Heard about the English Defence League thugs who attacked a George Gallaway meeting in Manchester this Sunday?

No, neither had I, until I’d read a friend’s Facebook status.

On Sunday 27th June, a group of thugs entered Manchester’s Wythenshawe Forum (which I’m ashamed to admit is within my local area, and known for its chav-tastic presence). They scuffled with guards and eyewitness reports state ‘they stormed into the hall, punched several people, poured beer over others, threw chairs at children and screamed "Israel should have killed you all".’
Because THAT’s what the Palestinian cause really need: a herd of unemployed low-life hooligans fighting them.

A video of an attempted attack was uploaded by an EDL member before promptly being withdrawn- but not before an anti-EDL activist reported it. See here the video: Continue reading "EDL Thugs... So cool."...

Over the new few weeks, you may have some advertising of a different kind on your travels.

http://inspiredbymuhammed.com/

Religious and non-religious advertising has become the norm in recent years, with anti-abortion Christian campaigns and Richard Dawkins infamous ‘God probably doesn’t exist’ campaign, but this is the first inspired by Muslims. Revolutionary?

Personally, I’d just be excited to see a women in Hijab on a poster, any poster. It’s good to see some positive movement, with emphasis on non-political affairs.

What are your thoughts on this initiative?

Can religion ever really win hearts with advertising?

Ok it’s not SUCH a giant problem but I wanted that title. Now on to the topic of the day… The Hand Shake screams

There’s a lovely lady whose family I work with; upon our first meeting/interview she said, ‘We’d love you to work with us, but I feel like I need to tell you something: we’re a Jewish family. Will that be a problem?’

Which was incredible because until that point I thought there was a chance we may be distant relatives, as she shares the same surname as my Swiss Grandmother. True story readers!

Anyhoo, I’ve loved them ever since. Whilst playing with her son she’ll ask, ‘Would you regard the term ‘Islamist’ to be offensive?’ and our conversations are always random, diverse and relevant. She has an incredible understanding about similarities between Islam and Judaism, and the difficulties religions face in the modern world.

Introduction over, now back to the story.

Continue reading "One small shake for man, one giant problem for Muslim-kind"...

If there’s one place which evokes a flurry of extreme reactions it’s… a i r p o r t s.

I remember the first few times there was nothing more exciting. Lugging our cases around in a perpetual state of nervous anxiety, our eyes couldn’t move fast enough to take it all in. The smell, the whirlwind of people, the chitter-chatter of a hundred languages, laughter, tears, life itself coming and going: all in one little terminal.

Fast forward a few years, I now seem to spend half my time in airports and there’s still nowhere more fascinating. Watching people emerging from arrivals, blinking in the light of their new, albeit temporary abode, on a conveyer belt of happiness- seeing the moment their blank tired faces suddenly transform into the million dollar ‘ding’ smile as they reach their loved ones. Each has their own story to tell. Then there are those on business- and those whose smiles you never get to see. Continue reading "The Airport"...

Previously on Hello world, I'm mentally stable and lovely. Promise.

In the past, I’ve never really taken racism seriously. Racism has always been ironic to me. Perhaps because of my fairly pale skin, my white mother and having most racism aimed at me being a ‘Paki,’ to which I’d wittily reply ‘…BUT I’m not!’ Proper mind games, I really confused those racists. In the playground aged seven in my all-white school my peers would sing racist songs to me ‘Bud bud ting ting 2.99.’

What did I do? Join in of course, we all love a sing-song. I’d come home serenading my sisters with it. I was blissfully unaware of the racial undertones insinuating my Father owned a corner shop. It was a catchy tune and there was no harm done. How could I be the target of racism when I didn’t realise I was any different?

How I wish for those days of blissful ignorance.

Recently I’ve had some ‘abuse’ from people passing by me, usually in cars (including unfortunately, an EDL chant) and my first thought was not that it’s my impeccable driving or my bad singing that’s triggering the one fingered salutes, but my Muslim look. I’m hoping it’s just paranoia or the change in weather bringing out the worst in people. Continue reading "Hello world, I’m still mentally stable and lovely. Promise."...

Am I a sceptic for believing not everyone would have the honour of a letter informing them of being under police surveillance? See here.

It’s a funny joke amongst Muslims on the phone, when discussing politics or religion, to send fond regards to the MI5 we like to believe are listening in, often followed by a giggle and an ALLAHU AKBAR! ‘If they weren’t listening before, they are now.’ Not that we lack understanding as to why there’s a need for such surveillance- Muslims are just as concerned over terrorism as our non-Muslim neighbours. Our fear however is twofold: being the subject of a terrorist attack (do you think a terrorist would stop because we were there? He’d want to take us to heaven too), and being the subject of an attack that we are a terrorist. Now that’s real fear.

Continue reading "Hello world, I’m mentally stable and lovely. Promise."...

Big salaams from your sister MOH (Muslim On Holiday). Not to rub it in or anything. I flew on Wednesday to the desert land of Sharjah to spend Eid with my family. Most MIE will have a place abroad which is a 'home from home'... in my case, I have no genetic affiliation to Sharjah, but lived here for a couple of years.

Coming back, for the first time since moving back to England, was a jarring experience. As much as I had wanted to return home whilst I lived here, I never realised how much I'd missed the smell of this place until its sweet sandy waft hit me smack bang in the face. There's so much sky over here. And everything- EVERYTHING- is bigger. Unlike its neighbour Dubai, Sharjah still has most of its Arab country charm intact. Mosques opposite Mosques (as opposed to Starbucks opposite Starbucks...though we fear that day will come), dusty buildings, people actually talking Arabic, insane traffic and cows-I-mistook-for-giant-goats in the car park. Well, the latter was an Eid Al-Adha special... needless to say; I've been sufficiently thawed by the lovely 28 degree winter. Not to rub it in or anything.

Continue reading "My Eidy!"...

Somewhere along the way in this little journey of life, I’ve lost my non-Muslim friends. There’s an empty spot. And I’m wondering whether they’re still in the pub where I left them.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m blessed with the greatest set of friends. We’re like the halal SATC, replacing the cosmopolitans with tea and biscuits and the filthy banter with…less filthy banter. And sometimes I look around, sipping, and think...ah, you know I hope WE ARE being watched on telescreens, so fearful ‘outsiders’ can see how normal we are beneath our flowing scarves. We’re well rounded, funny individuals- Muslims with CLOUT is how I like to view it... Continue reading "Muslim seeking non-Muslim, non-smoking, GSOH, for long walks, conversation, afternoon tea..."...

In the deep moral abyss of the ‘expenses scandal’, the nation mourns the falling from grace of those posh-nosh-munching loveable rogues. Ooh don’t you just want to ruffle their flouncy hair, those cheeky munchkins. Stealing our money, all the while laden with rhetoric with a reassuring nod and smile, hands outreached for our votes- our trust- our pockets.

The question is, do you blame them? ... Continue reading "If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit."...

December 1998. 12 Years Old. 2789 miles away.

Continue reading "Operation Desert Fox"...