7/7:MuslimPerspectives

Edited byMurtaza Shibli

The book “7/7: Muslims Perspectives” will shortly be available from bookshops and Amazon.co.uk. The purpose of this short leaflet is to

introduce the book in advance of its formal launch at the house of Lords on 7 July 2010.

In this leaflet, you will find:

•Thefrontcoverdesignwhichyouwillalreadyhaveseenonpage1

•ThecopyrightandBritishLibraryCataloguingandPublicationData

•Theendorsementsreceivedsofar

•Aprofileof theeditorMurtazaShibli

•Thededicationandacknowledgements

•Alistof thecontributors

•Apoem“Openyoureyes”byAhmedBashir

•OnecompletechapterfromMohammedAmin

•Aprofileandphotographof eachothercontributoralongwithabrief extract from their chapter

Permissionisgivenforthisleafletmaybesharedfreelyinitsentirety,butitmust not be edited or amended in any way.

7/7: Muslim Perspectives

RABITA

Published by Rabita

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First published July 2010

©Thecopyrightforindividualcontributionstothisbookremainswiththerespective authors.The copyright for thebook as awholebelongs to theRabita Limited.

Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopying,recordingoranyinformationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutpriorpermissioninwritingfromthepublishers.

BritishLibraryCataloguing-in-PublicationData

ISBN978-0-9565967-0-3

1.LondonTerroristBombings,London,England,2005--Socialaspects.2.Muslims--Non-Muslimcountries--Attitudes.3.Muslims--Non-Muslimcountries -- Social conditions -- 21st century. 4.Terrorism -- Religiousaspects--Islam.

I.Seven/sevenII.Shibli,Murtaza.

303.6’25’088297-dc22

TypesetandcoverdesignbyMuhammadAmin,Norwich

PrintedinGreatBritainbyMPGBiddles

7/7: Muslim Perspectives

edited by

Murtaza Shibli

“This book …tells how the lives of people who had no connection whatever with those events, were stained or scarred by them, and how they have made their accommodation with a country in whichsuddenly,onedayinearlysummer,lifesuddenlychanged,andtheybecameawareof themselves,theirsenseof belonging,theirplaceandtheirfutureinwayswhichtheyhadneverdreamed.Thesearepowerful accounts from the heart.”

-JeremySeabrook,Author,‘TheRefugeandtheFortress’

“7/7: Muslim Perspectives is an important contribution that should be read by everyone whowasaffectedby7/7.Whilethecollectionhighlightstheheterogeneousnatureof MuslimsinBritainitdoesneverthelesshighlighttheextenttowhichpopularistaccountsof thesignificanceof thebombers’Muslimidentitieshashadtheadverseconsequenceof stigmatisingallMuslimsas terrorists and extremists.”

-RobertLambertMBE,Universityof ExeterCo-author,‘IslamophobiaandAnti-MuslimHateCrime:aLondonCaseStudy’

“Forgoing the anecdotal or statistical evidence that has until now dominated studiesof howUKMuslims have adapted to the post-9/11world,Murtaza Shibli’s book places thebombingswithinnarrativesthatgivethembothasocialcontextandintellectualdepth.Thisisaworkthatwillbeof significanceforjournalistsaswellasacademics,andthoseinvolvedinpoliticsandpolicingalike.”

-FaisalDevji,St.Antony’sCollege,OxfordUniversity,Author,‘Landscapesof Jihad’

“At first sight, whatwe note here are responses that the vastmajority of us recall onlytoo well from that fateful day: shock, anxiety about the safety of loved ones, the apparently absurd rupturetothenormalityof everydaylife,theabidingfearsaboutwhatliesahead.Oncloserlook,however,thisvolumealsorevealsthesubtlebutmenacingwaysinwhichasignificantminorityof innocentcitizenshavebecomeinsinuatedthroughnofaultof theirowninglobalantagonismstothe

Endorsements

5

detrimentof theirdignityandpeaceof mind.NotonlydoBritishMuslims,likeallBritishcitizens,havetolivewiththetraumaof 7/7:thataloneisbadenough.Theyalsomustthenlivewiththeframeof ‘terrorist,’potentialif notdefinite,thathascometobeplacedonthem.”

-ParvatiNair,Director,CentrefortheStudyof Migration,Queen Mary, University of London

“Revealingawiderangeof experiencesandattitudes,thecontributorsprovideinsightsintoacross-sectionof MuslimsocietyinBritaintoday…However,thepictureisnotallrosyandmanyof thecontributorsquestionsomeof theactionsandinitiativesof thegovernmentfollowing7/7.Theirconcernschallengebothgovernmentandsociety.”

-Dr.JohnChesworth,TheCentreforMuslimChristianStudies,Oxford

“With memories of 7/7 still very much vivid five years on, this collection of narratives offersapoignantreminderof thefeelingsof grief,shame,andbewildermentmanyBritishMuslimsexperiencedthatday–toadegreemostnon-Muslimsneverrealised….[T]hereadercannotbutbeimpressedbythevigorandthedeterminationtoself-introspectiondisplayedthroughoutthebookinordertoregainconfidenceandtochallengethefringegroupsof extremiststhathijackedexistinggrievancesandviolentlypoliticisedIslam.Aclearmessageof genuinehoperingsloudandclear:thatonedayallBritainmightborrowfromPeteSeegerandproudlyhum:‘ThisLandwasMadeforYouandMe’.”

-RikCoolsaet,GhentUniversity,Belgium,Member,EuropeanCommissionExpertGrouponViolentRadicalisation

7/7: Muslim Perspectives

Murtaza Shibli

This book explores and articulates insights, reactions and experiences of a wide rangeof Muslimmenandwomenfollowingtheeventsof 7/7–theirfeelings,anxietiesandconcerns.Alsohowtheynegotiatedtheirownpositionwithmainstreamsocietyandwitheachother intheaftermath.Theyreflectontheeventandexpresstheirpersonalresponse,servingasastartingpointforanexplorationof thechallengesandexpectationswhichthefutureholdsforthem.

Asthecontributorscomefromdiverseculturalandprofessionalbackgrounds,andawidevarietyof spiritualpractices,thisprojectoffersarichmosaicof livedexperience,subjectiveaccountsof people’shopes,worriesandfears.Indoingso,itoffersadeepermeaningandunderstandingof Muslimlivesinthiscountry.ItservesequallytoputintoperspectiveIslamicextremistideologiesinfringegroups.

Thebookoffersacompellingrangeof testimonytothosewithaninterestinthelivesof Muslims–students,journalists,politicians,policymakers,academicsetc.ItgivesavoicetoMuslimswho are rarely heard, and an opportunity to disseminate those voices in such a way as to promote cross-culturalbondsandamity.

MurtazaShibliisatrainer,writerandconsultantonMuslimissues,securityandconflict,andexpertonSouthAsia.Hehasworkedasajournalist,securityconsultantandaidworker.Inhisrecentrole,heworkedfortheMuslimCouncilof BritainasPublicAffairsandMediaOfficer.

AsajournalistinKashmir,hehascampaignedforminorityHindurightsandspenttimewithscoresof guerrillaresistanceleadersandinterviewedthemalongwithsomeAfghanjihadveterans.HehaswrittenamonographonHizbulMujahideen,thelargestguerillaresistancegroupinKashmirwhichwasaddedtoEuropeanUnion’sterroristorganisationsinDecember2005.

