The New Nation - Internet Edition

Educating for extremism?

D Tyrer

Pete and Amanda are extremely able students, and I took note when they complained of feeling troubled by what they felt to be the increasing prevalence of extreme and racist views. They prompted me to reflect on the words of another student who, two days earlier, expressed her resentment at what she claimed was the complete saturation of the media with falsely positive images of black people. Then there was the graffiti that I had recently complained about in the toilets of one university; it had raged against multiculturalism, asked 'what do you call a Black person who flies an aeroplane?', and claimed that Oswald Mosley had been thinking along the right lines back in the 1930s with his fascist mob. Sadly, I can think of innumerable other examples from recent months which lend credence to the complaints of those two concerned students, many of which take the form of an increasingly thinly veiled stereotyping of Muslims as terrorists who, having benefited unduly from multiculturalism, undermine national 'cohesion' and deprive white people of their rights.

What troubles me most is how unquestioned and openly expressed such views often are. Yet this kind of 'common sense' racism frequently goes uncommented upon, unless it is expressed by far right supporters, at which point it is dismissed as a peculiarly working class set of utterances (and therefore, it is implied, not to be taken too seriously). In this self-serving argument, it is the professional classes who constitute the thin red line protecting us against the racism of the unwashed, excluded, and extremes. This narrative pushes racism to the margins of society and implies that those in the metaphorical centres have nothing to do with it.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Racism does not occur in a vacuum, and the current surge in racism has not taken place in spite of anything that the professional classes have been doing to stop the rot, but partly as a consequence of all that they have been doing to legitimise racism. The distance of a student claiming it is dangerous to walk among black and minority ethnic people is only measured in terms of relative power, not by any serious difference in ideas, from the politicians and journalists who clamour for 'toughness' on immigration and toughness on the children and grandchildren of immigrants who are demonised as disrupting our safety and undermining a collective identity.

Racism has never just been a purely populist phenomenon which emerges organically among the working classes, but has always depended on the ideological functions played by a range of institutions: there have been the scientists and anthropologists who did so much to construct problematic ideas about race; the police who reproduce stereotypes of Black criminality through racialised practices enshrined in stop and search and the 'sus' laws of yesteryear; the media who construct 'public' opinion (and moral panics). Across our society are complex webs of 'professional' knowledge which lend a veneer of legitimacy and respectability to the stereotypes and assumptions that eventually assume the forms recognisable in their more parochial expressions among today' common sense vernacular racisms.

It was therefore with great shock that I read the following marketing statement: "If it's not extremists filling drink bottles with explosives to blow up planes, it's people like Abu Izzadeen exhorting new recruits to violent jihad. He's just been put away for four and a half years but there are plenty more like him. Is there any way we can stop young Muslims falling prey to such fundamentalists and becoming a threat to our very existence?" Those who have read Jack Shaheen's book Reel bad Arabs: how Hollywood vilifies a people might be forgiven for believing that they have stumbled upon advertising copy for an Islamophobic all-action blockbuster. They would be mistaken. Read on: "Lynn Davies thinks so. In a book out today, Professor Davies of Birmingham University argues that schools can do a good deal to inure young people to the rhetoric of unthinking hatred. She shows how the curriculum can be used to develop pupils to think for themselves and she sets out a framework for unravelling extremism and preventing terrorism."

I have not read this book, and therefore am in no credible position either to accord ironic intent to this blurb, or to claim that it can best be understood as a kind of commodity Islamophobia. For all I know, this might be a work of the utmost profundity in its challenges to Islamophobia, despite the ways in which its blurb sets 'young Muslims' against 'our [my emphasis] very existence'. But that matters not, for I shall not read any book marketed in this manner at a time when those of us engaged in teaching and research about racism find ourselves increasingly dealing with the unthinking assumption that is expressed in ever more ardent and colourful ways to imply a direct connection between Muslim young people and extremism.

I shall not be alone in feeling repelled by this blurb; given the concerns expressed by Pete and Amanda, it made sense to show them and await their (horrified) reactions. But the creeping extremism they complained of takes an altogether different form, in which no anti-extremism industries seem at all interested. The anti-extremism industry that we do have relies upon the representation of Muslims as actual or potential extremists. Somewhere along the line its movers and shakers need to realise that this conflation is also a staple idea of contemporary forms of racism, and that by fetishising it we dangerously ignore other forms of extremism, and render ourselves incapable of conceiving of Muslims (and other minorities) as victims of extremism.

Proponents of this industry could doubtless defend this by pointing to instances such as the 7/7 atrocities. Doutbless they could learn a thing or two by reading the Institute for Race Relations bulletin and keeping abreast of the instances of racist terror which have taken place in recent years. For instance, in 2006, three men were sentenced at Norwich Crown Court for a nail bomb attack against Portuguese and Polish workers.

