[Action Alert]Muslims stand firm in face of Panorama assault

[lubna]

In the name of Allah , the Beneficent , the Merciful



Muslims stand firm in face of Panorama assault



Sunday’s Panorama programme aimed to show a split in the Muslim community – if any, it is a split between the vast majority who have belief and confidence in Islam and a small number who have been weakened by the onslaught on our faith.



The programme’s reporter John Ware set about trying to expose that Muslims supposedly secretly see themselves as superior to other faiths. The attack on the MCB is especially curious in this regard given all the excellent work they have done in the interfaith world. Actions do indeed speak louder than non-existent words.



MCB Secretary-General Iqbal Sacranie displayed in the programme a strong leadership that would not be intimidated in the face of the agenda-driven Ware. The attacks on the MCB by the Zionist lobby in the last few weeks have been nothing short of scandalous.



The Sunday newspapers again tried to tarnish the name of MCB’s Media Secretary Inayat Bunglawala. It is not surprising that the supporters of Israel do not like him – he is a powerful and articulate voice against injustice and oppression.



In his letter to the BBC last week, he said prominent Zionists have tried to make political capital of the London atrocities. Indeed this is what Ware’s programme presesnted – an absurd confused linkage of the unjustified condemned crime in Britain’s capital and the Palestinian resistance against a brutal and illegal occupation. They are not the same.



In his attempt to undermine some of the main representatives of British Muslims, Ware sought the support of hitherto unheard of names among Muslims. Those that had been heard of such as Ghayasuddin Siddiqui of the Muslim Parliament should be careful about who they criticises for not integrating – only the same day as the Panorama programme, the Deputy of his organisation, Yaqub Zaki, was quoted in the Sunday Times that he would be “happy” if bombers were to target Downing Street.



Siddiqui said he no longer believed that Islam and politics were compatible. It was a theme the Panorama programme laboured on without ever explaining what was wrong with the values Islam espoused. The programme failed miserably to define what Islam in the political sphere is. It was just assumed Islam was a bad thing and Muslims should not speak on issues such as human rights and justice from an anchoring of their faith.



Suspicions regarding Ware’s agenda must arise when we see how grotesquely he decontextualises Maulana Maududi, not only from his overall teachings, but even from the same paragraph (see the MCB’s full rebuttal of the programme, link below). We also take confidence that Ware’s case must be astonishingly weak for him to grope around like this.



Ware had spent more than a year on this programme, well before the London bombings.It did not instil confidence amongst MAB when he was spoken of lovingly by the likes of Islamophobes Anthony Browne and Rod Liddle. Networks like theirs are alarmed at the increasing politicisation (and thus integration) of British Muslims during the last four years. They liked it better when we did not speak out and they had a virtual monopoly of the media and Parliament to glorify Israel’s crimes.



This era is coming to an end, and programmes such as Ware’s are the last desperate attempts to hold off the day when the lies are exposed. British Muslims should not be frightened as the Islamophobes would like them to be – now is the time to stand firm.



You can read the MCB’s detailed rebuttal of the programme here http://www.mcb.org.uk/Panorama_response.doc



MCB hit back over attacks http://www.iwitness.co.uk/uk/0805u-06.htm

Action required:

I)Call the BBC now to complain about this biased and Islamophobic edition of Panorama:

1. Phone in BBC complaints line on 08700 100 222 or

2. Go to BBC link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/make_complaint_step1.shtml and fill online quick complaints form

II) You can contact or send your comment to Panorama by:

1. Email: panorama@bbc.co.uk

2. Contact Panorama on 020 8752 7017

3. Write to: BBC Panorama Room 1118, 201 Wood Lane London W12 7TS

4. Go to this panorama link and fill in complaint via email: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/416244.stm

Muslim Association of Britain

22nd August 2005

[macmuslim]

Assalamu alaikum

I was aghast when I watched this last night - and emailed the BBC today to register my dismay.

