VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Vol 78, May 10, 2009
St. Louis, Missouri
Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful
CONTENTS:
(1) Muslim Chef Sues Over Pork Request
(2) Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Bill to Create 'Islam Day'
“I felt very unhappy about it. I was very upset and angry because it is not permissible in my religion,” said Mr Khoja, who is an adviser on Muslim food issues on the government’s Foods Standards Agency.
“I was threatened that management would sack me if I did not follow instructions. But I never enrolled to cook pork. I refused to do it. I never did it and I never would.
“I had a letter from the human resources department saying that I would not be required to cook any pork. But this was not exactly what I wanted as a guarantee.
“The Met has shown no sensitivity towards my religion. Their response has been ill-thought and discriminatory.”
Prior to moving to the west London headquarter, Mr Khoja worked at Hendon Police Training College, where he was not required to handle pork products.
“My original contract did not include any kind of cooking. I was hired as a senior catering manager,” he said. “I protested at the move [to west London] and at having to cook pork.
“I was placed on paid, special leave for a year. No Muslim in my position should have to face such harassment.”
....Khalid Sofi, Mr Khoja’s lawyer, insisted there was “an important issue of principle at stake” in the case, with ramifications for the police and wider society in Britain.
“He has genuine and strong religious beliefs and expects that they will be accommodated,” he said. “’The Met is a very large organisation and could easily have met his demands.
“Mr Khoja’s case raises the general question of the Met accommodating the needs of the Muslim community at a time when there is a lack of confidence in the police among Muslims.
“We are confident that we have a very good claim. Religious discrimination law obliges employers if possible to accommodate genuine religious needs.
“It was all very, very nasty. They were telling him to do something that was against his faith.”
The Metropolitan Police has had an uneasy relationship with Muslims in recent times. Tarique Ghaffur, an Assistant Commissioner with the force and the UK’s highest ranking Muslim police officer, last year accused the force of racial discrimination. He retired last November after receiving compensation.
'Patients should have access to NHS treatment regardless of their religious observance, or otherwise.'
Butt, of Prestwich, Manchester, denies charges of misconduct for his treatment of two patients at the clinic.
If found guilty he faces being removed the dental register. In September 2007 Butt was formally reprimanded by the GDC for similar behaviour and found guilty of serious professional misconduct. The hearing, being held in London, continues.
Fast food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken is to launch a halal-only menu in eight of its London stores in a move which could be extended to other areas of the UK.
The menu, which will form part of a trial, will see the stores selling chicken products which have been fully approved by the Halal Food Authority for the first time.
KFC has 720 stores across the UK, and bosses said the move was designed to ensure the company was catering to a broader range of customers, following a growing demand for halal products.
It is the latest fast food chain to introduce a halal-only menu after Domino's launched one at a Birmingham store in February.
From this week, KFC bargain buckets, crispy strips and family feasts bought in certain outlets serving high Muslim populations will all have the halal-approved stamp.
The fast-food chain has so far converted eight of its London restaurants to sell the meat, in areas including Forest Gate, West Ham, Tottenham and Bethnal Green.
The chosen branches, which also include those in Beckton, Leyton, Edmonton and Hounslow, will have a logo on the door telling visitors that all food served has been fully approved by the Halal Food Authority (HFA).
As Muslims cannot eat pork, the Halal branches have removed the Big Daddy burger from the menu as it contains bacon.
KFC's scheme will be trialed over the summer, but if it proves a success dozens more branches across the country are expected to follow suit and become halal-only.
The company said halal menus could be launched in other stores where large numbers of Muslim customers are based and 'where there is demand'.
Over the next few months it will closely monitor customer feedback in the chosen outlets and if it is good they will be permanently converted to 100 per cent halal.
The move follows a similar decision made by Dominos Pizza, which launched a halal only menu at its Hall Green store in Birmingham earlier this year amid a storm of controversy.
Domino's said the change has improved business despite an initial backlash from non-halal customers who complained they were not able to order pizzas such as the Meteor which contains pepperoni, sausage, meatballs and bacon.
But KFC insists that the taste of its chicken will remain 'finger-lickin good' and that it has only converted branches where there are other non-halal ones within a two-mile radius.
