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Cultural & social affairs Department

OIC islamophobia Observatory

Monthly Bulletin – June 2014

I. MANIFESTATIONS OF ISLAMOPHOBIA: I.I. In the United States and Canada: 1. US: Texas school board official sorry for freaking out about Muslim getting elected as her colleague – A newly elected school district trustee in Texas was under fire after she posted comments on Facebook disparaging registered voters who did not go to the polls for allowing a Muslim to be elected. According to WFAA, Place 5 representative Jo Lynn Haussmann posted the following on her Facebook page in the last week of May 2014: “Do you realize because SO FEW voters took the time and responsibility to VOTE in the municipal elections – YOU NOW HAVE A ‘MUSLIM’ on the City Council!!! What A SHAME!!!!” She deleted the post and later apologized for it. In her apology, she took pains to note that she made the statement after she was elected, but before she was sworn in. Although she claimed the comments were merely in response to “several people [who] had complained [to her] about the changes in the council make up,” her YouTube history revealed that she had been writing similar comments online for longer than that. She wrote: “DON’T SELL OUT YOUR COUNTRY TO BE A SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST NATION BY NOT VOTING ‘ROMNEY!’” or “If you don’t vote, you’ve voted for Obama! YOU ‘MUST’ VOTE! I’d rather have a Mormon with HIGH MORALS than a muslim!” The KISD School Board had not commented on Haussmann’s original statement or her apology

In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/texas-school-board-official-sorry-for-freaking-out-about-muslim-getting-elected-as-her-colleague/#more-32158, retrieved on 03.06.2014

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2. US: Anti-Islam Talk from Conservatives – As more and more Muslims faced anti-Islam speech from Republicans and Conservatives, some started to question the role of free speech. At the Anarchist Book Fair in March 2014 in Oakland, one t-shirt would certainly have had Republicans and their fellow Conservatives in an uproar. In bold lettering “General Strike” was printed on the shirt, in Arabic nonetheless, showing the solidarity labor activists had with the efforts of Arabs, predominantly Muslims, in recent years. GOP and other conservative pundits, on the other hand, were continuing their attacks on Islam, especially the role of women in the world’s second largest religion. It had gotten so bad that the Center for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) had called on the GOP, and the GOP Women’s Group, to end their promotion of known anti-Muslim speakers at their events. The protest in March 2014, however, had fallen on deaf ears as more and more Republican events saw anti-Islam and anti-Muslim woman bashing. The Director of the CAIR Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia Corey Saylor wrote a letter to the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) calling into question their continued support of events where speakers attack Islam and Muslim women: “CAIR researchers have found a troubling trend of anti-Muslim sentiment in materials on your organization's website and in activities of NFRW clubs.” The NFRW did not respond to messages left for a comment on the accusation of an anti-Islam slant. Anti-Muslim women speakers have been reported in California’s Orange County, Leesburg, Florida, Bainbridge Island, Washington and a number of other locales across the United States, leading many to question the role of conservative groups and their role in bridging the education gap that often accompanied anti-Islamic sentiments and anti-Muslim women attacks. One of the leading voices in the attack playbook of conservatives had been Pamela Gellar, a blogger turned political pundit known for her anti-Islam stance, who had featured at a number of NFRW-sponsored events over the past 12 months. Her viewpoints had been largely contested by Muslim-Americans, who had called on her to end her Islamophobic positions in order to bridge the increasing gulf between Muslims and non-Muslims in the US. When she was barred from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) 2013 over her religiously motivated attacks, she responded by arguing CPAC board members were secretly “members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic agents”. With the Republican Party seemingly continuing to push the fear of Islam in America and the so-called spread of “Sharia” in American schools, Muslim women continued to face an uncertain future, one that was threatening their belief in America as a land of opportunity. At a local meeting of Muslim women in the Bay Area, the 30-something mothers questioned the role of free speech when it directly affected the safety of their children. In: http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/articles/2014/06/03/anti-islam-talk-from-conservatives.html, retrieved on 04.06.2014 3. US: Muslim cab driver says he was fired over religious dress; appeals to St. Louis judge – Raja Awais

Naeem said he had been arrested twice, issued more than $800 in citations and had his cabdriver’s license revoked because he insisted on going to work wearing clothing prescribed by his Muslim faith. The Metropolitan Taxicab Commission, which licensed drivers in the St. Louis region, required them to wear black pants and a white, button-down shirt. After a court ruling in 2013, the commission offered what it insisted was a compromise that accommodated Naeem’s beliefs: The commission told Naeem he can wear a kurta, the loose-fitting clothing worn on the torso, but it must be white and cannot go below his thighs. His pants, or shalwar, should be black. He is allowed to wear the kufi, a wrapped garment for his head.

The commission says the dress code is for safety reasons, ensuring the public can easily identify those who are licensed drivers.

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But Naeem, a father of four from St. Louis who had been driving a taxi since 2001, believed the parameters still violated his freedom of religious expression. That was the issue before a St. Louis circuit judge on 09 June: “Where does the MTC get off micromanaging how someone’s religious dress should be?” asked his attorney, Drew Baebler, prior to the hearing. Neil Bruntrager, the lawyer representing the commission, responded later, “We’re trying to work with them, but they have to work with us, too.” Baebler was seeking a court order that would prevent the commission from issuing any more citations to Naeem or retaliating in any other way. In 2004, after a group of independent cabdrivers sued, the Missouri Supreme Court prohibited the commission from enforcing its dress code when it is in conflict with religious beliefs. In: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/muslim-cab-driver-says-he-was-fired-over-religious-dress/article_2b227b15-7250-5406-b569-bd9da6c44b9b.html, retrieved on 10.06.2014 4. US: Qurans burned at Dearborn mosque; imams consider new law – Several Qurans were burned in front of a mosque at about noon on 10 June in possible connection with anti-Islam Pastor Terry Jones’ expected visit to the city on 14 June. The three copies of the Quranwere set on fire and left to burn at the

curb in front of the Karbalaa Islamic Educational Center, 15332 W. Warren Ave.

The imam of the mosque, Sheikh Husham Al-Husainy, confirmed that the incident occurred and that police are investigating. Al-Husainy said he met with public safety officials on 12 June including the FBI and the city’s police chief.

A group of local imams convened the same day at the Islamic Institute of Knowledge in Dearborn to discuss how to handle the situation. Although a connection of Jones’ visit was not confirmed in this incident, the imams discussed his visit and agreed to

continue to ignore it. Jones said the Quran burnings had no direct connection with him or his organization, Stand Up America Now, adding: “But, of course, we will support the Quran burnings under expression of First Amendment rights.” Several attorneys also met with the imams at 12 June’s meeting. Al-Husainy said they helped with legal advice in his plan for a new law making it illegal to burn or desecrate holy books. He said: “We want all of the religions to cooperate with us to bring respect to the word of God, whether the Quran, Bible, or Torah.” He said he understood it would be a challenge. He and the imams would collect signatures of supporters before addressing the City Council to inquire about making a new city ordinance. Several attempts to legally prohibit the desecration of the American flag have failed in the U.S. for reasons that it violates rights to free speech. In: http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2014/06/13/news/doc5399f810f0f03443588853.txt, retrieved on 14.06.2014 I.II. In Europe: 1. Ireland: Belfast Muslims Attacked After Rally – A few hours after Belfast’s anti-racism rally, two Muslim men were attacked by a group of racists who vandalized their home, injuring one of the victims who was taken to hospital. Muhammad Asif Khattak, 24, a Pakistani immigrant who was attacked by extremists told the Guardian: “If we go outside in the street, people will start swearing at us ... What can we do? We are

just foreigners, we don't feel accepted…We are scared now and my family and friends are telling me to come back to London.” Khattak and another man were victims of a hate crime that targeted their residence at the Parkmount Street where they were subjected to racist taunts and physical abuse.

