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Saturday 22 November 2008

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An evening with the Muslim Facebook crew

Sarfraz Manzoor

Wednesday, 8th October 2008

Sarfraz Manzoor celebrates an iftar meal with homeless people and his fellow Muslims, a web-generated ‘flashmob’ observing an Islamic tradition of generosity to the needy

The flashmob iftars in London and Manchester offer fascinating glimpses into a new British Muslim identity. Traditionally, British Muslims have been accused of being insular and only caring about other Muslims, in this country and abroad. It is also generally thought that the third generation are the most vulnerable to radicalisation. This is a legitimate concern but it is not the only story, and the hundreds who turned up laden with food are evidence of a more encouraging development. ‘For my generation most of us feel completely British,’ Farah told me. ‘That’s why I want to help the homeless — they are our people too.’

Young Muslims like Farah are tiring of how the media demonises them and impatient with the leaders who claim to speak for them. Now, through small but significant acts of charity, they are beginning to find their own voice.

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Thank goodness we can have a run on the pound when we need one

Martin Vander Weyer

Martin Vander Weyer looks ahead to next week’s Pre-Budget Report and reflects on George Osborne’s contentious remarks about the devaluation of sterling. It looks like Gordon Brown is getting away with his borrowing binge — leaving the Tories isolated

I loved Oliver Stone’s Bush film — and I know why the critics hated it

Rod Liddle

The movie W. did not provide the crude anti-Bush agitprop that the reviewers craved, says Rod Liddle. This was precisely its strength: we need to get inside the minds even of those we most deplore

The great Tory tax and spend battle: seconds out...

Fraser Nelson and Daniel Finkelstein

In the wake of Cameron’s decision to drop his pledge to match Labour spending, Fraser Nelson and Daniel Fin kelstein of the Times trade rhetorical blows over the issue that is gripping and troubling the Conservative party as it adjusts to the transformed economic context

Where is our inspiration when we most need it?

Bryan Forbes

Bryan Forbes remembers listening to Churchill as a 14-year-old evacuee and now looks with envy at Obama’s capacity to galvanise hope. Where are his UK counterparts?

For a bit of perspective, try thinking Jurassic

Christopher Lloyd

The first takeaways originated about 150 million years ago, says Christopher Lloyd; global travel is pretty ancient, too. And as for democracy...

Have we ever faced an enemy more stupid than Muslim terrorists?

Rod Liddle

These narcissistic adolescent halfwits should not fill us with fear, says Rod Liddle. The aircraft plot trial showed yet again that those who wish to murder us with fizzy pop and peroxide are a bunch of cowards

Our survey shows British Muslims don’t want sharia

Irfan al-Alawi & S. Schwartz

Don’t believe the Lord Chief Justice any more than the Archbishop of Canterbury, say Stephen Schwartz and Irfan Al-Alawi

Cummins may be part of the green ink brigade, but he was right about Islam

Rod Liddle

Rod Liddle looks back at the case of the British Council employee who dared to speak the truth about Islamic ideology — and notes that what was heretical in 2004 is now almost orthodox