Muslim Community Lobby Ireland is an independent organization established 1st May 2007. Its motto is TO USE THE VOTE RIGHTLY AND TO RAISE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AWARNESS WITH THEIR RIGHTS AND TO PROMOTE TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER EXISTING GROUPS. لترشيد استعمال الصوت الانتخابي ولتوعية وتعريف المسلمين بحقوقهم في ايرلندا وان يعيشوا بتفهم للواقع وللجماعات الاخرى الموجودة على الساحة

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Government urged to protect girls in migrant communities الحكومة تدعو لحماية البنات من الختان في الاقليات

RUADHAN Mac CORMAIC, Migration Correspondent

"I KNOW this pain is not going anywhere," said 20-year-old Ifrah Ahmed, a shy if strikingly self-possessed presence at the launch of Ireland's first action plan on female genital mutilation (FGM) in Dublin yesterday. "God knows what I feel inside my heart. I don't really want to cry. I don't want to feel bad. But this really makes me feel . . ."

Ms Ahmed has been in Ireland for three years and is one of an estimated 2,500 women living here who have undergone genital cutting. She was subjected to it twice - the procedure was originally carried out by a relative at home when she was just eight years old, and then again five years later due to complications the first time.

Yesterday she related the sense of shame that keeps many girls from explaining their condition to Irish doctors, and the physical and emotional pain that they endure long after childhood.

She worries about childbirth, and has had difficulties dating Irish men because she finds it excruciating to explain what she has gone through.

"For myself, it's really very painful when I get my period. I can't go to school, I can't do anything. I have to stay two or three days at home. All girls who have been through this [are the] same as me."

"I moved to Drogheda three months ago and still I come to Dublin for my doctor," she said. "I'm now very comfortable with my doctor and he has made me feel like I can talk to him. But it is very difficult."

Ms Ahmed was speaking at the publication of the Republic's first plan of action to address a practice which is thought to have been performed on up to 140 million women and girls living today.

The document, drafted by a committee which included the Health Service Executive, Irish Aid and non-governmental groups, calls on the Government to enact laws to prohibit the practice and reduce the risk facing girls from some of Ireland's immigrant communities.

It also suggests enhancing the capacity of the asylum process to accommodate gender-related claims and improving support within the health service.

Tendai Madondo of Christian Aid, a charity, said the publication of the action plan was a significant milestone and a "very significant day for many African women living in Ireland".

FGM involves the partial or total removal of the external genitalia for non-medical reasons. It is usually carried out on girls between four and 15 years old, often without an anaesthetic and with the use of makeshift and unsanitary cutting tools including blunt knives or shards of glass.

"You're just taken by people who are older than you, who you cannot challenge. They just press you down and begin to cut on you. In the majority of cases these are unfamiliar faces - people with high status within the society," said Madondo. "Today, some little girl out there went through this."

The World Health Organisation estimates that between 100 and 140 million girls are living with the consequences of FGM and three million girls are at risk each year.

The experience can cause chronic pain, excessive bleeding, infection and, in severe cases, death through blood loss. It can also lead to depression, difficulties with childbirth and increased susceptibility to HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases, Madondo said.

Although there is no evidence of FGM being carried out here, Akidwa, an African women's network, estimates there are more than 2,500 women living in Ireland who have been subjected to it.

Senator Fiona O'Malley said the plan proposed a "practical yet meaningful" approach for the State to pursue. "We're here because we share a commitment to the realisation of women's human rights, here in Ireland and around the world.

"FGM is a harmful practice that violates the rights of women and girls and infringes upon children's rights to special protection and has serious social, health and psychological consequences."

Source: the Irish Times

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

DIT KEVIN STREET Dinner THIS THURSDAY AT 6PM!

DIT ISOC DINNER THIS THURSDAY 6PM 20TH NOVEMBER 2008 IN THE CANTEEN, DIT KEVIN STREET.
(BESIDE CAMDEN STREET) ENTRANCE FEE IS 2 EURO!
CONTACT HAMZA ON 0863380245

hamza_razaq1@hotmail.com

Charity Week 2008 Street Collection!


Assalamualaikum
Please join in with FOSIS Ireland and Islamic Relief for the...
Charity Week 2008 Street Collection!
Muslims will be hitting the streets of Dublin to collect money for orphans around the world.
November 20-26th
Please join in to:
1. raise money for orphans 2. to change peoples perceptions of Islam and Muslims 3. to gain the reward of AllahWe will be collecting on Graffton St, Dame St, and Westmoreland St. In order to book a slot to collect please check out the rota at the
http://cwireland08.wordpress.com/ website and / or email Sister Munirah at moon_soe@yahoo.com. The website also has more info on Charity Week in Ireland. Please feel free to email us if you have any additional questions. poster is attached and feel free to forward this email.Thank you , Jazakallahu khair

Monday, November 10, 2008

The Face of Irish Islamophobia


The disparity between media (mis)representations of Islam and Islam as practised by the vast majority of the world's 1.5 billion Muslims is well documented. Indeed, Channel 4's 'It Shouldn't Happen to a Muslim' highlighted the hostility that ordinary Muslims are subject to on a daily basis because of negative media portrayal. Less documented however is the Irish media's inordinate demonization of its relatively small and innocuous Muslim population.
A survey of press coverage in Ireland has revealed a disturbing trend of state sanctioned Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism, with the Irish Independent coming under specific criticism for its rash and often-inaccurate portrayal of Islam and Muslims.
Take for example Eoghan Harris's piece, 'Irish Muslims must speak frankly to allay majority fears'. Here, Harris invoked the notorious incursion of Algerian pirates and renegades into a little known village in west Cork in 1631, as a means of shaping the argument that Ireland's only experience of Islam has been negative. As raids go, it was largely uneventful and had it not been for Osborne's poem it would most likely have disappeared into the annals of history. Two people died in the raid and the vast majority that were taken into captivity were in fact English settlers.
Ireland of course has had a number of dealings with Islam and Muslims throughout its turbulent history, a less publicised but nonetheless important event was that involving Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid. By 1847, the Great Irish Famine had decimated the populace, resulting in over 1,000,000 deaths. The Ottoman Sultan declared his intention to send 10,000 pounds to alleviate the suffering of the Irish but Queen Victoria would only allow the Sultan to send 1,000 pounds, (because she had sent only 2,000). The Sultan sent the 1,000 but also secretly sent five freighter ships full of food, which Queen Victoria tried to block, nevertheless the aid successfully arrived at Drogheda harbour. Why Harris chose to highlight the events in Cork over and above those of Drogheda bespeaks an anti-Muslim agenda, an agenda to which two other Irish Independent writers, Kevin Myers and Ian O'Doherty, have fully subscribed.
Myers anti-Muslim racism is apparent to all and celebrated on many supremacist sites. Among his many vitriolic attacks against Muslims, most notable are his '
Forget lily-livered liberalism, time to take a stand and say we don't want Muslim immigrants' where he casts all Muslim doctors in Ireland as potential terrorists. And his 'EU inaction breeds contempt in a dictatorship of floggers', wherein he states that Islamic societies specialise in torture and degradation, calls the Muslim leaders of Saudi Arabia heathen barbarians, and describes Muslim ethics as 'diseased' and 'demented'. In July 2008, the Immigrant Council of Ireland brought a case of incitement to hatred against Myers for extremely distasteful and racist comments made against Africans. A subsequent ruling found the comments offensive however ineptitude and administrative prevarication prevented a full charge and Myers unfortunately continues to write.
O'Doherty's infantile musings, though not quite on a literary par with Myers, nonetheless serve to feed the public a constant stream of anti-Muslim racism and hate.
Thankfully, Muslims in Ireland have awoken to the threat that the likes of Myers, O'Doherty and by extension the Irish Independent pose to their well being and peaceful existence and as a direct result, Muslims in Ireland are becoming more politically active.
MPACIE is a sister concern of the UK's foremost Muslim advocacy organisation MPACUK. Together we hope to empower the Muslim community through a system of media monitoring, political lobbying and grass-roots community and institutional activism. Our aim is simple; we want the same rights as our non-Muslim counterparts.
If you believe that you should be treated as an equal in all aspects of Irish society, then join us and help us make it a reality.


You can find out more about us by writing to: info@mpacuk.org

Does Ruairi Quinn 'Know Racism?

Does Ruairi Quinn know racism?

We would hope so considering he was photographed alongside other political parties in 2002, having proudly signed his name to the 'Know Racism Protocol for Political Parties'
(1). That was then, and perhaps it was 'politically expedient' for Mr Quinn to sign said protocols in 2002, but in 2007 he was singing a very different tune. To help readers map this transition and perhaps to refresh Quinn's very selective memory, let us outline the respective protocols that Quinn has obviously chosen to overlook:
1. To condemn any campaign materials or statements susceptible to incite hatred or express prejudice on the grounds of 'race', colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin, religious belief and membership of the Traveller Community.
2. To guarantee that when engaging in on-going debate in relation to groups which are the potential targets of racism, such as asylum seekers and refugees and Travellers, that such debate is conducted in a responsible way and with respect to the dignity and rights of minority ethnic groups.
3. To use appropriate and inclusive language and words when referring to people of different ethnic backgrounds, in order to avoid creating prejudice or confusion.Whenever there is a discussion on race, the usual bigots pip in and sarcastically ask, "What race are Muslims?" The

UNESCO Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice helps clarify this, Article 1.1 reads, "All human beings belong to a single species and are descended from a common stock. They are born equal in dignity and rights and all form an integral part of humanity." The old construct of race was a 'scientific' theory developed in the 18th century to justify colonisation and superiority based on the colour of one's skin.
Racism of course is not solely about colour, 'but prejudices concerning hierarchy, inferiority, and superiority drawn along racial or ethnic lines'. (2 )Ethnicity, and this is the crux of the matter, is defined as, 'a cultural community, often defined by a common history, language and traditions.' Indeed the 1976 Race Relations Act3 has identified 'a long shared history of which the group is conscious as distinguishing it from other groups, and the memory of which it keeps alive' and 'a cultural tradition of its own' as essential features of an ethnic group.
(4) It is for this reason that we would argue that both Muslims and Jews form distinct ethnic groups and under which they are entitled to protection afforded them in race relation acts. Which brings us back to Mr Ruairi Quinn.
On June 2nd 2008, Quinn treated Ireland to a tirade of anti-Muslim racism when he threw in his lot with a plethora of politicians who see the current anti-Muslim sentiment as a quick boost for what would otherwise be considered a mediocre political career. The object of his disdain was young Muslim schoolgirls, a relatively easy target for an unscrupulous, unprincipled politician.
Let us examine Quinn's statements reported in the Irish Independent against the protocols that he signed in 2002. "If people want to come into a western society that is Christian and secular, they need to conform to the rules and regulations of that country," says Quinn. Overlooking his duplicitous attempts to project himself as a defender of Irish Christian values (sic!) against the Muslim hordes, he further states, "Nobody is formally asking them to come here. In the interests of integration and assimilation, they should embrace our culture," and finally, "Irish girls don't wear headscarves". There you have it, while the media predilection for lazy caricatures of Muslims as dark-skinned invaders may sell newspapers, one must ask why a politician would risk his political career with such an overtly racist statement.
Quinn has presented a belief that ALL Muslims are foreign, we are referred to as 'they', and the culture of Ireland, whatever that is, apparently does not include Muslims as Quinn is at pains to point out. Moreover, as if to reinforce his exclusionist stance, he insultingly adds, "Irish girls don't wear headscarves".Let us go back and look at the protocols that Quinn signed as the former Labour leader. In the first article its states, 'statements susceptible to incite hatred or express prejudice on the grounds of ... religious belief' should be condemned. Quinn has never apologised for his statements, in fact, in subsequent radio interviews he has pulled every racist trope from the book; misleadingly linking Islam with honour killings and forced marriages as well as painting Muslims as the instigators of societal unrest wherever it may be. The protocols clearly condemn such statements, but not only has Quinn not been condemned, no other party (and all parties signed the protocol) has issued ANY denunciation. Why? In the wake of Quinn's remarks, the Irish Independent comments section (since removed) was inundated with a level of racism and hate not seen since the rhetoric that gave birth to the Nazi final solution. A testimony to the fascist praise for Quinn's stance was his favourable mention on the notorious supremacist 'Stormfront' website. The second protocol references debates in relation to minority groups and cautions that such debates are 'conducted in a responsible way and with respect to the dignity and rights of minority ethnic groups.' Quinn neither acted responsibly, respectfully nor equitably in this debate. He used the media to disseminate a message of hate and distrust for Muslims. Again, there was silence on the part of his own political party and those in opposition. Why? Finally, the protocols encourage politicians to 'use appropriate and inclusive language and words when referring to people of different ethnic backgrounds, in order to avoid creating prejudice or confusion.' Quinn's language then and now has been inappropriate and exclusive ('them' and 'us') and if anything has sought to further marginalise and demonise a vulnerable community.We call on all political parties to publicly denounce this blatant and unashamed anti-Muslim racism, we implore the parties to publicly demonstrate their continued commitment to the protocols of 2002 and we request the Labour party to take strict measures to rein in its loose cannon. To our fellow Muslims, we remind you of the local council elections coming up in June 09, and we ask you to use your vote, especially those in the Dublin South constituency, to indicate your disapproval of Quinn's outbursts. You can make a difference, and when the next national election comes around; perhaps sooner than later, you can send a strong, effective message to those who seek to denigrate you. It is your right, it is your duty!
1 http://www.nccri.ie/pdf/pol-protocol-info.pdf
2 Breaking Down Barriers: Tackling Racism in Ireland at the level of the State and its institutions. AmnestyInternational (Irish Section) & The Irish Centre for Human Rights
3 United Kingdom Race Relations Act 19764 Ibid (emphasis mine)

Written by
Mr. Mujahid
MPACIE

The Winding up of an Era of Anti-Racism

9th November 2008

Issued by: The Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland Clonskeagh

Re: The Winding up of an Era of Anti-Racism

For many years the NCCRI has worked with the ethnic minorities in Ireland with abundant success, the 12 employees that have given their utmost support and professional advice, who have worked strenuously with the Dept of Justice and who over the years have gained the experience and knowledge of each unique ethnic group that can only come with experience, are about to be relinquished of their posts.This organization has worked on a minimal budget of 500,000 euro per year and yet they were deemed dispensable in Mr Lenihan's early October budget. The work of this organization is to be, quote:'absorbed', into the department of Integration, yet the people with the experience are not.In recognition of this tragic moment in time for ethnic minority groups in Ireland (whether religious or cultural ethnicity) and in a final show of support for the NCCRI the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland is pleased to announce that Mr Philip Watt, Driector of NCCRI, will officially launch 'Neighbours Week' at the Islamic Centre. Introducing the wondrous arts of French Calligrapher Salah Al Moussawi and the Intricate works of artist Shams Unnissa, Neighbours Week is part of the integration program of the Centre, a program that promotes dialog through the popular medium of the Arts. Date: Monday 10th November 2008Time: 10:30amVenue: Islamic Cultural Centre of IrelandThe ICCI will make a presentation to Mr Philip Watt in recognition of the great work his office has achieved over the years.

contact: 01-2080000
...ends

ICCI

Video about Hijab

We made this short video clip to show them .It went down very well with the students .Feel free to have a look at it and use if if you need to any time.



The link for video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HeayuZT-Zk


Sis Khadija /LorrainePS.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Muslim Public Affairs Committee

"Despite a much-vaunted drive to recruit minority groups into An Garda Siochana in 2006, as few as twenty-five immigrants had actually made it into the ranks as of Sept. 2008. Not only is this figure woefully under representative of the immigrant community, but it is also a damning indictment against an organisation that claims impartiality in its recruitment process. Language was singled out as a barrier for many potential recruits; however, An Garda Siochana's discriminatory uniform policy is also a potential barrier to the recruitment of minorities, particularly those in the Sikh and Muslim communities."

http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/5069/110/

Mujahid

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Islamic Revivalism in the 20th Century

