- Birmingham Post June 2007

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Course Leaders for Education of Islam Our Clients An Article about the course in the Sheffield Star Kaushar Tai, Course Director Mohammad Muslim, Course Leader

Birmingham Post June 2007

By Ben Goldby

Six months ago Birmingham's Green Lane Mosque was reeling from the impact of a TV documentary showing hardline clerics making controversial speeches.

The programme sparked a media feeding frenzy and deep divisions both inside and outside the Muslim community were clear for all to see.

Now the healing process is well under way. Yesterday the Mosque hosted an event aimed at educating public sector workers about the teachings of Islam inside its walls.

Police officers, social service workers and even a Danish university lecturer came together to learn more about the faith and some of the myths that surround it.

Kaushar Tai is a director of Aksaa Ltd, the Yorkshire-based company which ran yesterday's course.
"I think it was a big success - as it usually is," he said. "I run these courses at more than 70 Mosques across the country and the feedback from the public is almost always positive.

"There are many common misconceptions such as the belief that women are oppressed in Islam or that terrorism is a Muslim thing.

"Some Muslims, including myself, have not let people know enough in the past. We have kept it too close to our hearts instead of sharing it with the world. Now we need to tell people about it and create mutual respect.

"I think cultural lack of understanding can breed extremism. We have to tackle the root causes of terrorism and events like this can help people to understand the problem.

"There has to be a clear line between us and them.

We respect people - they are violent criminals."

Shouiab Ahmed Mirpuri, the general secretary of the Mosque, believes the claims made by the Channel 4 documentary about extremist preachers were exaggerated - but that lessons have now been learned.

"Some of the speakers featured in the show were not even invited by us," he said. "Now, all Imams are given guidelines before they give speeches. Whoever the speaker is he must sign a piece of paper to say he will obey the law.

"As people have seen with this event the doors of our Mosque are open to everyone."

The course held yesterday saw 25 people spend the day inside Green Lane studying the fundamental principles accepted by all Muslims.

Abdul Wahid Pedersen, a Danish Muslim, travelled to the event to gain tips on setting up a similar scheme in Copenhagen. Mr Tai has already worked with the British Embassy to set-up courses in Sweden and Mr Pedersen believes there is a need for such a project in Denmark.

"There was obviously a major problem last year when the cartoons of the Prophet appeared in newspapers at home," he said.

"There have been drawings before but here the intention was to ridicule and step on the Muslim faith. If the intention is to insult then the reaction will be strong. It was a surprising reaction, but when the crowd gets involved anything can happen.

"We need to get the same message being spread here in Birmingham out to the Danish people and show that Islam is compatible with other cultures."

Liz Kirsten, a human resources worker, from Sutton Coldfield, said yesterday's course had helped her in both her personal and private life.

"It was a real adventure from knowing nothing about the culture to having a taste for what it means to be Muslim," she said. "We have to deal with people from different communities in every walk of life and this has been a real help."

Acting Sergeant Matt Crowley, from Solihull police station, thinks the course will help him out on the beat. "I am sure it will help me with my sensitivity," he said.

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