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In the morning of 1st June, the windows of the home were broken. By the afternoon, the assailants followed the victims, storming their residence and injuring Khattak. According to a police spokesman, the 24-year-old man “had been subjected to racist taunts by a group of people outside the property” and was sent to the hospital. The racist attack followed an earlier day’s anti-racism rally which drew thousands of angry protesters. The rallied crowds demanded a public apology from North Ireland first minister Peter Robinson for insulting the country’s Muslim population. The controversy erupted ten days before when pastor James McConnell of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in north Belfast told his congregation that “a new evil had arisen” and “there are cells of Muslims right throughout Britain”. In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/473215-belfast-muslims-attacked-after-rally.html, retrieved on 03.06.2014 2. On 05 June, Dr. Sara Farris, an Assistant Professor in Sociology in the Sociology Department at Goldsmiths, University of London, published an article in Aljazeera titled “Is Europe's Islamophobia

following the path of 19th century anti-Semitism?”. Some of her arguments are as follows:

In 1844, Karl Marx published a short but dense text entitled “On the Jewish Question”. It was a critical review of two essays by the-then famous philosopher Bruno Bauer, who had argued against equal rights for Jews if granted on religious grounds. If Jews wanted to be considered full citizens - Bauer maintained echoing the widespread opinion of the time - Jews would have to abandon their religion and embrace Enlightenment. According to this logic, there was no room for religious demands in a secular society. As Bauer’s position suggests, anti-Jewish racism in Germany and elsewhere in Europe in the first half of the 19th century, was justified mainly on cultural and religious grounds. Jews were discriminated and regarded with suspicion because they were considered an alien “nation within the nation”. In fact, it was not until the second half of the 19th century and the rise of “social Darwinism” that “racial anti-Semitism”, framed in biological terms, appeared on the political scene and Jews were openly discriminated against on the basis of their alleged genetic inferiority. The question we might want to ask ourselves today is whether contemporary Europe is confronting a Muslim question similar to the Jewish question 170 years ago. Is European antipathy towards Muslims comparable to that first stage of hatred towards Jews, a hatred that culminated in one of the darkest pages of human history? In spite of the obvious differences between the two contexts, the success of the far right during the recent elections in several European countries seems to suggest that the answer is a resounding yes. The victory of these parties attests to the incredible gains made by Islamophobic propaganda in the last ten years... Many of these parties, as well as those who voted for them, do not consider themselves racists. After all, the problem with Muslims…is their alleged backwardness, fanaticism and unwillingness to integrate. In short, it is the Muslims’ fault. Just like the Jewish question of the 19th century, the contemporary Muslim question is premised upon cultural differences and thus presented as legitimate and politically correct. Though immigrants in general are singled out as a social and economic threat to European societies and workers, it is Muslims in particular who have come to epitomise the “bad other”. This has been achieved not only through the xenophobic propaganda of the far right. Actually, conservatives and even liberal and left-wing parties have contributed to the fanfare. On the one hand, conservative leaders such as current UK Prime Minister David Cameron, France’s former President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have repeatedly invoked the Christian roots of European countries, while, on the other, a much broader gamut of political forces, including liberals and leftists, have participated in decrying the headscarf as a symbol of backwardness and

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oppression. The voices nourishing anti-Muslim sentiment across Europe come from all sides of the political map. Muslims have thus become, at least in many ways, the new Jews. They have become the scapegoats onto whom Europeans are projecting their anxieties about the future. Conservative and far-right politicians constantly intensify and exploit these anxieties in order to enhance neoliberal and nationalist agendas, while most liberal and left-wing parties have imitated the racist right, perhaps hoping it will bring them more votes. Marx understood this process all too well. He criticised Bauer for claiming that the lack of political emancipation for the Jews was the result of their culture and religion. Marx maintained that religion had nothing to do with the continued discrimination of the Jews. The prejudice against the Jews and their lack of rights, Marx argued, is to be understood in the broader context of the state’s structural inequalities. The transmutation of the Muslims into the Jews of the 19th century does not mean that a new genocide is imminent, or that the tragedy of the Jewish people in 20th century Europe will be replicated as the tragedy of the Muslim people in the 21st. History does not repeat itself in this way. But history can rhyme. It will only be the redoubled work of anti-racist militants and organisations that can potentially prevent that rhyme.

In: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/06/anti-semitism-islamophobia-europ-20146414191330623.html, retrieved on 06.06.2014

3. UK: School witch-hunt fuels UK Islamophobia – An official British probe in the second week of June 2014 into alleged “Islamic extremism” in schools was replete with rumor, hearsay and sensationalist accusations. But, as it turned out, the government report was based on scant factual evidence. What that amounted to was a “witch-hunt” against British Muslims fuelled at the highest level of government. That exercise in fear mongering not only denigrated Muslim communities; it recklessly added to an already hostile climate of Islamophobia in British society, where ordinary citizens were being targeting by racism and hate crimes. In fact, the British government’s regulatory body, Ofsted, released a report into more than 20 schools in the midlands city of Birmingham, where it had been alleged that there was a secret plot to infiltrate the education system with “Islamic extremism.” Six of the schools investigated had been accused of promoting “intimidation” and “intolerance” of non-Muslims. The British government had then placed the schools on a watch-list, which would involve future no-warning snap inspections. British Prime Minister David Cameron had vowed “a robust response to protect children” with “an extremism taskforce” that will from now on promote “British values” in schools. The Birmingham establishments in question may then see their governors and staff sacked, and replaced by government-vetted personnel. The local education trust that run the facilities in Birmingham had flatly rejected the Ofsted report and the “baseless allegations.” A senior member of Parkview Trust, which governed three of the schools investigated, said the government probe had found no evidence to support its claims. Trust chairman David Hughes said: “This report has been conducted in a climate of suspicion... Ofsted inspectors came to our schools looking for extremism, looking for segregation, looking for proof that our children have religion forced upon them as part of an Islamic plot. The Ofsted reports find absolutely no evidence of this because this is categorically not what is happening at our schools.” So, what was going on there? The whole affair into alleged extremism in the Birmingham schools, both secondary and primary, began some in 2010 when an anonymous teacher supposedly wrote a letter to the British government claiming that there was a “Trojan Horse” plot operating in schools in majority Muslim communities across Birmingham. That plot was said to involve the takeover of teaching staff at the schools and the infiltration of students with extremist ideology. The letter has since been widely seen as a hoax. Even right-wing British newspapers, such as The Daily Mail, had acknowledged that the document and its accusations therein are fabrications.

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Nevertheless, the allegations had taken on a life of their own and had gained credibility, largely due to incessant media vilification of the schools and Muslim communities in general. Reprehensibly, senior British government ministers had heightened this climate of fear and the ensuing Islamophobia by giving these groundless claims of extremism credence. In the first week of June 2014, the interior minister Theresa May and education minister Michael Gove engaged in a bizarre public row, accusing each other of “being soft on Islamic fundamentalism.” Then Conservative party leader David Cameron stepped in to the war of words - not to dismiss the damaging allegations against Muslim majority schools, but to merely discipline his ministers for their public bickering. In: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/06/10/366305/school-witchhunt-fuels-uk-islamophobia/, retrieved on 11.06.2014, emphasis added. Related: MCB responds to ‘Trojan Horse’ witch-hunt – On 09 June, The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) issued a statement demanding clarity and consistency in the British Education Standards, as a British Muslims response to the Ofsted Reports of schools in Birmingham:

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) today noted its serious concern at the conduct and outcome of the Ofsted investigation into state schools in Birmingham. The investigations were ordered by the Department for Education following the circulation of what is widely believed to be a fake dossier titled “Trojan Horse” outlining a plot of a ‘Muslim takeover of schools’. These incendiary claims have not been proven, and there is widespread fear that the subsequent investigations have only deepened the problem, not resolved it at all. No extremism has been found, but the slur of extremism remains.

Arbitrary Assessment Criteria Some of the schools investigated were only recently rated “outstanding” for their academic results and inclusivity. They have now been downgraded to “requiring special measures”, despite achieving improved results and no change in their governance policy. With Ofsted giving these schools favourable reports in previous years, how has the criteria has changed to warrant such a dramatic change? It seems that these schools have now been downgraded on new assessment criteria – preparing pupils “for life in modern Britain”. Many are concerned that this new benchmark is being arbitrarily and inconsistently applied. The Ofsted report has highlighted issues of governance. If there are irregularities, then of course these should be looked at. But to conflate them with issues of security and extremism is a dangerous approach.

