Caledoniyya

There’s always one:

A London university union has cancelled a talk by an Islamic preacher who allegedly endorses killing homosexuals.

Abu Usamah, recorded by Channel 4 saying gay people should be “thrown off a mountain”, was due at University College London Union (UCLU) next week.

A university spokeswoman said: “UCLU has decided to cancel this event due to concerns that the health and safety criteria cannot be met.”

In 2007, the Channel 4 programme Undercover Mosque recorded Mr Usamah referring to gay people as “dogs”.

He was also filmed saying: “Do you practise homosexuality with men? Take that homosexual man and throw him off the mountain.” [Source]

Abu Usamah has since stated that his comments were taken out of context.

Whether this is the case or not remains unknown.

The fact remains however, that such explosions of unsavory views occur with more frequency from Islamic figures than is desireable.

Particularly as it foments further prejudice against an otherwise remarkable faith.

Which is why awareness on the formidably positive aspects of Islam are all the more precious.

Tonight I attended a lecture titled The Qur’an and the Big Bang Theory by former York University student, Dr Mir Faizal.

It was – for want of heightened erudition – amazing.

Humourous, scintillating, insightful and elucidating, Faizal charted the correlations between science and excerpts of the Qur’an which were not only accurate, but ahead of their time.

For example, on the formation and evolution of mountains, he reasoned that at the time the Holy Text was written, the only constant entity in the life of a desert-dwelling individual 1,400 years ago were the mountains.

Lacking the scientific equipment that in later years would gage the slow progress of the mountains, it is all the more remarkable then that it was noted:

You see the mountains and think them firmly fixed: but they pass away like the passing of clouds. Such is the work of God who perfected all things. Surely he is well acquainted with all that you do. (27, 88)

As the examples came forth, I could not help but marvel.

Because when the argument is cogent, the speaker dynamic, and the rationale convincing, it is an absolute boon.

It is this variety of  scholarship that facilitates understanding – and of which we can never receive enough.