Al-Alawi and Others on Criticism of Radical Islam in UK
Letters: Criticism does not exclude Muslims from the political process
The Guardian [London], April 3, 2010

We are disturbed by the visible rise, in some parts of the country, of anti-Muslim bigotry resulting in sporadic attacks on Muslims and their places of worship. We deplore this and condemn it unreservedly. However, the authors of the letter you published (Islamophobia is a threat to democracy, 25 March) are quite wrong to equate legitimate concerns about the leadership of the East London Mosque and the Islamic Forum of Europe with anti-Muslim bigotry. To do so betrays those who have genuinely suffered discrimination. The East London Mosque has frequently allowed intemperate clerics to speak on its premises, some of whom have promoted values antithetical to those required in a tolerant and progressive society.
They intimidate and bully other Muslims into accepting their contested theology as undisputed truth. Their allies and associates across south Asia have encouraged discrimination against minorities, opposed the reform of family laws and supported laws on blasphemy.
How can it be right for those of us who believe in liberal democracy to leave unchallenged those who would discriminate against religious minorities, women, homosexuals and Muslims with dissenting or heterodox views?
Criticism of incitement to religious hatred has nothing to do with excluding Muslims from the political process, as the supporters of the East London Mosque and Islamic Forum of Europe suggest. There are many impeccably non-sectarian Muslims active in political life, including in parliament, who are capable of opposing both racism and fundamentalism.
The greatest threat to democracy comes from reactionary and sectarian political groupings. We are disturbed by the rise of confessional identity politics in this country. Those who would promote such politics deserve robust scrutiny. To combat them is a moral duty.

Ansar Ahmed Ullah Nirmul Committee Gita Sahgal Women Against Fundamentalism Monjulika Jamali Cultural activist in east London, Denis MacShane MP, Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui Trustee, British Muslims for Secular Democracy, Nigel Fountain, Saikat Acharjee Lawyer, Amanda Sebestyen, Tehmina Kazi Director, British Muslims for Secular Democracy, Sandra M Kabir BRAC UK, Tahmima Anam Novelist, Amina Ali Gender equality campaigner in East London, Murad Qureshi London assembly member, Aisha Shaheed Women Living Under Muslim Laws, Dr Ahmed Zaman President, Communist Party of Bangladesh UK Branch, Harunor Rashid President, Soytten Sen School of Performing Arts, Darren Johnson London assembly member, Green party parliamentary candidate, Lewisham Deptford, Keith Angus Lib Dem parliamentary candidate, Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Rayhan Rashid War Crimes Strategy Forum-WCSF, activists' coalition, Waliur Rahman Workers Party of Bangladesh, Peter Tatchell OutRage, Syed Enamul Islam <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/islam> Former MEP candidate for London with the NO2EU: Yes to Democracy coalition, Dr Irfan Al Alawi International director, Centre for Islamic Pluralism, Dr Rafikul Hasan Khan President, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi UK Branch based in east London, Prof Tom Gallagher Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, Prof Nira Yuval Davis Centre for Research on Migration, Refugees and Belonging, UEL, Cassandra Balchin, Sujit Sen Bangladesh International Foundation, Syed Neaz Ahmad Academic and author, Harunur Rashid JSD, Zoe Fairbairns Novelist, Carolyn Hayman, Brigitte Istim, James Bethell Nothing British about the BNP, Jenny Harris Theatre administrator, founder of the Albany, formerly of National Theatre, Marieme Helie Lucas Secularism is a Women's Issue, Victor Sebestyen, Syeda Nazneen Sultana Gender equality campaigner in east London, Dr Nowrin Tamanna University of Reading, Pragna Patel Southall Black Sisters

Announcement of Turkish Language Publication of Excerpts from Centre for Islamic Pluralism’s “A Guide to Shariah Law and Islamist Ideology in Europe, 2007-2009”

The Centre for Islamic Pluralism [www.islamicpluralism.org, www.islamicpluralism.eu and www.islamicpluralism.de], an international network of moderate Muslims in more than 25 countries, is pleased to announce posting to websites of a Turkish-language translation of the introductory sections and studies of Germany and The Netherlands from the CIP report, “A Guide to Shariah Law and Islamist Ideology in Europe, 2007-2009.” The Turkish excerpts also include the CIP report’s analysis of the activities of the fundamentalist European Council for Fatawa and Research (ECFR). The report deals with Shariah law as it is visible in Muslim communal and non-Muslim public life in the two countries, focusing on family/schooling, institutionalisation of Shariah by non-Muslim governments (“Parallel Shariah”), criminal aspects, and approaches to women. The full English-language text of the report, intended as a contribution to Islamic thought as well as a policy handbook for Muslim and non-Muslim public officials and other leaders in Western Europe, also deals with Britain, France, and Spain. The full English-language report, which is graphically illustrated, as well as the Turkish-language excerpts, are available as free, downloadable .pdfs at the CIP websites.
Washington/Köln, February 2010