Consistency for all faiths and tendencies A few weeks ago, the Muslim Council of Britain wrote to Ofsted asking whether all these criteria are being applied to all schools or only those with a large number of Muslim pupils and Muslim run faith schools. In a letter to Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of schools, on 21 May, the Muslim Council of Britain enquired on whether the policy to investigate the effectiveness of schools’ actions “to prevent and tackle discriminatory and derogatory language” is implemented in other schools. The Muslim Council of Britain also asked whether schools are adequately tackling anti-Muslim bigotry given the growing Islamophobia in this country. We are yet to have an answer on both questions.

The Need for Clarity Without clarity on whether there is consistency, objectivity and fairness in the Ofsted inspections, there is a strong fear that these reports will be considered the results of a witch-hunt, and that faith and parental involvement will not only be lost in the inspection process, but perhaps the British education system itself.

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This whole saga has also been politicised, and we call on both the Department for Education and Ofsted to look into why there have been a drip feed of leaks from the investigation, resulting in further feverish speculation and ultimately hostility against Muslims.

Fuzzy Notions of Extremism We understand that many of these schools are being downgraded because they are ‘not doing enough to tackle extremism’. Yet, extremism will not be confronted if Muslims, and their religious practices are considered as, at best, contrary to the values of this country, and at worst, seen as ‘the swamp’ that feeds extremism. When, in supporting the Education Secretary, former Communities Secretary Hazel Blears says that a person going to the mosque five-times-a-day is a sign of extremism (Radio 5 Live, 5 June), then we have a problem. Over the last few months, the Muslim community has been subjected to ridiculous accusations of extremism. Yet Muslims, part and parcel of British society, have condemned terrorism in the strongest terms, and the extremism that lead people to commit such acts. As we have stated time and again, the causes of terrorism are complex. But there is scant evidence that the education system or the Muslim community are the reasons for why people turn to terrorism. For the avoidance of any doubt, let us be clear on where the Muslim Council of Britain stands on education in our schools. We call for an inclusive education, and we call for fairness, not favours. We have suggested that accommodating the religious wishes of parents – so long as it conforms to the National Curriculum and where it is feasible – will help schools engage with them.

Empowering and Achieving The primary responsibility of schools is to prepare children for life, assisting them to acquire skills and help them to be successful citizens and professionals. Educational attainment is at the heart of that task. The schools investigated as part of the so-called Trojan Horse affair had made great strides over the years with some moving from single figure pass rates to some of the best results across the country. Ofsted and the Department for Education need to appreciate that this was possible due to determination and commitment of parents, pupils, teachers and governors. By threatening the life chances of a new generation, the onus is on Ofsted and the DfE to assure parents that the academic progress so hard won will not be thrown away on the back of a dodgy dossier.

In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/mcb-responds-to-trojan-horse-witch-hunt/#more-32700, retrieved on 11.06.2014 4. Ukraine: Residents of Stavropol territory opposed to mosque construction – Residents of Vinsady collected 3,500 signatures against construction of a mosque in their village. A petition was sent to the local parliament. State Duma member Victor Goncharov said that the document had no legal value. Residents of Pyatigorsk, Lermontov and Yessentuki approved the protests started in Vinsady. Head of the Predgorny District Nikolai Gulbyakov said that the construction would undergo public hearings. Regional Mufti Muhammad Rakhimov said that his administration would try to persuade the residents and Cossacks to stop the protests. The mosque construction was permitted in the Predgorny District in May 2014. In: http://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/society/56269.html, retrieved on 11.06.2014 5. Czech Republic: Zeman will not apologize for statements on Islam – Czech President Milos Zeman would not apologize for his recent statement linking the Islamic ideology with violence, his spokesman Jiří Ovčáček told the Czech News Agency on 10 June, reacting to Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

demand following the statements Zeman made at the May 27 celebration of the Israeli Independence Day in Prague.

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Zeman, commenting on a previous attack in the Jewish Museum in Brussels, said the Islamic ideology was behind similarly motivated violent attacks. This statement was condemned not only by the OIC, an association of 57 countries acting on behalf of the Islamic world, but also by the League of Arab. Ovčáček said: “The president definitely does not intend to apologize, because he would consider the quotation of the holy Islamic text a blasphemy.” In: http://www.praguepost.com/czech-news/39532-zeman-will-not-apologize-for-statements-on-islam, retrieved on 12.06.2014 Related: Czechs could face Saudi sanctions over president’s remarks – The Czech foreign minister said that the Czech Republic could face trade sanctions from Saudi Arabia over anti-Islamic remarks by President Miloš Zeman, which were also condemned by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, but its demands for an apology had been rejected by the Czech head of state. The Czech daily Lidové noviny reported on 13 June, quoting sources from the Czech foreign ministry, that the

Czech ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Jiří Slavík, was summoned to the country’s foreign ministry on 08 June to explain the latest remarks by President Miloš Zeman. A source from the Czech foreign ministry told the paper: “The Saudis had a comprehensive list of everything Zeman ever said on this topic. There were several pages of it. The ambassador was in a very awkward position; their protests had never gone that far.”

Mr Zeman has a history of controversial comments about Islam; in 2011, for example, he referred to Islam when he said that “the enemy is the anti-civilisation spreading from North Africa to Indonesia. Two billion people live in it." He also compared Muslim believers to the Nazis.

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek had voiced concerns about the possible impact of the controversy, fearing it could jeopardize several planned investment projects in health care and agriculture, adding: “We should stay clear from religion and realize this could have economic consequences.” Mr Zaorálek said a meeting with the ambassadors of Arab countries to the Czech Republic should take place at the ministry in mid-June 2014, with the president’s comments on top of the agenda. An Arab diplomat however told the daily that a clear stance of the Czech government distancing itself from the president’s position would help much more. In: http://radio.cz/en/section/business/czechs-could-face-saudi-sanctions-over-presidents-remarks, retrieved on 14.06.2014

6. Ukraine: Crimean mosque attacked and set fire – A Crimean mosque was vandalized on 12 June and set on fire by unknown people throwing three Molotov cocktails. According to the closed-circuit cameras, the provocateurs drew Nazi swastika signs on the fence and molotov cocktails were thrown around 5:00 a.m to The Chukurcha-Jami by a male individual. After the attack, the police started an investigation to find attackers. The Mosque was also vandalized in 2004 with statements being written on the walls that insulting Islam. In: http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/138885/crimean-mosque-attacked-and-set-fire, retrieved on 14.06.2014 7. Bulgaria: Wooden cross hung at mosque – A two-meter tall wooden cross was hung in a mosque in a

provocative act by unknown intruders on 20 June. The incident took place at Karaca Pasha mosque in the southern town of Gotze Delchev, 200km from Bulgaria’s capital Sofia.

In a statement strongly condemning the attack, the Regional Office of Mufti in Blagoevgrad said: “The incidents which trigger dispute among religions and directly threaten national security should be investigated and offenders should be brought to justice.” The regional office also said similar attacks

had happened recently and called for adequate protection against potential future attacks. In: http://www.worldbulletin.net/muslim-world/139313/wooden-cross-hung-at-mosque-in-bulgaria, retrieved on 21.06.2014

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8. Poland: Polish Vandals Deface Tatar Mosque – A Tatar mosque in Poland was defaced on 29 June, June 29, with pig graffiti in a sign of provoking Muslims’ sentiments a few months after banning ritual slaughter in the central European country. Located in the eastern village of Kruszyniany, the wooden mosque is located in one of the oldest Muslim cemeteries in Tatar area. According to the community leader Bronislaw Talkowski, vandals sprayed pig and other insults on the walls of the wooden mosque near the border with Belarus.