Halal means any item on the menu which may contain bacon, ham or pork must be removed and all the chicken must by halal-approved.
The chain has also moved to assure customers that its halal certified chicken would meet the rigorous animal welfare standards used across the UK.
Masood Khawaja, President of the Halal Food Authority, welcomed the trial and said it was good news for the Muslim community.
'Having worked with KFC closely, Halal Food Authority is delighted to accredit the usage of the HFA logo and symbol of approval on endorsed products,' Mr Khawaja said.
'The Muslim community can now enjoy all the products in this trial in eight participating halal-approved restaurants, as these have been procured with full adherence to both Islamic dietary rules and relevant EU hygiene, food safety and animal welfare regulations.'
PESHAWAR, Pakistan. Ayman Udas, a rising female vocalist in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province, was shot at her home, allegedly by her own brothers.
Her death has rattled the city's jittery artistic community, as local musicians and dancers in Peshawar -- a city renowned for its vibrant artistic life -- face increasing pressure as the region falls under greater Taliban influence.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful
CONTENTS:
(1) Muslim Chef Sues Over Pork Request
(2) Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Bill to Create 'Islam Day'
(3) Muslim dentist 'refused to treat female patients unless they wore Islamic dress'
(4) Kentucky Fried Chicken is to launch a halal-only menu in eight of its London stores
(5) Female Pakistani Singer Killed In Peshawar
(6) Taliban Shave Men for Listening to Music
(7) Now Fire Service Introduces Hijab Headscarves for Muslim workers in UK
(7) Now Fire Service Introduces Hijab Headscarves for Muslim workers in UK
Muslim Chef Sues Over Pork Request
(www.the national.ae) May 10, 2009
David Sapsted
Foreign Correspondent
David Sapsted
Foreign Correspondent
LONDON: A Muslim chef is suing Britain’s largest police force, claiming he suffered religious discrimination because he was expected to cook bacon and pork sausages for breakfast.
Hasanali Khoja is due to put his case against the Metropolitan Police to an employment tribunal, which starts a 10-day hearing in London tomorrow.
The case has caused outrage in the British press and has been seized on by far right political parties, being branded “the madness of multiculturalism” by the British National Party.
Mr Khoja, 60, whose claim is being backed by both the Association of Muslim Police and the National Black Police Association, says he was refused permission not to handle pork when he took a job as catering manager at a police headquarters in west London.
Instead, he said his supervisor suggested he wear gloves when preparing a “999 breakfast” – a policeman’s favourite that includes bacon, pork sausages and black pudding, which is made from pigs’ blood.Hasanali Khoja is due to put his case against the Metropolitan Police to an employment tribunal, which starts a 10-day hearing in London tomorrow.
The case has caused outrage in the British press and has been seized on by far right political parties, being branded “the madness of multiculturalism” by the British National Party.
Mr Khoja, 60, whose claim is being backed by both the Association of Muslim Police and the National Black Police Association, says he was refused permission not to handle pork when he took a job as catering manager at a police headquarters in west London.
“I felt very unhappy about it. I was very upset and angry because it is not permissible in my religion,” said Mr Khoja, who is an adviser on Muslim food issues on the government’s Foods Standards Agency.
“I was threatened that management would sack me if I did not follow instructions. But I never enrolled to cook pork. I refused to do it. I never did it and I never would.
“I had a letter from the human resources department saying that I would not be required to cook any pork. But this was not exactly what I wanted as a guarantee.
“The Met has shown no sensitivity towards my religion. Their response has been ill-thought and discriminatory.”
Prior to moving to the west London headquarter, Mr Khoja worked at Hendon Police Training College, where he was not required to handle pork products.
“My original contract did not include any kind of cooking. I was hired as a senior catering manager,” he said. “I protested at the move [to west London] and at having to cook pork.
“I was placed on paid, special leave for a year. No Muslim in my position should have to face such harassment.”
....Khalid Sofi, Mr Khoja’s lawyer, insisted there was “an important issue of principle at stake” in the case, with ramifications for the police and wider society in Britain.
“He has genuine and strong religious beliefs and expects that they will be accommodated,” he said. “’The Met is a very large organisation and could easily have met his demands.
“Mr Khoja’s case raises the general question of the Met accommodating the needs of the Muslim community at a time when there is a lack of confidence in the police among Muslims.
