Rochdale Muslims to participate in Consultation against Compulsory Sex Education for 5 year olds

In the last months, there has been an active campaign to mobilise the Rochdale community against new  Government plans to introduce compulsory sex education for 5 year old children.

The group “Rochdale Muslims against Sex and Relationship Education for 5 year olds” has played an active public role in highlighting these proposals and demonstrating exactly how the Muslim Community specifically and the wider community in general will be affected by this.

The group “Rochdale Muslims against Sex and Relationship Education for 5 year olds” now will be participating in the national consultation process on this issue.

We have gathered over 1000 petition signatures, and have led a Facebook campaign with at the time of writing, galvanised 388 Facebook group members on board, organised Weekly public stalls in busy areas in Rochdale, promoted the issue through a locally created YouTube advert, presented information packs to all Rochdale Mosques, visited churches and opened dialogue with local councillors.

Summer Events to help Empower Muslim Youth

A SERIES of rap contests, football tournaments and graffiti sessions are being organised over summer to help Muslim youths empower themselves. The events are being organised regionally by Hizb-ut-Tahrir as part of their Stand For Islam campaign.

Organisers hope the activities will better equip the youngsters against any backlash towards Muslims by helping them to understand their own religion better and to be able to stand up to negative portrayals of Muslims by being able to engage in positive dialogue with the wider community.

The events are taking place throughout the north west including Rochdale, Bolton, Accrington, Oldham, Manchester, Bradford, Halifax and Leeds and is starting this July.

The football tournament will involve each town organising a mini tournament with the winners playing off each other in the ‘Champions League’ final.

Organisers are asking budding artists to express their art form in a more positive way instead of on buses or public walls. Instead they are invited to take part in the Islam graffiti competition in the aim that the pieces of work could be displayed in local libraries, community centres or sport clubs.

Rochdale Event Review- Is Shariah just about Punishments?

By Majed Iqbal-  Crime- the topic of discussion which is hot in the press, on the lips of Politicians and the subject of detailed disocourse on Television was brought into the limelight on Saturday 6th July in Rochdale.

Organisers, Hizb ut-Tahrir,  deliberated upon the subject issue, presenting a case of facts, figures and analysis on the growing endemic of crime to a crowd of 90 people.

Mazhar Khan, touched upon key ideas which had allowed crime to flourish. “Were the existing punishments a detterrant or an incentive?” he asked the audience. He cited examples of how teenage crime amongst youth was seen as an easy alternative.

You steal, get caught, put into prison for a couple of months where you socialise  with like minded individuals, no rent to pay, free food, Nintendo Wii’s to fill your time with, free holidays for repeat offenders to Blackpool and most importantly you keep the money made out of the theft.

“How are these measures supposed to curb crime?” asked Mazhar.

Rochdale’s Event- “Calls to ban the Quran- How Should Muslims Respond?”

In line with the Stand for Islam Campaign launched over two weeks ago, Hizb ut-Tahrir organised a seminar in Rochdale on the subject “Calls to ban the Quran” to address the concerns and the form of activism muslims should undertake  to tackle the discussions.

The crowd was addressed by Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir, Taji Mustafa and Mazhar Khan who deliberated upon the topic and questioned the climate that is being created by Politicians under the guise of tackling “radicalisation” and “extremism” under the pretext of “War on tERROR”.

Mazhar Khan drew comparisions with the Salman Rushdie affair and asked how did Insulting the Prophet of Islam and his wifes contribute towards any cohesion of communities in this country by hiding behind Freedom of Speech and drew similrarities to the Dutch MP calling for the ban of the Quran.

Community Leaders question Rochdale MP’s Propaganda

By Majed Iqbal- It is often populalry quoted in political circles that “A week in politics is a long time” and indeed this has been exactly the case this week after the Question Time Event on “Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community” staged on Saturday 9th february in Rochdale.

Amidst the lies and misinformation spread by Paul Rowen and his office was the arguement that Community leaders had expressed concern at Saturdays event, based upon which it was decided that Paul should not attend the event. On contacting as many community leaders as possible in Rochdale nobody knew of any comments made of such a nature to Paul or any of his office members.

Rochdale Ovbserver ran a story on the day of the event that Mr Ghulam Rasool Shazad had expressed concern at the event. On meeting Mr Shazad on the day and being questioned if this was the case he replied

Asian Image- Debate goes ahead despite MP backing out

Published on the Asian Image Website

A Question Time Event looking at “Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community” was attended by over two hundred people.

