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And so we made it back from Tunisia – but only after a gruelling thirteen hour journey comprising two coaches, a plane and an extended taxi ride.
For the first time in years I am filled with utter cantankerousness, so obtuse that I wish only skulk in a corner pouting until some kind soul proffers a return ticket.
And the environment provides only further fuel for the ire amidst the impending elections.
Nay, it is not the politicians who rankle so – the rise and rise of the previously risible Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg is so astounding as to prove irresistably smirk-worthy.
Rather, it is the issues on the agenda: in particular the issue of ‘Muslim schools’.
Since returning the BBC has been trailing its election coverage, one of which comprises the promise to touch upon three key issues: “prostitution, Muslim schools and MPs expenses”.
Pray why must the issue of Muslim schools be lumped with such otherwise scandalous issues?
In the grand scale of social and economic quandaries rife in this isle, would not the gender pay gap, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, child abuse and the freedom to practise one’s faith be of utmost significance?
Would it be possible to align Jewish or Catholic schools in the same breath as prostitution and political corruption and anticipate no rebuke?
Muslim schools are just that: schools in which young children can learn about their faith.
A pretty darn marvellous faith at that.
Far from ruminating on the potential threat this might cause and how England might address the ‘issue’, it would be refreshing for its status as an ‘issue’ to be obliterated once and for all.
Making it an issue on the election agenda only heightens the negativity imposed on the institutions.
Should faith schools be deemed problematic in Britain, then all faith schools should be on the agenda.
Discerning in a high-profile manner only enhances the discriminatory approach towards Islamic institutions and proves detrimental to inter-faith cohesion.
As the leading media institution during these politically heightened times the BBC should know better.
There are far greater bête noires scourging our society – politicians should look to those, rather than faith-based institutions for positive change.
On which note of despondence I leave you with a song that has been on perpetual loop on my player since Saturday, by that delicious Tunisian crooner, Saber Rebai:
Compulsory state education has promised to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, physical and academic development of a child in preparation for adult life – has failed far too many children, particularly national minorities and especially Muslim childldren. Now the time has come that parents and community should take over the running of their local schools The Local Authority’s role should be confined to simply ensuring schools operate within the prevailing legislative framework (admissions criteria, Special Educational Needs, Community Cohesion, Financial Audit, etc). Parents can perform a better job than the Local Authority because parents have a genuine vested interest – namely the best educational outcome for their children. The Local Authority simply cannot be trusted.
There is no end to Forced marriages and honour killings as long as Muslim girls keep on attending state schools with notoriously monolingul non-Muslim teachers.Muslim schools are attractive to Muslim parents because they have better discipline and teaching Islamic values. Bilingual Muslim teachers are role models who understand the needs and demands of their children.
Bilingual Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teahers as role models during their development period. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.
No body has the right to tell a woman how to dress, or worse, how to undress? Let her wear what she likes, especially if it’s part of her religion. I see the banning of headscarves or niqabs as an attack on both religious freedom and on the rights of women & girls.
Each and every Muslim child should be in a state funded Muslim school with bilingual Muslim teachers as role model during their developmental periods. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.
Bilingual Muslim children need to learn and be well versed in standard English to follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. At the same time they need to learn and be well versed in Arabic, Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.
A Muslim is a citizen of this global village. He/she does not want to become notoriously monolingual Brit.
There are hundreds of state and church schools where Muslim children are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be designated as Muslim community schools.
Muslim children are in majority because native parents remove their children as soon as they find that the number of Muslim children is on the increase. They do not want their children to mix with Muslim or any other migrant children
Iftikhar Ahmad
London School of Islamics Trust
63 Margery Park Road LOndon E7 9LD
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk