U.K.: GREAT BRITAIN IS FAILING IN EDUCATING ITS DHIMMIS IN THE WAYS OF ISLAM

Islamic studies fail 21st century test

London (WAM) — Islamic studies in Britain's higher education establishments are failing to meet the needs of a 21st century multicultural society.

That is one of the major findings of a two-year research Report published and written by two of the UK's leading experts in the study of Islam and Muslims.

Called "Time for Change: Report on the Future of the Study of Islam and Muslims in Universities and Colleges in Multicultural Britain" the report has examined 55 higher education departments and centres currently offering courses in the study of Islam and Muslims looking to see if they are "relevant to contemporary multicultural British society." The authors, Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi and Professor Malory Nye have some controversial things to say about the relevance of courses presently on offer in many of the British higher education establishments, and the international political links of Muslim institutions in Britain.

With a population of over 1.5 million British Muslims now living in multicultural UK they are the largest non-Christian grouping, and yet the last report related to Islamic Studies was commissioned by the Government over 40 years ago.

According to Professor El-Awaisi: "The call for a new agenda is timely and necessary to prevent the misguided and narrow interpretation of Islam which is the source of so many problems in our multicultural society.

It is only through multicultural education we can work to eliminate extremism and fundamentalism.

"I want to stress that our report only looks at one aspect - the role of education, particularly higher education, to address issues surrounding the study of Islam and Muslims by people of all backgrounds in multicultural Britain.

The report states that "there are some deeply embedded issues within our society regarding Islam and Muslims, of stereotyping, hostility, Islamophobia and misunderstanding?there needs to be appreciation that Muslims are no longer 'others' they are part of the fabric of British society.

It goes on to say, "it is also clear most British non Muslims do not 'get' Islam, and they do not understand what makes Muslims 'tick.' Many British communities, including British Muslims, have failed to understand each other and have failed to engage effectively in multicultural Britain.

There is mutual incomprehension and this can only be addressed by education." "Time for Change" Report claims that current education structures are "letting down" Muslims who were born and brought up in Britain and it goes on to say - "The most favoured option so far of Muslim schools and colleges set up and run by Muslims for Muslims for educating Islamically is NOT the answer to these difficult questions. The agenda needs to be much more challenging than that for all involved." The authors of the Report argue that "Multiculturalism is not about separatism, ghettoisation or balkanisation, it is instead recognition of diversity, the need for common ground, mutual respect and cultural engagement".

The report's authors also state that they recognise not everyone will agree with their recommendations but they hope it will act as a catalyst for debate. The main focus of their document is to examine the study of Islam and Muslims in Britain and map out how this field needs to be developed.

To widen the debate, they are organising a national symposium to discuss issues raised in the report to be held in Dundee early next year.

Turning to the performance of current departments and centres in the UK providing programmes in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Middle Eastern Studies and Religious studies it argues that the current crisis is not caused by lack of funding, instead it says there are a number of clear problems including " Departments not focussing on the needs of 21st century multicultural Britain instead concentrating on out of date and irrelevant issues " Some departments choosing local Imams and religious leaders as lecturers for "political correctness" " Evidence of some departments failing to replace experts in Islamic studies " Lack of clarity on where and how the subject should be taught " Many Muslim institutions focusing on their own political links and agendas to serve their own needs and not those of multicultural Britain.

A number of these Muslim Institutions are singled out for comment including The Muslim College in London, founded by the late Professor Zaki Badawi and largely funded by Libya, The Markfield Institute of Higher Education in Leicester with links to Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan and the Muslim Brothers, The European Institute of Human Sciences in Wales, also linked to the Muslim Brothers, London Open College, based on Al-Muntada Al-Islami in London with links to the Salafi movement in Saudi Arabia and The International Colleges of Islamic Sciences and the Islamic college for Advanced Studies which are Shi'ite institutions with links to movements in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.