In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/474447-

polish-vandals-deface-tatar-mosque.html, retrieved on 01.07.2014 I.III. Rest of the World: 1. India Muslims Censure Calls to Ban Adhan – Days after Narendra Modi’s ascension to power, Muslims in India were facing a threat to their religious freedom with some Hindu organizations pitching for a ban on use of loudspeakers during Fajr adhan (prayer call from mosque at dawn). Troubles erupted in May 2014 when a Hindu outfit called Rashtriya Hindu Andolan organized a protest in Mangalore city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka demanding a ban on morning adhan. Protesters claimed that the Muslim call to prayer at dawn disturbs people of other faiths. Vijaylakshmi, an activist of another Hindu outfit Sanatana Dharma, said: “We believe that no community should misuse religious freedom in such a way to disturb other communities. India has granted freedom to every community to practice their religion in whatever way they want but their way of practice should not cause inconvenience to others.” The demand had caused uproar among Muslims who asserted that morning prayer was very important for them and the government should not give in to such demands. They also expressed fears that such a demand, which had originated from Mangalore city of Karnataka, could spread to other parts of the country. Muslim fears were materialized after the Hindus in Thane district in Maharashtra state followed those in Karnataka and staged a protest demanding ban on use of loudspeakers in mosques for morning prayers. They even collected signatures from people against the use of loudspeakers and submitted a memorandum to the district officials to prohibit use of loudspeakers by the Muslims in the morning. In: http://onislam.net/english/news/asia-pacific/473179-india-muslims-censure-calls-to-ban-adhan.html, retrieved on 03.06.2014 2. Myanmar nationalist group organizes anti-Islam boycott – Nationalist monks in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar were to launch a campaign to boycott a Qatar-owned telecommunications company on 08 June because it was “from an Islamic country”. U Parmaukha, a radical Buddhist abbot based in Yangon, Myanmar’s main city, told the local Irrawaddy news website that the boycott had been organized to “protect the integrity” of Myanmar and Buddhism, adding: “we doubt that we will have freedom when talking over their mobile network because the company is from an Islamic country.” The boycott is of Ooredoo, a telecoms giant owned by the Qatari government - one of two foreign firms - the other being Norwegian firm Telenor - awarded contracts to run mobile phone services in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation in 2013. A group called the Burmese Nationalist Youth was to start distributing leaflets and CDs in Yangon on the aforementioned date Saturday urging people not to buy Ooredoo’s SIM cards when they went on sale at some point from July 2014. They also wanted supporters to refuse to answer calls from people using the company’s services. In: http://www.worldbulletin.net/muslim-world/138375/myanmar-nationalist-group-organizes-anti-islam-boycott, retrieved on 07.06.2014

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3. New Zealand: SIS agents ‘watching mosque’ – The Federation of Islamic Associations said it was not surprised by claims that New Zealand spies had infiltrated one of the country’s mosques. Muslim worshippers at the Invercargill mosque said they were being watched by undercover Security Intelligence Service (SIS) officers. President of the Federation of Islamic Associations Anwar Ghani said the country’s 32 mosques were open for anyone to come and visit. He said if people from the intelligence service wanted to visit he had no problem with that, adding that New Zealand mosques preached peace and harmony, nothing else. Prime Minister John Key has confirmed mosques around the country were being monitored, after a New Zealand Muslim was killed by a US drone strike in Yemen in 2013. The president of the Southland Muslim Association, Reza Abdul Jabbar, said he was aware of SIS personnel, who looked like normal Muslim worshippers, coming into the mosque. Mr Jabbar said it was very difficult to work out who the SIS were, because the mosque had an open door policy, but he was not worried as there were no activities in his mosque to be concerned about. In: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/246641/sis-agents-%27watching-mosque%27, retrieved on 10.06.2014 4. Sri Lanka: 3 Muslims killed in by mob attack – Local authorities said on 16 June that hard-line Buddhists hurled gasoline bombs and looted homes and businesses in attacks in several Muslim towns in southwestern Sri Lanka, killing three Muslims and seriously wounding more than 50 people. The overnight attacks were led by a mob from Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Power Force, which railed against the country’s Muslim minority. The group had been gaining followers and was believed to enjoy state support. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s powerful defense secretary and the president’s brother, once made a public appearance supporting the group’s cause. The violence in the towns of Aluthgama, Darga Nagar and Beruwala erupted after an afternoon rally on 15 June by Bodu Bala Sena. Video clips showed the group’s general secretary, the Rev. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara, telling the crowd that Muslim-owned shops were in danger. Associated Press journalists saw dozens of shops gutted, as well as motorbikes and bicycles piled up and set on fire in the rampage. Residents said mosques were also defaced. Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem accused his own government of failing to protect Muslims. He said three Muslims died in the violence. Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said 51 people were hospitalized with injuries. President Mahinda Rajapaksa promised an investigation into the violence. In: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140616/world-neighbours/article/3-muslims-killed-sri-lanka-mob-attack, retrieved on 17.06.2014 5. Australia: Mysterious black balloons hung outside homes of residents who supported plans for a local mosque – For the past few weeks, residents of Bendigo, Victoria had been noticing black balloons appearing around the town tied to trees, houses and office fronts. The balloons were being left by a vocal group of anti-Islam protesters furious about plans to build a mosque in the regional city, after a controversial development proposal was debated and approved at a council meeting on 18 June night. Councillors voted 6-2 to approve the $3 million development which would serve the 200 Muslim residents of East Bendigo and would include a mosque, sports hall, education facilities and retail premises. At the meeting protesters made a lot of noise, yelling that mosque would bring terrorists and Sharia Law to the town.

On 19 June morning local councillor Mark Weragoda, who voted in favour of the application, woke up to find black balloons tied to the front of his business, where he also lived. In: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2663377/Anti-Islam-protests-heated-town-hall-meetings-mysterious-black-balloons-The-Australian-town-war-mosque.html, retrieved on 22.06.2014

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II. POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS: II.I. In the United States and Canada: 1. US Supreme Court refuses to hear Murfreesboro mosque case – The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of a group of neighbors who tried unsuccessfully to block the construction of a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. A board member of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro said he was hopeful that 02 June’s announcement by the court would bring unity back into the community. The decision, he said, brings to a close the years long case. It was not clear what opponents of the mosque would do next. Joe Brandon Jr., one of the attorneys who represented the group opposed to the center, said: “It’s in the Lord’s hands. We have done all we can do.” He declined to comment any further. In: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2014/jun/02/supreme-court-refuses-to-hear-mosque-case/, retrieved on 03.06.2014 Related: Judge dismisses mosque cemetery lawsuit – A judge dismissed a lawsuit against the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro cemetery approval on 19 June, and a supporter of the plaintiffs indicated the case may be over. Former Tennessee Attorney General Paul Summers, a senior judge, dismissed the case in determining that the Rutherford County Board of Zoning Appeals made a proper and thorough decision in approving the ICM cemetery while also providing adequate public notice. Summers ruled: “The Rutherford County Board of Zoning Appeals did not act illegally, arbitrarily or capriciously by approving the special-use exception permit for the cemetery…The special-use permit issued to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro is valid as issued.” His ruling followed a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear an appeal pertaining to a public-notice case from another group of plaintiffs who sued to stop construction of the ICM building. In: http://www.dnj.com/article/20140619/NEWS13/306190025?nclick_check=1, retrieved on 20.06.2014 2. US: Islam 2nd Largest Religion in 20 US States – New data released from the US census authority found that Islam was the second largest religion in twenty American states after Christianity that appeared as the dominant faith across the country. The new data was released by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, which conducted a US Religion Census every 10 years. According to the Washington Post,

Islam came as the largest non-Christian faith in 20 states, mostly in the Midwest and South. On the other hand, Judaism had the most followers in other 15 states, mostly in the Northeast while Hindus came in the second place only in Arizona and Delaware. The census also found that Christianity was by far the largest religion in the United States with more than three-quarters of Americans identify as Christians. A little more than half of us identify as Protestants, about 23 percent as Catholic and about 2 percent as Mormon. Catholicism dominated the Northeast and the Southwest, and Southern Baptists had a strong foothold in the South. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dominates Utah and surrounding counties in Idaho, Wyoming and parts of Nevada. Lutheranism has a strong following in Minnesota and the Dakotas, while Methodists make their presence felt in parts of West Virginia, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/473379-islam-2nd-largest-religion-in-20-us-states.html, retrieved on 06.06.2014 3. US: New York man charged with emailing murder threats to Muslim civil rights leader – Bernhard Laufer was charged on 16 June with sending threatening emails to Nihad Awad, the national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Laufer was already under fire for allegedly stabbing a man inside a Queens mosque in 2012. In: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-york-man-charged-emailing-murder-threats-muslim-civil-rights-leader-article-1.1832700, retrieved on 18.06.2014

