Flanders: Vlaams Belang launches Turk remigration campaign

Via Today’s Zaman:

The Vlaams Belang party of Belgium, a right-wing political party that aims for an independent Flanders, has started a campaign of remigration in order to convince those immigrants who do not adapt to Flemish society to return home. The Turkish motto of the campaign the Flemish party has been conducting is “t,” (Emirdağ needs you), while the general motto addressing all immigrants is “Return happily to your home country.” Fliers carrying the mottos have been distributed to thousands in Flanders.

(…)

Johan Deckmyn, who is one of the group members and a member of parliament in Flanders, said at a press conference held in Ankara on Wednesday they are in favor of remigration of immigrants who cannot integrate in society in Flanders. “If Turks don’t want to re-migrate, they should integrate into our society,” he stated. Asserting that they were not anti-Turkish or racist in any way, Deckmyn has complained that there are too many immigrants in Flanders and that the immigrants do not integrate into Flemish society. “A lot of Turks in Ghent have problems adapting and learning the language. There are Turks who have been living in Flanders for thirty years and don’t speak Flemish,” he complained.

Deckmyn also noted that Turks in Flanders have been complaining about Roma arriving in large numbers from Bulgaria and Romania in recent years, the newcomers being criticized for not adapting to the ways of the local society.

(source)

Sweden: Immigrant kids ‘doing just fine’

Via the Local:

Children born in Sweden of immigrants parents, enjoy as good mental health as children with Swedish-born parents, a new study shows.

“Our thesis I would say was in line with the common conception in our society that children of immigrated parents would have an extra stress factor in life and be affected negatively by that,” researcher Linda Dekeyser, PhD doctoral candidate at the faculty of health sciences (Hälsouniversitetet) at Linköping University, told The Local.

“But we were positively surprised to find that that is not the case.”

(source)

Sweden: Muslims to get funds from ‘church tax’

Via SVT (Swedish)

The Bosnian Islamic Society (BIS) is the first Muslim community to get reimbursements back from the church tax, similarly to the Church of Sweden, following a government decision Thursday.

The association, which met certain criteria on finance and stability, will get help from the Tax Authority with managing the funds.

BIS was established in the mid-1990s and has 12,000 members. It has 26 local communities.

Copenhagen: Group calls for Shariah zones

“Do you want to take part in establishing Shariah in Denmark,
or do you want to stand by? The choice is yours!”
(from the group’s Shariah4DK video)

Via Politiken:

A small group of extremists wants to introduce patrolled Sharia zones in Denmark.

A Danish group of Salafists calling themselves “Call to Islam” (Kaldet til Islam) plan to introduce round the clock patrols in Sharia zones they introduce in Copenhagen, and eventually other areas of Denmark, along the lines of a similar group in the United Kingdom.

(…)

According to Jyllands-Posten, Call to Islam plans to introduce Sharia zones – initially in the Tingbjerg suburb of Copenhagen, then in other areas of Nørrebro and eventually in other areas of Denmark. In its zones, patrols will approach those who drink, gamble, go to discothèques or engage in other activities seen by the group as running contrary to Islam.

The Muslim Joint Council (MJC), which is an umbrella organisation for Muslim associations in Denmark, has condemned the plans for Sharia zones.

“We should not be blind to their extremism in our society,” MJC Spokesman Mustafa Gezen tells Jyllands-Posten.

(source)

Netherlands: ‘Migration enriches our society’, says Immigration Minister

Via RNW:

Immigration Minister Gerd Leers argues that “Migration enriches our society.”

The minister made his statement in an article published in magazine of the Christian democratic CDA’s scientific institute.

(…)

Minister Leers states that a society which tries to curb immigration is “on the wrong track.” He says he wants to dispel negative ideas about immigration and emphasise a positive image.’ He regrets that the political and social debate of the past few years has put immigration in a bad light.

(source)

Denmark: Muslims want independent body to supervise halal slaughter

Via Kristeligt Dagblad:

The Danish Islamic Faith Society and 35 other Muslim associations joined together to stop what they say is non-halal meat sold as halal. They want to create an independent organ to supervise halal slaughter.

“Some of the methods used in slaughter are not halal, and the supervision of halal slaughter is too lenient,” says Ben Yones Essabar, head of the Islamic Faith Society’s Halal Committee.