“We are confident that we have a very good claim. Religious discrimination law obliges employers if possible to accommodate genuine religious needs.
“It was all very, very nasty. They were telling him to do something that was against his faith.”
The Metropolitan Police has had an uneasy relationship with Muslims in recent times. Tarique Ghaffur, an Assistant Commissioner with the force and the UK’s highest ranking Muslim police officer, last year accused the force of racial discrimination. He retired last November after receiving compensation.
Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Bill to Create 'Islam Day'
Fox News:
May 6, 2009
May 6, 2009
HONOLULU -- Hawaii's state Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday to celebrate "Islam Day" -- over the objections of a few lawmakers who said they didn't want to honor a religion connected to Sept. 11, 2001.
The Senate's two Republicans argued that a minority of Islamic extremists have killed many innocents in terrorist attacks.
...The resolution to proclaim Sept. 24, 2009, as Islam Day passed the Senate on a 22-3 vote. It had previously passed the House and now goes to Republican Gov. Linda Lingle.
The Senate's two Republicans argued that a minority of Islamic extremists have killed many innocents in terrorist attacks.
...The resolution to proclaim Sept. 24, 2009, as Islam Day passed the Senate on a 22-3 vote. It had previously passed the House and now goes to Republican Gov. Linda Lingle.
The bill seeks to recognize "the rich religious, scientific, cultural and artistic contributions" that Islam and the Islamic world have made. It does not call for any spending or organized celebration of Islam Day.
"We are a state of tolerance. We understand that people have different beliefs," said Sen. Will Espero, a Democrat. "We may not all agree on every single item and issue out there, but to say and highlight the negativity of the Islamic people is an insult to the majority" of believers "who are good law-abiding citizens of the world."
"We are a state of tolerance. We understand that people have different beliefs," said Sen. Will Espero, a Democrat. "We may not all agree on every single item and issue out there, but to say and highlight the negativity of the Islamic people is an insult to the majority" of believers "who are good law-abiding citizens of the world."
Muslim dentist in UK 'refused to treat female patients unless they wore Islamic dress'
(www.mailonline.com)
(www.mailonline.com)
By Tom Kelly
8th May 2009
"Omer Butt allegedly said it was duty to ensure Muslim women wore the hijab at his NHS dental clinic in Bury, Lancashire
A Muslim dentist refused to treat patients unless they wore traditional Islamic dress, it was alleged today.
Omer Butt, 32, ordered women to put on head scarves or he would not register them or their families at his NHS-funded clinic, it was claimed.
"Omer Butt allegedly said it was duty to ensure Muslim women wore the hijab at his NHS dental clinic in Bury, Lancashire
A Muslim dentist refused to treat patients unless they wore traditional Islamic dress, it was alleged today.
Omer Butt, 32, ordered women to put on head scarves or he would not register them or their families at his NHS-funded clinic, it was claimed.
At least two patients were left in pain after they declined to follow his self-imposed rules, the General Dental Council heard.
It is the second time that the dentist - who is the brother of a former spokesman of the radical Islamic group al-Muhajiroun - has appeared before the council's disciplinary panel on similar allegations.
It is the second time that the dentist - who is the brother of a former spokesman of the radical Islamic group al-Muhajiroun - has appeared before the council's disciplinary panel on similar allegations.
Two years ago he was reprimanded for telling an Asian mother-of-two he would not register her unless she wore the Muslim hijab.
The GDC heard how Butt believed it was his duty to stop Muslim patients committing what he believed was a religious sin.
He even put a laminated sign on the wall of his waiting room telling patients they would have to adhere to his strict dress code or find another dentist.
The GDC heard how Butt believed it was his duty to stop Muslim patients committing what he believed was a religious sin.
He even put a laminated sign on the wall of his waiting room telling patients they would have to adhere to his strict dress code or find another dentist.
'He required that women cover their hair with a head scarf, or hijab, and that male patients remove any gold jewellery.
...'However, he insisted - and those who did not comply were refused treatment.
'He made compliance with Islamic dress code a condition of treatment, which is entirely inappropriate under the auspices of the National Health Service.
...'However, he insisted - and those who did not comply were refused treatment.
