contact them to explain the whole issue. Of the mosques with published telephone numbers a portion of them are dud numbers, others ring but no one picks up, others ring and are only picked up at certain times (e.g. after Zuhr). Of the phones that are answered, the chances of getting a fluent English speaker is also quite slim.