Center for Islamic Pluralism’in “Şeriat Kanunu ve Batı Avrupa’da İslamî İdeoloji Rehberi 2007-2009” adlı Yayınından Alıntıların Türkçe Yayınlanmasına İlişkin Duyuru 25’ten fazla ülkede ılımlı Müslümanların uluslararası ağı olarak görev yapan Centre for Islamic Pluralism [www.islamicpluralism.org, www.islamicpluralism.eu, www.islamicpluralism.de], “Şeriat Kanunu ve Batı Avrupa’da İslamî İdeoloji Rehberi, 2007-2009” adlı yayınının giriş bölümlerinin ve CIP raporundan Almanya ve Hollanda çalışmalarının Türkçe tercümesini web sitelerinde yayınlayacağını ilan etmekten mutluluk duyar. Türkçe alıntılar aynı zamanda CIP raporunun köktenci Avrupa Fetva ve Araştırma Konseyi’nin (ECFR) faaliyetlerini analiz ettiği bölümünü de içermektedir. Rapor, iki ülkedeki Müslüman ve Müslüman olmayan toplulukların yaşam tarzında görülen Şeriat kanununu aile/eğitim, Müslüman olmayan devletlerde Şeriatın kurumsallaştırılması (“Paralel Şeriat”), cezai yönler ve kadınlara yaklaşım konularına odaklanarak ele almaktadır. Raporun İslami düşünceye katkı yapmasının yanı sıra Müslüman ve Müslüman olmayan kamu görevlileri ve Batı Avrupa’daki diğer liderler için bir ilkeler kitabı olarak faydalanılması düşünülen tam İngilizce metninde İngiltere, Fransa ve İspanya da ele alınmaktadır. Raporun grafiklerle süslenmiş tam İngilizce metni ve Türkçe alıntıları CIP web sitelerinden .pdf formatında ücretsiz olarak indirilebilir
Washington/Köln, Şubat 2010

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CIP Announcement: German-Language Excerpts from 2009 Euro-Shariah Study Posted to CIP Sites, January 14, 2010

The Centre for Islamic Pluralism/Zentrum für den Islamischen Pluralismus [www.islamicpluralism.org, www.islamicpluralism.eu and www.islamicpluralism.de], an international network of moderate Muslims in more than 25 countries, is pleased to announce posting to websites of a German-language translation of the introductory sections and studies of Germany and The Netherlands from the CIP/ZIP report, “A Guide to Shariah Law and Islamist Ideology in Europe, 2007-2009.” The German excerpts also include the CIP/ZIP report’s analysis of the activities of the fundamentalist European Council for Fatawa and Research (ECFR).

The report deals with Shariah law as it is visible in Muslim communal and non-Muslim public life in the two countries, focusing on family/schooling, institutionalisation of Shariah by non-Muslim governments (“Parallel Shariah”), criminal aspects, and approaches to women. The full English-language text of the report, which is intended as a contribution to Islamic thought as well as a policy handbook for Muslim and non-Muslim public officials and other leaders in Western Europe, also deals with Britain, France, and Spain.

The full English-language report, which is graphically illustrated, as well as the German-language excerpts, are available as free, downloadable PDFs at the CIP/ZIP websites.
- Washington/Köln, January 2009

Ankündigung der Veröffentlichung von Auszügen in deutscher Sprache aus der Studie " Eine Einführung in die Gesetze der SCHARIAH und in die ISLAMISTISCHE IDEOLOGIE in WESTEUROPA 2007-2009" vom Zentrum für islamischen Pluralismus.

The Centre for Islamic Pluralism/Zentrum für den Islamischen Pluralismus [www.islamicpluralism.org, www.islamicpluralism.eu, and www.islamicpluralism.de], ist ein Internationales Netzwerk von moderaten Muslimen aus mehr als 25 Ländern und ist erfreut bekannt zu geben das es eine deutsche Übersetzung der Einführenden Abschnitte der Studie über Deutschland und die Niederlande aus dem CIP/ZIP Report, “A Guide to Shariah Law and Islamist Ideology in Europe, 2007-2009” gibt.

Der Report behandelt die Scharia Gesetze wie sie sichtbar sind in Muslimischen Gemeinden und in nicht öffentlichen muslimischen Leben in den oben gennanten 2 Ländern. Der Fokus liegt auf Familie / Erziehung, Institutionalisierung der Scharia durch nicht-muslimische Regierungen („Parallel Scharia"), strafrechtliche Aspekte und Annäherungen an die Frauenfrage.

Der vollständige englische Text dieses Berichts, das als Beitrag zum islamischen Denken bestimmt ist, sowie als ein politisches Handbuch für muslimische und nicht-muslimische Beamten und anderen Staats- und Regierungschefs in Westeuropa, befasst sich auch mit Großbritannien, Frankreich und Spanien. Der vollständige Bericht in englischer Sprache, welches graphisch dargestellt ist, sowie die Ausschnitte in deutscher Sprache, sind als kostenlose, herunterladbare pdfs auf der CIP / ZIP Websites verfügbar.
- Washington/Köln,Januar 2009