Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the Leicester anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in SECULARIST In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade Journal of the Leicester Secular Society calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of Spring 2016 - no 72 In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of Education Secretary proposes a ban on criticism of Faith Schools admission policies marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that % Daily Value The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not written under the name of Joseph Anton) GAGGED! Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must true. During the 1970s, the local anti- As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. We print below the letter sent by Leicester Secular Society President Gush the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of Such a demand is truly despicable. Bumbra to the Education Secretary. were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was notfro am activ thee National Secular Society Dear Ms Morgan, greater say in the school admissions minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church participant. The anti fascist no process”. However the reverse will taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New I was disturbed to read that the York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these platform brigade was just one strand. clearly be the case. Considerable barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when Government has announced that it demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed expertise and time is required both Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in p l a n s t o b a n c i v i l s o c i e t y with the authorities. Those that died were mainly to identify breaches in a school’s find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. organisations (CSOs) from formally protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 admission arrangements and to and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a r a i s i n g c o n c e r n s a b o u t t h e Code is enforced schools will moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments lodge accurate objections to those whole series of demonstrations admissions arrangements of English continue to select on other - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. breaches. It is therefore difficult for Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial schools. inequitable criteria. Please can you http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the the average parent to raise objections the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity The Admissions Code governing reverse this planned banning? d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf and many parents therefore rely on Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a schools is extremely complex and a Gush Bhumbra charities and CSOs to lodge world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park British Humanist Association (BHA) objections to protect their rights. Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had report for the Fair Admissions and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an Whether made intentionally or connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades Campaign entitled “An Unholy early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of inadvertently, breaches of the Code Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big Mess” has demonstrated that many the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today directly impact on the access of in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local religiously selective state schools in they are still closely associated with the Islamic parents and children to their local After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. England are breaking the law. Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the schools, and to simply rely on Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions As a result various CSOs have formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall parents to identify them is not hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state highlighted and objected to this LGBT acitivist Xulhaz Mannan is the League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention sufficient. If CSOs are not allowed to England. widespread, endemic illegality in the latest person to be murdered by Bangladesh funded schools. challenge unlawful discrimination, Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to fundamentalists in Bangladesh. SECULAR HALL NEWS Leicester school admissions system, which cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should parents across England will continue 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 includes direct discrimination on the So far this year, five secularists have do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations SECULARIST to be unfairly denied places for their C h a r t i s t L e a d e r basis of race and gender, selection on been hacked to death with a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n children at local schools. the basis of whether or not parents machetes by hardline Islamists. Author of: working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Parents and children will be the only that contribution growing to approximately $13 million arrange flowers or help clean at A n d r e w C o p s o n o f t h e Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be Schoolchildren in class We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We ones to lose out should this ban be by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is church, and even, in one school, International Humanist and Ethical controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property introduced, and it is therefore vital Union, said: refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: policing whether or not a child’s as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty that the proposals do not go ahead. “The latest wave of attacks show in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] parents are having sex when their The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Religiously selective schools are the how broad the range of possible Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to mothers are menstruating. and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it only state schools where parental targets is for these killers.... The papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may The Department for Education has was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine choice can be ignored on the basis of response from the Bangladeshi The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are misleadingly claimed that the religion, and unless the Admissions government to these attacks has 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester submitted well ahead of the deadline. was a late comer and its national change will mean “parents get a been a sick joke...... an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Inside: The Space Race to Convert the Aliens, Religious Freeloading 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A filed in person, and another 2,000 filed through mail. Recipes Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the W H AT ’ S O N In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the at the anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection S e c u l a r H a l l Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in Sunday 1st May NSS launches new app to The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. 6.30pm Headstrong Meeting banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron These two events initiated in the West a new crusade bypass Thought for the Day Come along and bring any topic of your choosing for discussion in an lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of informal meeting. The National Secular Society has In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of Sunday May 8th 6.30pm launched a new app that will allow marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, Captain Pouch and the Enclosure Riots 1607 Len Holden. In 1607 Radio 4 listeners to avoid Thought for disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that % Daily Value peasant riots broke out across Leics, Northants and Warks. The Rioters the Day when listening to the BBC's The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy led by John Reynolds ( Captain Pouch ) set about destroying the hedges Today programme. and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in and fences which caused some of them to be turned off the land The application will enable listeners family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not becoming vagrants. Shakespeare was influenced by these events. written under the name of Joseph Anton) to pre-select alternative content Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must true. During the 1970s, the local anti- Sunday 15th May 6.30pm during the religious slot – their disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly TBA and was drawn from a wide range of favourite music, a podcast or simply Such a demand is truly despicable. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds Sunday 22nd May 6.30pm political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS another radio station, which will then Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of See the World for the Trees. Aerial LiDAR and Charnwood’s Historic the Secular Society was not a active revert back to the Today programme Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, from the National Secular Society Landscapes – Matt Beamish of Leicester Historical Society minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church participant. The anti fascist no when Thought for the Day is taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New Recent projects undertaken by University of Leicester Archaeological platform brigade was just one strand. finished. York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these Services in Charnwood have been driven by aerial LiDAR. This survey barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when The app was developed in response demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed data enables vegetation to filtered away to reveal historic features across Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in to Today listeners complaining about with the authorities. Those that died were mainly landscapes including woodlands. find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. the exclusive nature of Thought for protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 Sunday 29th May 6.30pm and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments the Day, which restricts contributions whole series of demonstrations Islam, Totalitarianism and the Left – James Bloodworth. - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. only to religious voices. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial James is ex-editor of Left Foot Forward. He is now at the International http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the The National Secular Society has long the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity Business Times and also writes for the Telegraph and Guardian. d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf called for the BBC to remove the bias Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a Sunday June 5th 6.30pm by opening up Thought for the Day to world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park Magdalena Korytkowska Fundraiser for LOROS. non-religious voices or by scrapping Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had Sunday June 12th 6.30pm - and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an the slot entirely. Terry Sanderson, the connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades Britain and the EU Referendum: factors influencing voting Alasdair Blair early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of National Secular Society's president, Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big is head of the Department of Politics and Public Policy at DMU. the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today said: in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local Sunday June 26th 6.30pm- to be announced they are still closely associated with the Islamic "Until now listeners have avoided this After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. Sunday July 3rd 6.30pm Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the Ingredients for running a small business - Recipe not included Dan slot by taking the opportunity to visit the Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall Lamoon - local small businessman, creative industries, helps young bathroom, or by drowning out the sound hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention entrepreneurs. doing other activities, such as putting the England. funded schools. Bangladesh The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to Sunday July 10th 6.30pm kettle on, but now everyone can screen SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a Leicester cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should Kinky sex: What School and Church won’t Teach you .John Pendal - out unwanted religious propaganda 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations SECULARIST Sunday July 17th 6.30pm while trying to keep up with current religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and affairs without missing anything a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n Maryam Namazie is an Iranian-born secularist and human rights activist, working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. important." Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million commentator and broadcaster. She is spokesperson for Iran Solidarity, Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We One Law for All and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. The new app will be available to controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property Sunday July 24th 6.30pm download on Android phones as well refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty Islam and Islamism - Robbie Travers - Commentator for the Gatestone as the latest-generation Apple in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Institute. devices. Developers say they are Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it Sunday July 31st - 6.30pm already working on an update to the papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine God without religion Tim Grayson - Green Party candidate for Mayor of app that will enable users to tune out The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester Leicester. Radio 2's Pause for Thought. 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. Unfortunately is does not work on an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took ordinary radios. blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 2 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the from the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning editor good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the TAX EXEMPT The Leicester Connection Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. CHURCH HOUSES ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in Each year religious groups in The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. Leicester are given £20,000 banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron These two events initiated in the West a new crusade exemption from the Council tax. lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of By law, empty homes which a In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of “minister of religion” will move marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised The Hall was packed during the Jazz Evening on 24th April. (Lizzie Hewitt) Dear Editor, into are not charged council tax disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that while the property is empty. % Daily Value conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was John Catt The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, it was a no platform for Fascists policy Although the exemption applies ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full Academies: A Recipe For More Faith Schools? and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between was saw off the National Front in to any religious denomination, the support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. Leicester. I am afraid this is just not The Department for Education has published a white paper entitled majority of claims were submitted written under the name of Joseph Anton) Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must true. During the 1970s, the local anti- Educational Excellence Everywhere stating that 'by the end of 2020, all schools by the Church of England. As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. will be academies or in the process of becoming academies.' This means that local In 2015/16, Class H exemptions the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of Such a demand is truly despicable. authorities will no longer maintain any schools and no school in England will were awarded to 10 Church of were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow be obliged to follow the National Curriculum. England properties and one the Secular Society was not a active Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, from the National Secular Society Many of our members have very strong views on this proposal, but from a minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church participant. The anti fascist no owned each by the Baptists, The Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New secular society's perspective the main areas of concern are that many taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and platform brigade was just one strand. Islamic Centre and the Radha York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these Academies and Free Schools have a “religious character” and there are barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when Madhav Society (Hindu) demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed inadequate safeguards in place to ensure that they remain fully inclusive of Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in Although £20,000 is very small with the authorities. Those that died were mainly those of all religions and none. In addition to the potential for an increase in find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. change in relation to the Council’s protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 religious selection in school admissions, there is also a threat in terms of and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a overall budget, at a time of moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments whole series of demonstrations religious education and the religious control that occurs when schools with draconian government cuts, that - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial no religious character become part of religious multi-academy trusts. money could still be put to better http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity There are very poor safeguards in terms of academies with no religious use. d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a character becoming religious. Such schools can join religiously-run multi As registered places of worship world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park academy trusts, as four currently are in Newcastle. They can decide without such as churches, mosques etc, are Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had consultation to present themselves with a 'faith ethos', and start not domestic residences they pay and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades discriminating in terms of governance, recruitment of some senior posts, and no council tax or business rates. Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of Council, played a role, most of the big Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the certain aspects of the curriculum, as well as putting a greater religious However local charities and the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today events were organised by these local in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to emphasis on the legal requirement for assemblies incorporating collective community groups like amateur they are still closely associated with the Islamic umbrella organisations. After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. worship. They can even decide after consultation to legally designate as sports clubs can apply to the Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the religious, and fully discriminate in admissions, employment and the Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions Council for discretionary or formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall curriculum, which maintained (i.e. non-academy) schools cannot do. A hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state charitable relief. This can reduce England. League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention maintained school cannot gain a religious ethos and must shut down if a funded schools. the bill by 80 to 100% per cent, but Bangladesh The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a Leicester religiously designated school is to open in its place. it has to be applied for. The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates Similarly, voluntary controlled (VC) 'faith' schools currently have their who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations Is it not time that community C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by SECULARIST admission arrangements set by local authorities, most of whom do not allow religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the groups, whether they are bowls or a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with N e x t E d i t i o n these schools to employ religious selection criteria when allocating places to working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. bridge clubs or places of worship Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million children. However, on converting, VC 'faith' schools gain the right to start Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We were treated on the same footing by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class religiously selecting, and unless new safeguards are introduced, the controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, as places of worship? widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property legislation could lead to a significant increase in the number of state school refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: This information emerged as a as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty places that are subject to religious discrimination. in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] result of a Freedom of Information The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to The proposals also have wide-ranging implications for religious education request to Leicester City Council by and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may since Academies do not have to follow their local syllabus. the Secular Society. The amount is a was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are If members learn of any new or existing schools that might be proposing to conservative estimate based on the days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. adopt a religious character or enter a multi academy trust sponsored by a assumption that these were mid- an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took religion, please let the Board know. range Band D properties. blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 3 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A Caroline Moles reports on a talk by Rosie Holyoake filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning Young Women in Politics good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Rose has recently completed her doctoral thesis on this Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection subject at Leicester University and now lectures in Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. Sociology at Bristol University. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in She asked the question why do young women engage The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. in politics? She used the qualitative approach of in- banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron These two events initiated in the West a new crusade depth interviews in order to draw out themes of lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of possible reasons and influences. In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of Rose examined the media view of young women. It is marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, Amount Per Serving mentioned that girls do well academically, but the disavow their parents’ relationship and move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that % Daily Value prevailing images are of young women drinking too The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in much, shopping too much and spending all their time family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not on social media, in other words, they are frivolous. written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- There is a lot of worry, too, that young people don't vote Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly and this in spite of the sacrifices of Suffragettes to gain disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of the vote for women. Rose has experience of politically Such a demand is truly despicable. were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS active young women, but they are not necessarily Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was notfro am activ thee National Secular Society interested in Westminster politics, rather they are minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New participant. The anti fascist no interested in the wider field of environmental politics Police Commissioner Hustings Meeting taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these platform brigade was just one strand. and student protest. However, there is a big gap barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed between seeing the world as unfair and doing On April 21st, about 50 people came to a hustings meeting Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in with the authorities. Those that died were mainly something about it. at the Secular Hall for the Leicestershire Police and Crime find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 In her study, she found classic themes, those already in Commissioner elections. and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments the literature ,emerged. For example, attitudes such as Eleanor Davidson (Secular Society and Fawcett Society whole series of demonstrations - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. empathy, a sense of fairness and a desire for social was in the Chair) The candidates were Lord Willy Bach, Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the justice, influenced by important role models such as (Lab) Neil Bannister, (Cons) Dr Sarah Hill, (Libl Dem) the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf mothers or older women in the wider family, were very David Sprason, (UKIP) It was organised by the Women’s Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key important to some young women. Most important for Equality Party, the Fawcett Society and the Secular Society. Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 the young women Rose interviewed, was a sense of activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had (photo Ambrose Musiyiwa) and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an efficacy, the realisation that they could act. In the past connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of women were told to be seen and not heard, not to VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today challenge but be sweet and nice. These young women, in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local Sunday evenings they are still closely associated with the Islamic umbrella organisations. often supported by friends, were able to see the After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. We still need some more help on Sunday evenings so Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the possibility of political action. Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions that current volunteers can sometimes get the chance formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall Conversations with these young women inevitably hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state to talk to other members, take a break (or even retire!) League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention touched on issues of feminism. Some of the young England. funded schools. In particular we need someone to be willing to make Bangladesh The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to women felt that people still see political activity as SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a Leicester the tea and help stack the dishwasher at the end of cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should 'normal' for young men but not for young women. 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from meetings. This would be on an occasional basis. C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by be implementing the Race Relations SECULARIST They found antagonisms between young men and religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Lettings a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n women members of the group where the men wanted working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. We need another volunteer (must be an LSS member) Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million to take charge. Women need to feel they have a right to Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We to help with lettings. This involves ensuring the Hall is by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class take action. For these women, politics is a 'gendered’ controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, tidy for groups, letting them in, introducing them to the widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property activity. refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: Hall, collecting payment etc. At present we only need as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] My view is that this was a stimulating and thought someone occasionally but it is important that they are The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to provoking talk. This is a complicated area for willing to familiarise themselves with the routines so and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may investigation, the whole area of how we are socialised that we can call on them when we are busy or if existing was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are and develop our sense of self and identity is volunteers are ill or away. days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. interestingly complex. Please see Gillian on a Sunday evening, phone/text an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took 07989 122917 or email [email protected] blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Gillian Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 4 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the NATIONAL NEWS In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning from the National Secular Society good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the BRADFORD IMAM PRAISES MURDERER The Leicester Connection Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in OF ANTI-BLASPHEMY LAW GOVERNOR In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. An influential British imam has praised the killer of the banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron These two events initiated in the West a new crusade former governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, who was lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of murdered in Pakistan in 2011 after calling for reform of In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of the country's blasphemy laws. marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, Amount Per Serving Salman Taseer was killed by his bodyguard, Malik disavow their parents’ relationship and move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that % Daily Value Mumtaz Hussein Qadri. Qadri reportedly shot his The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy victim twenty-six times with a sub-machine gun. and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not The governor had recently spoken out in support of written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must blasphemy. Friends said that Taseer knew he was disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly (National Secular Society) the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of endangering his own life by criticising the blasphemy and persecution and of cutting off hands and cutting off Such a demand is truly despicable. were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS law. heads." Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow the Secular Society was not a active Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, from the National Secular Society Following Mumtaz Qadri's execution for murder, the Stephen Evans, National Secular Society campaigns minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church participant. The anti fascist no Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New Bradford based Imam Muhammad Asim Hussain, manager, said: "Salman Taseer was a brave and principled taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and platform brigade was just one strand. York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these posted on Facebook that it was a "dark day in the advocate for religious tolerance in Pakistan. Support for barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed history of Pakistan; the day … Mumtaz [Qadri] was his murderer within Britain, and the religious fanaticism it Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in with the authorities. Those that died were mainly wrongfully executed and martyred in the way of Allah, reveals, paints a disturbing picture of the future of free find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 when he did what he did in honour of the Prophet." expression and social cohesion. It's clear that freedoms we and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments Asim is described as a "popular Imam and speaker have long taken for granted are not universally supported whole series of demonstrations - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. amongst Muslim youth in the UK" and is the founder of Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial and we're going to need a strong civil society response, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the a registered youth charity that aims to give young the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity including from Muslims, against those promoting this d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf people a "deeper, more positive awareness of their Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a sort of religious fanaticism." world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key faith". According to his website he "tirelessly travels Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park Qadri was executed in Pakistan on 29 February 2016 and Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 throughout the UK to inspire the youth to the way of activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had vast crowds numbering in the tens of thousands attended and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an Islam through his lectures". connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades his funeral to show their support. A court in Lahore is early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of Imam Asim told his over 100,000 Facbook followers Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big expected to decide the fate of Asia Bibi on March 26. the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today that the murderer was a "true servant of Allah" and a in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local they are still closely associated with the Islamic "lion" of Islam and described him as a "ghazi" – a After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the Muslim fighter against non-Muslims. Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall Nearly four thousand people 'liked' the post and many hacked to death in Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state England. League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention commented on it endorsing what the imam had said – Bangladesh funded schools. was not to apply physical force, but to SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is Leicester though other Muslims challenged him. The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates One response said "Stop teaching your version of Islam. who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by SECULARIST The Islam I've learned promotes peace and love to religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with N e x t E d i t i o n Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Another response working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million said that "what [Qadri] did was right" while others said Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be Schoolchildren in class We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is the man was not a martyr. Other comments said that the controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property murder was wrong but that Salman Taseer, the secular refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] Muslim governor of Punjab, should have faced some The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to form of punishment in Pakistan's judicial system. and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may Imam Asim added later that "to honour the Prophet … was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are is the greatest of acts, to dishonour him … is the worst of days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. acts".In 2010 Taseer told the BBC that he wanted to see a an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took "liberal" Pakistan rather than a Pakistan of "darkness Asia Bibi. blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 5 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that % Daily Value The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of Such a demand is truly despicable. were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was not a active minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church from the National Secular Society chance and which are vexatious. Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New participant. The anti fascist no taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and Perhaps they could sub-contract the York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these platform brigade was just one strand. barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when job out to the Vatican's miracle demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in Harry Perry: I forgot to time my panel? with the authorities. Those that died were mainly find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. A former football club chaplain has boiled eggs this morning so prayed John Samson: I suggest praying to protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a started a campaign to build a national that my guess was right. And it the late Christopher Hitchens that moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments whole series of demonstrations landmark representing one million almost was - just a little firmer than the wall should not be built. If he - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial answered prayers, made of bricks. optimum but I'm sure God was in causes two miracles, the Pope will http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity Richard Gamble, who worked at there for me or they would have been have to canonise him. (I wonder d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a Leicester City, said the "The Wall" a lot worse. Will that fit on a brick? who would be more annoyed.) world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key would be the size of 62 semi- Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park Mark Lucas: Excellent to see that John Catt: Personally I don't like it, Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester detached houses and be as iconic as complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had people have a sense of Humour and and agree that it is an idiotic idea, and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the the Angel of the North. These are early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades even have a grasp of Irony, However, but so long as no public money (or Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of comments from the LSS Facebook Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big I am now praying, hunched over my land) goes towards it and it obtains the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today events were organised by these local page. in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to keyboard in true believer fashion, planning approval, I can't see what they are still closely associated with the Islamic umbrella organisations. After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. Harry Perry: Clearly a man with a that at some point in the Glorious grounds the Society could have for Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the mission. Perhaps we ought to build Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions Millenial Future that awaits us all, objecting. Of course there would be formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of another wall alongside it of 5 million the sun may rise in the East and nothing wrong with individual League. Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state England. cited in Chris’ article. The intention bricks, each one for an unanswered lluminate us with the need to focus Bangladesh funded schools. members pointing out that the Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to prayer! We might all participate by on the priorities and actually do SECULAR HALL NEWS The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners Leicester alleged Jesus might have found cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates make the point that the police should adding our own 'answered prayers'! 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 something concrete, ie stop this something more worthwhile to do do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations C h a r t i s t L e a d e r SECULARIST Chris Williams: 20% success rate for monstrosity being built. with £10M. religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with N e x t E d i t i o n prayer? Harry you are slipping mate. working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Harry Perry: Perhaps the discovery Chris Williams: I agree with John. I Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be Peter Grauwels: one million of a great crested newt on the chosen think this falls into the category of by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, bricks...for this...arn’t we short of site would be enough? Does anyone Bad Things, but not into the widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: houses..? have one? category of Bad Things Which LSS as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] Chris Williams: I prayed that the Harry Perry: The flaw in my plan to Should Stop. The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to earth would keep spinning and the submit silly prayers is that they will John Samson: A million prayers and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may sun rise. It did! Clearly prayer works, no doubt appoint an eminent panel answered? Perhaps - I do remember was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are thus God exists, and please can I of prayer checkers who will decide a Christian saying "God always days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. have some of everyone's money and which answered prayers were answers my prayers; usually the an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took a veto over education policy? answered by God, which by pure answer is no." blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 6 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A Anthony Matthew Nico Tillema filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning Two Leicester Abolitionists good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the Running Railways anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection Richard Brown was invited for a talk at the Leicester Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. Secular Society and was introduced as the Executive ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in Director of HS2. He set-off, on-time as is expected, by In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. introducing himself and giving us an outline of what led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade lies ahead. calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron lesbians until they are 18 years old. against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one After Graduation, he joined British Rail (BR) because of Serving Size 1 Book Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of In addition, the new policy states that if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great the variety of positions available in the organisation. marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Elizabeth Heyrick Susanna Watts Richard remembers the outdated management culture, Dear Editor, disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that Caroline Moles introduced us to two women who even for that time. For example there were three % Daily Value The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy played an important part in ending slavery in the separate canteens in the BR Headquarters in and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in British Empire in the early nineteenth century, and Marylebone; one for directors, one for executives and family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not whom probably we had not previously heard of. one for senior managers! However, these were written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- Abolition was a very long process, with William abolished soon after he joined. His career took him into Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly Wilberforce's first parliamentary attempt in 1787 but managing functions in train operations, a career path he disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of the act prohibiting the slave trade not till 1806 and the would follow in the years ahead. Richard managed Such a demand is truly despicable. were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS ending of slavery itself in 1834, with substantial Freight Services, East Midlands' trains, and Eurostar. Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was notfro am activ thee National Secular Society compensation to the slave owners. The talk was illustrated with various anecdotes. One minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church participant. The anti fascist no taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New Elizabeth Heyrick was born in Leicester in 1769 and was the procurement of new trains for Midland platform brigade was just one strand. barred men of African descent from the clergy. York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these was brought up in a radical family connected to the Mainline. Margaret Beckett, MP for South Derbyshire It was only effective locally when demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed hosiery trade. She married young but was widowed had been emphasising the importance of railway jobs at Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in with the authorities. Those that died were mainly Bombardier in Derby. So when East Midlands train find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. after nine years, which gave her a relative degree of protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 organised a press conference to make the and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a freedom compared with the general position of moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments announcement, she was invited. However, on the day of whole series of demonstrations women. She was a prison visitor, opened a girls' school - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. the announcement, one hour before the press Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial in 1802 and joined the Quakers in 1807, becoming the http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the conference, a separate press release from the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity treasurer for the Leicester meeting. She wrote d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf department for transport stated that the East Midlands Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a pamphlets anonymously against the slave trade, world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key trains franchise was going to be re-examined. As a Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park arguing that the gradual abolition introduced by an Act Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 result all newspapers focussed on that story. It is an activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had of 1792 was completely ineffective. She went on and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an example of the political interest in the railway industry. connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades speaking tours and supported the boycott of West early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of Indian sugar. She died aged 62, before the final Looking back at his career, Richard has fond memories Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today abolition and after having argued unsuccessfully for of working in the railway industry. Working with many in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local they are still closely associated with the Islamic compensation for the slaves themselves. different stakeholders in enabling things to happen is After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central I was one of the organisers of the Susanna Watts was born in 1768 to a poorer family than very important and very rewarding. For young people formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of picket of the NF at the Town Hall Elizabeth Heyrick and they met through a ladies' today, the railway industry offers great career League. Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state England. cited in Chris’ article. The intention reading group. When a Rev. Crosby asked to join the opportunities. Bangladesh funded schools. Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to group and was refused he called it a nest of dragons, SECULAR HALL NEWS The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners Leicester 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates make the point that the police should Susanna ironically took that as a compliment in a Harry Perry’s cartoon who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by SECULARIST poem, referring to the legendary wisdom of serpents. religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with N e x t E d i t i o n They formed the Leicester Ladies' Anti-slavery Society, working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million of which even their ally Wilberforce disapproved as Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class unsuitable behaviour for women. She made a living by controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property writing and composed the first guide to Leicester in refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty 1804. Their other activities included sending clothes to in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 distressed Irish peasants and setting up a lunatic Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it asylum. papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are Susanna lived to see the final abolition, dying in 1842. days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. Neither woman is commemorated in any memorial in an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took Leicester but Caroline urged that they should be. blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 7 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A Mohammed Abbas reviews the Darwin Lecture by Dr Riadh Abed filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning Darwinian Theory: Medicine's Neglected Basic Science good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February In his talk “Darwinian Theory: Medicine’s Missing Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the Basic Science” at Leicester Secular Society on 14 INTELLIGENT DESIGN? The Leicester Connection Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. February 2016, Dr Riadh Abed, Retired NHS If the human body was created by ‘intelligent design,’ ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in Psychiatrist and Medical Director, gave a strong In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz why does it have so many faults? Once you look at the The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. argument for why medicine and psychiatry would body from an evolution perspective, the reason for the led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade benefit from evolutionary insights. defects become clear. The human body is far from calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of In the first part of his talk, Dr Abed described perfect. Many ailments are a result our our evolution In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of Tinbergen’s 4 Questions necessary to understand from a quadruped to a biped. The trade-off between the demand for a skeletal structure that allows for marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, behaviour. Two of these questions have to do with the Amount Per Serving habitual walking on two feet has led to problems with disavow their parents’ relationship and move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that proximate causations of the behaviour: mechanisms % Daily Value our bodies that cost the NHS millions. The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy that cause the phenomenon ( the structure of it and and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in how does it work) and how does that behaviour BRAINS & TEETH support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography develop in an individual (ontogenesis). The other two family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. Leicester. I am afraid this is just not Our brains have grown big, diverting represent the ultimate or evolutionary causes and Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- BACK PAIN bone away from our jaws. Yet because include the phylogenetic history and the function and disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly Back pain is one our teeth are roughly the same size as the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of fitness value of the behaviour. of the most they have long been, our shrinking jaws Such a demand is truly despicable. were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS Dr Abed argued that these two areas are neglected in common health don’t leave enough room for them in Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow our mouths. Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was notfro am activ thee National Secular Society mainstream medicine and psychiatry. Dr Abed then complaints, minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New participant. The anti fascist no described the different evolutionary processes for the accounting for taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and more than 15 York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these platform brigade was just one strand. persistence of disease such as the mismatch between barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when million doctor demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed traits evolved in the ancestral environment and the Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in with the authorities. Those that died were mainly quickly evolving current physical and social find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 environment. He also talked about the “arm race” and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a between humans and different pathogens that have the moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments - S e e m o r e a t : whole series of demonstrations ability to reproduce and evolve faster than us leading fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban HERNIAS http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo organised by The Inter-Racial to phenomena like antibiotic resistance. Vulnerability What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Hernias are d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Solidarity Campaign and later Unity to disease can occur as by-products of adaptations. Dr Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a caused by the world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Abed, citing examples like birth canal and the Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park gravitational Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 consequences of bipedalism like back problems, stress of an erect activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an described how the design of human body is flawed due posture as the connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher to the fact that “evolution can only act in small steps weight of the Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of Council, played a role, most of the big Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the and all intermediate stages must be viable”. Another intra-abdominal the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today events were organised by these local organs are in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to process of diseases involves defences which are they are still closely associated with the Islamic umbrella organisations. directed toward HIPS After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. adaptive in nature but in certain situations can become Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the the lower Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions excessive or uncontrolled as in anxiety. A great formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall abdomen. volume of hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state KNEES League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention In the second part of his talk, Dr Abed described his bone is England. funded schools. The knee joint is Bangladesh The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to evolutionary theory of eating disorders published in among the most needed for SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a Leicester cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should 1998 “the sexual competition hypothesis” which easily injured bipedal gait. 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 This results in do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations SECULARIST proposes that eating disorders arise from intense joints in the C h a r t i s t L e a d e r osteoporosis a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n female intrasexual competition for mates. The theory human body. Standing upright and hip Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. suggest that the pursuit of thinness which is a female imposes fractures. Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We strategy for mate attraction and retention is adaptive in by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class unprecedented controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, its mild to moderate forms but it can lead to eating widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property forces on the refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: disorders in its extreme form. Dr Abed’s theory was as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty knee, ankle, and in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] confirmed in two studies conducted on non-clinical BIRTH CANAL foot. The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to samples in USA and UK. Dr Abed is trying to confirm it and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it A narrow pelvis is advantageous for bipeds, papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may on a clinical sample in Germany. but it makes the passage of a baby with a big was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are The talk was well attended and generated a number of brain and wide shoulders very difficult. As a 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester result childbirth in humans is risky with was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. interesting questions. an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took human babies helpless born helpless. blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 8 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A MARK LUCAS Ned Newitt filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the “England is not a free people, till the poor that have no land have a free allowance to dig and labour the commons.” In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning The Space Race to Convert the Aliens good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that % Daily Value The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- A Russian Orthodox priest blesses the Soyuz rocket for ISS Expedition 31 (wikimedia) Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. It took the Catholic Church a mere 359 years to the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of in full shamanic regalia. Once on board the ISS all Such a demand is truly despicable. “pardon” Galileo Galilei from the heliocentric sins for were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS manner of religious ravings are catered for in a Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow which he was persecuted by The Inquisition. Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was notfro am activ thee National Secular Society reflection of the multicultural-ecumenical life on earth. minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church “Imprudently opposed” was the pathetic term from P. Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New participant. The anti fascist no Fatwa have been issued to instruct the Muslim taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and John Paul II. Since this volte face in 1992 the Vatican York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these platform brigade was just one strand. Spaceboys on the correct qiblic direction for Mecca. barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when has, over the last 20 odd years, usurped our hard won demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed Christian and Jewish sensibilities are all respected and Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in scientific knowledge to build and put into operation a with the authorities. Those that died were mainly their Dominical and Sabatical exigencies are duly find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. telescopic observatory on Mount Graham, Arizona. protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 provided for. Ikons, Marian Images, Saints Relics and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a This facility is known as the Vatican Advanced (Sainte Therese) are all on-board. Rabbinic instructions moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments - S e e m o r e a t : whole series of demonstrations Technology Telescope - VATT - run by the Vatican have been conveyed to ensure that the Sabbath is fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo organised by The Inter-Racial Observatory Foundation - and it's main telescopic is observed every 7 days and not after 7 x 90 minutes. No What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Solidarity Campaign and later Unity called LUCIFER! doubt as society continues its progress towards Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a The Men in Charge of the VATT seem to have a thing enlightenment there will be a call for a segregated world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park about little green men. The current stargazing female wing of the ISS under sharia rules (OK!). Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an incumbent, Fr. Guy Consolmagno, has written a book There is as yet no news from the Peoples Republic of connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher entitled "Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? His China what they intend to allow on their moon Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of Council, played a role, most of the big Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the predecessor at VATT, the Argentinian Father Jose missions, but the truth is that they will already find this the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today events were organised by these local in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to Gabriel Funes, produced an article with the catchy title planet polluted with the artifices of religion. On the very they are still closely associated with the Islamic umbrella organisations. After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. "The Extraterrestrial Is My Brother,". Presumably they first moon landing in 1969 NASA saw fit to allow on Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions were inspired in their scientific endeavors by wise formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall board Apollo 11 wine and wafer for the auto-celebration hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state words emanating from the Roman Curia. The official League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention of Communion by Buzz Aldrin moments before joining England. funded schools. Exorcist in Rome, Msgr. Corrado Balducci enlightened Armstrong on the surface (history informs that Bangladesh The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a Leicester us all that extra terrestrials truly exist and are in fact Armstrong was Not Amused). Such is the hold of cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 Demons. religion on the weak will of the astronaut class that there do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations SECULARIST C h a r t i s t L e a d e r The space race started back in the late 1950s with those is now an amendment in the Book of Common Prayer: a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n Soviet Cosmonauts now famous for their pre flight “...those who travel …. through outer space, let us pray Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. pissing on the rear tyre of the CosmoBus. Certainly the to the Lord “. The ill fated Apollo 13 mission carried 512 Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, USSR would not have entertained the idea of religious bibles on board, presented by that Seer-to-be-President widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: paraphernalia on-board the Soyuz craft, but with the H.W. Bush on behalf of the Apollo Prayer League as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] passage of the last 57 years all space vehicles and space followed by 300 more on Apollo 14 (all now the subject The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to agencies appear to have become infected with the God of legal ownership battles in true Christian spirit). and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may Virus. The battle for Secularism on this Earth is far from won was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are Routine practice ensures that all blast offs from the and the battle for Secularism in the Solar System days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. Baikonur Cosmodrome to the International Space appears already lost. an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took Station ISS are now duly blessed by Orthodox Priests blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 9 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A Michael Gerard on Pilar Lopezur’s talk on Spain filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the Mujeres Libres [Liberated Women] anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February In 1936, the Spanish Army, Falangists, began murdering Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection Republican Government officials, with a view to Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. engineering a military coup. General Franco led the ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz Spanish Army of Africa, from Morocco, to Spain in July The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester 17.1936 to start the Civil War. Franco's Forces were banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron heavily supported by troops and air power from Nazi lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of Germany, Fascist Italy, and neighbouring Portugal. The In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of Republicans had support from Mexico, Soviet Russia, marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, and the International Brigades. It became a brutal fight disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that with civilians killed. Britain and France were % Daily Value The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy supposedly neutral. and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in The Spanish Civil War should be seen as the opening family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not chapter of the Second World War. During the time of the written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must Republic, there were big social changes. There were As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. extensions to civil liberties, but the Catholic Church was the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of Such a demand is truly despicable. Pilar gave us a whistlestop tour of Spanish history with exempted. The new constitution of the Second Spanish were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow a beautifully sung selection of protest songs. Republic, allowed universal suffrage, divorce, and Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was notfro am activ thee National Secular Society minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church Pilar explained that for many Spanish people, since stripped the Spanish Nobility of special legal status. Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New participant. The anti fascist no taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and Franco's Dictatorship, this history has been hidden and There was free secular education for all and the Jesuits York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these platform brigade was just one strand. barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when not talked about. So, for example, the role of the were dissolved. demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in Catholic Church as a major landowner carrying out with the authorities. Those that died were mainly Pilar sang songs from the Republic, she sang a find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. brutal repressions is written out of Spanish history. She protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 particular song by the Spanish poet, Federico Garcia and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a says she is rediscovering her hidden history and hopes Lorca, who was murdered by Franco's troops very early moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments - S e e m o r e a t : whole series of demonstrations to help others do the same. in the civil war. This song is still being sung by today's fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo organised by The Inter-Racial Even before the Spanish Civil War, many people in protestors with new words added. The new protestors What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Solidarity Campaign and later Unity Spain were radicalised. Pilar is particularly interested in Spain are called, Los Indignados, the Indignant Ones! Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a in the role of women, so her title refers to the group, world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Pilar brought us up to the present day and the new Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park Mujeres Libres, set up through the CNT in 1936. By the Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester political parties in Spain, Podemos [We Can!] and complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had 1930s, Spain was in ferment because conditions for and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the Ciudadanos [Citizens].Both of whom received a good early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades workers was so poor, For example, the miners of Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of level of votes in Spain's recent elections. Also some of Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big Asturia came out on strike because conditions in the the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today events were organised by these local Spain's major cities, like Madrid and Barcelona, now in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to coalmines were brutal and dangerous and they lived in they are still closely associated with the Islamic umbrella organisations. have women Mayors who are very left-wing. After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. poverty. In 1934, they were crushed and killed at 'el Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the Spain has very high levels of unemployment, general Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions Pozo de Maria Luisa'.[the pit of Mary Louise']. Pilar Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall unemployment is 22.7% and youth unemployment is at hacked to death in Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state sang us a mining song at this point. England. League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention 46%, so there is much unrest in Spain at present and Bangladesh funded schools. Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to In the countryside were huge protests, as well, and Pilar looking for new types of government. SECULAR HALL NEWS Leicester cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should sang us a song about the absentee landlord...' Why have 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 Pilar explained, that in her view, Spanish popular do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations SECULARIST we never seen him working the land he says he owns? The C h a r t i s t L e a d e r politics has benefited from the experiences of the civil a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n Regular Spanish Army Generals began to join the war, to help illustrate how to organise in a grassroots Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Falangist movement, in other words, they joined and genuinely democratic way. Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We fascists during the 1930s The Spanish Republic began in controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property 1931, with the abdication of the king, Alfonso XIII, and We need to remember that the legacy of the civil war is refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty went on until 1939, when General Franco took over. the massive death toll of any in opposition to Franco in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 In Barcelona, in July 1936, there was a general strike and the many Spaniards who left Spain forever. Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it against fascists, when things were hotting up with papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine Franco already in Spain. Pilar sang a song titled 'To the The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are Further information can be found in Wikipedia and Guy days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester Barricades'. which contains the line, in Spanish, 'Raise 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. Tremblett's books and articles about Spain. the revolutionary flag and storm the barricades.' an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 10 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning The Mariko Terashi Concert good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the We are incredibly lucky in Leicester to have, dwelling in including JS Bach,Brahms, Ravel and Richard anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February our midst, a piano virtuoso of the calibre of Mariko Strauss.. And, of course the performances of works Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection Terashi.. In the course of her piano recital on March 6th by Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau were Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. she produced a dazzling array of different types of sparkling. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in music = some familiar, some rarities, some baroque, In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The packed audience at the Hall were probably on The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. classical and romantic. led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester more familiar ground with Beethoven's Piano Sonata banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron We are fortunate, also, at Secular Hall in having a piano Opus 27, known as the “Moonlight”> This was a lesbians until they are 18 years old. against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one that is decent enough for a piano recital. This is in spite performance of limpid virtuosity – we were gripped Serving Size 1 Book Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of In addition, the new policy states that if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great of the fact that the Broadwood is over 100 years old. by it. marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised However largely as a result of an overhaul, funded by a Dear Editor, The rarities Mariko produced were two sonatas by disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that generous member of the Society, the piano should be Carlos Seixas. Who lived only from1704 to 1742. % Daily Value conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, it was a no platform for Fascists policy good for another 100 years.. We know that he was a gifted musician, born with the ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between was saw off the National Front in One of Mariko's specialisms is music from the French surname of Vaz. We know also that he wrote 700 support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. Leicester. I am afraid this is just not 18th Century. Critics used to deprecate music of this keyboard works. After his death they were stored in written under the name of Joseph Anton) Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must true. During the 1970s, the local anti- period as it was not played on a harpsichord. The fact the Royal Library in Lisbon, which burned down in disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly that this era is over is illustrated by the fact that the most 1755 following the great earthquake. Mariko's and was drawn from a wide range of Such a demand is truly despicable. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds highly recommended interpretation of J S Bach’s performance of two of the few pieces we have gave us political perspectives, though sadly were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of NATIONAL NEWS keyboard music is a piano version. a clue as to the wonderful material we lost in those Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow the Secular Society was not a active Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, from the National Secular Society François Couperin (Le Grand – or Great) put enigmatic flames. minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church participant. The anti fascist no Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New titles to his pieces. They make you wonder if titles such taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and platform brigade was just one strand. She completed her programme with a stirring York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these as “L'engageante (The engaging one) and La barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when performance of another short lived composer, (1810 demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed Voluptueuse (Voluptuous one), were meant to be sly Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in to1849), Frederic Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu, with the authorities. Those that died were mainly digs at individuals at Louis XIV's court, such as find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. Opus 66. When the last ripple of flying notes had protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a Madame de Pompadour. Even in periods when Baroque faded away there followed long, loud and well moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments whole series of demonstrations music was not fashionable, Couperin has had admirers , deserved applause. She played us one encore. - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the advertisers’ announcement the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a STREET CHOIRS FESTIVAL 24 – 26 JUNE 2016 world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had VOLUNTEERS NEEDED and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local they are still closely associated with the Islamic After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention England. funded schools. Bangladesh The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a Leicester cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by SECULARIST a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] Red Leicester Choir will be hosting the Street Choirs Festival in Leicester in June and we need volunteers to The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to undertake a range of activities including stewarding, selling T-shirts, providing information and guidance, and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may registering participants and liaising on issues of disability and access. was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine SECULAR HALL The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are If you are interested in finding out more about these volunteering opportunities6.30pm SUNDA and/Y JULorY 1 downloading2th an days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. application form please follow the link on the Red Leicester website redleicesterchoir.com an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took Alternatively you can email [email protected] blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 11 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning Michael Gerard’s good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in SNIPPETS In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester Alf Garnett, I mean Warren Mitchell, died in November that the Vatican authorities took little account of such banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron last year at the age of 89. Of interest to readers is that he things as human rights - for example interrogating her lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of hated religious dogma and was a staunch humanist. without a lawyer present and even denying her access In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of This was partly brought about (Nov 26th 2014) by the to a lawyer, Yet Francesca Chaouqi, the accused person, marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, fact that his Orthodox grandmother would not allow says that if she is found guilty and has to go to jail, then it disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that him to play Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol - his first role is the will of God... additionally she is expecting her first % Daily Value The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy - when he was young.He was, of course a fine actor with child. ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between was saw off the National Front in many credits to his name. In his political views he was In the Times of Nov 4th 2015, Tom Kington reviews a support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. Leicester. I am afraid this is just not the opposite of the proto-fascist Alf Garnett - although book by Gianluigi Nuzzi, named "Merchants in the written under the name of Joseph Anton) Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must true. During the 1970s, the local anti- enraged and affronted views he was expressing in role Temple." It is an expose of financial skulduggery within disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly were taken as being his own views and he was the Vatican. The review highlights the fact that and was drawn from a wide range of Such a demand is truly despicable. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds assaulted because of this confusion. sainthood costs 750000 euros. That's just the tip of the political perspectives, though sadly were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of NATIONAL NEWS In the same month (Nov 6th) The Times published financial dealings that go on there... Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow the Secular Society was not a active Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, from the National Secular Society research from the University of Chicago which minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church participant. The anti fascist no An article , again in The Times, of Nov 15th '15, also Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New indicated that children from religious backgrounds taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and platform brigade was just one strand. mentions the financial shenanigans in the Vatican. This York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these were more likely to be selfish, and that this seems to be a barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when time the allegations are made by a priest who was demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed worldwide phenomenon. They found this out by Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in sacked for coming out as gay. He points out that the with the authorities. Those that died were mainly getting 1100 children from around the world to respond find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. present, slightly reforming Pope, will find his attempts protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 to questionnaires which would indicate their levels of and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a to change things negated by conservative forces within moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments altruism. They found also that children from atheist whole series of demonstrations the Vatican. The sacked Polish priest, Krzysztof - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial and agnostic parents were much more given to sharing Charamsa is quoted as saying, "they will not admit http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity than those from religious backgrounds. This is contrary dissent; and they do not want to be open to d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a to the widely held assumption that religious people are investigation. The Vatican is only worried about money, world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park in some way better!” goods and the pursuit of power.” Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had The Leicester Mercury of Tues 4th Jan (2016) carried an Tues Feb 16 '16 saw a page in The Metro freebie paper, and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades article of welcome news: of the appointment of the first banner headed "PAPAL ATTRACTION" . The article early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big paid non-religious member of the chaplaincy team in was feeding off a "Panorama" programme that revealed the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local Leicestershire Hospitals: plus the fact that Eleanor the secret love letters of Pope John Paul II. Now dead they are still closely associated with the Islamic After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. Davison has been doing the job in an unpaid capacity and made a saint in 2014.. Of course there are plenty of Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central I was one of the organisers of the for ages. Her name is Jane Flint. This appointment must people who have rushed into print to declare that the formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of picket of the NF at the Town Hall be an advance. We have not met her yet - but if you have three decade relationship could not possibly have League. Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state England. cited in Chris’ article. The intention the misfortune to be in hospital there is someone to call caused him to break his vows of celibacy. Bangladesh funded schools. was not to apply physical force, but to SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is Leicester on. The Catholic religion, mixed up with sex seems to run The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates Also on Tues Jan 5th The Mercury gave prominence to a and run. The Guardian of Tuesday 1st March '16 ran who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by SECULARIST strong letter headed "Faith in Decline." I read this letter article headed "Child sex scandal lies in Vatican's lap.". religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with N e x t E d i t i o n closely following its use of statistics and line of The article looks at the case of a paedophile priest in working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million argument carefully. It was excellent, and authored by Australia who was a serial child rapist and how much Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class our indefatigable treasurer, John Catt. was known by his boss and how much was known by controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property the Catholic hierarchy. refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: The Guardian, on Sat 2nd Jan '16, delivered a full page as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] article about scandal at the Vatican. A 33 year old Anyway, you can help by bringing in any clippings of The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to woman who was working on a commision to examine interest to Secularists and getting a board member to and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may the Vatican finances, found herself invited to a meeting put them on the desk in the office at Secular Hall: was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are at the Vatican, from which she was promptly dragged preferably with the word SNIPPETS in strong letters on days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. off to the Vatican's jail. She seems to be accused of the outside of an envelope. an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took treasonably leaking confidential documents. It seems blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 12 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A AS I PLEASE filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the Hamish Whiteley In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning L.S.S. Board Report good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the from Gillian Lighton anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection Although the year is advancing well as our regular Heritage Open Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. alarmingly quickly, the current Day in September. ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in Board still feels quite new. We are all Some issues are best discussed The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. very different people and as with initially by a smaller sub-committee banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron These two events initiated in the West a new crusade any working group, it takes time to who report back to the full Board. lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of get to know each other's strengths The Hall Development group (Ned, In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of and find out how we can best Mike, Gillian) have met to discuss marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, contribute. We now have 10 priorities. The policy is now to disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that members, which is positive, but we improve the Hall one step at a time % Daily Value conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, it was a no platform for Fascists policy are all busy people with other and we are anxious not to lose ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between was saw off the National Front in c o m m i t m e n t s a n d we h a ve momentum following recent support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. Leicester. I am afraid this is just not struggled to be quorate on a couple i m p r o v e m e n t s ( t h e m i n i - written under the name of Joseph Anton) Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must true. During the 1970s, the local anti- of occasions. We have plenty of m o d e r n i s a t i o n p r o j e c t a n d disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly ideas, so each meeting generates a subsequent improvements to the and was drawn from a wide range of The stained glass window at the Secular Such a demand is truly despicable. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds large number of action points, but courtyard, the stairwell to the political perspectives, though sadly Hall as seen from the upstairs Ball Room. were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of NATIONAL NEWS we have to take care that at least basement and improvements to the Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow the Secular Society was not a active Quotes are being sort for the care and Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, from the National Secular Society some of them translate into action! ground floor frontage). We are minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church participant. The anti fascist no restoration of this window (NDN) Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New John Catt does a great job with currently quite short of useable taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and platform brigade was just one strand. York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these keeping track of these. space and want to improve and barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed John Catt was confirmed as treasurer make accessible Room 5 on the first headstrong meeting. Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in with the authorities. Those that died were mainly and Gillian Lighton has taken over as floor. However, for the moment we Members of the Board continue to try find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 Company Secretary from Jean have obtained quotes for more major to foster links with groups with and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments Roseblade. work to restore the stained glass whole series of demonstrations similar aims, such as student groups, - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial Mushtaq Patas has been attending windows in the ballroom and to do and to respond to requests for http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity meetings on a voluntary basis to take work on the frontage to the building dialogue with other community d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a minutes. A difficult task and we are a b o v e t h e g r o u n d f l o o r . g roups, for example, Stoneygate world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park extremely grateful to him. Unfortunately, we now have a leak in Baptists. The Society continues to Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester the roof which has to take priority complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had At each meeting we spend time on support national campaigns such as and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the over everything. As putting up families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades the future events programme. It is a the BHA campaign against faith early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of scaffolding is a major expense, it schools and tries to be vigilant in Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big huge job for one person to take the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today would make sense to have this work highlighting particular local issues as in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local responsibility for coordinating they are still closely associated with the Islamic done at the same time, but given the they arise - through the Secularist, After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. lectures and other events and we are Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief cost of these items we will probably Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central I was one of the organisers of the therefore making it a standing item local press and other means. There formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions need to obtain further quotes and hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of picket of the NF at the Town Hall at each meeting. Michael Gerard, have been recent letters to the League. Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state look at grant applications once more. England. cited in Chris’ article. The intention with assistance from Mike Burden, L e i c e s t e r M e r c u r y a n d Bangladesh funded schools. was not to apply physical force, but to The next Board meeting will discuss Loughborough Echo (from Gush SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is Leicester has done a great job on the current The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should these issues. 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates programme but we are now trying to Bhumbra and John Catt) on the issue who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by SECULARIST plan up to the end of the year. Two We have been having some problems of Faith School admissions. religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with N e x t E d i t i o n previous events coordinators have with copyright issues for a couple of The Board has welcomed the working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million reported difficulties in obtaining images used in the Secularist in the appointment by Leicester Hospitals Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class women speakers so Gillian is trying past. John Catt has been involved in of the first non-religious pastoral controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property to book a series of women lecturers a considerable amount of work in carer in the UK. She will speak to the refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty in September. She has also offered to trying to resolve and prevent further Society at the first Sunday meeting in in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 coordinate a few events outside the claims. September. Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it Sunday programme, including a The Board have decided not to have papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may *Please remember that any member is was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are summer coach trip, a guided walk a half-yearly members' meeting this welcome to attend a Board meeting as days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. around Radical Leicester in the year but to make an opportunity for an observer by arrangement with the an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took autumn and a trip to Stoneywell, as Society issues to be discussed at a Secretary or the Chair. blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 13 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A Lee Turnpenny filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the SOLACE FOR SALMAN? anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection I've often wondered about the fatwā r e s p o n s e t o o f f e n s i v e things about religion'. Self-supposed Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. on Salman Rushdie, pronounced in words/pictures is not to afford them 'moderates', such as Chief executive ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz February 1989, five months after the the publicity of controversy – of the Ramadhan Foundation and The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester publication of his novel The Satanic otherwise you spark not only protest one-time Liberal Democrat Mo banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron Verses – and the ensuing effect on his by those who haven't seen/read the S h a f i q , d e p l o r e R u s h d i e ' s lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of life, and on (literary) freedom of thing, but increased interest and knighthood, and prevaricate on the In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of speech. The double irony of public consequent sale/distribution of application of blasphemy law. marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, book-burning by people who hadn't more copies/viewings. You thus University student unions/societies disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that read the thing, flame-fanning a (intentionally?) draw attention to ban or disrupt controversial speakers % Daily Value The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy controversy which encouraged its the (invented) insult. "Surely if the because their members demand 'safe and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in sale and actual reading. How to sentence of the Imam had been space' for their sensibilities. family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not contend against the latter? Take out carried out, the later insults in the Politicians, such as Leicester East's Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- any un-cowered publisher. The form of caricatures, articles and the own Keith Vaz MP, express sympathy disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly dictatorial upholding of ignorance, making of movies would not have towards re-introduction of Britain's Such a demand is truly despicable. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of and its bullying elevation to threats – occurred," said a representative of abolished blasphemy laws (drawing were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS and actual violence: 'The tyranny of the current Iranian supreme leader, necessary response from LSS Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was notfro am activ thee National Secular Society certainty' (not my phrase; I can't Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a few years President, Gush Bhumbra in the minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New participant. The anti fascist no recall where I heard/read it). back. previous issue of The Secularist). taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these platform brigade was just one strand. Still Banned No Publisher todayt De-facto Blasphemy Law barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed In case you think this fatwā demised But such re-legislation is hardly Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in Consider the notion of it being with the authorities. Those that died were mainly along with its decreer, Ayatollah necessary. Sam Harris has opined find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. taboo, a 'sin', to write and/or read protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a Khomeini – it, err, didn't. The something? The absurdity of "You that 'The freedom to think out loud moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments whole series of demonstrations Satanic Verses is still banned in its can't say that!" The prevention of on certain topics, without fear of - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial author's country of birth and world's human beings from doing what being hounded into hiding or killed, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity largest democracy, where a few years evolution has equipped us to do has already been lost'. Nick Cohen, d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a ago he was forced to cancel an particularly well – communicate. who has written at length on the world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park appearance at the Jaipur Literature Rushdie's adopted Blighty blighted Rushdie Affair, argues that the Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had Festival due to (questionable) by the paradox of many so-called ensuing culture of fear and taboo has and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades reports suggesting the likelihood of a 'liberals' equivocating their support (along with pernicious libel law) early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of contracted underworld attempt on fostered self-censorship. We've Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big for one of their fellow citizen's right the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today his life. And, on last month's arrived at a 'Catch-22' scenario: in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local t o w r i t e . R u s h d i e h a s they are still closely associated with the Islamic anniversary of the original Khomeini c r i t i c i s e a n d y o u ' r e b e i n g After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. acknowledged that a book such as Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the fatwā, Iranian state-run media The Satanic Verses would likely not disrespectful; don't criticise and you Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall outlets, deeming their pious find a publisher today. (Which a r e g u i l t y o f a p a t h e t i c a l l y hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state England. League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention audiences insufficiently motivated, suggests that the current Ayatollah's contributing to the continuation of funded schools. Bangladesh The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to jointly announced a further $600,000 r e p r e s e n t a t i ve s h o u l d q u i t the tenets, unwarranted privilege SECULAR HALL NEWS Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a Leicester cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners make the point that the police should bounty for Rushdie's execution, whingeing, as he can still beat this and authority afforded religion, 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 do not represent Islam at all." who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations since increased to $4 million. which is what you want – need – to C h a r t i s t L e a d e r conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by SECULARIST particular political drum whenever a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n Drawing Attention to the insult suits.) Such a sorry state of affairs criticise. Though we do not have, say, working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million Is this (renewed) sanction really would seem to be abetted by the Pakistan's or Ireland's de jure Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class about any perceived insult to the appeasing trend in democratic blasphemy laws, we have, in effect, controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property fragile dubiosity of 'revealed' words? Britain. Fear and HOPE 2016 "…a de facto blasphemy law… based refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty Or more to do with ensuring that the reports a recent Populus poll(6) on the threat of violence". Cohen is in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 less book-ish faithful are (re-) finding that 'mainstream liberals' right: people are cowed into silence Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it minded not to read it, for fear that are the group most likely to support ('respect') by this terrorism of the papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine corrupted minds might dissent and restrictions on free speech: 58% of intellect. He urges that we The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester challenge the established theocratic them endorse, 'if necessary', "communicate to the public that this 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. order? Surely the most effective prosecution for 'saying certain is going on."Yes. an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 14 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A Gush Bhumbra filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the The religious must stop freeloading anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February Nobody likes a freeloader, whether heart, as unto Christ…” (Ephesians What does it have to offer? Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the The Leicester Connection they don't pay their share of the 6:5). Christians pretend that they Beheadings for leaving the religion, Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. restaurant bill or do their share of were responsible for the European amputations for theft, stonings for ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz the chores in a household. The three enlightenment, though in reality the adultery, and ejection off rooftops The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester main religions of Europe have Catholic Church has fought it tooth for homosexuals, to name but a few banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and These two events initiated in the West a new crusade calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron created an unfair moral burden on and nail even till today, with its anti- of the punishments. lesbians until they are 18 years old. against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one Swashbuckling secularists and it is time those of a b o r t i o n , m i s o g y n i s t i c a n d In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of faith owned up to the evils in their homophobic stands. These are all Muslims are in utter denial of their marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, holy texts. Let's take a look at each throwbacks to the moral infancy of complicity in the rise of the disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that of them in turn. humanity shown by the authors of Islamists. They pre-groom children % Daily Value conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, it was a no platform for Fascists policy Immoral Holy Texts the Bible. ready for any Islamist group to take ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between was saw off the National Front in The Jews have their Torah which Word of God them away to become terrorists and support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. Leicester. I am afraid this is just not they share with the Christians and Ask any Muslim and the two things suicide bombers. By telling them written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must partially share with the Muslims. they will all agree on is that the that the Quran is unerring and that racist movement grew significantly disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. As a result of the campaign against the publication of This collection is arguably the most Quran is the unerring word of the M o h a m m e d l e a d t h e m o s t and was drawn from a wide range of Such a demand is truly despicable. the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds immoral holy text in human history. Allah, and that Mohammed lead the exemplary life, the vulnerable political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of S u r e i t g a v e u s t h e 1 0 most exemplary life of any human children, who have not had the life the Secular Society was not a active minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, from the National Secular Society commandments but that didn't stop being in history. So why does the experiences to understand the participant. The anti fascist no taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New the Jewish god Yahweh from most merciful Allah have passages values of forgiveness and tolerance platform brigade was just one strand. barred men of African descent from the clergy. York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these promoting genocide, ethnic of merciless beheadings, stonings, are entranced by the violent life that It was only effective locally when demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed cleansing, misogyny, homophobia, slave taking, misogyny and Mohammed led. They hardly stand Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in with the authorities. Those that died were mainly child sacrifice, slavery, and the rest. homophobia in the best book Allah a chance to resist the lure of the find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a Fortunately, nearly all Jews ignore could have written? swashbuckling Jihadi Johns of ISIS. moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments Human Misunderstanding whole series of demonstrations the really bad bits of the Torah. They Why would they not want to - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban organised by The Inter-Racial still accept, however, the title deeds The sophisticated Muslims will emulate cherry picked sections of http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity allegedly handed them by Yahweh to reply that one must read the Quran Mohammed's lifestyle, righting the d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a the promised land that is today's and Hadith in the original Arabic wrongs perpetrated by the Jews and world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park apartheid state of Israel. The and that the texts have to be taken as Christians with their wars in Iraq, Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had powerful Jewish lobby in the finance a whole and there are no real Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria and and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades industry, media, and political parties contradictions in the Quran; it is the rest of the world? early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of guarantee unqualified European Too Literal Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big human misunderstandings of the the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today support for Israel, which ensures the in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local words Allah uses that appear to To be fair, religious adults in Europe they are still closely associated with the Islamic continuing sore of the Israeli-Arab After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. permit the Islamists to choose the generally don't take the texts Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the conflict. evil passages to justify their literally themselves. How many Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of picket of the NF at the Town Hall Slavery Endorsed atrocities. When put on the spot, Shariah punishments do we see in League. Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state England. cited in Chris’ article. The intention Most Christians assume that Jesus they will claim they are not in a Europe? Did the Catholic Church Bangladesh funded schools. Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to nulled the evil in the Torah/ Old position to personally understand manage to stop the Irish voting to SECULAR HALL NEWS The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners Leicester 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates make the point that the police should Testament, but of course he did no Allah's meaning. make gay marriage legal? How who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from be implementing the Race Relations C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by SECULARIST such thing. He declared “Amen, I say Learned Reading? many Jews even believe in Yahweh? a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the N e x t E d i t i o n to you, until heaven and earth pass So let's take a look at what 1400 years Here's the bottom line though, if our Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. away, not the smallest part or the society is to overcome the latest Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We of the most learned Arab scholars by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class smallest part of a letter will pass from controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, reading the Quran, Hadith and hurdles offered by extremists, if widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property the law, until all things have taken refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: biographies of Mohammed, Muslims want to stop losing their as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. premium and school fees Photo: Getty place.” (Matthew 5:17). The New in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] thrashing out the subtleties of the children to Jihadis, the religious The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Testament endorses slavery, Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to texts has given us: the Shariah. This need to equip children to read their and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it "Servants [i.e. slaves], be obedient to papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may code of conduct is the best way to live holy texts metaphorically from the was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine them that are your masters The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are your life according to over a start. They are freeloading by days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester according to the flesh, with fear and 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. millennia of the smartest and most leaving it to our secular society to trembling, in singleness of your an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the demonstration in Leicester 1979 took devout Muslims that ever lived. teach them only later in life. blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 15 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped Thirty people have died because of The Satanic Verses; mainly protesters but also translators of the novel and a The company is known under Islamic Foundation moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the fatwa. the name of The Markfield Within two weeks of the novel's publicationI n s t i t u t e O f H i g h e r The Islamic Foundation is Viking/Penguin had received thousands of letters and Education. The firm first Britain’s leading publisher of phone calls requesting the novel to be withdrawn due to its started 7 years ago and was books written by Abdul Ala offensive nature - which they chose to ignore, issuing no registered under 06471324 as Mawdudi, the founder of statements. On the ninth day after the publication of the its reg. no.. This registered Jamaat-e-Islami, a violent novel, on the 5th of October 1988, the Government of India, office of this company is I s l a m i s t m o v e m e n t Rushdie's country of birth, announced that it would be located in Leicestershire. You responsible for acts of banned in that country - much to the author's dismay, as the may visit them at Ratby Lane, genocide during Bangladesh’s novel is partly directed to it. Bangladesh, Sudan, South Markfield. The company is 1971 War of Independence. Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, classified under the NACe L o r d C a r l i l e , i n h i s Singapore and Venezuela followed India's example in and SiC code 85422 - Post- g o v e r n m e n t p a p e r o n banning the novel over the next few months. Peaceful g r a d u a t e l e ve l h i g h e r preventing violent extremism, protests against the blasphemy of the novel were also held education. 2014-12-31 is the noted that Mawdudi was a key in London, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New last time company accounts influence in the radicalisation York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum in this period; some of were reported. The Markfield of young British Muslims. In these turned violent as the protesters clashed with the Institute Of Higher Education one of his books, Islamic Law authorities, and these clashes resulted in numerous deaths has been operating in the field and Constitution, Mawdudi and hundreds of injuries. for seven years. wrote that his ideal state would bear “a kind of On the 21st of October British Muslims handed over a The firm was registered as a resemblance to the fascist and petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to charity on 2008-09-12. It is communist states.” Viking/Penguin calling for the withdrawal of the novel, the registered under charity publishing company responded by stating that the offence n u m b e r 1 1 2 5 8 5 1 . T h e In 2013, the former Deputy has been due to a "misreading of the book", and that any geographic range of the Chairman of the Islamic moves to cease publication of the novel would be "wholly charity's area of benefit is Foundation, Chowdhury inconsistent with our position as a serious publisher who undefined. in practice, local. Mueen-Uddin, was convicted believes in freedom of expression" (Letter and press They work in Leicestershire. statement issued by Penguin reprinted in Ahsan and The corporate trustees Kidwai, Sacrilege versus Civility, Appendix 1, pp.318-20). committee features six Two more events took place that have now come to members: Syed Faiyazuddin characterise the Muslim position in the Rushdie Affair. The Good News: Thousands Resign From Mormon Church first of these was the symbolic burning of a copy of The from the Progressive Secular Humanist Satanic Verses by Muslims protesters in Bradford on the Protesting a cruel new policy towards the children of gays and lesbians, 14th of January 1989. This event gave license to Western thousands of Mormons resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter critics to portray Muslims as barbaric and uncultured, as Day Saints. Rana Kabbani observes in A Letter to Christendom, the event "matched the traditional Western image of them, A controversial new policy that stigmatizes and demeans not only gays and making it easy to label them as primitive fanatics not lesbians but the children of gays and lesbians by labeling same-sex couples civilised enough to appreciate the value of free speech" as apostates and prohibitingBible childrenIngr ofe same-sexdien relationshipsts from being (Rana Kabbani, A Letter to Christendom, Virago, London: AS I PLEASE baptized has motivated thousands to leave the Mormon Church this 1989,Pet pp.er 8-9).Fr oThest image of the burning book has come to weekend in a historic mass resignation. represent Islam's intolerance, and it is therefore significant According to reports, over 2,500 people crowded into a Salt lake City park that two major studies of the Affair, Appignanesi and to take part in the mass resignation, with over 1,500 letters of resignation Maitland's The Rushdie File, and Ruthvan Malise's A Secular Society Contacts Who Are the True Non Believers? filed in person,Recip andes another 2,000 filed through mail. Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Wrath of Islam - the All can be reached by post via the In addition, thousands of more letters of resignation are expected from title is itself revealing - have front covers that show burning Hall address good people across the country who can no longer tolerate or support the SATANIC VERSES copies of The Satanic Verses. This event was followed by the NOT REAL ATHEISTS anti-gay bigotry of the Mormon Church. fatwa of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini on the 14th of February President: Gush Bhumbra Last week secret revisions to the handbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of 1989, whereby Rushdie was sentenced to death. Again the Following on from the horrific attack The Leicester Connection [email protected] Latter-Day Saints was leaked to the public, sparking a furious backlash and on the shop of atheist newsagent Ivor media reported on the 'violence' and 'oppression' of Islam. Chairperson: Anthony Matthew Nogodd in Glasgow last month, we ultimately resulting in the mass resignations. In 1989, not long after he elected to parliament Keith Vaz The word 'fatwa', which simply means 'ruling', has now in [email protected] can exclusively reveal the real reason The revisions called for those in gay unions to be treated as apostates and led a march of three thousand of Muslims in Leicester Western eyes become the sinister Islamic 'death sentence'. Membership Secretary/Treasurer behind the vicious tearing up of a banned baptisms and other ceremonies for the children of gays and calling for Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses to Tim Farron These two events initiated in the West a new crusade John Catt w h o l e s t a c k o f G u a r d i a n lesbians until they are 18 years old. be banned. Vaz, a Catholic described that event as ‘one against Islam, but this time it was not in the name of Tel: 01509 211468 newspapers. Readers may recall the In addition,Ser thevin newg S policyize states1 B othatok if the children of couples in same-sex of the great days in the history of Islam and Great Christianity, but in the name of democracy, and freedom of [email protected] newspapers were put on a washing marriages want to become full-fledged members of the faith, they have to Britain.’ However, days earlier, Vaz had promised Dear Editor, Company Secretary: line, had the sports section ritually disavow theirAm parents’ount relationshipPer Serv iandng move out of the home. Rushdie his support and had said in a phone Chris Goodwin’s article suggests that Gillian Lighton % Daily Value removed from the plastic wrapper The new policy is truly monstrous, designed to shame gays and lesbians, conversation, that what had happened to Rushdie was it was a no platform for Fascists policy Hall bookings/maintenance and then every page was cut into 4 and the families of gays and lesbians, ultimately driving a wedge between ‘appalling, absolutely appalling,’ and promised his ‘full was saw off the National Front in Mike Burden: pieces in a quixotic reference to family members, destroying relationships and ruining lives. support’. (This is contained in Rushdie's autobiography Leicester. I am afraid this is just not Tel: 07722 782727 medieval punishments. written under the name of Joseph Anton) true. During the 1970s, the local anti- Particularly odious is the demand that children of gays and lesbians must [email protected] Nogodd's devout attendance at the Richard Dawkins is not the Atheist Pope As a result of the campaign against the publication of racist movement grew significantly (atheosblog.wordpress.com) disavow their parents relationship before being allowed into the church. Events Coordinators:-Anu Kapur & Sunday Assembly was to blame. The the Satanic Verses, thirty people died and hundreds and was drawn from a wide range of Such a demand is truly despicable. Hamish Whiteley (2015) particular edition of the Guardian clone child of Christopher Hitchins, were injured. Protests against the ‘blasphemy’ of political perspectivNes,A thoughTI OsadlyN AL NEWS Historically, the Mormon church has always been a bigoted, narrow Secularist Editor: Ned Newitt also had an article promoting the Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and an Salman Rushdie’s novel were staged in London, the Secular Society was notfro am activ thee National Secular Society minded, and morally corrupt institution. Indeed, up until 1978, the church [email protected] Sunday Assembly. The attacker, a 46 anonymous egg donor. Ali is much Leicester, Bradford, Islamabad, Tehran, Bombay, New participant. The anti fascist no taught that black people were spiritually and morally inferior beings, and Library and archives year old member of the hard line more tolerant and considers anyone York, Dhaka, Istanbul and Khartoum. Some of these platform brigade was just one strand. barred men of African descent from the clergy. It was only effective locally when Gillian Lighton Atheist Peoples' Front, said that with a score over 4 can be an atheist. demonstrations turned violent as the protesters clashed Bottom line: This is good news. We should all celebrate when good people Gush Bhumbra demonstrators could be bussed in [email protected] Sunday Assemblers are not real The official position of the Leicester with the authorities. Those that died were mainly find the strength to abandon institutions that support and promote bigotry from around the country. Keyholders: atheists and so have it coming to Secular Society is that anyone can protesters, but also translators of the novel and a By Tim Ross, Senior Political Correspondent12:01AM GMT 24 Jan 2016 and hatred in the name of religious superstition. From 1972 onwards there were a Mike Burden and Gillian Lighton them. declare themselves as an atheist, as moderate Imam in Belgium who spoke against the Comments578 Comments whole series of demonstrations Audio-visual kit He declared, “When the last true long as they disbelieve in more than - S e e m o r e a t : fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Faith schools will be protected from “vexatious” campaigners who want to ban http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2015/11/goo organised by The Inter-Racial Normally held by Mike Burden prophet of Atheism, Christopher two deities. This of course means that What is not so well known is the role played by the the selection of pupils on the basis of religion, under a major overhaul of the Solidarity Campaign and later Unity Hitchins (peace be upon Him) died, he even members of ISIS are atheists. d-news-thousands-resign-from-mormon-church/#sthash.i6qQodC4.dpuf Markfield based Islamic Foundation in initiating the Leicester Secular Society admissions system. Against Racism. There was even a told us that only those identified as being world wide protest against Rushdie’s book. Key Registered Office: Rex Manchinders Ministers believe secularist groups are targeting Church schools with rock concert in Spinney Hill Park 6.5 or higher on the 7 point Dawkins Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain was born in Bradford in 1990 activists in the campaign were had Leicester Secular Hall, 75 Humberstone Gate, complaints about their admissions rules to undermine their right to prioritise before ‘Rock Against Racism had Leicester LE1 1WB scale of atheism are true non-believers. Summer Coach Trip and began his primary education of the Arabic Language at an connections. Dr Manazir Ahsan, the Director of the early age of fifteen under the guidance of his spiritual teacher families with religious beliefs. been thought of. Although the Trades Email: Anybody under that score can only call Islamic Foundation, and Faiyazuddin Ahmad also of Mufti Qazi Hasan Raza for a year, before going to Jamia Al Karam Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has announced plans to reform the Council, played a role, most of the big [email protected] themselves agnostics, and bring shame the Islamic Foundation played a pivotal role. Today in Nottingham at the age of sixteen system so that in future only those parents living in the local area will be able to events were organised by these local Website: upon true atheists. By ever calling the they are still closely associated with the Islamic After serving 3 years as Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in lodge complaints over a school’s admissions process. umbrella organisations. www.leicestersecularsociety.org.uk Sunday Assembly an atheist church, Sixth Secular activist Foundation whose patron is Dr Abdullah Omar Nassief I was one of the organisers of the LSS is a company limited by guarantee Barking he currently Imam Asim lectures in Manchester Central This will be designed to disqualify groups such as the Fair Admissions these Assemblers have only themselves formerly the Secretary-General of the Muslim World picket of the NF at the Town Hall hacked to death in Mosque and in various Mosques in and around the North of Campaign – a secularist organisation – from raising objections against state to blame.” League. cited in Chris’ article. The intention England. Disclaimer, Code of Conduct and Copyright Bangladesh funded schools. There has recently been a schism in Imam Asim Hussain said, "The killing of Alan Henning was a The Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) is was not to apply physical force, but to The Leicester Secularist is a not-for-profit The Society’s summer coach trip SECULAR HALL NEWS The plan will be met with resistance from teaching unions and campaigners Leicester the atheist movement as Hitchins 1 8 0 3 - 1 8 4 6 cowardly and criminal act of appalling brutality, by a group who based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and propagates make the point that the police should undertaking of Leicester Secular Society. this year will be on Saturday June who argue that some Christian schools use their powers to select children from Please note that the views and proposals did not announce a successor before C h a r t i s t L e a d e r do not represent Islam at all." conservative Islamic teachings. It has been funded by be implementing the Race Relations SECULARIST 21st to Stratford. religious families as a way to discriminate against ethnic minorities and Act which should have made the expressed in this journal are not necessarily his death. The Atheist Peoples' Front a n d P o e t the Saudi government from its inception in 1962, with N e x t E d i t i o n those of the Editor or the Board of the Society, We will be leaving the Secular Hall working class pupils. incitement of racial hatred a crime. are literalists and take Hitchins 6.5 Author of: that contribution growing to approximately $13 million and the Editor, the Society and its officers at 8.30am and returning from Britannia’s Sons, Though Slaves Ye Be We also felt that the then Tory The next copy deadline is Friday 29th January 2016. We cutoff as an absolute value. They are by 1980. Because of the Saudi funding, the League is Schoolchildren in class accept no liability for views expressed. As the Stratford at 5pm, the rest of the day journal of a Freethought organisation any led by what they see as the true torch widely regarded as promoting Wahhabism and acting controlled Council should be welcome new articles, letters, jokes, poems, news, Hidden cost: many parents are now paying over the odds twice ? in property member’s views may be published subject to bearer of Hitchins philosophy, Sam to be spent as you choose! as a mouthpiece for the Saudi Arabian government. refusing the NF a licence. Of course, cartoons, etc. You can send via the Hall or email: premium and school fees Photo: Getty the usual constraints of avoiding libel, Harris. The Popular Atheists Front Cost £15 to members, £20 for non- in staging the picket, we made it very [email protected] occasional editing to fit the space available and The Satanic Verses was published on 26 September 1988 Faith schools are legally able to give priority to children who come from members. difficult for the NF to actually sell any Please include photos where you have them. Aim to intrinsic merit. believe that only a blood relative of and, after pressure from the right wing Janata party, it papers. write less than 700 words, although longer articles may The contents may be reproduced at will unless Hitchins may lead Atheists, and Please reserve your place early. was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government nine The SWP backed Anti Nazi League be accepted if appropriate. Please ensure they are the item is accompanied by a copyright symbol. follow Ayaan Hirsi Ali. In a recent Either see Gillian on a Sunday days later. That month, Dr Ahsan received in Leicester An acknowledgement of the source (for 6.30pm Sunday 14th Feb was a late comer and its national submitted well ahead of the deadline. DNA test, Ayaan Hirsi Ali was evening or phone/text 07989 an alert from the Jamaat Islami's offices in India on the original material) would be appreciated - with a 122917. demonstration in Leicester 1979 took link to the Society website. confirmed as the bizarre three way blasphemous contents of The Satanic Verses. He acted place when the support for the local Leicester Secularist 8th Annual Lecture immediately by notifying the main mosques in the UK. NF was already in terminal decline. 16 The demonstration was not a Cable street moment, but one where a lot of people got arrested unnecessarily. Flushed with this success, Indians working for the The demise of the NF in Leicester Saudi-financed Islamic Foundation of Leicester arose from several factors. suggested trying to get the book banned in Britain. Firstly by ensuring that the two main According to Malise Ruthven, author of A Satanic Affair, political parties, abandoned their the campaign was then orchestrated by Jamaat-i-Islami, open appeasement of racists. the party founded in Pakistan by Sayyid Abul A'la Secondly by drawing out the Maududi. A journalist-cum-theologian, Maududi connection between the NF and their S E C U L A R W O R L D N E W S preached that "for the entire human race, there is only openly nazi views. from the National Secular Society Evolution has shaped the human body and mind, one way of life which is Right in the eyes of God and that Thirdly, the realisation on the part of yet modern medicine has paid scant attention to is al-Islam". the Leicester Mecury was that if it was Pilar gave us a brief outline of Spanish History this fact. Dr Riadh Abed argues that evolutionary Nevertheless it was the Saudis who funded the United to sell papers to all of Leicester’s from the middle of the 19th. century to the present science can provide insights into dysfunction and Kingdom Action Committee on Islamic Affairs, the populations, it could not go on day, illustrated with photographs and the songs disorder that cannot otherwise be attained. protest body set up to maximise pressure on The Satanic w r i t i n g s c a r e s t o r i e s a b o u t s h e s a n g . Verses. . ‘immigrants.’ Yours Ned Newitt In the nineteenth century some Spanish workers were already represented in the Internatinal Both Dr Manazir Ahsan and Hashir Faruqi were Working Men's Association. In 1868, the russian instrumental in convening a meeting of over twenty Anarchist, Mikhail Bakhunin, joined. His like-minded Muslim organizations to form the UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs (UKACIA) on 11 Gerrard Winstanley 1649 October 1988 in order to mobilize public opinion and coordinate actions against The Satanic Verses. Dr Ahsan succeeded in convincing Dr Mughram al-Ghamdi, Director General of the London Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of the seriousness of the issue. UKACIA appointed the representative from Balham Mosque, Iqbal Sacranie, and Dr Mughram Al-Ghamdi as joint- convenors of a steering committee. Active participants included Maulana Yakub Miftahi of the Hizbul Ulema UK, Blackburn, and Maulana Sher Azam, of the Bradford Council of Mosques. Shaikh Darsh also worked closely with UKACIA. He delivered memorable and powerful khutbas at the Muslim Welfare House, London, on the Islamic position on the so-called 'satanic verses' and also alerted the Islamic Two of my grand children came to Shariah Council. UKACIA was based at the ICC, an stay the night a couple of weeks ago Rowan (6) thought they could delay in parcels, but sent on trains, indication of the courageous support of its Director and before bed we settled down for a going to bed by asking questions accompanied by postal workers. The General. By 21 October 1988, several hundred thousand story. I began to read them a book about the book. During the photo from the Smithsonian Institute Muslims had signed the petition protesting against the that was a favourite of my own three discussion I asked Rowan if he Collection is in fact a posed stunt publication and calling on the publisher Viking Penguin daughters years ago, Flat Stanley by thought that the book was true and photograph, a wonderfully surreal for the book's withdrawal. The appeal was ignored. On Jeff Brown. The book tells the story he was adamant that it was. He held image nonetheless. 27 October 1988, UKACIA wrote to all Muslim of Stanley Lambchop, a young boy up one of Tomi Ungerer's wonderful Winter Solstice ambassadors in London calling for a ban on the book. who lives with his brother and illustrations in the book and showed I do hope you'll come along to the Among the recipients was Mr Ahkunzadeh Basti the parents in New York. One night it to me as absolute proof of the Winter Solstice Quiz (who dreams up Iranian charge d'affaires, who forwarded it to Tehran, while he is sleeping a notice board book's veracity. Iris wasn't so sure, these titles?) for which I have set the eventually leading to intervention from Ayatollah attached to the wall by his bed falls but eventually after some careful tricky questions. In case you are Khomeini. on him and when he wakes Stanley consideration, said that she thought alarmed, there are no questions about On October the 3rd, 1988, the Leicester Islamic finds that he is squashed flat, but that it could be true but probably Leicester City Football Club, Bicycles, Foundation (adherents of the Pakistani, Mawdudi, otherwise unhurt. He is taken to the wasn't. Bob Dylan or Anton Chekhov, neither again) circulated extracts from The Satanic Verses doctor where he is measured; I thought about this a lot. Iris and are there any questions this year around UK Muslim associations and UK mosques. Then 'Stanley was four feet tall, about a Rowan are both bright articulate about cars and roads. Quizzes largely the Leicester Islamic Foundation asked British Muslims foot wide and half an inch thick.' A children but clearly struggled to tell test what RF Dearden called (mainly Pakistani) to join their campaign of petition- the difference between fact and Rucksack Knowledge. A rucksack can signing to have Rushdie’s book banned and withdrawn series of exciting adventures follow, fiction. I have no problem with that be more or less full and the more full it from sale. The audacity against a secular democracy Stanley is lowered down into a drain at all, indeed I think it is important is the more one is weighed down and didn’t stop there: they also demanded a public apology on a piece of string to retrieve a ring from Salman Rushdie himself! his mother dropped down there, he that children (and indeed adults) are the more difficult it is to find what one is put into a letter and posted to able to live and act in a vivid and wants. Nonetheless I hope it will be a relatives in California for a holiday, 'real' fantasy world. However, when fun evening, and will signal my final It featured Islamists like Iqbal Sacranie, the future head and made into a kite to fly above the children are exposed to adults, evening as events co-ordinator, a of the Muslim Council of Britain. (Sacranie famously city. Having got half way through teachers and schools telling them milestone that I for one will be opined that "death, perhaps, is a bit too easy" for the 70 pages I said it was time for bed, that religious stories are true it is celebrating with some gusto. but as always Iris (8) and her brother virtually impossible for children to resist that message because they simply cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. Religious people know this of course, which is why they are so keen to involve themselves in the 'education' of young children; it is also why our campaigns against faith based education and forms of religious instruction are so important. Bright sparks amongst my readers will now be saying 'Ah but children were sent through the post in the early days of the U.S. mail', and produce the attached photograph as evidence. A few children were in fact sent through the mail, not wrapped