The Islamic pressure groups are playing the same game in the UK.
Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND)
MEND Launches its Policy Pledge Manifesto Ahead of a General Election
Muslims have the youngest age profile of all religious groups in the UK,70 with 33% aged fifteen or under and 48% below the age of twenty-five.71 Meanwhile, Muslims account for 9% of babies and toddlers aged 0-4years old.72 The Census 2011 indicates that the overall Muslim population in England and Wales is 4.8%, while the Muslim youth population between 18-24 constitutes 6.2% of the general youth population within that age category. As such, Muslim youth have a huge potential to
innovation, and dynamism that is traditionally associated with younger generations. However, at the same time, policies and issues surrounding youth and schools will necessarily have a disproportionate impact upon Muslim communities due to their over representation within young age demographics. Therefore, policy development and implementation must be sensitive to the needs of Muslim families.73 In particular, issues surrounding barriers to young Muslims’ development must take into account religiocultural factors. For example, university tuition fees are a concern for many young people across the UK.
However, this barrier has an added layer of nuance when taking into account the desire of young Muslims to adhere to their religious beliefs in not paying interest, which is inherent in Government Student Loans. A solution in terms of offering Shariah compliant finance, also known as Alternative Student Finance (ASF), has been developed by the Government but has hitherto not been implemented.74 We believe that the offering of Shariah-compliant student loans would not only encourage Muslim students from the UK who would otherwise be deterred from applying to university but would also be attractive to potential Muslim students from overseas.
Policy Pledge:
9. Commit to implementing Shariah-compliant student loans to encourage more British Muslim students to attend university
it is essential that school curriculums reflect the diversity and shared history of British society. It is only through the recognition of the legacy of the British Empire and the contributions of minority communities that a shared identity can be nurtured. Furthermore, it is important that the works and figures studied within our education system extend further than the traditional ethnocentric focus upon the achievements of largely white western men, and expands to encompass a broad spectrum of perspectives and voices. It is only through this decolonisation of education that a truly shared history can be developed and children can be prepared for life in a pluralistic society with a rich culture of dynamic perspectives, interests, and experiences. In creating this appreciation for a shared heritage, minorities cease to be the ‘other’ and, instead, are simply part of the ‘us
Policy Pledge:
5. Commit to prioritising PSRE (Personal, Social and Religious Education) and PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) within the national curriculum and ensure grassroots Muslim organisations are enlisted to assist in developing teaching materials to educate young people on the dangers of Islamophobia.
6. Commit to supporting academic freedoms and initiatives to decolonise education, whilst giving greater emphasis within the
national curriculum to shared histories and the contributions of minority communities in building our society.
7. Commit to developing training programmes for teachers focussed on tackling and addressing bullying based on race, religion, disability, or sexuality.
Prayer in Schools
In recent times, the IRU has been approached by around a dozen students across the country requesting support in accessing prayer space in schools. The provision of a multi-faith prayer space is relatively simple to facilitate and has wide-reaching benefits to both students and the school environment. With prayer as an integral principle of Islamic faith and practice, facilitating this observance allows Muslim students to develop their religious identities with confidence and feel secure in their positions as members of society. However, the benefits of a multi-faith prayer space are not restricted to Muslim children, but
also contribute towards the healthy religious identity formation for the students of all faiths who may choose to access it. Moreover, studies have repeatedly demonstrated the value of meditation, mindfulness, and contemplative practice for young people in combatting stress, improving social and academic skills, and generally promoting mental wellbeing. The University of Surrey found that participants who engaged in mindfulness showed a 58% reduction in anxiety and a 40% reduction in perceived stress.83
Policy Pledge:
21. Commit to the preservation of human rights and the protection of minority rights, including, but not limited to, the rights to religious slaughter, male circumcision, and the wearing of religious dress or symbols as currently enshrined within UK legislation.
19. Commit to proactively engaging and consulting with representative and grassroots organisations within British Muslim communities, including but not limited to Muslim Engagement and Development.
Yup the Islamic solution to everything is more power to then, Halal meat all round and time off for praying. All of the above will as seen in each and every Islamic country going result in more polarisation of the muslim population, more hate expended by them and more hate all round.
