The call came in at 10:30. At home, with family, chatting away with friends on facebook, twitter, reading the news, scanning the technology and gadget blogs, my typical Saturday night. She couldn't make it. A friend. She had a space in the audience for The Big Questions and wanted to know if I'd like to go in her place. Unfamiliar with the show, I had at least heard of Nicky Campbell, who to me is a well known and respected journalist presenting shows as diverse as the Wheel of Fortune to Watchdog. I'd have to be there at 8:30 on a Sunday morning? Early, but why not.
Sadly the structure of the show meant that in addition to the panel - today comprising of Christina Rees, Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet and Kelvin MacKenzie - aside from those seated in the front row, much of the wider audience were unable to participate. Perhaps an adjustment to the format is needed? In any case, etching to contribute to the discussion, I'll use this forum instead 'broadcast' what I had intended to say to the three questions forming the subject of today's show.
1. Are we too tolerant of Muslim extremism?
Are we REALLY tolerant of Muslim extremism? Since 9/11 more than a thousand Muslims have been profiled and arrested with the vast majority of them having been released without charge. Contrary to popular opinion, the vast majority of Muslims - as the panelists and audience members rightly observe - are law abiding citizens. Sadly the media and leading commentators are more inclined to focus on this small minority, with the typical public mantra of 'where is the condemnation'. Should any of these commentators actually look to the Muslim media channels, they will find repeated condemnation of terrorist activities. Instead, they look for condemnation on mainstream channels who often prefer to boost ratings by bringing in controversial figures instead of those who speak for the everyday Muslim on the street. Worse, what does it say about the criticiser if they are unwilling to look further than their 'front door' to find the answers they are looking for?
The suggestion that foreign Muslim students should be banned from the UK was also rather ludicrous. There seems to be a growing opinion that 'sending them home', expelling 'them' from our country will somehow solve the problem. Yet in the case of the recent attempted terrorist attack on the United States by Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, not only had this man been excluded from our country, but as well as the CIA, FBI, DHS and the US State Department being made aware of his negative inclinations, little was done.
So this is the real problem, not that we value freedom of expression, whether its foolish extremists planning to march in Wootten Bassett under the guise of 'freedom of expression', or a Danish cartoonist drawing insulting comics of Prophet Muhammad under 'freedom of expression'. The problem is that those resources which we do have are inefficiently deployed. Secondly, we rarely look at the problem, instead look for quick, convenient political quips as our solution. Until we look at the real causes behind these issues, putting in place safeguards for the effect, will be nothing more than 'closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted'.
2. Is the pub more important than the Church?
Throughout history Churches and Mosques filled a very different role in our societies. They were the center of the community where people would congregate to socialize, to engage, to learn, even to relax. With time, these institutions became increasingly segregated, not so much by way of gender, more on the grounds of strict and inhibiting interpretations of faith. To the point that today, most Churches and Mosques neither engage in activity that invite people in, nor allow individuals to engage these institutions in meaningful dialogue. Putting aside the negative impact of alcohol on society, the pub has become the venue where individuals can meet, relax, and engage in discussion.
Ironically, many in the audience, with the exception of a handful were constantly sharing their dissatisfaction with the Church today. In doing so they have indirectly touched upon the problems facing the Muslim community. If you look at the vast majority of Muslims, we are everyday people, some more religious, some less religious, but we are just people with the same hopes and aspirations of everyone else. Our mosques are so poorly funded, offering such little opportunities for engagement, that intellectual thought and engagement have become stagnated. While those mosques that DO have funding tend to be supported from Middle eastern regimes, who, fueled with petrodollars have been exporting their stricter interpretations of faith as 'the only' accurate interpretation of faith. This narrow, often ugly interpretation of Islam along with the religious edits that follow it should be our cause for concern. Consider, the often repeated mantra 'follow the sunnah (example of the Prophet)'. Yet almost every mosque separates men and women with barriers, something which never existed at the time of Prophet Muhammad. So much for following his 'sunnah'.
Each and every one of us has a belief in something. We all look to question, to ponder, to understand. When the Church in general, or the Mosque community in general do not address the needs of the many, people become disenfranchised, and in the case of some weaker, less informed individuals, take to violence to express their opinions by way of protest; despite in the case of Islam, the Quran clearly forbidding this, not to mention the example of Prophet Muhammad e.g. at Taif where he chose not to have the Angel of the Mountains destroy Taif, rather he prayed that they or their off spring would become Muslim. Compare thow the Prophet reacted to those in Taif to the whims of those causing a stir over cartoons, which while insulting, are just cartoons.
The pub does today what the Churches and Mosques did once upon a time. They were open to all, allowing individuals to engage at a spiritual as well as intellectual level. Given the general direction of society, perhaps it is time we put a greater investment into our Churches and Mosques, without adopting a holier than thou attitude as if often found in many of these institutions.
3. Do miracles happen?
Much depends on how we define a miracle. To some, everything is a miracle, to others, nothing is a miracle. Do I believe in miracles? Yes. Can I explain them? No. Can others explain them? Sometimes. Will we reach a point where all miracles can be explained? Perhaps. Why? Consider the universe is bound by rules and regulations, principles of physics. Inevitably as our knowledge of science increases things that we once thought were generally impossible, may become understood. As a Muslim, given that I believe that God is the Creator, as God says in the Quran, "Be and it will be"; after all surely anything is possible for the Creator of the Universe.
Did I enjoy today's show? Yes. Even without being given the opportunity to speak? Sure. After all, a large part of the experience is to engage with other audience members. Up until last night I wasn't at all familiar with the tv program, and while I am less keen on the format not to mention the occasional flippant, at times disturbing populist comments from members of the panel, I may tune in next week.
Those in the UK can watch the show on the BBC iplayer here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00psqs0/The_Big_Questions_Series_3_Episode_1/
