“Your Hijab is Bondage” says Hotel owner- How Free is Speech?

By Majed Iqbal- A court has cleared two Christian hoteliers accused of religiously insulting a Muslim guest at their Hotel. Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang were hauled into the dock after a white British convert to Islam complained they had called the prophet Mohammed ‘a warlord’ and told her that Muslim women were oppressed.

Supporters broke into applause as Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang were found not guilty of religiously aggravated abuse.

They had been accused of insulting the religious beliefs of white convert Erika Tazi, 60, asking if she was a terrorist and describing her Islamic dress as a form of “bondage”.

Disabled Mrs Tazi, who converted 18 months ago, said the pair laughed when she wore a hijab and Ben, 53, called the Prophet a murderer and likened him to Saddam Hussein and Hitler.

Sharon, 54, admitted suggesting the hijab was a form of bondage but said Mrs Tazi insulted Jesus by calling him a minor prophet.

The Jewel of Medina- Is this Sherry Jone’s idea of “Honouring” Islam?

  By Majed Iqbal- The passion of the Christ, The Satanic Verses, The Last Temptation of Christ, Danish cartoon of Prophet Mohammad and sketches of Hindu Goddess- recent times have seen plenty of controversies surrounding religion under the shroud of Freedom of expression.

In addition to these on-going debates lands the latest hot issue in the form of a Book titled “Jewel of Medina” by Sherry Jones that has made it one of the most controversial books of the season is the next showdown in this battle of ideas of religious sensitivities and the values of the ‘free world’.

Jones book is based on the life and events surrounding the Wife of the Prophet of Islam, Aisha, a renowned and well respected figure head for all Muslims referred to as “The mother of the believers”.

Sherry Jones has said, “I wanted to honor Aisha and all the wives of Muhammad by giving voice to them, remarkable women whose crucial roles in the shaping of Islam have so often been ignored – silenced – by historians. Anyone who reads the book will not be offended,” Jones said. “I wrote the book with the utmost respect for Islam.”

Exclusive Video- Stand For Islam Documentary

By Majeds Video Blog Team- The last few years have seen increased Propaganda and rhetoric issued against Muslims living in Europe. Despite quotations aired in scripted style by Politicians, Media and government on freedom, tolerance and pluralism, the reality seems to be far from Muslims when it comes to their treatment.

Publishing of the Insulting cartoons against the Prophet of Islam in Denmark and their consequent republishing in Europe, Geert Wilders film Fitna which asked for most of the pages of the Quran to be ripped out, Anti-terror legislation designed for the Muslims, Fake evidence to justify raids as in Forest Gate (UK, criminalising the Muslim community over voicing concern on Foreign policy issues, voicing he creation for a “British” and “European” form of Islam, the banning of the Hijab in France and numerous other examples clearly build a picture of an environment which is breeding intolerance and misrepresenting Islam and Muslims.

This exclusive documentary produced by Majeds Blog aims to give confidence to Muslims in Britain in upholding their identity and showing the host society as to how Muslims can make a positive contribution in society.

Additional Reading:

Are British Muslms attention Seekers?

Asian Leader Article- Are British Muslms attention Seekers?

Asian Leader Article- Why Borat Doesn’t make Muslims laugh

The following article was published in the North West and Yorkshire Newspaper, Asian Leader which looks at the role of freedom and Speech and its inability to accomodtae for all opinions.

The article was jointly written by Rochdale Community activist Maqsood Ahmed and Majed Iqbal and can be accessed online on the Look Asia website.

Can Muslims take a joke?

By Maqsood Ahmed and Majed Iqbal- Borat approached a passer-by in a New York street and said in the style of his Kazakh alter ego: “I like your clothings. Are nice! Please may I buying? I want have sex with it.” But the target of his joke didn’t see the funny side and punched Cohen repeatedly in the face.

This is not the first time Americans failed to get the Borat joke. Two US students who appeared in the Borat movie are suing Sacha Baron Cohen, the architect and player of the notorious Kazakh Borat character claiming they have suffered “mental anguish” after they were filmed making racist and sexist remarks.

Borat aired international reputation after the launch of his film ‘Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan’ where audiences apparently laughed non-stop as he poked fun at Jews, feminists, gays, blacks, US President George W. Bush’s “war of terror”, frat boys, evangelicals, Kazakhstan and its neighbour Uzbekistan and included a clip where he goes into a redneck bar and sings “a song from my country, ‘Throw the Jew down the well’”.