HehasanMAinMassCommunicationandJournalismfromtheUniversityofKashmirandMSc.inViolence,ConflictandDevelopmentfromtheSchoolofOrientalandAfricanStudies(SOAS),University of London.

Heisalsoapoetandasongwriter,andiscurrentlyworkingonhisfirstmusicalbuminhismothertongue–Koshur.

To London

& its spirit

Thegreatesttributethatwecanpaytothedeceased is to overcome the hatred and division

thatthekillerssoughttofoment.

I WOULD like to thank all of the contributors for sharing their experiencesandthoughtsonasubjectthatisverysensitive.MyspecialthanksgotoJeremySeabrook, author and commentator, andMohammedAmin for their continuoussupportandinstruction.IwouldalsoliketoacknowledgethesupportfromJohnChesworthof theCentreforMuslimChristianStudies,Oxford;AminaRawatandHasanAhmedfor theirgenerousandconstructivecomments.MythanksareduetoCanonGuyWilkinson,NationalInter-ReligiousAffairsAdvisor&SecretaryforInter-ReligiousAffairs to theArchbishopofCanterbury;RobertLambertof theUniversityof ExeterandParvatiNair,Director,CentreforMigrationStudies,QueenMaryUniversityof Londonfortheirsupport.IamalsogratefultoMuhammadAminforlayoutandcoverdesign.Myprofoundthanksgotomywife,AfiyahRai,whohassupportedthisprojectandbelievedinitsvalue.SincemypreviousemploymentattheMuslimCouncilof Britain,Ihavebeentotallydevotedtothisproject,notbringinganymoneyhome;somethingmywifeunderstoodandpatientlyendured.Iamalsothankfultomyparents-in-law,SavinderandJaspalRai,wholookedaftermyoneyearoldson,Sulaiman,whileIworkedonthisbook.

Acknowledgements

Contents

Open Your Eyes AhmedBashir 10

7/7 & Me Mohammed Amin 11

Sample Paragraphs

Making the ConneCtion LauraStout 17

Long night, Longer Day Ruhul Tarafder 17

UnpaCking SUitCaSeS SadiaHabib 18

UnDer Siege Raihan Akhtar 19

Bin LaDen’S reLative? AnjumAnwar 20

reLiving the paSt MurtazaShibli 21

Being a taLiBan Anisa Abouelhassan 21

FroM Covert to Convert Muhammad Amin 22

Fighting StereotypeS SaiyyidahZaidi 23

a Day oF Sorrow Imam Mohamed Rawat 24

the 7/7 eFFeCt Fatima Khan 25

the terror oF the DeSertS Ibrahim Lawson 26

the aLarM BeLL Asra Fareed 26

US, theM, & ‘theM’ MohammadSartawi 26

on ‘BeCoMing’ MUSLiM SereneKasim 27

FLight FroM pakiStan Ammar Ali Qureshi 28

BriDging the DiviDe SejaMajeed 29

FroM tyranny to terror hassan Alkatib 29

reFLeCtionS oF a StUDent Nada Mansy 30

an aCt oF hUMiLiation Farhat Amin 31

SUMMer oF SirenS & SLeepLeSSneSS SaadeyaShamsuddin 31

the rage & the Fear YaserIqbal 32

in SearCh oF horizon ShahidaAhmed 32

aCtionS, reaCtionS & new DireCtionS AhmedBashir 33

10

Open Your Eyes

The time is here, stand tall and be counted

Shieldyoungmindsandstopthemfrombeingclouded

Wemustfacethesesocalledmartyrsfalling

Toprotecttheinnocentthereisnotimeforstalling

Thestruggleisheretogetherasonewemustbe

We cannot falter in the face of this new enemy

Don’tbefooled,themosttrustedareeversotricksyandwise

They will take your liberties and disappear in to the dark skies

Take your loved ones and forever break with you their ties

Bewarned,theenemyisamongus,nowopenyoureyes.

Ahmed Bashir

11

MohammedAminretiredasaTaxPartnerinPricewaterhouseCooperstoconcentratefulltimeonhis voluntary sector activities, all of which focus on the integrationof MuslimswithinBritishsociety.Inthisregard,hehasanumberof roles,includingbeingamemberof theCentralWorkingCommitteeof theMuslimCouncilof Britain(MCB)andchairmanof theMCB’sBusiness& Economics Committee,Vice-Chairman of the ConservativeMuslim Forum,Treasurer of theMuslim Jewish Forum of GreaterManchester, serving on the advisory panel of Good BusinessPractice,(acharitywhichpromotesbetterethicalstandardsinbusinesslife)andbeingamemberof theadvisorycouncilof theThreeFaithsForum.Heiswritinginapersonalcapacityandhisviewsshouldnotbeattributedtoanyorganisation.

WheN Iwasaskedwhat7July2005meanstome,myfirstreactionwastostepbackandaskmyself thequestion“WhoamI?”

I was born in Pakistan but have lived in Manchester since I was less than two years old. I have no memories of Pakistan and have never set foot there since mymigration.WhenPresidentBhuttopulledPakistanoutof theCommonwealth,IchosetobecomeaBritishcitizenratherthanhavingmystatusinBritainchangeto‘alien’.However,somewhereinmypersonalfilesIstillhaveanexpiredPakistanipassport(neverusedforactualtravelanywhere)whichIobtainedwhenIwasabout18,andIhaveneverfoundanyreasontorenouncemyPakistanicitizenship.ByreligionIamaMuslimandprofessionallyacharteredaccountantandacharteredtax adviser. On 7/7 I was a tax partner based at the Manchester office of PricewaterhouseCoopersbutmaderegularbusinesstripstoLondon.

Thedaybefore,6July2005,wasamemorabledayinitsownright.ThatwasthedaythatLondonwasawardedtherighttohostthe2012OlympicGamesfollowingoutstandinglobbyingbytheBritishOlympicbidorganisingteamaidedbyPrimeMinisterTonyBlair.Ipersonallyfeltamassivesenseof exultationatgetting

7/7 & Me

Mohammed Amin

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

12

theOlympics,whichwassharedbymostof thecountry.Sadlytheexcitementwastobeshatteredthefollowingday.

OnThursday 7 July, I was working in my office inManchester. Afterwanderingaroundthebuildingtoseeanothertaxpartner,Iwascasuallychattingwithhissecretary.Shementionedamutualcolleaguewhoattimes issomewhataccident prone! he was down in London and the secretary mentioned with some levitythatouraccidentpronecolleaguehadbeenunabletogettohismeetingduetoapowerfailureontheUnderground!

Overthenexthourorsothenewsgraduallyemergedthattherehadbeenabombandthatsomepeoplehadbeenkilled.Thengraduallythefullenormityof theattacksemerged.Mywife’sfamilyarefromtheLondonareaandmanyof themworkincentralLondon,someneartheareaof thebombings.MyelderdaughterwasastudentatUniversityCollegeLondon.Accordinglyforseveralhoursmywifeandmybrothersandsisters in lawweremakingfrantic telephonecalls tomakecontact with and account for all of our relatives. The task was made harder as themobilephonesystemwasjammedbyhundredsof thousandsof otherpeopletryingtodothesamething.Fortunatelynobodyinourfamilywasinjuredorkilled.HoweverasIwritethis,tearsfillmyeyesthinkingaboutthemanyotherpeoplewhoweresimilarlytryingtocalltheirlovedonesonlytobemetinitiallybysilence,followedby thedreadfulhorrorof learning that their relatives and friendshadbeenseriouslyinjuredorkilled.