Slaughterhouses must be approved before they can sell halal meat. The Islamic Culture Center (IKC) had until now issued the halal certificates. But according to the Islamic Faith Society, several cattle slaughterhouses have had their halal certificates renewed for years despite the fact that they’ve used stun-bolt guns to stun the animals. The IKC recently withdrew permission to use stun-bolt guns.

Ben Yones Essabar says that the news caused insecurity among many Muslims. They’re shocked, distraught and confused, and some have stopped buying beef.

Denmark also exports beef to Muslim countries, and the Islamic Faith Society says that the Muslims were misled to believe that the meat was halal.

“Muslims in Denmark and abroad ate meat which hasn’t been halal slaughtered for several years, says the Islamic Faith Society. The trust in halal meat disappeared in Denmark and risks disappearing also internationally.

The Danish Bacon & Meat Council (DBMC) denies that slaughter of beef does not adhere to Islamic precepts. But the organization notes that the halal slaughter regulations were recently made stricter.

Henrik Bunkenborg of the DBMC says that their meat has been approved by the Islamic Culture Center and that they’ve adhered to whatever rules there were. Now that the rules are stricter there’s an in-between period. He says that Muslims countries do trust Danish meat exports.

The IKC reject the criticism from other Muslims and says that a new independent supervisory body is not necessary.

“We guarantee that the meet is 100% halal. We have been around for many years in Denmark, but many other Muslim organizations want the right to issue halal certificates,” says imam Khalil Jaffar Mushib of the IKC. “If people think there have been mistakes, we’ll be happy to have dialog. But nobody will take over issuing certificates.”

A halal certificate costs around 500 kroner a year and applies to approx. 25 tons of meat. Today the money goes to the IKC.

Moscow: Mufti urges Muslims to actively integrate in Russian society

(Muslims gathered at Sokolniki Park to celebrate Eid)

Via Interfax:

The Mufti of Moscow and Russia’s Central Region Albir Krganov has called on Muslims to integrate more in the Russian society.

“Arabs often learnt construction, architecture and warfare from other nations. This is how the society makes progress, through mutual enrichment. And those who do not learn lag behind. One also has to be able to fit into the reality. Not to dictate their own things all the time. A Muslim is obliged to learn to live within a society without causing discomfort to anyone,” the mufti said in his sermon on the occasion of the Eid ul-Fitr holiday.

On Tuesday, he performed a Muslim prayer at a specially equipped pavilion at the Sokolniki Park. For the first time, Moscow authorities provided the Islamic community with additional space for the festive service.

(source)

Netherlands: Interior minister argues for burka ban

Via RNW:

“You can’t walk down the street naked either. That is the result of our norms about decent behaviour. The Netherlands also has norms which make it advisable to ban clothing which covers your face.”

Interior Minister Piet-Hein Donner was speaking during a debate about his integration bill, which would introduce a ban on burkas. Not for security reasons but because “in our society you have to be able to see each other”.

(source)

UK: Bill to ban Islamic courts from dealing with family and criminal law

Via the Guardian:

Islamic courts would be forced to acknowledge the primacy of English law under a bill being introduced in the House of Lords.

The bill, proposed by Lady Cox and backed by women’s rights groups and the National Secular Society, was drawn up because of “deep concerns” that Muslim women are suffering discrimination within closed sharia law councils.

The Arbitration and Mediation Services (Equality) Bill will introduce an offence carrying a five-year jail sentence for anyone falsely claiming or implying that sharia courts or councils have legal jurisdiction over family or criminal law. The bill, which will apply to all arbitration tribunals if passed, aims to tackle discrimination, which its supporters say is inherent in the courts, by banning the sharia practice of giving woman’s testimony only half the weight of men’s.

(source)

By Khalid Baig
In all societies and at all times marriage has been considered an occssion for great joy. The word most used with “wedding” is “celebration.” In fiction, which reflects our inner desires, they “lived happily ever after.” Obviously seeking success in marriage has been a pre-occupation of all societies.

Today in the U.S. — a society as advanced as human endeavour alone without Divine Guidance can make it — the average length of “ever after” is about seven years. That is the average period a new marriage lasts today. But even this period is not entirely a period of happiness. As the Surgeon General report indicated a few years ago, home had become the most dangerous place for the American woman. The leading cause of injuries to them is beatings by husbands and boy friends.