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I.II. In Europe: 1. Spain to Deport Pakistani Refugee for Insulting Islam – The Spanish Supreme Court ruled that a political refugee should be deported because his insults to Islam posed “a danger to the security of Spain”. The 30 May 2014 ruling upheld an earlier decision by a lower court to revoke the refugee status of a Pakistani ex-Muslim named Imran Firasat. Firasat obtained political asylum in Spain in October 2006 because of death threats against him in both Pakistan and Indonesia for leaving the Islamic faith and marrying a non-Muslim. Spanish authorities, however, took measures to deport Firasat in December 2012, after he released a one-hour amateur film entitled, “The Innocent Prophet: The Life of Mohammed from a Different Point of View”. The movie, which was posted on YouTube, purported to raise awareness of the dangers of Islam to Western Civilization. The film showed

images of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, on double-decker buses in London and on commuter trains in Madrid calling it Muslim-inspired. The movie promised to answer the question: “Was Mohammed an inspired prophet of God, or was he a madman driven by his own demons, thus producing a religion of violence and tyranny?” Firasat, who runs a website called MundoSinIslam.com (A

World without Islam), said he was inspired by another amateur film, “The Innocence of Muslims” released in September 2012. Shortly after Firasat’s film was released, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo and Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz initiated a process to review his refugee status. A Foreign Ministry document, dated 27 November 2012, stated: “the consequences of the release of a video with such [anti-Islamic] characteristics are highly worrisome and constitute a real risk for Spanish interests because the author of the video identifies himself as a “Spanish citizen’.” The document added that Firasat’s actions, including his threats to burn the Koran, were “destabilizing” and “heightened the risk of attacks against Spanish interests abroad, especially in the current context of the extreme sensitivity and indignation in the Muslim world.” Fernández issued an order on 21 December 2012 to deport Firasat based on Article 44 of the Law on Asylum and Protection, which allowed the state to revoke the refugee status of “persons who constitute a threat to Spanish security”. The deportation order stated that Firasat constituted a “persistent source of problems due to his constant threats against the Koran and Islam in general.” Firasat appealed the deportation order at the National Court [Audiencia Nacional], arguing that the expression of his views about Islam fall within the constitutional right to free speech. But the National Court rejected Firasat’s appeal. A ruling dated 3 October 2013 stated: “The right to the freedom of expression can be subject to certain formalities, conditions, restrictions or sanctions, which constitute necessary measures, in a democratic society, to preserve national security, public security and the constitutional order.” Then the Supreme Court had not only confirmed the National Court’s ruling, but it had gone one step farther. Its ruling stated: “The right to the freedom of expression does not guarantee the right to intolerant manifestations or expressions that infringe against religious freedom, that have the character of blasphemy or that seek to offend religious convictions and do not contribute to the public debate.” Although Firasat could then be deported, the court said he and his family would not be delivered “to a country where there is danger to life or freedom.” It remained unclear whether Firasat would appeal the Spanish high court ruling at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The Strasbourg-based ECHR enforces the European Convention on Human Rights and its jurisdiction is compulsory and binding for all 47 member states of the Council of Europe. In: http://www.rightsidenews.com/2014060634401/editorial/world-opinion-and-editorial/spain-to-deport-pakistani-refugee-for-criticizing-islam.html, retrieved on 07.06.2014, emphasis added.

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2. Scotland: Mosque Bacon Attack: Two Sentenced to Prison for Pork Prank – A man and a woman were going to prison after they threw bacon at a Scottish mosque and wrapped it around door handles. Douglas Cruikshank, 39, and Chelsea Lambie, 18, were convicted of threatening and abusive behavior. Cruikshank received nine months of imprisonment and Lambie was ordered to spend 12 months at a facility for young people. In: http://www.newsmax.com/thewire/mosque-bacon-attack/2014/06/20/id/578420/, retrieved on 22.06.2014 II.III. Rest of the World: 1. Australia: Shock jock Michael Smith dumped over prophet slur – Broadcaster Michael Smith had been dumped from a guest slot on radio station 2GB after he referred to the prophet Muhammad as a pedophile.

Smith had been booked to present Chris Smith’s afternoon program for three weeks starting 30 June. However, he has revealed on his website that 2GB’s program director, David Kidd, phoned him on 27 June evening and allegedly said: ‘‘We won’t be needing you, you can’t call a Deity a pedophile.’’ Smith’s controversial outburst came during an on-air exchange with Ben Fordham on 26 June. Smith was refusing to apologize for the comments, and he told Fairfax he stood by his on-air words and the comments that followed on his website. In: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/shock-jock-michael-smith-dumped-over-prophet-slur-20140628-zsplg.html#ixzz36PJ8MTKS, retrieved on 29.06.2014 III. SITUATION OF MUSLIMS III.I. In the United States and Canada: 1. US: Visitors Say that the 9/11 Museum’s Depiction of Islam Could Use a Little Work – Back in April 2014, the New York Times reported that an advisory group of interfaith clergy members “took strong

exception” to The Rise of Al Qaeda, a seven-minute, Brian Williams–narrated documentary intended to teach museumgoers about “the historical roots” of the 9/11 attacks: At issue is whether it is inflammatory for the museum to use terms like “Islamist” and “jihad” in conjunction with the Sept. 11 attack, without making clear that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful. The panel has urged the use of more specific language, such as “Al Qaeda-inspired terrorism” and doing more to explain the meaning of jihad.

Though the group’s sole imam, Sheikh Mostafa Elazabawy, resigned in protest, museum officials declined to alter the film. Recently, the Times interviewed tourists on their way out of the museum. Their comments seemed

to at least partially confirm the fears of those who objected to the The Rise of Al Qaeda, as well as the installations’ general treatment of the Muslim faith, which was mentioned “almost entirely” within the context of terrorism:

Adrian Cabreros, 22, visiting with his mother from San Francisco: I think they should have talked about Islam more, just so people understand that there is a difference between Islam and people who do terrorist attacks but who also happen to be Islamic,” said. “They just sort of said that the people from Al Qaeda wanted to have a more Islamic state, but it was hard to distinguish, to separate Islam itself. It kind of gives Islam a bad vibe.

Cathy and David Kelly, tourists from Sydney, Australia, said that over all they felt the museum was excellent. But on the question of the film, they said “there could be some more differentiation” drawn between Islam and the terrorists...“There was one photograph in a corner that showed an Islamic person that was killed who was being carried out of an Islamic church, with an American flag draped over him,” Mr. Kelly said. “I think a little bit more could have been made about that, that there were Islamic people killed who were Americans.”

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Retired NYPD officer Ron Speedbay and his friend Ben Schwecke, a disabled veteran, felt that the museum’s depiction of Islam should be a bit more nuanced. The exhibits “did not really make clear that this is a fringe organization that really has corrupted much of the Quran,” said Schwecke, who suggested that an imam be asked to contribute a film about “who Muslims really are”. That certainly sounded like a better idea than allowing the single imam advising the museum to quit. In: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/06/some-criticize-911-museums-depiction-of-islam.html, retrieved on 04.06.2014 2. US: CAIR hits back at Geller’s hate-ads – A Christian, a Muslim and a Jew turn up together on a Washington, D.C., bus. It’s no joke. They’re the faces of a new ad campaign by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil liberties group. And the ad was the latest volley between Muslim and anti-Muslim groups that has played out most recently on the sides of buses in the nation’s capital.