Our standard office hours ended at 1730 but I almost always workedlater than that.However I had full discretionwhen Iwanted to come and go,especially as I was a partner in the firm. I recall that I did not rush home from work immediatelybutworkedquitelatebeforegoinghometofacethe24-hourtelevisionnewschannels.Exactlythesamethinghadhappenedon11September2001,whenbyearly evening theofficewasdesertedbut Iwas stillworking; subconsciouslyIpreferred the comfortable environmentof theoffice rather thanwatching thecontinuoushorroronthetelevision.IknewthatonceIgothomeIwouldbegluedto the television screen.

Mynextmemoryisof thefollowingMonday,11July,whenIwasduetoattend an all-dayPricewaterhouseCoopers training event inLondon.As always, I

7/7 & Me

13

took the train from Manchester to London euston. At London euston the taxi queueseemedtobeamilelong,stretchingallthewaybackintothemainstationconcourse,farlongerthanIhaveeverseenit.Thatdidn’tmattertomeasIwasalreadydeterminedtotaketheUnderground.MyattitudewastheverysimpleBritishone“I’llbedamnedbeforeIletthosebastardsfrightenmeawayfromcontinuingmynormallifebytakingtheUnderground.”Despitethisbeingtherushhour,theundergroundtrainwasprettyempty,althoughnotcompletelydeserted.Obviously,manyregularpassengershaddecidedtoavoidtheriskof undergroundtravel,evidencedalsobythe lengthof the taxiqueue. Igot to the trainingeventon time.Aboutanhourandahalf lateranotherpartnerfromManchesterarrived,verylate,despitehavingtravelled from Manchester on time. he explained that his wife had only allowed him toattendtheLondontrainingeventontheexpresspromisethathewouldnotusetheUnderground;hehadgivenuponthetaxiqueueandhadwalkedallthewayfromEustontothehotelwherethetrainingeventwastakingplace.

The evening of the following day, 12 July, was bright and sunny and IwasinHeatonParkinManchester,thelargestmunicipalparkinthecity.Iwasattendinganeventcalled‘SaudiArabianDays’organisedbytheSaudiEmbassytoshowcaseSaudibusinessandculture. Itwasaglitteringoccasionwithnoeffortspared, including transportingcamels toManchester.At theevent Ihada longconversationwithaMuslimmemberof theHouseof Lordsandother leadingmembers of the Muslim community. I think that very day the identity of the suicide bombers had finally been established and it was clear that they were not terroristssentfromabroadbuthome-grownBritishMuslimswhowishedtokilltheircountrymen.Allof usrecognisedhowterriblethiswasandthepotentialforabacklashagainsttheBritishMuslimcommunity.

enormous praise is due to the Mayor of London at that time, Ken Livingstone,forthewaythathepulledLondonerstogethertopreventthedivisionsthatthekillersobviouslyhopedtofoment.Londonersof allreligionscametogethertorecognisetheircommonhumanityandgreatcredit isduetoKenandtoournationalpoliticiansof allpartieswhorecognisedtheneedforBritonstounite.

There isa sayingthathistoryrepeats itself, the first timeas tragedyandthenasfarce.TwoweekslateronThursday21JulyIwasdrivingbetweenmeetingsinBradfordandBlackburn.IstoppedatthemotorwayservicesforlunchandasI

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

14

didsowaslisteningtotheBBCRadio4newsat1300.ThisreportedthefailedbombingsinLondonthatday.Whilegreatlyrelievedthatnobodyhadbeenhurt,I had to smile at the ineptness of this particular gang of terrorists. Sadly thefollowingdaytragedystruckagainwiththecatastropheof themistakenkillingbythepoliceof JeanCharlesdeMenezes.

Since then, there have been many other terrorist plots by Muslims.Fortunately, all have been successfully prevented by our security services, or like the attackonGlasgowairport,havefailed.TheconsequencesfortheBritishMuslimcommunity if these attacks had succeeded would have been terrible, as we would have seenananti-Muslimbacklash.Sadly that isoneof thekeygoalsof theseterrorists,todivideBritishMuslimsfromotherBritishcitizens,andtocauseusto tear our country apart, the way that some other countries have been nearly destroyedbyinternalstrife.IdonotwanttoseeBritishMuslimsbeinginternedlike the Japanese residents of theUnited States duringWorldWar II or beingexpelled.Howevernothingwouldpleasetheterroristsmore.

Steppingbackandreflectingoverthelastfiveyears,thefollowingpointscometomind.SomeMuslimsareincompletedenial.Theysimplydonotacceptthatthe7/7 bombingswere carried out byMuslims. Instead they believe in conspiracytheoriessuchaspinningtheblameontheBritishgovernment(toprovideanexcuseforgovernmentanti-Muslimpolicies)orpinningtheblameonoutfitslikeMossad(sinceMossadwouldliketoblackentheimageof Muslims).Sadly,peoplearealwaysreadytobelieveinconspiracies.Theynevergothroughthelogicalthoughtprocessof asking howmany people inside the British security services and governmentwouldneedtoknowaboutanofficialgovernmentplottomurderitsowncitizens,and the likelihood that every one of these people would remain silent.

Anothersectorof thecommunityacceptthatthebombingswerecarriedout by the individuals named, Mohammad Sidique Khan and others, butsomehowdon’t regard themasMuslims. It is true that settingoff bombsontheUnderground is a veryun-Islamic thing todo.However, if youhadbeenabletoobservethelifestyleof theseindividualspriorto7July2005youwouldhaveseenthemreadingtheQur’anregularly,prayingregularly,fastinganddoingeverythingelsethatyouseeMuslimsdo.Accordingly, inmyviewyouhavetoaccept that thesepeoplewereMuslimsbyanyobjectivemeasure.Thisapplies

7/7 & Me

15

evenif yourviewtheologicallyisthatoncetheyformedtheintentiontocommitmass murder they had distanced themselves from God and turned away from everythingthatIslamstandsfor.

ThemostcommonthingIhearfromtheMuslimcommunity is that thebombersdiditbecauseof ourcountry’sforeignpolicy,especiallyBritain’sunbalancedsupportforIsraelandourcountry’sinvasionof Iraq,whichalmostallBritishcitizensnowrecognisetohavebeenutterlymisconceived.Itisclearlytruethatthosewerethereasons why these people chose to kill, since they have told us that in their suicide videos.However,stoppingtheanalysisatthatpointisseriouslyincomplete.Thereare hundreds of thousands if notmillions of Britonswho feel equally stronglyaboutissuessuchasPalestineandIraqwhodonotbecomesuicidebombers.Almostallof theBritishMuslimcommunityfeelsstronglyaboutPalestineandIraqbutapart from a tinyminority of terrorists, BritishMuslims confine themselves tolawfuloppositionandpoliticalprotest.Whatwasdifferentaboutthebombers?