'He made compliance with Islamic dress code a condition of treatment, which is entirely inappropriate under the auspices of the National Health Service.
'Patients should have access to NHS treatment regardless of their religious observance, or otherwise.'
Butt, of Prestwich, Manchester, denies charges of misconduct for his treatment of two patients at the clinic.
If found guilty he faces being removed the dental register. In September 2007 Butt was formally reprimanded by the GDC for similar behaviour and found guilty of serious professional misconduct. The hearing, being held in London, continues.
Kentucky Fried Chicken is to launch a halal-only menu in eight of its London stores
(DailyMail)
May 7, 2009Fast food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken is to launch a halal-only menu in eight of its London stores in a move which could be extended to other areas of the UK.
The menu, which will form part of a trial, will see the stores selling chicken products which have been fully approved by the Halal Food Authority for the first time.
KFC has 720 stores across the UK, and bosses said the move was designed to ensure the company was catering to a broader range of customers, following a growing demand for halal products.
It is the latest fast food chain to introduce a halal-only menu after Domino's launched one at a Birmingham store in February.
From this week, KFC bargain buckets, crispy strips and family feasts bought in certain outlets serving high Muslim populations will all have the halal-approved stamp.
The fast-food chain has so far converted eight of its London restaurants to sell the meat, in areas including Forest Gate, West Ham, Tottenham and Bethnal Green.
The chosen branches, which also include those in Beckton, Leyton, Edmonton and Hounslow, will have a logo on the door telling visitors that all food served has been fully approved by the Halal Food Authority (HFA).
As Muslims cannot eat pork, the Halal branches have removed the Big Daddy burger from the menu as it contains bacon.
KFC's scheme will be trialed over the summer, but if it proves a success dozens more branches across the country are expected to follow suit and become halal-only.
The company said halal menus could be launched in other stores where large numbers of Muslim customers are based and 'where there is demand'.
Over the next few months it will closely monitor customer feedback in the chosen outlets and if it is good they will be permanently converted to 100 per cent halal.
The move follows a similar decision made by Dominos Pizza, which launched a halal only menu at its Hall Green store in Birmingham earlier this year amid a storm of controversy.
Domino's said the change has improved business despite an initial backlash from non-halal customers who complained they were not able to order pizzas such as the Meteor which contains pepperoni, sausage, meatballs and bacon.
But KFC insists that the taste of its chicken will remain 'finger-lickin good' and that it has only converted branches where there are other non-halal ones within a two-mile radius.
Halal means any item on the menu which may contain bacon, ham or pork must be removed and all the chicken must by halal-approved.
The chain has also moved to assure customers that its halal certified chicken would meet the rigorous animal welfare standards used across the UK.
Masood Khawaja, President of the Halal Food Authority, welcomed the trial and said it was good news for the Muslim community.
'Having worked with KFC closely, Halal Food Authority is delighted to accredit the usage of the HFA logo and symbol of approval on endorsed products,' Mr Khawaja said.
'The Muslim community can now enjoy all the products in this trial in eight participating halal-approved restaurants, as these have been procured with full adherence to both Islamic dietary rules and relevant EU hygiene, food safety and animal welfare regulations.'
Female Pakistani Singer Killed In Peshawar
April 29, 2009
www.rferl.org
By Kristin Deasy, Sharifa Esmatullah
PESHAWAR, Pakistan. Ayman Udas, a rising female vocalist in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province, was shot at her home, allegedly by her own brothers.
Her death has rattled the city's jittery artistic community, as local musicians and dancers in Peshawar -- a city renowned for its vibrant artistic life -- face increasing pressure as the region falls under greater Taliban influence.
Some attributed Udas's death to the Islamist militants, but her husband told reporters that his wife was killed because she broke family traditions.
A beautiful woman in her early 30s and mother of two, Udas recently remarried after a divorce. Her two brothers, Alamgir and Ismail, disapproved of her divorce, remarriage, and her artistic career, all of which disgrace a family's name in conservative Islamic society.
A beautiful woman in her early 30s and mother of two, Udas recently remarried after a divorce. Her two brothers, Alamgir and Ismail, disapproved of her divorce, remarriage, and her artistic career, all of which disgrace a family's name in conservative Islamic society.