One media report noted that, though white and non-Muslim, one of the attackers had a picture of Osama bin Laden on his bedroom wall. Perhaps this best illustrates the fallacy of reifying the stereotype of 'extremism' as somehow peculiarly Muslim. Perhaps it also illustrates the political problem that has been allowed - encouraged, even - to silently fester by the distraction of focusing on the stereotypical 'Muslim problem'.

(David Tyrer is Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Liverpool John Moores University.)

Getting involved spiritually and physically

Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

If the hajj teaches us anything, says Shelina Zahra Janmohamed, it is that you have to get involved spiritually and physically in order to make lasting and impactful change.

Muslims from all around the world will be travelling to Makkah in early December to take part in the hajj pilgrimage which takes place in the first ten days of the month. All the pilgrims dress in stark white clothing, indistinguishable from each other, as their clothing levels out the differences of prince or plumber. Their white brilliance contrasts with the Ka'bah which is draped in black cloth and around which they circulate to perform the duties of the pilgrimage. For many, it is a dream come true to visit in person the place which they face every day as they perform their five daily prayers. Each person is simply a soul, undifferentiated by wealth, status or colour. You can no longer hide behind clothes, make-up or social status. It is a sobering experience to come face-to-face with the grim realities of the bare souls of others, as well as your own.

The pilgrims then move to a desert expanse known as Arafat which represents the starkness of the Last Day. It is a place to ask for forgiveness, and make peace with oneself and the Creator. With no distractions, and a clear uncluttered head and unencumbered body, the change that is needed becomes apparent in your heart, and resolutions for making life better are quick to emerge.

Pilgrims comment about the profundity and solidity of the change that occurs in this barren setting, which somehow frees the inner spirit. The physical presence in a challenging environment stimulates personal growth and development. No matter how much someone explains the environment and sensation, it never has the impact of being there in person. You have to taste it, breathe it, live it.

The journey passes through the night towards Mina, where Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his beloved child and to show that he was willing to give up what was dearest to him.

The pilgrims make a symbolic sacrifice of an animal, to represent the surrender of something of utmost importance to them for the sake of God. Still following Abraham's actions, they throw seven pebbles at stone satans, as though they are stoning the devils of their own inner desires.

Exhausted, the pilgrims return to Makkah, physically broken, but spiritually elated. The hajj pushes the human being to the limits of physical and spiritual endeavour.

The lasting impact that hajj creates, and its success in creating change is down to the fact that it address both the physical and the spiritual. The body and the spirit are integral and interconnected parts of the human being that need nurturing. They must both go on a real, symbolic and ritual journey together in order to make change.

The images of these pilgrims is broadcast across the world on television networks, and we can watch the painstaking journey that each person is experiencing as they go through this most rigorous and gruelling of physical and spiritual challenges.

Going through the event, and feeling the pain and elation at every moment is what cements the spiritual experience.

We sit and watch the journey of hajj from the comfort of our armchairs, enthralled by the experience, but not able to access the benefits for ourselves. We cannot create the same impact as walking those footsteps and tasting the sweat and tears, whilst we sit ensconced in the soft sheltered environment of our own homes. So it is with developing our own communities and our own spirituality.

We like to shake our fists at community leaders, the state of the Ummah, and the ongoing problems we face, from the sanctuary of our sofas. It is like expecting your cheers whilst you watch your football team play on TV to have an impact, or as though shouting at the television set will change events as they unfold. It is like walking the footsteps of the hajjis watching through the live TV coverage: this can never create that type and strength of change.

If we believe that by sitting at home and engaging in armchair protests that we can make an impact, then we are deluded. Muttering astaghfirullahs whilst propped on a comfortable cushion with no connection to the outside world cannot create change. The hajj gives us that very evidence - you have to be right in the centre of things to make an impact.

It is the same with spirituality. To refine our souls and our ethics we have to interact with the world around us. It is only through participation and relationships with other human beings that we can truly learn what it means to be the purest of souls. Muslims are quick to point out that asceticism is rejected by Islam - physical separation is prohibited in that sense. Sitting on our sofas, and complaining about the world around us, is only one step away from that.

Proceeding with patience and prayer is the hallmark of a human being, and that is because the spiritual relationship with the Divine can only flourish through interaction and participation with society. This requires us to extract ourselves from the cushioned comfort of our armchairs, and to step out of the front door to take part in the world.

(Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is author of the blog www. spirit21. co.uk)

Development of Muslim Lifestyle in Canada

Shahin Siddiquee, P.Eng

Thirteen years before the formation of Canadian Confederation, in 1854 the first Muslim child James Love was born to Scottish parents Agnes and James Love in Ontario. He was named after his father. The youngest son, Alexander, of the Love couple was born in 1868 (one year after the formation of Canadian Confederation). Another Muslim couple John and Martha Simon, who were known in government documents as 'Mahometans', settled permanently in Ontario after migrating from the USA in 1871. Coincidently this couple was also of West European origin like that of the Love couple, John was English whereas Martha was French.