I mean, come on, asking Iqbal Sacranie a question and then badgering him by saying "Admit it!" when he was trying to answer. Quoting the Quran majeed out of context and playing with translations.

Attempting to confront Azzam Tamimi, and being left reeling when Dr Tamimi answered the accusation that he supported Palestinians using themselves in human bombs by saying "So What?"

I actually laughed though when they portrayed the Sufi's as the mainstream Islam! Then got the local cash and carry owners to bang on about these dangerous muslims, the ones who want to politicise everything.................I wonder if that is because they would stop the cash and carry's selling shuraab.
I remember being in Glasgow Central Masjid one evening a few years ago, when a scholar from Masjid al Haram in Makka was visiting. The Aalim said that he cried when he came here and saw the everyday muslims selling shuraab and bacon in their shops. I glanced over at the local MP (Britain's first muslim MP) who was in the group, and who owns such cash and carry's that sell booze, and he smirked like a naughty schoolboy. I thought of this when I saw the 'representative' from one of these 'mainstream muslims' last night bashing the MCB and saying that the 'real muslims' don't want MCB to represent them.

[lubna]

Assalamoalykum brother

i remember few weeks ago we had a thread here saying most people here like bbc as it is unbiased... well they better think again...:)

here is what i wrtote to them right now.



subject: panorama or attackdrama

hello sir/madam



what ever happend to neutral stance of bbc on the sensitive issues.... this panaorama on sunday was nothing but an attack on muslim community .

the reporter jhon ware was unable to hide his resentment for islam and muslims.

its not muslims who are feeling superior to other faiths but it is the guilt and inferiority complex of other faith , that make them feel and see muslim that way. its not muslims who are bombing occupying, and terrorising non muslim countries on the globe!


it is the innocense of muslims worldwide that is making the guilt of non muslims appear big.

i hope you will be more sympathetic to muslims in the future, if not then your programms like this will only increase more sympathy for the muslims in the eyes of unbiased viewers, as they will witness that media is attacking muslims and bbc is one of them.

one day inshaAllah you will see peace and justice brought to you by islam, and whats more we will forgive you alll for what you had been doing to us . victory always makes muslims soft and kind . makes them more submissive to Allah.

peace

your sister through Ibrahim( peace be upon him)

Lubna

[Om_Mohammed]

Assalaamu alaikum.

As I have very little time or chance to watch the tv, I didn't see this program.

And...as for 'liking' the BBC...well, as I remember the thread u are referring to, sister, it asked for ppl's response to the question of which news agency we preferred...the bbc or cnn.

Now...given those choices, I would opt for the bbc nearly any day over the cnn, which is virtually no better than fox. The bbc being only slightly better.

But if I had the choice OVER the bbc...I of course opt for some of the middle-east broadcasters, such as Al-Arabiya, jazeera, and the likes, over the bbc.

We need to remember that as Allah has so wisely and truly (of course), warned us...that they (the christians and jews)...will never be satisfied or happy with us until they are able to sway us from the truth of Islam. And so we cannot fully rely upon them for truth.

But as far as western media is concerned, the bbc is still superior to the others, in my opinion.

Just recently went to the US myself...and believe me...in the papers, on the radios, on the tv...there is certainly NOTHING of the truth of the world going on their broadcasts. Just little tidbits here and there to satisfy the grand majority of the public.

My sister even mentioned to me...of how she accidently had the bbc on one night...and ever since that one accidental viewing, she has sworn to not watch their own local US broadcasts...simply because she was so impressed with what the bbc showed of so much basic and utter exposure of what was going on elsewhere in the world.

By this accidental viewing only of the bbc that one one time...she was awakened to how much the american public is truly kept in the dark about world affairs!!

Gee...imagine how much more enlightened she (and others as well) would be if they would get onto some of the news sites on the internet as well!! (i did mention that to her, by the way).

Certainly not a spokesperson or advertiser for the bbc myself...but given the choices available, it is presently superior to the others.

Om Mohammed.