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MUSLIM COUNCIL OF BRITAIN ASKS FOR QUR'AN TO BE EXEMPT FROM RELIGIOUS HATRED LAW
July 11, 2005
Muslim leaders in the UK have raised with a Home Office Minister the possibility of the Islamic scriptures being exempted from the proposed new law banning incitement to religious hatred, which is being debated and voted on in the British Parliament today.
These scriptures include both the Qur'an and the hadiths ("ahadith" in Arabic) which are traditions recording the words and deeds of Muhammad and his first followers. The Racial and Religious Hatred bill is being debated and voted on in the House of Commons today. This is the third reading of the bill, and if passed today will move forward to be debated in the House of Lords.
REPORT FROM THE MUSLIM WEEKLY
The following excerpt is from the report in "The Muslim Weekly", 8th-14th June issue, on this meeting.
A delegation of Muslim leaders and senior scholars met Home Office Minister Paul Goggins this week to seek clarification on the Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill.
The delegation requested the meeting to seek clarification on a number of matters relating to the bill. Recent confusion regarding freedoms to deliver khutbahs and to recite and quote from the Qur'an and ahadith had raised concerns in the community that dawah and propagatory practices may be curtailed under the new legislation.
The Minister assured the Muslim community that there was nothing in the bill that would prevent scholars from delivering their sermons or from reciting from the Qu'ran and ahadith. The Minister reiterated that what the bill would do is criminalise incitement to religious hatred against individuals.
Sir Iqbal Sacranie stated that he was at eased that matters that had caused some obfuscation in the community had been cleared.
'We're happy that the Home Office has agreed to consult the faith communities when preparing the guidelines to the bill. Muslim scholars may proceed uninhibited in the performance of their duties', he said. The delegation made suggestions to the minister to that tit may be preferable to totally exempt the holy text, which will include the Qur'an and the hadiths from the remit of the Act.
The minister said, it would be difficult to exempt scriptures because there is likelihood that extreme groups like the BNP may use verses of the Qur'an to incite hatred against the Muslim community. Therefore, the very purpose of the Act would be defeated.
Scholars had expressed their reservation but fully support the bill.
The delegation included: Sir Iqbal AKM Sacranie, Secretary General, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, Chair (Mosque and Community Affairs Committee, MCB), Mufti Aslam, President of Jamitul Ulema, Mr Sardar Qadri, Maulana Bostan Qadri, General Secretary, Confederation of Sunni Mosques, Midlands, Dr Taha Qureshi, Maulana Rabbani, Sheikh Rizvi, President (Council of Nigerian Mosques), and Maulana Hadi of Jamiiate Ahli Hadis and Mr Abbas of the World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithnari.[1]
ANALYSIS
Muslim leaders in the UK have done their best to have themselves protected by the British government by means of the proposed law. Now faced with the anti-Christian and anti-semitic parts of their holy books it appears some are realising that unless they claim exemption they also will be vulnerable to prosecution. This shows the desperate need for Islam to reform itself. Muslim leaders must have the courage to reform their faith and reinterpret the war passages of the Qur'an and Hadith in a spiritual and peaceable way.
BACKGROUND
This is the third time that the UK Labour government has attempted to pass legislation banning incitement to religious hatred. There is concern that this bill could have serious implications for freedom of speech and cause disharmony between different faiths. It also has the potential to silence those who speak out on behalf of millions of people who suffer as a result of particular religious teachings, such as Muslims who convert to another faith (who should be executed according to Islamic law) or Dalits (treated as "untouchables" in the traditional Hindu caste system).
PRAYER ITEMS
* Pray for Muslim leaders, that they may have the courage to reinterpret the war passages of the Koran.
* Pray for the government ministers backing the bill, that they will realise the many problems the loose wording could cause, to members of all religions.
* Pray for the discussions in the House of Commons today, that the many concerns about this bill will be voiced and heard. Pray that the vote will go against it.
* Pray that this bill will not be passed into law.
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