Among the first Muslim immigrants, the story of teenager Ali Abouchadi is noted in the history of Canada. Popularly known as Alexander Hamilton, this Lebanese youth walked on foot from Lala to Beirut, a distance about 50 km, and then boarded a boat to Montreal in the first part of nineteenth century in search of gold. Though his luck did not favor him, having got no goldmine, he opened a new era of successful trade and commerce. Following his footstep, during the first decade of the same century a number of construction workers began to settle in Ontario and Quebec, and later on in Alberta and Saskatchewan and thus a Muslim population began to grow.

A new era of Muslim history in Canada began with the immigration of skilled professionals such as teachers, technocrats, businessmen and people with technical education. Consequently, Muslims proved themselves to be essential human resources for Canadian society by playing significant role in mainstream Canadian economy. McGill University opened the Department of Islamic Studies in 1952. A decade later the University of Toronto adopted a new strategy of appointing Muslims scholars from different countries in various departments to attract foreign Muslims students.

Though Muslims had to endure hard struggle to cope with the new environment, they never neglected the effort to maintain their Islamic Roots. The Al-Rashid Mosque of Edmonton is the fine example of that effort. This is the first masjid (mosque) in North America, which was established in December 12, 1938. The then Mayor of the City along with the translator of the Holy Qur'an Allama Yusuf Ali's rare presence in the inaugural ceremony will remain immortal in the history throughout the ages to come. The Masjid, with a slight change in its appearance, is now used as a museum of Islamic art. Over one and a half century old and rapidly increasing, this Muslim community has turned into a skilled, educated and important part of Canadian society. Although Muslims make up less than two percent of Canada's Population, the community has made enviable progress in terms of acceptability and importance than many other minorities. Today the numbers of masjids are reaching to a thousand with which more than sixty percent of the community members maintain regular or occasional contact.

Muslims are not lagging behind in the mainstream political life of Canada as well. A good number of MPs and councilors are elected in every national poll. Even non-Muslims also voluntarily come forward to talk on Muslims' behalf. Though the presence of the Muslims is not noticeable the media (especially in TV channels), they are not absent altogether. "The Little Mosque on the Prairie", the comedy series that debuted in February 2007 and written by 39 years old film producer Zarqa Nawaz became the most popular show of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

More than one Friday Congregation is held in nearly all masjids in Canada. Yet they are filled with Muslims of all ages, and color and gender. Though Friday is not a weekly holiday, they manage to get time off from their work and attend the congregation. It shows that the Muslims belong to a community with unique characteristics of fraternity and social cohesion.

In most mosques, the sermon (Khutba) is delivered in English with modern styles. Progressive minded Scholars, well versed in Islamic and secular knowledge, deliver the sermons on various contemporary issues that make them unavoidable to Muslims. The experts of the Islamic world living in different countries especially in the Middle East, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India deliver the sermons by turns. The African-American reverts are not lagging behind in this regard. Their rare presence and extraordinary styles usually attracts attention. The sermon here does not reflect the wishes of the kings or dictators, like those of the Middle East. Unlike the subcontinent, khutbas in Canada are not delivered from the book called '"Khutbah of Twelve Months", which are boring, irrelevant and incomprehensible. There is no restriction for the females in praying in the mosques in Canada. On the contrary, Bangladeshi immigrant women educated in modern education finds new touch of Islam. Moreover, the interesting and attractive programs arranged for the females and children turn the mosques essential for them. So they along with their families do not like to miss the different taste of the Friday prayers. Islamic Organizations like ICNA, and ISNA among greater Canadian population and MCC (Muslim Circle of Canada) among Bangladeshi immigrants, organize regular and easily comprehensible Islamic programs that are making Islamic teachings ever attractive to the community.

Children born in this country has no hesitation in living in this country although the immigrant parents do. They have fully adopted the North American Culture especially that of the "independent thinking and action" which is generally subdued by force in their immigrant parents' country of origin. They seek realistic answers to all of their questions.

As a result parents need to do their homework before giving religious advice to their children, because they want to know the reference of their words.

They seldom hesitate to make derogatory comments in their parents face if they cannot get a satisfactory answer. That is why; some scholars have named it 'Islam Canada' that does not accommodate illogical and fanatical insertions, where there are logical and rational answers to every 'why'. Here, parents' advice their children after being well aware of the facts of the matter concerned. For this reason, they try their very best to rectify the bad habits that they have practiced for years. It is quite relevant to cite an example of a Pakistani gentleman who resided in a colony of the High Court in Dhaka before the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971. I believe, after meeting me he started to recall the memories of old days when he tasted Hilsha (a kind of fish) and enjoyed Sampanwala (a Bengali folk song). There was a time when this "fifty something" man would always talk about movies and hum movie song. However today he has totally forgotten how to operate his Music and video player. a Now he fully forgot the process how to operate his tape recorder. He along with his two sons and one daughter goes to the Mississauga 'Jame Mosque' regularly. I was amazed to listen to the story of his continuous struggle to raise his children as good Muslims and good human beings.

[The writer is a professional engineer working in an engineering company in Canada. He can be reached at shahin72@gmail.com]