Here the authors pose two questions - Is it right to say that Islamic Studies can only be pursued by Muslims? And does Islamic Studies require a Muslim Institution? The report's answer to these is a very definite NO.

The Report says there is an urgent need for a new agenda to develop Islamic Studies into the Study of Islam and Muslims to challenge both the more traditional approaches that were often faith based and excluded non-Muslims and the orientalist approaches that often alienated Muslims.

The authors argue that in today's multicultural Britain, the field of study must be open to bring together people of all backgrounds, something they have been doing for the past five years at Al-Maktoum Institute in Dundee.

The report also identifies the key issues of multiculturalism, globalisation, post colonialism and Muslims in the west and how these must set the agenda for the field to meet these new challenges in the 21st century. Accordingly, it argues that Britain needs to set a new agenda for the study of Islam and Muslims among its higher educational establishments.

"Time for Change" Report concludes with a series of recommendations for action, including: " Priority should be given to producing the next generation of young British nationals (of all background) as scholars in the study of Islam and Muslims " Muslim institutions should focus on training British Muslim Imams and Muslim religious leaders who understand how to live in multicultural Britain " Some Muslim institutions should be encouraged to integrate more actively into the British higher education system, particularly on issues of quality assurance and multicultural engagement with the wider society " As a matter of urgency the Government should commission a study on Muslim institutions i.e. schools, colleges, and institutions, and their place in the development of Islam and Muslims as an integral part of multicultural British society.

Arabic and Islamic studies were established in the UK 250 years ago. The earliest Chairs in Arabic were Oxford in 1640 and Cambridge in 1660.

The three major reports commissioned in the past were - The Reay Committee in 1909, The Scarborough Committee in 1947 and The Hayter Committee in 1961.

Pertinent Links:

1) Islamic studies fail 21st century test

2) Time for Change: Report on the Future of the Study of Islam and Muslims in Universities and Colleges in Multicultural Britain (El-Awaisi/Nye Report) (You can purchase the report when you click on the link.)

Executive Summary - Time for Change: Report on the Future of the Study of Islam and Muslims in Universities and Colleges in Multicultural Britain (El-Awaisi/Nye Report)

By Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi and Professor Malory Nye

A report Commissioned by Al-Maktoum Institute, Scotland.

There is a clear and very obvious need for the Study of Islam and Muslims to be developed as a significant field of study across all levels of education in Britain. This is not only for the education of British youth as global citizens with a good knowledge and understanding of the contemporary world. It is also essential as a means of understanding our own multicultural society.

Teaching on Islam and Muslims has been an important part of university curricula in the UK for well over 250 years. But now is the time for change. We need to develop this field of study for today's world and, in particular, to rethink many of the loosely understood ideas that frame so much of the public debate surrounding this.

The aims of this report are:
i) To map out the current crisis in the field of the Study of Islam and Muslims in British higher education institutions.
ii) To identify key contemporary trends and difficulties within the field.
iii) To present a framework for the development of the field which responds to the needs of a diverse and multicultural twenty-first century.

Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi is Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Al-Maktoum Institute. He is also the founder of the new field of inquiry of Islamicjerusalem Studies, the first Chair in Islamicjerusalem Studies, and is the Director of the Centre for Islamicjerusalem Studies. He is a British Arab, and has an excellent record of research publication in both English and Arabic, most recently a ground breaking monograph titled Introducing Islamicjerusalem. He has been studying, teaching and researching in the Study of Islam and Muslims at both Arab and British universities for nearly 30 years. He also received his training in Middle Eastern Studies and taught for a number of years in Religious Studies before taking up his present position.

Professor Malory Nye is Depute Principal for Academic Affairs, the first Chair in Multiculturalism and the Director of the Centre for Research on Multiculturalism and Islam and Muslims in Scotland. He is originally from Wales, and has authored three major books, including Multiculturalism and Minority Religions in Britain and Religion: the Basics. He has also edited the scholarly journal Culture and Religion for a number of years.