You can read the full report:
Islam on campus - a survey of UK students opinion (126 pages, pdf file)
or read an executive summary here (3 pages, pdf file)
Radical Islam gains ground in campuses; Jamie Doward
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FOSIS is the umbrella organization of student groups in colleges and universities throughout the UK and Ireland, representing over 90,000 Muslim students
FOSIS condemns the report:
The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) in the UK and Eire today condemned the publication of a report published by the Centre for Social Cohesion entitled "Islam on Campus".
Faisal Hanjra, President for FOSIS, said today, "This is yet another damning attack on the Muslim community by elements within the academic arena whose only purpose seems to be the undermining of sincere efforts by mainstream Muslim organisations to tackle the threat of terror which wider society faces. The report is methodologically weak, it is unrepresentative and above all serves only to undermine the positive work carried out by Islamic Societies across the country. Unfortunately, the views espoused by the CSC in tackling extremism involves the creation of an "Islam" outside the Muslims, which, to begin with is a sure way to failure, and far from empowering the Muslims, perpetuates a patronising tone of "we know better than you do"."
He further added, "FOSIS has been a recognised cog in delivering consistent, mainstream opinions and by maligning it, CSC has shown itself to be an unreliable and marred think tank. Muslim students have had a tough time since the dreadful attacks on 7/7, they have faced numerous challenges with courage and perseverance, it is evident that those challenges have yet to go away and what is equally evident is the resilience of Muslim students to face those challenges. The message though to those who seek to cause this mischief is clear, we will not be deterred, our work will continue and the results of our efforts are clear for all to see.
2 comments:
Any sincere attempt to see the bigger picture will not fail to note these stark facts:
Dejection:
Britain's youth is increasingly affected by violent crime, depression, stress and drugs, a survey showed.
The poll of 1,000 16 to 24-year-olds shows they feel they are facing more personal and social problems than they were a year ago.
Almost two thirds said they feel the media misrepresents the issues facing young people.
The study also revealed young people are generally dissatisfied with life. Almost half (41%) said they are unhappy - girls more so than boys; 28% said they "wish they were someone else"; 63% think young people are more depressed now than ever before and 29% think young people in the UK have a tougher time than those in other countries.
Violence:
The number of young people prosecuted in Britain for firearms offences has risen by more than 20 per cent in the past five years - and children as young as eight have been found carrying weapons, cites a report by Richard Edwards, The Telegraph's Crime Correspondent.
Edwards notes that six teenagers were shot dead in London in 2007 and more than 50 children arrested for serious gun crimes in some of the capital's worst-affected boroughs. In 2001, 1,193 youngsters under 21 went to magistrates courts on gun-related charges. By 2005, that had risen to 1,444.
Jon Murphy, the head of the gun crime task force at the Home Office, said the youths involved in gun crime are volatile and unable to see the consequences of their actions - which will "inevitably" lead to a tragedy. Speaking at the first European Serious Organised Crime Conference, hosted in Liverpool, said: "Fifteen years ago a feud may have been settled with a fist fight, 10 years ago with a knife fight, but now it will be guns."
Why social interest champions such as Centre for Social Cohesion fail to analyze the bigger picture and recommend appropriate solutions instead of spending energies on what a disoriented lot boasts about to amateur surveyors?
If the Centre for Social Cohesion is serious about a positive contribution to British youth, its high time that we hear what solutions they could offer.
The study also revealed young people are generally dissatisfied with life. Thanks for explaining all that. I was wondering.
learning
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