The honor killing, an ancient tradition in which a male family member kills a female to "save" the family name, took place on April 27 at the family's home while Udas's husband was out picking up milk. He immediately took the case to the authorities, who have made no arrests but raided several locations in search of the suspected killers.
Udas -- poet, lyricist, and popular Pakistani singer -- had recently given her first television appearance. In one of her more popular songs, "Mra shum ashna khu pa jwando ki usam, janana sta pa waswaso ki usa," she sings about the importance of courage, even to the point of defying death.
Her death "is absolutely unacceptable," Ahmad Ali Adil of the University of Peshawar told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan, calling the crime "a murder of humanity." He said that unless society changes, several other female performers will face similar problems.
Meanwhile, Artists are coming under direct threat in Taliban-controlled areas. In January, a dancer's bullet-ridden body was left in the center of Swat Valley's capital of Mingora not far from where Udas grew up -- with a note warning locals that "un-Islamic voices" will no longer be tolerated.
Taliban Shave Men for Listening to Music
(news.com.au)
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse
April 26, 2009
TALIBAN militants in northwest Buner district shaved the heads and moustaches of four Pakistani men as punishment for listening to music, one of the men said.
Now Fire Service Introduces Hijab Headscarves for Muslim workers in UK
Jazakullah Khair
Feel free to contribute your valuable opinions by e-mail: amyusuf786@yahoo.com
TALIBAN militants in northwest Buner district shaved the heads and moustaches of four Pakistani men as punishment for listening to music, one of the men said.
Now Fire Service Introduces Hijab Headscarves for Muslim workers in UK
By Jaya Narain
31st March 2009
Pop into the firestation and the chances are there'd be a group of reassuringly burly men in there waiting for the call out, with uniforms and firefighting suits tailored for their use alone.
31st March 2009
Pop into the firestation and the chances are there'd be a group of reassuringly burly men in there waiting for the call out, with uniforms and firefighting suits tailored for their use alone.
...with the fire service anxious to attract recruits of all sexes and backgrounds, it was decided that something had to be done.
So yesterday the results were uneveiled, including full-length skirts, hijab headscarfs and long- sleeved shirts for Muslim women recruits.
The hope is that the uniforms, designed for wearing round the station and for outings such as school trips, will be smarter and better fitting for every firefighter - even the men.
For the first time also, women will get their own mustard yellow fire-fighting suit designed to protect their breasts and upper body.
So yesterday the results were uneveiled, including full-length skirts, hijab headscarfs and long- sleeved shirts for Muslim women recruits.
The hope is that the uniforms, designed for wearing round the station and for outings such as school trips, will be smarter and better fitting for every firefighter - even the men.
For the first time also, women will get their own mustard yellow fire-fighting suit designed to protect their breasts and upper body.
This outfit was tried on yesterday by Lincolnshire firefighter Julie Smith.
'It is right that male firefighters and female firefighters to need protection in different areas,' she said. 'It is very comfortable, very new and very yellow.'
Her boss Mike Thomas, Chief Fire Officer for Lincolnshire, declared the uniforms would help 'bust' the ' traditional image of the hunky, British, white, male, firefighter' - even though a great many of his staff probably fit this description.
'There are no better positive role models than women and ethnic recruits in these uniforms, and hopefully they will encourage people to join,' he added.
Firemen in Lincolnshire will be the first to try out the new national uniform which also includes sports and maternity wear.
Fire minister Sadiq Khan added: 'We want the widest range of applicants to apply to join the fire and rescue service".
'It is right that male firefighters and female firefighters to need protection in different areas,' she said. 'It is very comfortable, very new and very yellow.'
Her boss Mike Thomas, Chief Fire Officer for Lincolnshire, declared the uniforms would help 'bust' the ' traditional image of the hunky, British, white, male, firefighter' - even though a great many of his staff probably fit this description.
'There are no better positive role models than women and ethnic recruits in these uniforms, and hopefully they will encourage people to join,' he added.
Firemen in Lincolnshire will be the first to try out the new national uniform which also includes sports and maternity wear.
Fire minister Sadiq Khan added: 'We want the widest range of applicants to apply to join the fire and rescue service".
Feel free to contribute your valuable opinions by e-mail: amyusuf786@yahoo.com
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