First, the American Muslims for Palestine ran ads during peak D.C. tourism season, the Cherry Blossom Festival in April 2014, condemning U.S. aid to Israel. A month later, blogger Pamela Geller’s American Freedom Defense Initiative responded with bus ads featuring photos of Hitler meeting the grand mufti of Jerusalem and a text equating opposition to Israel’s territorial policies with Nazism. CAIR’s ads, unveiled at a June 11 press conference, highlighted “Islam’s commitment to freedom of religion, diversity and peaceful coexistence encouraged by the teachings of the Quran,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. He also announced a crowdfunding effort on Indiegogo to raise the $41,000 it cost to design, publish and circulate the ads on multiple bus routes for a month. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/cair-hits-back-at-gellers-hate-ads/#more-32746, retrieved on 12.06.2014 3. US: Obama extends best wishes to Muslims worldwide as holy month of Ramadan is set to begin – President Barack Obama sent his best wishes to Muslims in the U.S. and around the world on the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Obama said in a statement that the U.S. was grateful for Muslim-American organizations, individuals and businesses that worked to reduce the income gap and poverty through charitable efforts and programs that provided education, skills and health care to students, workers and families. Obama also said he was looking forward to opening the White House to Muslim Americans for a traditional iftar dinner. In: http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2014/06/27/obama-sends-best-wishes-for-muslim-holy-month, retrieved on 28.06.2014 III.II. In Europe: 1. UK: Bradford’s acting bishop denounces far-right swoop on mosques – Bradford’s acting bishop had spoken out against the “disgraceful behaviour” of a far-right group at mosques in the district and at the Keighley home of the Lord Mayor. Britain First members entered the places of worship on 10 March 2014,

handing out Bibles and urging worshippers to renounce Islam, as well as visiting the home of the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Khadim Hussain. Bishop Tom Butler, Acting Bishop of Bradford, condemned the group’s actions. He made the comments at a special civic service at Bradford Cathedral, attended by Coun Hussain.

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In his address, Bishop Butler said, in part: “The situation is made worse in my eyes when other protesters at mosques carried Bibles and seemed to be claiming Christian authority for their behaviour. Mr Mayor, our holy books, be they the Bible or the Koran, are not to be waved in people’s faces like a weapon. They are to be treated with reverence and respect, and that has always been the tradition in this great city of Bradford.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/bradfords-acting-bishop-denounces-far-right-swoop-on-mosques/#more-32156, retrieved on 03.06.2014 2. Northern Ireland: Thousands rally against racism in NI – Around 4,000 people took part in a rally against racism and Islamophobia in front of Belfast City Hall on 02 June afternoon. The ‘Emergency Rally Against Racism’ was organized by Aisling Gallagher and Lorcan Mullen to protest a marked increase in hate crimes and racist attacks in Northern Ireland, which had culminated in the announcement that Anna Lo MLA – the UK’s first parliamentarian from the Chinese community – no longer felt safe in Belfast and would be resigning from politics. The rally also followed comments by Pastor James McConnell of the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast, who described Islam as “satanic” and a “doctrine spawned in hell”, comments which were later defended by Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson. Robinson said that he would not trust Muslims devoted to Sharia law for spiritual guidance, but would “trust them to to go to the shops” for him. There had been a significant increase in hate crimes in Northern Ireland in recent months, especially vandalism and assaults targeted at migrant communities. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said many attacks on foreign nationals in South and East Belfast were thought to have been orchestrated by the UVF, a unionist paramilitary group. Speakers at the rally included Mohammed Samaana, a member of Belfast’s Muslim community who called on the First Minister to apologise and condemn McConnell’s sermon, and the new Lord Mayor of Belfast, Nichola Mallon, who promised to represent the full diversity of Belfast in office. Anna Lo also addressed the crowd, thanking people for their support while urging them to “stand up against racism”. She also vowed that she was “not going to go away”, confirming that she would leave politics but remain in Belfast. In: http://thetarge.co.uk/article/current-affairs/0292/thousands-rally-against-racism-in-ni, retrieved on 04.06.2014 Related: Islam row: Peter Robinson makes public apology for causing offence to Muslims after meeting in Belfast – First Minister Peter Robinson publicly apologized for offence caused to Muslims following comments he made in defense of a firebrand pastor who denounced Islam as “satanic”. Speaking outside the Islamic Centre in Belfast following a meeting with Muslim leaders, Mr. Robinson said he had made a “face-to-face, man-to-man” apology, adding: “I have had a very welcoming visit to the Belfast Islamic Centre. I have been received in friendship, and respect. I came here to make it very clear that the members of the Islamic community are a very important and valued part of our society in Northern Ireland. I know many of you centre on an issue of an issue of an apology - I apologise to these gentlemen, if anything I said had caused them hurt. I can see in many cases, it has. I say I apologise, face-to-face, man-to-man. The way it should be done.” In: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/islam-row-peter-robinson-makes-public-apology-for-causing-offence-to-muslims-after-meeting-in-belfast-30326389.html, retrieved on 04.06.2014 Related: Pastor sorry for calling Islam a ‘doctrine spawned in hell’ – Pastor James McConnell publicly apologized for his depiction of Islam as “satanic”, “heathen” and “a doctrine spawned in hell”. He also said former Conservative minister and a one-time Ulster Unionist MP Enoch Powell was “a prophet” on issues related to immigration. In a statement on 06 June, the pastor from Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in north Belfast said he did not intend to offend anyone or create tension. Mr McConnell was also questioned by the PSNI about his remarks. He spent about two hours today at Newtownabbey police station before leaving with his solicitor. He was not arrested and went to the PSNI voluntarily.

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In a statement placed on his church’s website, Pastor McConnell said: “I wish to make a clarification statement with regards to statements made by me recently in relation to members of the Muslim faith. I wish to emphasise that I had no intention of causing any offence or insulting any member of the Muslim community or to arouse fear or stir up or incite hatred towards any member of the Muslim community. I wish to apologise publicly for any distress I may have unwittingly caused on my part.” He said he intended to visit Belfast’s Islamic Centre, a move already made by DUP leader and First Minister Peter Robinson, who had backed Pastor McConnell. Mr Robinson has attended services at the pastor’s church. Referring to his comments made on May 18th, he added: “My sermon was drawing attention to how many followers of Islam have, regrettably, interpreted the doctrine of Islam as justification for violence. I have qualified my comments by reference to those who use their religion as justification for violence. As a preacher of the word of God, it is this interpretation of the doctrine of Islam which I am condemning.” In: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/pastor-sorry-for-calling-islam-a-doctrine-spawned-in-hell-1.1823079, retrieved on 07.06.2014 3. Belgium: Local Muslims Urge Dialogue – A leading Belgian Muslim organization revived calls for dialogue to fight extremist voices and promote peaceful coexistence days after a shooting at the Jewish Museum left three people killed. Muslim Executive of Belgium (MEB) condemned “in the strongest terms the heinous crime committed in cold blood. No reason or no thought can justify such crimes,” MEB President Noureddine Smaili said in a statement cited by Kuwait News Agency on 3rd June.

MEB was referring to the recent attack which occurred last May 24 and resulted in the killing of three Jews, including two tourists from Tel Aviv, by a lone gunman. The Muslim organization, working as official interlocutor between public authorities and the Muslim community, asserted that only dialogue would lead to solving these problems. The statement added that the arrest of a Muslim suspect for the attack “who is subservient to the religious radicalism, once again throws reproach upon a community that aspires to live in harmony and peace in our society. This is why, this tragedy reminds us of the importance of dialogue and living together, which alone can lead to a harmonious and peaceful society.” MEB statement added that dialogue could defeat racism and anti-Semitism, from which both Muslims and Jews suffer, adding: “The fight against anti-Semitism and racism in all its forms calls the effort of all without exception. A struggle that is central to the concerns of the Muslim community in Belgium.” In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/473273-belgian-muslims-urge-dialogue-for-coexistence.html, retrieved on 04.06.2014 4. How the right exploits Christianity and secularism to attack Muslims – The European right was advocating a Christian identity for Europe not because it wants to promote Christianity but because it wants to push back against Islam and the integration of Muslims – or what the National Front called “the Islamization of Europe.” Public spaces have become a major battleground. There are bans on “head scarves and other signs of religious affiliation” in schools (in France) and on full-face veils on the streets (in France and Belgium), and efforts to block the construction of mosques (throughout Europe) or just minarets (in Switzerland, mosques are allowed but without their distinctive towers, the latter being considered the “expression of an intolerant culture”). The pushback against Islam also concerned the individual body, with, for example, campaigns to prohibit circumcision and halal food in Norway. Notably, these measures were being advocated in the name of protecting not Christianity but liberal secularism. The hijab was said to offend women’s rights; circumcision, children’s rights; ritual slaughter, animal rights. Oriana Fallaci and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, two radical spokespersons for the feminist resistance to Islam, became darlings of the conservative right in Italy (Fallaci) and the Netherlands and America (Hirsi Ali).