Obviously Science and the Age of Reason have not exactly delivered the happiest homes on earth. The secret to marital bliss eludes the Western civilization, although arrogance and conceit keep it from admitting fundamental flaws and looking elsewhere for solutions. Otherwise it would have found the solution in Islam.

Islamic prescription for success in married life is based on taqwa, fear and consciousness of Allah. Taqwa — the basis for all aspects of Islamic life — is especialy relevant to the household. That is why Sura Nisa, where many commands regarding rights and responsibilities of spouses are given, begins with repeated reminders of taqwa.

A hadith explains why. It descrbes a scene from the court of Iblis (Devil) where his assistants are reporting their achievements but he is not pleased. Then comes an assistant and says: “I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between a husband and his wife.” The Devil embraces him in joy saying “Well done.”

To fight the Devil, one needs Allah’s help and it comes with taqwa, that is living with the awareness that Allah is watching us and will hold us accountable for our actions. A direct and far reaching consequence of this awareness is that a fight for rights is replaced by a concern for responsibilities. One’s rights are other’s responsibilities. A Muslim husband and wife will be concerned with discharging their duties toward each other. Not a very atractive prospect for those itching to start a fight for rights. But it provides for a home that is a model of peace, love and harmony.

Islam emphasises organization and discipline, the five daily congregational prayers being a good reminder of that concern. If two Muslims travel together, they are required to choose one as the leader. Quite naturally the principle extends to the home as well, and husband is the head of the household. He is responsible for handling all outside affairs and providing finances, protection, and over all direction. The wife is his assistant in the home, responsible for taking care of the home and the children. A very famous hadith explains it: “Everyone of you is in charge and everyone will be accountable for those given in their charge. The man is in charge of the household and the woman is in charge of the home and the children.” [Bukhari]. This hierarchy of authority and responsibility is key to the stability and proper functioning of the society.

Authority does carry risk of misuse. The solution does not lie in eliminating authority but in including suitable protections against the possible abuse. On the legal level this is achieved by delineating the boundaries of this authority. The basic ground rule in the Islamic society is that no one can ever ask for anything againt the Shariah. But that is not it. Actually a wife’s legal obligation is very limited. In fact her only legal obligation is to stay in the home of her husband. She is not legally bound even to cook food, much less serve the parents or other relatives of her husband. The delicate balance between the legal and the moral here is very illuminating. On the moral plane she is expected to take care of household chores, but this is to be taken as a favor by the husband.

Too many husbands take these services for granted. Realizing this necessary function as kindness would call for greater kindness in return. And a heavy emphasis on kindness keeps the husband’s authority in check: “The best of you are those who are best in dealing with their wives and I am the best in dealing with my wives.” [Tirmidhi].

A problem may still arise between the husband and wife. No two human beings can always meet the expectations of the other. Human beings are niether perfect nor perfectly matched. What is a husband to do if he sees something in his wife that he does not like? Unless the issue of concern is an unacceptable behaviour according to Shariah — in which case he should use appropriate pursuasion to change it — the husband is asked to ignore the negative and focus on the positive. “No believing man should totally detest a believing woman [who is his wife]. If he dislikes something in her, there would be something else in her that he would like.” [Muslim].

Most problems in domestic life begin as minor incidents that become magnified by taking exactly the opposite approach. On the other hand even the most trying moments in marital relations can be overcome by following this one piece of Prophetic advice.

Easier said than done? Well, what protects us from succumbing to our anger or frustrations in trying real life situations is taqwa and rememberance of Allah. He has more power over us than we have over those given in our charge. We remember His authority and seek His mercy. The success of our married life depends upon His mercy and not on our power or ability to fight or manipulate. This search for His mercy brings the best in ourselves. As one hadith says: “When a husband and wife look at each other with love, Allah looks at both of them with mercy.” And that is the real secret to the marital bliss!

Critics will point out the many domestic problems in Muslim societies today similar to [but on a smaller scale than] the problems in the West. True. But that should not blind us to the key difference between the two. The problems in the West are a result of the value system adopted by it; those in Muslim homes result from deviating from their values. One is suffering by taking the wrong medicine, the other for failing to take the right one.
Source: Al Balagh

Related posts:

1. Characteristics of a Pious Wife
2. Marriage Breakdown
3. Fatimah bint Abdul Malik
4. The Bond of Holy Love
5. Ashraf’s Blessings of Marriage