Saturday, August 18, 2007

Normal Service to be resumed Saturday

Normal service will be resumed during Saturday evening.

Just thought I would let you know.

--
Kind regards

Benedict White

5 comments:

  1. When you get back to normal service, care to react to this?
    http://democracyfrontline.org/blog/?p=2216#comment-179912

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a copy of the conclusions of Siddiqui's report, on page 62.
    Read carefully.
    Disingenuous at best, lying through his teeth at worst.
    RECOMMENDATIONS
    1. There is awareness that the universities, through their different departments
    which teach the study of Islam and Muslim societies, are not addressing the
    subject-matter properly or meeting the growing number of Muslims students.
    The Islamic Studies syllabus needs to look beyong language and classical texts
    and/or area studies, particularly those anrrowly focused on Middle East. Both
    the underlying unity and the evident diversity of Islamic culture and civilisation
    in different epochs and different regions of the world deserve proper attention.
    The growing population of young Muslims in this country need access to the
    unfiying and diverse legacy of Islam, including its legacy in Europe, and to
    come to some understanding of their faith as practised in different contexts,
    perhaps especially contexts of minority existence, and not just to somehow
    rehearse – in an uneasy alliance with Britishness – the local customs of their
    parents’ or grandparents’ communities of origin. Unfortunately, there are very
    few qualified scholars who have the expertise to teach and supervise the core
    Islamic subjects and relate them to their various social contexts.
    i.
    Therefore, with some urgency, the relevant departments of Government,
    the funding councils such as the Higher Education Funding Council for
    England (HEFCE), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC),
    the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), and the Muslim
    community, should invest in a long term project for the establishment of
    intensive language courses, research studentships, postgraduate awards,
    collaboration with universities abroad, and the appointment of suitably
    qualified staff.
    ii. Where practicable, partnership between two or three universities should
    be encouraged to share funding and, if need be, to establish a Centre
    especially for the purpose.
    2. There is a need to link the provision of Islamic studies with job opportunities.
    Openings in the jobs market – such as banking with ethical ethos, teaching,
    chaplaincy and counselling courses etc., – need be created and then widely
    Page 63
    63
    advertised. Such courses in the past have attracted a significant number of
    people, including imams and also women. Courses should be prepared
    keeping in mind the religious and cultural specific needs of the community.
    Universities and Further Education colleges, the social service sector and
    Muslim charities should meet to asses the needs and methods of delivery.
    The Department of Education and Skills could and should facilitate such
    meetings.
    3
    Islamic Studies courses currently being offered at Universities in England
    should adopt a greater focus on theological and civilisational aspects of Islam
    which are relevant to practising Muslims. As a result courses will also provide
    non- Muslim students with the opportunity to gain a greater insight into the
    issues within Islamic doctrine that are particularly pertinent to Muslims .
    There is also a need for Islam to be offered as an elective option, and wherever
    it is possible departments should be fully resourced to provide such add-on
    modules.
    4. Students at universities should be given the opportunity to study under
    competent scholars of Islam who have been trained via traditional Islamic
    routes and in subject areas which are of particular relevance to Muslims.
    5. All universities should consult as a matter of urgency to explore the possibility
    of employing Muslim chaplains/advisors on a full or part-time basis. The
    number of Muslim students will increase manifold in the future, and their
    cultural and religious specific needs should be catered for.
    6. All Muslim chaplains/advisors employed in the future must have a generic
    qualification, which must equip the trainee with pastoral care skills and an
    overall understanding of the workings of higher education. Every effort should
    be made to raise the standard of Muslim chaplain/advisors’ training, especially,
    in the long term, the ‘five qualities’ highlighted in the report should be the
    requirement in future appointment of a chaplain/advisor. This would also help
    to direct and improve the training process. In the selection process of a Muslim
    chaplain/advisor, the Muslim student body should be represented. This will
    prevent unnecessary misunderstanding, and may help in the smooth running
    of university and student affairs.
    7. The Muslim community should use their resources to help strengthen the
    chaplaincy/advisor provisions, especially in the production of necessary guides
    and reading material relevant to pastoral care. The pastoral care should also
    be included in the training of future religious leaders, especially in madrasas,
    in the community.
    Page 64
    64
    8
    At least once a year Muslim chaplains/advisors should meet to share experience
    and discuss the issues and concerns on the campuses. There should be provision
    for participation of other faith communities, student services and other relevant
    agencies.
    9. Student Islamic Societies on campus should be acknowledged as key providers
    for peer-led support within universities in England and should be encouraged
    and supported by universities (through human resources and active engagement
    initiated by student services), the Muslim communities and relevant authorities.
    10. Generic guidance should be produced in order to provide a reference point for
    all university staff for dealing with issues such as prayer and understanding
    the significance of Friday prayer, provisions for halal food and Ramadan.
    Such guidance removes the burden of responsibility for students and will outline
    best practice for implementation within all universities. This generic guidance
    should be accessible to all university staff and students across England.

    The report is crap to load, but then it's hm gov.
    here

    ReplyDelete
  3. Written answers has this.
    Read the denials carefully, particularly the final sentence.
    here

    But then read this carefully.
    here

    So Benny, fresh from hols, what you gonna do, place a bet on further radicalisation of young minds, further terrorist acts against the west, further exits to paki training camps, or is the next thing we will hear is a campaign for jihad training camps on UK mainland? - probably on a UK uni campus.
    No, what a minute, didn't I hear about.................
    Now, you could also read
    this
    ‘all of that area which was controlled by the Taleban had become the cradle of justice and peace’. The Jamaat-e-Islami party of which Professor Ahmad is vice-president is well known to be extreme, albeit not one which espouses violent jihad against the West. However, like the Muslim Brotherhood, it has an unabashed mission to Islamicize the world.
    And also
    this
    You got any mates on Cons HQ with the attention span to absorb this, and the willingness/balls to do something about it.
    Saudi foreign policy is one of the cancers in this society.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What about reading this?
    here

    For fucks sake, when is somebody gonna wake up?

    ReplyDelete