Sallamulaikum,

This week Fosis is having a talk on "Islamic Revivalism in the 20th Century" and a one day course on "Chronicle of Islamic Political Thought". The talk is on 7th Nov. 08 at 6pm in Trinity College and the Course is on 8th Nov. 08 at 9am in trinity college (course is 6 euro for students and 10 euro for adults, lecture on friday is free). visit
http://www.fosisirelandchapter.com/?p=90 for the poster.
There will be plenty to ask and debate on as the speaker Dr. Azzam Tamimi is an expert in this field.
The talk will mention the islamic history on revivalism from the begining like Umar Bin Abdul Aziz, Ibn Taimiyah, Abu Hamid Al Ghazzali to the 18th and 19th century until modern day revivalism which includes individuals like Jamal-Uddin Afghani, Said Nursi, Hassan Al Banna.
The political thought course will discuss, Political thought itself of the west and its historical prespective. Then moving to what Islamic political thought is and the scources ie the Quran, Sunnah, Ijma (consensus) and Ijtihad.
Also will be mentioned political thought during the time of the seal of Prophethood Muhammad Bin Abdullah (SAW), the 4 righteous Chaliphs, The Fitnah between Imam Ali (Radiallahuanhu) and Amir Muawiya (Radiallahuanhu) and the formation of the Khawarij sect and the Shia sect, then going to the political thought of famous Muslim individuals like Ibn Khuldun, Al-Mawardi, Al-Shabiti and Ibn Taimiyah ie details of Shariah.
Then going into the political thinking of intellectuals like Muhammad Iqbal, Abu'Ala Mawdudi and Sayyid Qutb including the latters famous categorization of Tawheed Al-Hakimiyah. Also discudding Islam and Demorcay, Islam and secularism, and Islam and Human rights.
All this inshAllah next week so do come and discount for those that live in gorey :). And we can debate together in the venue.
Here is Imam Anwars opinions on democracy
http://www.kalamullah.com/anwaral-awlaki.html and this article about groups joining the democratic system http://www.anwar-alawlaki.com/2008/08/29/a-question-about-the-method-of-establishing-khilafa/
Again an interesting prespective.

Typical argument between Muslims with regard to voting

The upcoming local council elections in 2009 offer the Muslim community a unique opportunity to shape the politic here in Ireland. As a community we are disproportionately underrepresented on a local and national level - you can change that!
By registering on the electoral register, you will have a vote and an option of choosing a candidate who will best benefit the Muslim community. The attached leaflet outlines the conditions for voting as well as providing a scholarly opinion on the necessity of voting in these times.

Was-salam

Mujaahid


2 Salaam,jazakallahu khair for the email. I believe Muslims in Ireland should make steps towards 'Block Voting.' This is the only way Muslim votes will count otherwise they will be divided up just as much as the general electorate and will be useless. This happened when women got the right to vote in America and everywhere in the world. Certain political parties believed that women would be more prone to vote for a their party, where in reality, women were similarly divided among party lines as men thus not really having an effect on elections.If Muslims in Ireland can establish block voting, the Muslim vote will mean something and politicians will actively seek the 10-20,000 votes Muslims can provide. But if we are just as divided as the general electorate, there is no reason to work for our vote and support our agendas.Any thoughts?
Jawad

3 Astughfirullah...Brothers voting in a democracy is completely Haram... Democracy in itself is a system of Kufr that allows man to make laws that can be against God's Law and elected representatives make laws based upon their own mind and/or majority opinion... I would advise all muslims to refrain from voting in any election be it local or general... and before anyone of you goes haywire over this I am willing and capable to discuss this issue with any of you in the most polite and well mannered way... I am saying this to tread on side of caution since I have seen that at times people speak in a very uncivilized manner when it comes down to certain things they passionately believe in...Masalama

Dr Qasim Afridi

4 Salams Qasim,
This is why it's important to discuss the issue. It isn't as clear cut as Hizb-ut-Tahrir have made out, obviously as the scholars have ruled on its permissibility. If you'd like to present your points in an open forum then by all means please do.However, from a purely pragmatic basis the Khilafah will NEVER be restored unless there is some form of political engagement so it's Catch 22 for the Hizbs. Anyway, look forward to your reply.Hope baby and family are well.Was salam

Mujaahid

5 JazakAllah Khair Liam for your comment...Please forgive me if at any time you feel I am enraged... You know I m not and its just my writing style...I cant speak for the Hizb since I am not a member of the organization... I would however be more than willing to organize a meeting with their top members for them to come down and discuss these matters with the muslim community as to what our stance should be regarding these issues... They are very clear on the subject of democracy and there is a booklet about this... Heres the link for that...As for matters of engaging politics in non muslim lands there is no harm in conveying your problems and issues to politicians... however you can do that without voting for them as we all know you yourself did when you took the issue of Hijab...I m willing ot discuss but I dont want Salafi scholars to come inbetween us... If you want to quote the position of the salaf I have no problems with that but then they have to be scholars who hold the Saudi Regime in contempt and do not consider them legitimate... there are a few of those scholars unfortunately among the salaf but they are around...
Masalama

Correction... when I said the following...there are a few of those scholars unfortunately among the salaf but they are around...I meant this...Unfortunately there are very few such scholars among the salaf but they are around...As for the link for the book about Democracy being a system of Kufr...