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This anti-Islam rhetoric was spreading to the mainstream. The coalition government of the Netherlands required would-be immigrants to accept progressive values before they were given a residency visa. Applicants were asked whether they tolerated the mixing of boys and girls in school, gender equality, nudity in public and gay rights. Although all applicants must take these tests, given the concerns revealed in these questions and the demographics of migration into Europe, there could be little doubt that the exams were designed to challenge adherents to Islam. Such measures were unfair to Muslims, and they violated European states’ professed commitment to multiculturalism and the separation of church and state. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/how-the-right-exploits-christianity-and-secularism-to-attack-muslims/, retrieved on 05.06.2014 5. Iceland: Muslim Association of Iceland to sue over online hate speech – Salman Tamimi, founder of the Muslim Association of Iceland, and his lawyer, Helga Vala Helgadóttir, say it was important to make a stand against the hate speech which had recently been flaring up on the internet. An article published on visir.is on

1st June Sunday with the heading ‘Could start to build mosque after the weekend’ sparked a lot of discussion. Some of the comments on the website were particularly harsh and were directed towards Salman and Ibrahim Sverrir Agnarsson, chair of the association. Salman was bringing charges against those who made the comments on Vísir. Muslims and the mosque had been under discussion in recent days, ever since the leader of the Progressive Party in Reykjavík, Sveinbjörg Birna Sveinbjörnsdóttir, said she wanted to withdraw the allocation of the plot of land to the Muslim Association of Iceland and that the issue should be voted on in a public referendum. Following the remarks, support for the Progressive Party in Reykjavík increased and the party secured two seats in municipal elections on 31st May. Salman criticizes the tactics of the party. “The consequences could be very, very serious for our community … They just wanted to get votes and it didn’t matter how they got them.” Salman told visir.is that he was not particularly optimistic that the police would resolve the case given

that there was no news on the case relating to the dumping of three pig’s heads on the plot of land where the mosque is to be built. According to Salman, the treatment of the case was sloppy, in particular the fact that the evidence – the pigs heads and message left at the scene – was thrown out. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/muslim-association-of-iceland-to-sue-over-online-hate-speech/#more-32364, retrieved on 06.06.2014 4. UK: British Muslims Get New TV Channel – A few days ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, British Muslims announced a plan to launch a special TV channel which would join a growing number of specialized broadcasting channels targeting the growing Muslim minority. Abdul-Rehman Malik, who is programs director at Radical Middle Way, told Al Arabiya News on Friday, 6 June, referring to an increasing spotlight on British Muslims and Islam: “In some ways British Muslim TV couldn’t come at a better time…The handwringing over what it means to be “British” and the growing unease about Britain's place in Europe and the World, stands in sharp contrast to the reality of most British Muslims who are comfortably cosmopolitan, multilingual,

multicultural and at home in Britain and the world.” Planned to hit the airwaves later in June 2014, the channel cast had been working to create content that reflected the different voices of the Muslim community in the UK and to embody the tag line “Confidently Muslim, Comfortably British”. The channel had already generated interest through a social media campaign on both Facebook and Twitter. Along with social media advertisement, the channel had been undergoing planning since the start of 2014, establishing substantial “pre-sold advertising” to make the concept into a reality.

The channel would have a line-up of programs that would include entertainment and educational formats such as “Teenie Vision” for younger audiences, lifestyle shows like “Halal Kitchen” and political/current affairs based programs. Lauren Booth, a British journalist and sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair,

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would be hosting her own show called “Talking Booth,” a one-to-one interview show featuring high profile guests. The diverse programs would cope with a rising, diverse Muslim community which practices UK’s fastest growing religion. In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/473473-british-muslims-get-new-tv-channel.html, retrieved on 10.06.2014

5. Iceland: Mosque plan supporters ‘register as Muslims’ – It seemed that people in Iceland had been joining the national Muslim Association as a protest against right-wing opposition to a new mosque planned for the capital Reykjavik. Association founder, Salmann Tamimi, told the Iceland Review website: “I’ve received

emails from people asking how they can register. I was a bit surprised, but very pleased.” The upsurge in interest apparently stemmed from a row over the council’s decision to grant land for the mosque. Opponents said it was a misuse of public land and they were defending the established church, while critics accused them of bigotry. Iceland’s 770 registered Muslims were worshiping in a room on the third floor of an office block, and waited 14 years before getting permission to build the new mosque in 2013. A leading journalist, Gunnar Smari Egilsson, said he might join the Muslim Association so that, as Icelandic law required, it received a small donation from his taxes. In a Facebook post he said joining would “help its

members protect themselves from the attacks and lies of the Progressive Party and its supporters”, whom he accused of a “xenophobic lurch”. But Prime Minister and Progressive Party leader David Gunnlaugsson rejected accusations that his supporters were flirting with racism, saying instead that they simply wanted an “open debate”. Icelandic law allowed membership of only one religious association at a time, and Mr Tamimi said he would prefer that people did not have to quit the national church simply to show support for the mosque, as “There’s room in Christianity to fight for the human rights of others.” In: http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-27813274, retrieved on 13.06.2014 6. Denmark: Cheers First Minaret Mosque – After nine year of the publication of Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) defamatory cartoons, Denmark opened the first mosque with a minaret in the capital Copenhagen, a move seen as consolidating dialogue and understanding. Mohamed Al Maimouni, spokesman for the Danish Islamic Council, owner of the mosque, told AFP (Agence France Presse) on 19 June: “With this

platform you can avoid conflicts like the one over the Mohammed cartoons, because it creates dialogue and understanding.” The Danish Islamic Council is known for having “a moderate understanding of Islam” and had “an Islamic philosophy based on adjusting to the society you are in,” he argued. With 150-million kroner ($27.2 million) Qatari funds, Denmark’s largest mosque opened on 19 June in Copenhagen’s gritty northwest district, to accommodate the fast growing Muslim population. Built on 6,700 square meter (72,118 square feet), the mosque complex would include a mosque, a cultural center, a television studio and a fitness center. In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/474027-denmark-cheers-first-minaret-mosque.html, retrieved on 20.06.2014 7. UK: Nick Clegg: Birmingham schools row coverage may have raised Islamophobia – Nick Clegg, British Deputy PM, wrote to the head of the Muslim Council of Britain to express his concern that the reporting of the alleged infiltration of Birmingham schools by extremists may have led to a “deeply regrettable” increase in Islamophobia. He told Shuja Shafi, the secretary general of the council, that Muslims were “patriotic citizens” who should not be held to a different standard to other citizens. Liberal Democrat sources said that Clegg’s letter was not aimed at Michael Gove, who sparked a row with the home secretary, Theresa May, after criticising the Home Office for failing to confront all extremists. The education secretary said that the Home Office only focused on extremists who advocated violence. Gove, who said that all extremists should be confronted regardless of whether they support violence, described the Home Office approach to the Times as “just beating back the crocodiles that come close to the boat rather

than draining the swamp”.