Lookingatthesuicidevideos,thebombersclearlybelievedthatthebombingstheywereabouttocarryoutwouldbeagooddeedintheeyesof God.Itiscleartomethattheseindividualsdidnotexpecttogotohellasaconsequenceof theiractionsbutinsteadexpectedtogotoheaven.If theyhadbelievedthattheyweregoingtohell,theywouldnothavecarriedouttheiractions.ManybravepeoplearewillingtogiveuptheirlivesfortheirreligiousbeliefsinordertoserveGodwiththehopeof enteringparadise.HoweverIcannotconceiveof anyonewhoisreligiouswantingtopromoteapoliticalcauseonearth,if thismeansconsciouslydefyingGodandconsciouslychoosingtobecastintohellforalleternity.

IhavelabouredthispointbecausemanyintheBritishMuslimcommunitydenythatthereligiousbeliefsof thekillersmatter.Isuspectthatthepeoplewiththispositionthinkthatif theyacceptthatthekillerswereinfluencedbytheirreligiousbeliefs,somehowthiswillreflectbadlyonIslam.Suchaviewiscompletelywrong;God’struereligioncannotbetarnishedbythecrimescommittedbyafew(orevenbymany)Muslims.Islam’struthcannotbetaintedbyhumanmisconduct.

however, while there is no problem with Islam, there is a problem with some Muslims which we need to face up to. While I believe that if I were to kill a random collection of Londoners God would sentence me to hell for all eternity, there are

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

16

someMuslimswhothinkthatsuchconductwouldbeapassporttoheaven.SuchpeoplearedangerousbecauseoncetheybelievethatGodhasgiventhempermissionto kill British citizens theywill try todo it unless our country subordinates itspoliciestotheirviewof theworld.Todayitisourforeignpolicyinanyoneof anumberof places;tomorrowitwillbeourcountry’spolicyof allowingpeopletodrink alcohol or to wear miniskirts.

Whatweneed is a clear and consistentmessage fromallMuslim leaders,repeatedregularly,thatkillingotherpeople–exceptinself-defenceorinalegallydeclaredwar–isacrimeagainstthelawofGodwhichwillresultinyoubeingsenttohell.OnlywhenthisisacceptedbyallBritishMuslimswillwebefreefromthethreatof terroristactsbeingcommittedbymisguidedMuslims.

As citizens,we also facedangers fromotherwould-be terrorists such ashomophobes,anti-Muslimbigots,Irishrepublicansandothers.However,asIwasaskedtoreflectupon7/7,IhavefocusedonthedangerfromthoseMuslimswhoareseriouslymisguidedaboutIslam.

IoccasionallythinkabouthowImightfeelafterdiscoveringthatoneof mysonsordaughtershadbecomeaterrorist.Apartfromtheshock,Ithinktheoverwhelmingreactionwouldbeoneof guilt,toask“WheredidIgowrong;whatdidIfailtoteachhimorher?”Fortunately,myownchildrenhavebeenbroughtup in an atmosphere where they were encouraged to think independently, andshownosignsof religiousextremism.NorhavetheyencounteredtheproblemsIhear about from other Muslims such as repeated stop and search which can cause peopletobecomelesssupportiveof thepolice.Thekeyvaccinesagainstbecomingareligiouslymotivatedterroristareatrueunderstandingof one’sreligionandrealappreciationforoursocietyandthewaythatitgovernsitself.

17

Making the

Connection

Laura Stout

LauraStoutiscurrentlyaMastersstudentatBirkbeckUniversity,studyingNationalismandEthnicConflict,havinggraduatedwithadegreeinAnthropologyfromUniversityCollegeLondon(UCL)in2006.Whilestudying,shealsoworksattheMuslimCouncilof Britain(MCB)asPAtotheSecretaryGeneral.Havingonlyrevertedin2008,LauraenjoysspendingasmuchtimeaspossiblelearningaboutIslamandthediverseMuslimcommunity.Sheisawarethisisalongjourneyonwhichsheisjustembarkingonandhopestomakeapositivecontribution–inshaAllah(Godwilling).Laurais married and lives in London.

MYunderstandingof IslamisamillionmilesawayfromthepicturesIhearandseepaintedaroundme.Itisareligionthatencourageslove,forgiveness

andcompassionfortheworldandthosearoundus.Itteachesustolivetogethersidebysideinpeace,regardlessof religion,colour,nationality,classandculture.Itspeaksof adeeplyheldrespectforwomen,familyvaluesandequality–withanappreciationforthedifferentattributeswe’veallbeengiven,andgivingcharityto thepoor, orphaned,widowed anddestitute. It provides guidanceonhow tobecomeabetterversionof whoyouare,howtobuildandstrengthenarelationshipwithourCreatorwhoisso loving,mostforgivingand just,andhowtomakeapositivecontributionduringourshorttimeonthisearth.

Long Night,

Longer Day

Ruhul Tarafder

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

18

RuhulTarafder is theCommunicationsManagerwith IF charity based inEastLondon.Previously he has worked on various national campaigns forMuslims including anti-racism andhumanrights.Hehasbeenonthemanagementcommitteeof theYouthActionScheme,aprimarilyBangladeshiMuslimyouthprojectbasedinTowerHamlets.Oneof thehighlightsof thiswastotakeseveralfootballteamsovertoDenmarkeachyeartoparticipateintheDanaCup,thesecondlargestyouthfootballtournamentintheworld.HehasalsoparticipatedinconflictresolutionandmediationworkbetweengangsinLondon.

eVERY day I would hear on the radio or read in the papers about the radicalisation of Muslims. The government would blame the mosques

and the imamsandsuggest that theproblemwas inherentwithin theMuslimcommunityandthatweneededtodosomethingaboutit,butIknewitwasn’tthatatall.Yes,peoplewerebecomingmoreradical.Ihadseenandbeeninvolvedwiththeanti-warmovementmyself,andobservedhowfromtheearlierralliesatTrafalgarSquare,wheretherehadbeenahandfulof Muslims,asthewardrewcloser, these handfuls had turned into tens of thousands. We had all become radical, andIwasoneof them,butwhereas thevastmajorityof peoplewereangrybutcompletelypeaceful,itonlyneededafewpsychoindividualstotakethingstoanotherlevelanddosomecrazyshit.

SadiaHabibhastaughtat6thformlevelinBury,Lancashire,andatsecondaryschooland6thforminSouthEastLondon.HerundergraduatestudiesandPGCEtrainingwerecompletedattheUniversityof Leicester.SheobtainedherMAinEducationatGoldsmiths,Universityof Londonwhere she developed her interest in issues of identity, diaspora, masculinities and femininities, multilingualismandliteracy,children’sliteratureanddiversity.Inhersparetime,sheenjoyswritingtheatre reviews for Manchester Mouth (an online minority news and community affairs site).Currently,sheisworkingtowardsherdoctorateinEducationalStudiesatGoldsmithsCollege.