Qasim

6 Assalaam Alaikum brothers.This debate took too long. In Islam we may do Haraam things if that will avoid causing something more Haraam. Example, we may eat Haraam food if that will save our life from death. (killing life (without the right cause) is higher sin than eating haraam food). The issue of voting is not a declaration that we believe in that system or that group. It is a matter of choosing the bad to avoid the worse. It is as simple as that. I don't know what brought Salafi and Tahriri in this argument. Can we not limit our discussion to the main subject and try to come with a conclusion rather than try to force some body's opinions.Wassalaam
Best Regards
Ahmed El-Habbash,

7 Salams Ahmad, Absolutely, the scholars have already spoken on this and while the Hizb brothers may have arguments, they've never offered a viable alternative. And as you say, we are not declaring the kuffar system as being better, we are simply working pragmatically within an existing system in an effort to improve our lot. We must work on getting this message out so that in June, we have a united voice and inshaAllah more power to bring about the benefits we all seek.JazakAllahu khairan for your thoughts.

Mujaahid

8 AA...Right finally brothers this Mujaahid has serious issues... He just sent me an email which shows to me that he does not have even a basic understanding of issues of ruling in Islam... I m stating in public that I have nothing to do with him anymore... He twists and turns Shariah anyway that he likes fit for himself... He is fully in the pockets of the Saudi regime and has openly stated that he seeks donation and funding from them... He is one of the most hated people on Politics.ie and spreads his fake salafi opinions as Islam everywhere... He has a typical Salafi mindset where he even called me someone who is easily fooled... I am not participating is such Jahiliyah anymore... As for those who know him and are not Salafis themselves... Just be careful and stay clear of him at all costs...
Masalama
Qasim

9 AA...Yes... the european council of fatwa and research? Is that the council that gave the fatwa that Riba is allowed?That list of scholars was interesting too... It included one Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra whom I remember back in 2003 while I was living in England stated that Muslims in Britain should make Dua for the British troops that have gone to fight the war in Iraq since we are all British and these soldiers are OUR BOYS!!!!Heres someone who does not call himself a scholar yet obviously understand the issue at hand...Listen carefully to Taji Mustafa in the following video...http://www.hizb.org.uk/hizb/press-centre/press-release/foreign-press-association-in-london-invites-taji-mustafa-to-debate-islam-and-democracy.htmlFinally... My only duty was to warn and inform... The rest is all upto you brothers and sisters... Fe Aman Allah
Qasim

The Muslim Vote

What the scholars say about voting

Shaikh Waseeullaah Abbaas (Makkah)
when asked about voting in non-Muslim
countries responded: “By voting the
Muslims may gain needed influence over
politicians and other authorities. In
return, these politicians and authorities
may do something that will benefit Islam
and the Muslims.” This gem of advice
contains an important principle, that of
weighing up the benefit and harm.
Shaikh Waseeullaah further adds, “They
will win by the votes of non-Muslims
regardless if the Muslims vote or not.
For this reason, the Muslims should use
their vote as a favor to these candidates.
As a result, the Muslims will be placed in
an advantageous position of influence
over these candidates.”Whether we vote
or not, these people will still get their
seats. However, our vote may bring us
benefits that we as a community might
otherwise miss. The Shaikh concludes,
“This is also the verdict given by our
Shaykhs in India. Even Shaykh Bin Baaz
(may Allah have mercy on him), from


what we have heard used to rule on the
permissibility of participating in
elections.”
Shaikh Al Albani was asked a
similar question and replied, “If the
Muslims do not choose between them,
then their own people will choose. In
either case, one of them is going to be
elected.” We ask why not make a choice
that will bring some benefit to the
Muslims?
In June 2008, both Labour and
Fine Gael publically announced their
desire to see the hijab banned in state
schools. Ruairi Quinn of the Labour
party was particularly hateful in his
comments and insultingly stated that,
“Irish girls do not wear headscarves”,
Brian Hayes, his Fine Gael counterpart,
went as far as reinterpreting the Quran.
Fellow Muslims, a community
strong vote against these parties will
send a strong message to our
government and will change the face of
politics and Muslims in Ireland.

By Liam Egan (Mujahid)