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A Liberal Democrat source said that Clegg believes the best way to fight extremists would be engaging with moderate Muslims. In remarks aimed at the reporting on the Birmingham row, the source said: “Singling out one faith in this way could give rise to Islamophobia, and ultimately could make our country less safe. Nick Clegg believes that moderate Muslims in Britain are the best antidote to extremism and much more effective than any number of decisions from Whitehall. The deputy prime minister believes moderate Muslims in Britain are key to safe and happy communities, and should be praised not singled out in an attempt to gain headlines.” The deputy prime minister wrote to the Muslim Council of Britain after the Guardian reported that community

leaders have been warned that some Muslims could be barred from serving as trustees or governors of new academies and free schools under new rules to be introduced by Gove. The Muslim Council of Britain said it may be difficult for conservative Muslims to become governors if their views were regarded as incompatible with the “fundamental British values” that would be placed in new schools’ funding agreements. Clegg indicated that he shared these concerns. In his letter to Shafi, he wrote:

I would like to place clearly on the record that there is absolutely no doubt that the overwhelming majority of Muslims in the UK are patriotic citizens who hold values that entirely accord with the traditions and values of our nation, not least through the rejection of all forms of intolerant extremism. Indeed for generations many British Muslims have helped protect, defend and enhance these values through their voluntary, civic and military service to our country. It would be fundamentally wrong for British citizens who hold the Islamic faith to be held to a different, or indeed, higher standard from other citizens. Being Muslim does not contradict being British, nor is it in tension with it. A person can uphold their religious and cultural identity as well as British identity. Muslim friends and colleagues of mine have raised concerns about how some elements of recent reporting may risk leading to an increase in Islamophobia. If this is the case clearly it is deeply regrettable.

In: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/20/nick-clegg-birmingham-schools-islamophobia, retrieved on 21.06.2014 IV. ON BURQAH AND VEIL RELATED ISSUES:

1. UK Muslim woman stabbed to death in UK over headscarf – A Saudi woman in her early 30’s was murdered and was found to have injuries to her face and stab wounds to her body. Detectives said they believed the Saudi young woman was brutally murdered in a frenzied knife attack as she was targeted for wearing an Islamic attire and headscarf known as hijab. Detective Superintendent Tracy Hawkings was quoted by The Independent: “We are conscious that the dress of the victim will have identified her as likely being a Muslim and this is one of the main lines of the investigation. But again there is no firm evidence at this time that she was targeted because of her religion.” She was a student in her early 30s who was wearing a hijab and a full-length navy blue robe, called an abaya. She was knifed to death on a footpath in Colchester on 17 June morning. The police said she passed away at the scene due to facial injuries and stab wounds to her body. In: http://www.worldbulletin.net/muslim-world/139223/fascist-mosque-attacks-worry-british-muslims, retrieved on 20.06.2014

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V. ON DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS: 1. Germany: Welcome to Berlin’s House of One – a church, synagogue and mosque – It has been dubbed

the “Wonder of Berlin”. And if a Protestant pastor, a rabbi and an imam could realize their shared dream, the world’s first house of prayer for three religions would open its doors in the German capital in four years’ time, with the building costs being paid for by donations. The unique project was called the “House of One”, and its aim would be to provide a place of worship and contemplation for adherents of the world’s three main monotheistic faiths, although the building would also be open to all. It would house a church, a synagogue and a mosque under one roof.

Rabbi Tovia Ben-Chorin, one of the three behind the project, said: “Berlin is the city of wounds and miracles…It is the city in which the extermination of the Jews was planned. Now, the first house in the world for three religions is to be built here.” The fundraising drive was launched in the first week of June 2014, with a symbolic handing over of the first brick. The House of One’s backers hoped to raise the €43.5m (£35m) needed to construct the hexagonal-shaped brick building, on a site next to Berlin’s central Museum Island, entirely through sponsorship. Anyone could donate money online. A single brick costs ¤10. The idea was born in 2009, when archaeologists excavating a section of ground on Museum Island unearthed the remnants of Berlin’s earliest church, the Petrikirche, and the city’s Latin school, which dated back to 1350.

Architect Wilfried Kuehn with his model

Gregor Hohberg, the Protestant pastor who initiated the project, said: “We quickly agreed that something visionary and forward looking should be built on what is the founding site of Berlin.” He was convinced that multicultural, multi-faith Berlin was the right city in which to open a house of worship for three religions, as “Berlin is the city of the peaceful fall of the Berlin Wall and the peaceful coexistence of believers from different faiths – they yearn to understand each other.” Imam Kadir Sanci, the House of One’s Muslim leader, said he wanted the project to encourage a conscious dialogue between different faiths and cultures, which would help prejudices against Muslims to evaporate, insisting they “…want [their] children to have a future in which diversity is the norm.” The building work could commence in 2016, providing donations to the fund of €10m had been raised by then. In: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/welcome-to-berlins-house-of-one--a-church-synagogue-and-mosque-9507002.html, retrieved on 09.06.2014

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2. Vatican makes history: Pope allows Islamic prayers, Koran readings – For the first time in Vatican history, the pope allowed for the reading of Islamic prayers and Korean readings from the Catholic facility on June 08. The readings and prayer came as Pope Francis met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Vatican City, a gathering designed to pray for Middle Eastern peace. A Holy See spokesman said the prayers were supposed to be a “pause in politics,” Breitbart reported. The pope said, too, that he hoped the interfaith prayers would foster peace specifically between Israelis and Palestinians. In: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/9/vatican-makes-history-pope-allows-islamic-prayers-/, retrieved on 11.06.2014

3. US-Islamic Forum urges open dialogue top tackle extremism – On 11 June, the US-Islamic World Forum urged both sides to openly discuss their differences and to tackle fundamentalism and violence. In a concluding statement, the workgroup issued several recommendations calling for supporting dialogue, tackling violence and fundamentalism, openly resolving differences between both sides, strengthening civil society organizations and encouraging gender equality.

Chairman of Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, Mr. Ibrahim Al Naimi, underlined the need for the continued support of relations between both sides due to their major global influence. After the conclusion of the talks, Al-Naimi was quoted by Qatar news agency (QNA) as saying that the event addressed a number of key topics, including Muslim minorities in Western societies. The focal point in this issue was these minorities’ search for citizenship amid their quest to have a positive role and influence in the community they lived in, while maintaining their values, principles and Islamic faith, he added. He described fundamentalism as “the biggest concern in the West towards the Muslim world”, explaining that Western media played a negative role on this. In: http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2382153&Language=en, retrieved on 12.06.2014

4. US: Faith communities come together to protest anti-Muslim Metro bus ad – Taking clear advantage of the American constitutional right to free speech, Pamela Geller, an outspoken opponent of Islam, had embarked on another anti-Islam Metro bus ad campaign. The ad depicted photos of Adolf Hitler with an Islamic leader, Haji Amin al-Husseni. The ad reads in bold letters, “Islamic-Jew Hatred: It’s in the Qur’an”. Geller, who is the co-founder of American Freedom Defense Initiative and the author of the book, “Stop Islamization of America”, took out an anti-Islam Metro bus ad campaign in 2012 which said, “In Any War Between the Civilized Man and the Savage, Support the Civilized Man, Support Israel”. A court battle decided that the ad was protected under freedom of speech and WMATA was obligated to run the ad

On 09 June, an interfaith coalition representing ten different faith groups which included, Baha’i, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist and Zoroastrian, held a peaceful protest at the Rockville Metro Station to counter Geller’s anti-Islam ad. A statement issued by the Montgomery County Faith Community Working Group, said, “We stand united against all misinterpretations of the Quran as of all scripture that divide and misguide public sentiment toward prejudice and hatred. We seek to understand the Quran and all sacred works for the enlightenment they offer.”

In an interview with Patch, Rev. Mansfield Kaseman, the Interfaith Community Liaison in the Office of

Community Partnerships, said, “For me, this is hate speech. But according to the court, it’s freedom of expression. We will not be critical of the Metro for running them. They’re required to do that legally. On the other hand, my concern is that they are appealing to ignorance, to insecurity that many people carry with them. So this triggers further hate.”

All Dulles Area Muslims (ADAMS) also issued a statement and expressed that they were “saddened by the placement of ads by the American Freedom Defense Initiative.” The organization called on “people to do good deeds by learning about one another and engaging in Interfaith dialogue and community service.” In: http://www.examiner.com/article/faith-communities-come-together-to-protest-anti-muslim-metro-bus-ad, retrieved on 12.06.2014

Compiled by: Abdula Manafi Mutualo,

Secretary of the Observatory Culture & Social Affairs Department

Email: abdmanafi@oic-oci.org