Unpacking SuitcasesBritish Muslim Identity

Before and After 7/7

Sadia Habib

Sample Paragraphs

19

7/7 damaged our sense of being part of the‘imagined community’, raisingurgentquestionsaboutwhobelonged,andwhofelttheydidnotandwhy.The

atrociousactsraisedquestionsaboutloyaltiestoBritain.7/7gavemecausetobeconcernedabout the smallgroupof youngMuslimmaleswhowere involved inthistragedy.Asaneducationalist,Iwantedtolearnmoreabouttheirexperienceof the school system. As a social researcher, I wanted to know about their experiences of family,workandwidersocietyatlarge.Howhadinstitutionssuchasthemediaandpolityaffectedtheirperspectivesof socialjustice?Whydidtheseboysfeelthisdesperateneedtocausesuchatragedy?Inmyview,itiscrucialtogivetheseissuesdue consideration. At the same time, we must always point to how this is a minority mindset. 7/7was painful for our national psyche, especially so formy parents’generationwhoaregratefulfortheopportunitiesandprivilegestheyhavehadlivinghere,andwouldneverwishanyharmtotheiradoptivehome.TheBritishMuslimsIknow;myfriendsandmypeers,theirfriendsandpeers,condemnedtheseactsof 7/7asatrocious.MyfriendsandpeersareabletobeBritishandbeMuslimwithease,formultipleidentitiesisthenorm.Diverseidentificationsarerealandlived.

RaihanAkhtarisoriginallyfromBirminghamandmovedtoLondonin2004toworkasastrategyconsultant.HeisinvolvedinsupportandcounsellingworkwithintheMuslimcommunity.

The thing that struckmewas how thepublic perceptionof the incidentswiftly changed simply because of the victim’s race and nationality.The

pictureimmediatelybeingpaintedof awould-besuicidebombersuddenlybeganto look implausible, sinceof course terroristscan’tcomefromBrazil.Butwhatif itwasdiscoveredthathewasfromMoroccoorYemenorPakistan?Wouldthemedia reportshavechangedand thequestionsbeen raisedagainst thepolice so

Under Siege

Raihan Akhtar

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

20

quickly? How long would the picture-painting and police methods have beenallowedtocontinuebeforeanyobjectionswereheard?Therewouldstillcertainlyhave been some investigation into any killing, but without the sudden shift inpublic opinion andmedia spotlight, I think that the immediate responses andlongertermconsequencescouldhavebeenverydifferent.

AnjumAnwarhasauniquejobasaMuslimonthestaff of anAnglicancathedral.ShewasappointedasaDialogueDevelopmentOfficerinApril2007,tocreatedialogueinBlackburn,atownthathasbeenlabelledasthemostsegregatedintheUK.PreviouslysheservedasanEducationOfficerattheLancashireCouncilof Mosques,spearheadingthe‘UnderstandingIslam,’projectinpartnershipwithLancashireCountyCouncil.ShewasawardedanMBEin2005forherservicestothecommunityof Lancashire.SheisalsoChairof Woman’sVoice–agrassrootsorganisationforwomen.

WALKING intoaRomanCatholicschool,Iwasbombardedwithquestionsaboutmyheadscarf.However,Inoticedastatuetteof Madonna(notthe

singer,thankgoodness!),butthatof LadyMary,motherof Jesus(peaceandblessingsof Allahbeuponthem),lookingsereneandpeacefulandwearingablueheadscarf.Ipointedtothestatuetteandaskedthechildrenwhoshewas?Allhandswentupto tell me that that is, “our Lady, mother of Jesus.” I simply asked them “What is shewearingonherhead?”Thechildrenwentquietforafewsecondsandpointedtomy head scarf, “She iswearing a headscarf.” By bringing commonalities intotheconversation,Ihadmadeapoint,Marymotherof Jesus(peaceandblessingsof Allahbeuponher)wasmyrolemodel,andIwastryingtoliveuptothehighstandardsthatsheadvocated,justassomeof theschoolchildrenprobablyfollowedDavidBeckham,astheirrole-model.TwodayslaterIreceivedaletterfromayoungpupilfromthisparticularRomanCatholicSchool,withtwosimilardrawingsof twowomenwearingaheadscarf,onesaidMaryandtheotherAnjum.

Bin Laden’s

Relative?

Anjum Anwar

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MurtazaShibli isatrainer,writerandconsultantonMuslimissues,securityandconflict,andanexpertonSouthAsia.Hehasworkedasajournalistandsecurityconsultant.Inhisrecentrole,heworkedfortheMuslimCouncilof BritainasPublicAffairsandMediaOfficer.AsajournalistinKashmir,hehascampaignedforminorityHindurightsandspent timewithscoresof guerrillaresistanceleadersandinterviewedthemalongwithsomeAfghanjihadveterans.HehasanMAinMassCommunicationandJournalismfromtheUniversityof KashmirandanMSc.inViolence,ConflictandDevelopmentfromtheSchoolof OrientalandAfricanStudies,London.Heisalsoapoetandsongwriter,andiscurrentlyworkingonhisfirstmusicalbuminhismothertongue–Koshur.

The events of 7/7 changed everything in Britain.Reluctantly and slowlyMuslims acknowledged the deep roots of extremism that pervaded every

sphere of our life.Although banished frompopular Islam, the extremistswereverysmallinnumber;aminisculeproportionof theBritishMuslimpopulation.However,theyhadbecomewellorganizedandthrivedinthebackalleysof councilestatesanduniversities,becausetheyhadremainedunchallengedforsuchalongtime.7/7offeredachancetomainstreamIslam,thevastmajorityof BritishMuslims,topluckup courage and challengeMuslim extremists, notonlyby confrontingtheirtheologybutalsobycreatingauniqueBritishMuslimorEuropeanMuslimdiscourse that constructs Muslim life in the reality of the european continent.

Reliving the Past

Murtaza Shibli

Being a Taliban

Anisa Abouelhassan

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

22

Anisa Abouelhassan is the CEO of Muslim Comms, an independent engagement,projectmanagement and communications consultancy. She is a volunteer on the London boardof theCrimestoppersTrust,formerlyworkingastheAsian-MuslimCommunitiesManagerfortheorganization.Anisaisaqualifieddevelopmentworkerwhoseinterestsareintacklingtheinjusticesof allkindsof criminalitythatharmcommunities.SheisanEnglishreverttoIslamandlivesinSurreywithtwoyoungchildren.

Irememberthinkingtomyself, “PleaseGoddon’tletthishaveanyMusliminvolvement”.Ialsorememberthinking“I’mgladInolongerweartheveil”.Post9/11and pre 7/7, whilst veiled I had encountered a number of Islamophobic incidents. Havingatraincarriagefullofdrunkenfootballfans,serenademewithachorusof “Taliban,Taliban,Taliban”wasoneofthelighterexperiences....

... Even so, it was then still beyondmy own contemplation that BritishMuslimscouldplayanypartincausingeventssuchas7/7.OnfindingoutitwasBritishMuslims,Ithoughtitmusthavebeensomekindof conspiracy.Ittookalotof inwardcontemplationandresearchtoadmittomyself thatitwasBritishMuslimswhohadcarriedout7/7.WorsestillitwasBritishMuslimsandarevertto Islam who had caused so much pain.

MuhammadAminwasbornin1976inDublin,Ireland.Showingapredilectionfordrawingandwritingasayoungboy,hewentontobeeducatedinVisualCommunicationsinthemidlandsof hishomecountry.HethenspenttenyearsinEdinburgh,wherehedevelopedhisinterestinArts–performancepoetry,theatreandgraphicart–beingemployedmostlyinacommunityworkcontext.HespentsometimewithaChristiancommunitygroupthere,beforeseekingtoconfirmhisbelief inIslam.HenowresidesinNorwich,Norfolk,withhiswife,andtheyareexpectingtheirfirstchild.Hecontinuestoexplorehisinterestsincreativewritingandgraphicarts.

From Covert to Convert ‘Who, what & why

I was led to believe.’

