This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2561

Radical Middleway" stealth Islamists come out of the closet :UK Home & Foreign Office supports group waging cultural Jihad together with terror 'charities'

November 24, 2006

Islamists extreme makeover.

The Islamist Manifesto

"In Europe theyhave age and welfare - the Muslims have youth and will"

Radical Middleway" stealth Islamists come out of the closet :UK Home & Foreign Office supports group waging cultural Jihad group together with terror 'charities' . City Circle yuppie Islamist activities appeals to Hizb U Tahrir crowd.

(The Council on American Islamic Relations has also 'reached out' to the City Circle. On November 10th Chicago office director Ahmed Rehab held a transatlantic dialogue and was" keen on exploring diverse opportunities for transatlantic dialogue with British Muslim professionals..."

Also see "Hizb ut Tahrir: Al Muhajiroun goons in yuppie clothing"

http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/58

"Hams is for Hipsters""Ahmed Rehab of CAIR-(defendents in 9/11 terror lawsuit to address Moorehead U on 9/11 and American Muslim Relations:

http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2483

CAIR

November 24, 2006

MIM: Stealth Islamists come out of the closet in the oxymoronically named Radical Middleway group. The group's stated aim is to wage cultural Jihad to turn the United Kingdom into the Umma Khalifate. Instead of trying to 'tinker with theology' they aspire to 'produce culture' to show that infidels can live under shari'a and still be hip swinging Londinistaners. A recent event at the radical Islamist venue the City Circle was titled "Cultural Jihad - Making Islam Matter". The Radical Middleway tries to put the fun into fundamentalism by packaging Islam into pop and yuppie culture with some artsy and new age warm and fuzziness thrown in. According to the discussion announcement Muslims have to Islamise the arts in order to do da'wa -by showing that one can be hip and halal too. The Radical Middleway

"For Muslims living in the West the future lies not in the tinkering of theology but in the production of culture. "

http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk/index.php?option=com_magazine&Itemid=43

MIM:: The new Islamist template -cultural Jihad through music,art and photography. Note that the message is you that even hip, artsy, and worldly infidels can become Muslims. as related in the bio of Peter Sanders , a photographer convert to Islam, and a Muslim born British rapper and 'arch provocateur' who caused a 'global media frenzy' (as a prelude to Jihad?) with his album "All is War: The Benefits of G-had".

Presumably the cutesy title is meant to be a 'subtle' reference to Allah is War - The Benefits of Jihad", just the thing to get the' moderate Islamists' of the Radical Middleway up and chanting Allahu Akhbar while waving lighters and Molotov cocktails .

Aesthetics is also a big part of the new Radical Middleway aka Genteel Jihad :

"...What needs to be done to convert Western society to associate Islam with the beauty of the Taj Mahal and the Majesty of the Dome of the Rock rather than with the blasted Twin Towers of New York or the shattered Buddhist statues in Afghanistan? Can we develop an agenda of cultural do's that would harness the energy of our young people – to teach them that singing, creating, beautifying and being joyous are all part of the Islamic agenda?..."

It should also come as no surprise that the webmaster of the City Circle is Iqbal Asaria, an economist who runs the Webstar internet services and is also known as 'webmaster for Al Qaeda'.

"..One of the leading members the City Circle is Iqbal Asaria an Al Qaeda /CDLR/MIRA operative and webmaster who runs the Webstar internet company. He is the webmaster for the City Circle as well as the Al Qaeda websites Jihad.org, and Umma.org, as well as the IIIT ( Institute for Islamic Political Thought) in the US and Hamas operative Azzam Tamimi's IIIPT (International Institute for Islamic Political Thought) in the UK..."

In February Asaria gave a talk at the City Circle entitled 'Islam a European Future'an obvious reference to the fundamentalist Muslim goal of the Islamisation of Europe.


Muslims currently form a significant minority community within Europe. Europe continues to require further immigration to support its ageing population.

"...Europe needs good relations with its Muslim citizens and the Muslim world. Much of the debate over how close Europe should be with the United States to the detriment of its Muslim neighbours and citizens is driven by these realities.

Iqbal Asaria will explore these unfolding realties and ask whether Muslims are ready to grasp these emerging opportunities and what they must do to capitalise on them. (see event announcement below)

http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2271

http://www.thecitycircle.com/events_full_text2.php?id=418

Past Event Details

http://www.thecitycircle.com/events_full_text2.php?id=418

Date 17 Nov 2006
Title Cultural Jihad - Making Islam Matter
Speakers Dr Umar F Abd-Allah, Aki Nawaz, Naz Koser and Peter Sanders
Event Details 7 pm - 9.30 pm
17th November 2006

Brunei Gallery, SOAS, University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG
http://www.soas.ac.uk/gallery/findus.html

All welcome. No entrance fee.

Keynote address: Dr Umar F Abd-Allah

Respondents:
Aki Nawaz (Fun-Da-Mental, Bradford/London)
Naz Koser (Ulfah Arts, Birmingham) and
Peter Sanders (The Photographer, London)

For Muslims living in the West the future lies not in the tinkering of theology but in the production of culture. But how is this process of cultural relevancy to take place? Is it taking place? What are its discernible forms? What are the challenges that need to be surmounted before a genuine cultural expression takes root? And what and who is to define what is ‘genuine'? To what extent is cultural output in Islamic civilisation a utilitarian exercise? In the global village of specialised economies and shared global tastes where does the process of being consumers stop and that of being producers of culture begin? What needs to be done to convert Western society to associate Islam with the beauty of the Taj Mahal and the Majesty of the Dome of the Rock rather than with the blasted Twin Towers of New York or the shattered Buddhist statues in Afghanistan? Can we develop an agenda of cultural do's that would harness the energy of our young people – to teach them that singing, creating, beautifying and being joyous are all part of the Islamic agenda?

This is a Radical Middle Way event, in association with Q-News Magazine, the City Circle and Islamic Circles. For further information, please visit http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk


Speaker info:
Dr Umar Abdallah is one of Western Islam's most learned and exciting figures. His groundbreaking works include 'Islam and the Cultural Imperative', 'Seek Knowledge in China' and 'Famous Women in Islam'.

Naz Koser is the founder and director of Ulfah Arts. Naz recognise the needs of practising Muslim women; how their religious and cultural views can exclude them from being able to participate in artistic events, either as practitioners or spectators. Ulfah Arts recently launched Britain's first practising-muslim female band, The Ulfah Collective. For more info, visit http://www.ulfaharts.co.uk

Aki Nawaz a.k.a. Propa-Gandhi is a British rapper/musician and arch-provocateur of the Muslim rock band Fun-Da-Mental. He is best known for his controversial lyrics and the global media frenzy over his latest album, All is War: The Benefits of G-Had. Nawaz grew up in Bradford, England. He is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Q-News Magazine.

Peter Sanders is perhaps the world's most renowned and well-loved Muslim photographer. He began his career in the mid-1960's covering Londons' seminal rock and roll scene until his travels through India and the Muslim world brought him to the Islamic faith. It's been said that, "he captures the spiritual beauty of creation itself." Sanders' own deep commitment to and love of traditional Islamic culture has brought him into intimate contact with people and places few photographers reach.

-------------------------

Past Event Details
http://www.thecitycircle.com/events_full_text2.php?id=416
--
Date 10 Nov 2006
Title A Transatlantic Dialogue
Location
Speakers Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago)
Watch
Click here to stream video in Real Player (Part 1)
Click here to stream video in Real Player (Part 2)
Event Details Join us for a transatlantic dialogue with Ahmed Rehab, the Executive Director of the Chicago-branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago). CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties group.

Ahmed Rehab will be discussing a number of topics relating to the importance of professional civic engagement; notably the American-Muslim activist model, focusing on his experience over the last two years building the Chicago office, one of CAIR's largest chapters, into a pro-active force for justice and civil liberties.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is a grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, with regional offices nationwide and in Canada. The national headquarters is located on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.

Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. Through media relations, lobbying, education and advocacy, CAIR puts forth an Islamic perspective to ensure the Muslim voice is represented. In offering this perspective, CAIR seeks to empower the American Muslim community and encourage their participation in political and social activism.

Prior to joining CAIR, Ahmed was a freelance speaker, writer, and activist in the fields of interfaith collaboration, education, and community outreach. Ahmed is a firm believer in the need to reach out and build bridges with "the other" as the most effective way to battle ignorance and suspicion.

Ahmed is keen on exploring diverse opportunities for transatlantic dialogue with British Muslim professionals.

All welcome. No entrance fee.

--------------

Past Event Details
http://www.thecitycircle.com/events_full_text2.php?id=329
Date 04 Feb 2005
Title Islam - A European future
Speakers M Iqbal Asaria
Event Details Turkey's membership into the European Union came a step closer in December 2004 when agreement was reached to open formal talks with Ankara in a deal described by Tony Blair as proof that the 'clash of civilisations' idea was "wrong". Whilst it could take up to 15 years before Turkey is able to join (and entry is not guaranteed) it would make Turkey the second largest country in Europe with its population of 72 million.

Muslims currently form a significant minority community within Europe. Europe continues to require further immigration to support its ageing population. Should Turkey join the EU, one in five Europeans will be a Muslim. The bulk of Europe's energy needs come from the Muslim world. Other than Russia, all of Europe borders the Muslim world.
For all the above reasons, Europe needs good relations with its Muslim citizens and the Muslim world. Much of the debate over how close Europe should be with the United States to the detriment of its Muslim neighbours and citizens is driven by these realities.

Iqbal Asaria will explore these unfolding realties and ask whether Muslims are ready to grasp these emerging opportunities and what they must do to capitalise on then.

Iqbal is a regular lecturer at the Islamic Foundation in Leicester. He is also active in the Muslim Council of Britain and has presented at their leadership development seminars. Iqbal is a member of the working party set up by the Governor of the Bank of England to look into issues relating to Islamic housing and finance products in the UK.

Iqbal is the founder and chairman of Webstar Plc and founder of the Salaam Portal, a leading on-line information resource for UK Muslims. He was also recipient of a CBE in this year's Queen's honours list.

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http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=67

Radical Middle Way events have been generously supported in varying capacities by the following groups and organisations (listed in alphabetical order). The content, views and opinions expressed on this website are not necessarily shared or endorsed by the project partners or sponsors. The project partners thank you for your continued support:

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Alhambra Productions
www.alhambraproductions.com

Amal Press
www.amalpress.com

City Circle
www.thecitycircle.com

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Foreign & Commonwealth Office
www.fco.gov.uk

Guidance Media
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Home Office
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Madni Mosque, Bradford
www.icea.org.uk

Interpal
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The Islamic Establishment
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Islamic Relief UK
www.islamic-relief.com

Islamic Emporium
www.islamicgoodsdirect.co.uk

The London Muslim Centre
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Shukr Clothing
www.shukronline.com

Ummah Chocolates
www.ummahfoods.com

Zaytuna Institute
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The Christian Muslim Forum
www.christianmuslimforum.org

The Andalus project www.andalus.co.uk Ash-Shifa
www.ash-shifa.org.uk

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Oxford Central Mosque
www.omca.org.uk
Oxford Brookes ISOC www.brookes.ac.uk
Islamic Circles (Froud Centre)

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2561