The heavily publicized event drew extra attention after Paul Rowen MP backed out of the debate stating he did not want to give the members of the group Hizb-ut-Tahrir, who were also invited, a platform to air their views.

Organizer Majed Iqbal, who runs the Rochdale based Blog on community affairs “Majeds Blog” chaired the event.

He said, “Many participants were angry with the actions of their local MP in his refusal to debate issues that matter to many British Muslims.”

Asian News- Hundreds take part in Debate

Published in the Asian News- 13/02/2008

A public forum organised to discuss issues affecting Rochdale Muslims was hailed a success despite one of its key panellists pulling out of the event just days before.

The event, which was held in a ‘Question Time’ format, had been organised with local MP Paul Rowen to discuss extremism, Islam and the Muslim community. But Mr Rowen later declined the invitation because a member of Hitz-ut-Tahrir was also participating.

A spokesperson for Mr Rowen said: “Paul regrettably pulled out of the event after warnings from the police and other community organisations about giving publicity to Hizb-ut-Tahrir.”

But organisers say despite Mr Rowen’s absence, the event attracted over 200 people.

Organiser Majed Iqbal, who runs the popular blog on community affairs – Majeds Blog – said the event, held at Castlemere Community centre, gave the audience a platform to discuss issues at a grass root level.

The truth Behind Paul Rowen MP’s refusal to attend Rochdale’s Question Time

PRESS RELEASE from Majed’s Blog- Saturday 09/02/2008

Amid much planning, organising and Public discussion, the event titled “Dialogue, Debate and Discussion on Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community” organised by Majeds Blog, a popular Rochdale based Blogger, has gone ahead, despite Paul Rowen MP, deciding not to attend the event.

Unfortunately, in true local Politics fashion, Paul Rowen has hid behind arguments to justify his decision for not attending.

His first excuse was aired whilst on a radio show on the Local Community radio station, Crescent Radio, when on being asked why he is attending an event alongside a member of the organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir he replied:

“I only found out on Friday (01/02/08) that Hizb ut-Tahrir were going to be on the panel that i had agreed to go to………….My position is clear. I am not willing to engage in Public discussion with Hizb ut-Tahrir…………..I have been given false information for a second time now about who is going to be there at that particular meeting”

Rochdales PUBLIC Debate and Discussion on Extremism

Rochdale finally lands it first public cross panel Discussion and Debate in a Question Time Format on the topic of Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community. This well publicised event, organised by Majed’s Blog will tread on covering a whole range of issues related to the current political Climate.

Saturday 9th February 2008- 6pm- Castlemere Community Centre

Click on Image to see the poster for the EVENT

The event will pose these issues to the panelists- Paul Rowen MP (Lib Dems) and Ali Khan (Hizb ut-Tahrir) who will endeavour to tackle these pressing issues. Oppurtunities will also be offered to the audience to raise their questions and comments and engage with the invited panelists.

The Forest Gate episode, shooting of Charles de Menezes, millions of pounds being invested by the government into the Muslim community, fingers pointed at the alleged failure of mosques, threats of banning non-violent Islamic groups, Media frenzy in the shape of press coverage, documentaries and TV shows, as well as the recent stigmatising of Rochdale Central (Idara) Mosque in the Policy exchange document titled “The Hijacking of British Islam”- All these factors have raised huge debate and discussion in the Rochdale community from all quarters- Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

COMMUNITY EVENT- WAR ON TERROR, EXTREMISM AND KHILAFAH- Is there a Link?

The community in Rochdale was presented with an opportunity to key into the many discussions that have taken place in Government circles, Press, Television and in the Muslim community. Over 70 people attended the event to understand the current political environment in which the Muslim community is being subjected to plans, demands and orders and what practical actions the Muslim community in Rochdale can do to present their side of the story.

Keynote speaker, Mehboob Ali, member of Hizb-ut-tahrir explained that Khilafah (caliphate) are dear to the Muslims as they embody the application of Shariah in Muslim lands. When Muslims look at the Muslim worlds problems of corruption, poverty, economic mis-management, political in-fighting, occupation by foreign powers, and corrupt rulers financed and backed by the west, they realise that only the Islamic Political system can resolve their problems.