Muhammad Amin

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23

I READthatthe‘torpedoattack’ontheUSwarshipintheGulf of Tonkin,theincidentwhichallowedAmericatogotowarwithVietnam,didnothappen.ThattheBelgranowasinhostilewaters.ThattheGuildfordFourwerereleasedbecausethe police had withheld evidence from the defence, and that people who said they had in fact committed the crime were dismissed. I read that the Man on the Moon wasdoneonstageforthepapers.ThatSecretSocietiesarerunningthecountry(butwhatisaSecretSocietyinasocietyof secrecy?).IreadthatSunnisneverlikedShia,thattheTalibanaremad,thattheneo-consarefascist,thatJesusneverlived,buthehadason.Ireaditall,andIdon’tknowwhattobelieve.Iknowit’snottrue.It’snottruebecauseIwasn’tthere.It’shistory.

Saiyyidah Zaidi is the eldest of four girls whowere born and raised by hermother inNorthLondon.SheisaqualifiedarchitectandaFellowof theAssociationof ProjectManagement,currentlyworkinginlocalgovernmentasanAssistantDirector.SheisalsoChairof Governorsof acomprehensivesecondaryschoolinEastLondon,aswellasagovernorof anindependentprimaryschool.SaiyyidahismarriedwithtwochildrenandlivesinLondon.

MypassengerswerewhiteBritishandIstillwonderhowtheyfeltaboutthejourney–didtheyacceptmyofferof theliftbecauseitwastheonlychoice,orwouldtheyratherhavenottravelledwithaMusliminahijabonadaywhenitwastheMuslimsthatwerebeingblamedforcreatingallthischaosastheydetonatedbombsintheheartof London?

My husband chose to become Muslim about one year before we met. A whiteBritishman,hewasstoppedduringtheperiodof IRAbombingsashelookedIrish;nowheisstoppedashefitstheprofileof aMuslim–becauseof hisclothingand his beard. I bet if he shaved off his beard and wore a suit and tie he would no longerbestopped,butperhapsIamjustbeingsuperficial.

Fighting

Stereotypes

Saiyyidah Zaidi

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

24

Imam Mohamed Rawat is a second generation Gujarati Muslim born in Nuneaton,Warwickshire,inthelate60s.HemovedtoHackney,London,attheageof 12,whereheattendedsecondary education. In 1984 he went to study at an Islamic institute in Lancashire where hecompletedhis studies in various Islamic subjects including theology and jurisprudence.SincehisgraduationhehasbeenanactivereligiousleaderforthecommunityinNorthHackneyinvariouscapacities.Theseincludeworkingvoluntarilyinrolessuchasapublicschoolgovernor,mentoringyoungboysinfootball,aswellaspromotingpeaceandcommunitycohesionwiththeMetropolitanPoliceandotherlocalreligiousleadersof differentfaiths.

ON the whole Muslims will be treated differently, particularly if they see themselves as different. It is expected that people will have prejudices or

stereotypesaboutacertainclassorgroupof people,especially if theyhavebeenassociatedwithcertainatrociousevents.ButIdonotthinkeventssuchas7/7or9/11areprincipallyresponsiblefortheseprejudicesdeveloping.ItismoreabouthowweasMuslimsliveandconductourselvesascitizensof theUnitedKingdom.Often,whenIstartspeakingtothegeneralpublic,whomayhavecertainmisperceptionsaboutme,theyhaverespondedwiththecomment“He’soneof us”.

A Day of Sorrow

Imam Mohamed Rawat

The 7/7 Effect

Fatima Khan

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Fatima Khan is a freelance consultant with a wide range of experience engaging withcommunitiesonissuesof safetyandcrimereduction.SheistheViceChairof theMuslimSafetyForum(MSF),acharityfocusingonissuesof securityandsafetyaffectingtheMuslimcommunity;shealsoco-leadstheMSF’sIslamophobiaworkstrand.

GROWINGup in London, I never really experienced the racism my elder siblings andparents had faced in the seventies and eighties as Iwas very

youngatthetime.Apartfrombeingcalled‘Paki’theoddfewtimeshereandthere,I can honestly say that I only really became aware of my colour and what my faith meanttoothersafter7/7.Thingshadchangedandthechangeshadadirectimpacton the day to day lives of Muslims, however subtle. I needed to understand what thismeantforme,myfriendsandfamilyandhowIcanengageintheprocess,butbetterstillworktochangepoliciesandprocessesthatIfeltwerenotworkingandwere not in the interest of the community as a whole. At this moment in time I am stillworkingtowardsthatend.

IbrahimLawsonspentseveralyearsasayoungmantravellingandstudyingesotericspiritualtraditionsbeforesettlinginNorfolkandacceptingIslamundertheguidanceof ateachingShaykh.FollowingadegreeinPhilosophy,hetrainedasateacherof religiousstudiesatCambridgeUniversityandspent10yearsworkinginstateeducation.DuringthistimehestudiedforaMasterscourseinPhenomenologicalResearchand,later,inTheology.Hesetuphisfirstschoolin1999andthreeyearslaterwassecondedtotheNationalCollegeforSchoolLeadershipwhilebeginningaPhDinRadicalhermeneutics. he is currently the head Teacher of an Islamic secondary school in London.

SOwearenearly there.Meanwhile, I amsittingonacrowded train rattlingthroughthecountrysidenorthtoLondononasummer’smorningin2005

and there’s a youngMuslimmale, cropped hair, long beard, shalwar kameez…amItheonlyonewho’ssuddenlyverynervous?Ishecarryingarucksack?AmI

The Terror of

the Deserts

Ibrahim Lawson

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

26

worryingabouttheforgettingof thequestionof themeaningof being?Orgettingmylegsblownoff attheknees?

Asra Fareed was born in India. She works as a Corporate CommunicationsManageratacablecompanyinAmsterdamwhereshehaslivedwithherhusbandsinceDecember2006.PreviouslysheworkedinLondonasaPRManageratanadvertisingagencyworkinginmulticulturalmarketingcommunications.

ASImanagedtoweanmyself off thesuspicion,Istartedtakingnoteof howthemediacoveredthebombingsandthepoliticalreactiontotheincidents.

WhiletheBBCwasbeingaccusedof beingovertlyconsciousof BritishMuslimsentiments and of ‘sanitizing’ its coverage, by not referring to the Londonbombersas‘terrorists’butsimplyas‘bombers’,thetabloids’headlinesandarticlessmackedof Islamophobic,unwarrantedandnegativeportrayalsof Muslims.In2001,duringmyMaster’sstudiesinLondon,Ihadanalyzedtheroleof thelocalvernacular press in the 2002 anti-Muslimpogroms inGujarat, India, and theconclusionsrecordedthattheGujarativernacularpresswasguiltyof aggravatingtensions,incitingviolenceandreprisalattacksthroughinflammatorycoverage.Icould now draw clear parallels.

The Alarm Bell

Asra Fareed

Us, Them,

& ‘Them’

Mohammad Sartawi

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Mohammad Sartawi is a Palestinian-Kuwaiti. He is a doctoral candidate in SocialPsychology at the London School of Economics. His thesis is concerned with the everydayexperienceandpracticeof IslaminLondon’sMuslimcommunities.Morespecificallyheisinterestedin the relationship between beliefs, identity, and different forms of practice in different Islamic groups in aWestern context. His interests include social identity theory, social representations,phenomenologicalepistemologies,andsocial/collectiveaction.HeistheCoordinatorof theLSESocialRepresentationsGroupandamemberof theSocialPsychologicalResearchintoRacismandMulticulturalismgroupattheLSEInstituteof SocialPsychology.

I WASonly to understand the extent of the suspicion and distrust that now defines theMuslimcommunitywhenIbecamepartof it.‘Brothers’wouldnotgivemethe

time of day, and if they did I would wonder what they were after. We were almost afraid to help people if they asked us to. Many Muslims seemed to even fear their ownbeliefswhichthemediarepresentedas‘extremist’,‘fundamentalist’or,bythosemoreinclinedtowardspoliticalcorrectness,as‘controversial’.Theywerewearyof Muslimswhosawthemthroughthelensof themedia,andthosewhoworethelensof the media were weary of them. They did not want to be associated with each other lestonecommunityortheothermayrejectthem.Themosqueswerenolongerfullof Muslims, but of this, that, or the other Muslim. Newcomers to London would oftencomplaintomeabouttheabsenceof ourglorifiedbrotherhood.“WhereisourUmmah?”theywouldask.IwasoftencautionedbythepeopleIworkedfornottotrustsoeasily,tobesuspicious,andtoconstantlyquestion.

SereneKasimworksasResearchFellowwiththeCentrefortheStudyof CultureandSociety(CSCS),Bangalore,India.Sheispartof aninternationalprojectfundedbyHivosintheNetherlands.Itisapartof theirKnowledgeProgrammeandiscalledPromotingPluralisminIndia.Theprojectaimstostudyreligiouspluralisminmulticulturalsocietiesandmovetowardsanunderstandingof fundamentalisms.SerenehasanMAinSouthAsianAreaStudiesfromtheSchoolof OrientalandAfricanStudies,Universityof London.

On ‘Becoming’

Muslim

Serene Kasim

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

28

INCREASINGLYIhavebeguntofeelthatperhapsthevictimsof theterroristsarenotsimplythemanythattheyhavemaimedandkilled(andcontinuetodo

so).Muslimpopulationstheworldoverhavebecomethebiggestvictimsof theirtactics.Islamtodayfeelslikeareligionundersiegeasmuchfromwithinasfromwithout.Forbetterorworseitisuptothepeopleof mygenerationtostandupandfaceuptothefactsandbeginworkingtowardresolvingthis.Likeitornot,ithas become almost morally incumbent upon us to do so.

AmmarAliQureshiisaLondon-basedfinanceprofessionalwhohasworkedinareassuchasinvestmentbanking,privateequity,energyconsultingandcarbontrading.HedidhisMastersinFinanceatImperialCollegeLondonasaCheveningScholar.HehasanMBAfromLahoreUniversityof ManagementSciences(LUMS),Pakistan’smostprestigiousbusinessschool.HefrequentlycontributestodifferentEnglishnewspapersandmagazinesinPakistansuchasDawn,DailyTimesandTheFridayTimes–mostlyonsubjectssuchashistory,internationalrelationsandculturalissues.

ON a personal level, I must state that my apprehensions of discrimination against Muslims and Pakistanis turned out to be wrong. During my

stay in the UK, I cannot even recall one instance of discrimination or racial abuse.Noonehasblamedmeormycountryorreligionfor7/7asfarasmypersonal interaction with other communities is concerned. In this respect, all my apprehensionsintheinitialfewdaysof mysettlingdownintheUKturnedouttobemisplaced.Oneof thereasonscanbethatIbelongtothatclassof societywhich has advantage of higher education in this country.Most of my socialcircleconsistsof highlyeducatedprofessionals,andtheworkplacealsohasawidevarietyof peoplefromdifferentbackgrounds.

Flight from

Pakistan

Ammar Ali Qureshi

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SejaMajeed is British Iraqi law graduate living inNorthLondon. She recentlywon anawardbyV-inspiredtheNationalVolunteer’sService,forbeingthemostinspirationalvolunteerforGreaterLondon.Sejaisoneof thefirstyoungMuslimwomentobechoseninanationaladvertisingcampaignforV-inspired,theleadingvolunteercharityforyoungpeople.

Whatmademattersworsewas the visual images thathauntedourTVscreens.Themajorityof MuslimswithintheUnitedKingdomaremoderates,with an overwhelming proportion of Muslims condemning the violence, andyettheBritishMediahadinvitedspeakerslikeAbuHamza,orCaptainHook,to express what Muslims were thinking. Every time he spoke I instinctivelychangedthechannelunabletolistentothemanwhopreachedviolenceasif itwassomethingcommendable.

Bridging

the Divide

Seja Majeed

BorntoIraqiparents,HassanmovedtoLondonattheageof three.At17,hewentontostudyMediaatWestHertsCollege.Manyof hisworksincludeadocumentaryabouthistriptoIraqduringChristmas2005,andashort,creativevideowhichwasscreenedattheYoungCo-operativeFilmFestival inYorkshire,2006.Hemadehisdocumentary‘TheBritishMuslimStruggle’ inhissparetimeduringthefinaltwoyearsof hiscourseatuniversity.HassannowworksasavideoeditoranddocumentaryfilmmakeratPressTV.

From Tyranny

to Terror

Hassan Alkatib

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

30

A FeW monthsafterthe7/7bombings,Iwasstoppedbyamiddle-agedmanasIwasonmywaybackfromcollege.Heaskedmeif Ihadaguninmybag.

Ireplied“NoIdon’t”;hethenaskedmeif Iwascarryingabomb.Isaid“No”again, atwhichpointhe lookedoverhis shoulder toacoupleof menstandingcloseby,andsaidtothem“It’salright”.ThatwasprobablythefirsttimeIhadbeenstereotyped in such a manner. In some ways I actually consider myself lucky that it did not turn out worse. Nevertheless, I tried not to take it too personally and put it behindme.Partof thiswitch-huntagainstBritishMuslimsemanatedfromcertainsectionsof themainstreammedia,particularlytheright-wingpress.

NadaMansyisBritish-Egyptianandarecentgraduateof theLondonSchoolof EconomicsandPoliticalScience(LSE)whereshereadSociology.Bornintheancientcoastaltownof AlexandriainEgypt,shemovedtotheUKattheageof sevenwithherparentsandeldersister.Herfather’soccupation intheNHSledtoaperipateticupbringingwithhomesacrosstheSouthof EnglandbeforeherfamilysettledinEastSussex.AlongsideherstudiesNadabecameengagedinlocalyouth-politics. She later further immersedherself in this duringher undergraduate studies at theLSE.ThereshereceivedanawardforherstudentactivismandherworkintheLSEStudentsUnionIslamicSociety(ISoc).NadacurrentlyworksinavoluntarycapacityfortheFederationof StudentIslamicSocieties(FOSIS)andhasalongterminterestinteachingandcommunitywork.

IN thedaysandweeksthatfollowed,goingoutasabrown-skinnedhijabiinmysmallhome-counties townwasnot exactlydevoidof uneasewhich Ihadalso

experiencedintheaftermathof 9/11.Exceptthistimeitwasdifferent–thistime,ithadhappenedonBritishsoil.Iwonderedif peoplewouldactdifferently.AndIwondered,what’stheworstthatcouldhappen;horribleremarks,abuse?Butrationally,thatseemedsurreal.Whataboutmyoldfriends?TwomonthswereleftuntilIwouldstartmysecondyearof thesixthform,wouldtheybehavedifferently?

Reflections

of a Student

Nada Mansy

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FarhatAminhasawiderangeof skillsinprojectmanagement,facilitationandnetworkingwithinthevoluntarysector.AsaYouthDevelopmentWorkerheiscurrentlydeliveringamentoringproject specifically for young Muslims in order to enhance the skills of a community that iscontinuallystrivingforrecognition.Healsoenjoysperformingpoetryandisalwayslookingfornewwaystoentertainaudiencesindifferentsettings.

ALTHOUGH7/7 was a disastrous day and should be remembered, we have tomoveonandreallyaskthequestionwhetherMuslimsarebeingtreated

fairly,orareweasapeopledoingourselvesanyfavours.Thesequestionshavealreadybeen asked and will continually be asked but the point is how we actively pass on themessagethatBritishMuslimscanofferpracticability,vigourandoptimismtomanyof theproblemssocietyisfacing.

An Act of

Humiliation

Farhat Amin

SaadeyaShamsuddinisajournalist,broadcasterandwriter.ShereadtheAncientWorldatUniversityCollegeLondonandlatergainedanMAinJournalismfromCityUniversityLondononascholarshipawardedbytheNationalUnionof Journalists’GeorgeVinerMemorialFund.Herpostgraduatedissertationexaminedtheportrayalof MuslimwomenintheBritishmediawithanaccompanyingseriesof modernportraitsdocumenting their experiences.Saadeya trained inbothprintandbroadcastandhasworkedfortheKensington&ChelseaNews,theFinancialTimes,SundayTimes,LondonEveningStandardandBBCLondon.Shewas recipientof theRoyalShakespeare

Summer of Sirens

& Sleeplessness

Saadeya Shamsuddin

7/7: MusliM PersPectives

32

Company’sArtsJournalistBursarySchemein2009/10andisamemberof theUKGovernments’YoungMuslimsAdvisoryGroup(YMAG).

The first fewdays after the bombings, armedpolice stood guard at tubestations across the capital. When news broke that the explosions had been

causedbyMuslimsuicidebombersfromtheUK,IcouldalmostenvisageacollectivesighfromMuslimsacrossthecountry.Great.Justwhatweneeded,anothergroupof nutters carrying out appalling acts in the name of our beloved faith.Theiraction was not the Islam I knew.

YaserIqbalisabarristerlivingandpracticinglawinBirmingham.HecametotheUKin1986asyoungboy.HewasaBritishnationalsincebirthbuthadneversetfootonUKsoiltillthen.he lived in Azad Kashmir in Pakistan where he spent his early childhood.

WhAT isneededhereisadeeperunderstandingof themodernworldanditskeyplayersatagloballevel.Iamnotpointingtowardssomeconspiracy

theorybutwhat I ampresenting ismyview that the explanation as to the realperpetrators of 7/7 is not as simple as most people are led to believe.

The Rage

& the Fear

Yaser Iqbal

In Search of

Horizon

Shahida Ahmed

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ShahidaAhmed is a teacher, artist andapresenteronUmmahTV,an Islamic televisionstationbasedinBlackburn.AsalocalCouncillor,sheisinvolvedinvariouscommunityinitiatives.SheisalsotheCEOof theQur’anProject,aUKbasedinitiativethataimstocompleteahandwrittenQur’anintheUnitedKingdom.Sheisasinglemother,bringingupthreeteenagechildren.

The firstbig‘Muslim’eventthatIrecallwasthefirstGulf War.Inallthehostelsthestudentsweregluedtowhatwashappening.Wordslikebombing,

war,Iraq,oil,Saddam,invasion,KuwaitandBaghdadwereperpetuallyechoinginthe corridors of university hostels. Amid these unfamiliar words, my peers started tosay“You’reMuslim.”Iwasalreadyaskingmyself questionaboutmybelongingandnowIwaswonderingwhat‘Muslim’meant?Allof asuddenIwas‘Muslim’morethanbefore,butIwasn’taboutwar,greedforoilandblood.SowhereinIslamwasallthisandwhywereMuslimsfighting?

AhmedBashir is aPolicyAdviser atHerMajesty’sTreasury,where hehasworked for anumberof years.He isaCharteredManagementAccountantandsitsontheCharteredInstituteof ManagementAccountantsCentralGovernmentCommittee. Ahmed has previouslyworked attheMinistryof JusticeandtheDepartmentforWorkandPensionsandiscurrentlyChairof theCivilServiceIslamicSocietyanon-political,voluntarysociety,representativeof mainstreamIslamicopinioninCentralGovernment.

Thatyear,July7thchangedthingsforeveryoneintheUK,butinparticularforMuslims.Myfriendwasattackedinthestreetwhilstpushingherbabyinapram,racistlanguagewasusedandtheinnocentbabywaspunched,allbecausemyfriendworeaheadscarf.Ihadflashbacksof whenIwasyounger,of timeslonggone,whenpetrolwaspouredthroughletterboxesbecauseweweredifferent.TherewasnowagreatsensethatpeopledidnotunderstandthatIslamwasapeacefulreligionandthemediaportrayedtheideologyof afewasif itwasthatof themajority.

Actions, Reactions

& New Directions

Ahmed Bashir

In bringing together these reflections from a range of Muslim voices in this country, Murtaza Shibli has contributed signally to enabling a wide audience to gain insights into how the terrible events of 5 years ago are being assimilated and reflected on within the Muslim community. �is collection of reflections should also enable non Muslims to consider whether there have been and still are imbalances in the public treatment of those events in which 52 people, including four innocent Muslims were murdered. �ose responsible, we need to be reminded, were respecters neither of humanity nor of religion. If this book enables more people to be respecters of both, then it will have contributed to the wellbeing of British society.

Canon Guy Wilkinson, National Inter Religious Affairs Adviser & Secretary for Inter Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury

�is important work makes a huge contribution towards our national understanding of the appalling events which took place on July 7th 2005.

Peter Oborne, writer and broadcaster; Author, Muslims Under Siege

7/7 Muslim Perspectives offers a rare chance to discover the everyday voices of British Muslims, which are all too often lost in the media hype and dominant narratives.

Tariq Modood, MBE, University of Bristol

�e full register of emotions is expressed: anger, anguish, perplexity, much soul-searching, compassion and the occasional paranoia. Few of the narratives are more poignant than those who sought in Britain pre-7/7 a quiet, unobserved life away from the violence and oppression of Iraq or Indian Kashmir.

Philip Lewis, Author, Young, British and Muslim

If you want an insight into how diverse British Muslims are navigating a post-7/7 landscape, written in their own words, then this book is a good place to start.

Asim Siddiqui, Chairman, �e City Circle

THIS BOOK explores and articulates insights, reactions and experiences of a wide range of Muslim men and women following the events of 7/7 – their feelings, anxieties and concerns. Also how they negotiated their own position with mainstream society and with each other in the aftermath. �ey reflect on the event and express their personal response, serving as a starting point for an exploration

of the challenges and expectations which the future holds for them.

Rabita LimitedPO Box 601NortholtUB5 9NYUK

RRP £14.99

www.rabita.org.ukCover Design:

Muhammad Amin