More than 130 Muslim scholars and imams from the UK have issued a joint statement criticising pro-LGBT lessons that are being taught in primary schools.
The open letter which was published on the Islam21c website this morning, has been signed by 139 Muslim faith leaders from various schools and institutions.
The Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) Bill will come into force in September 2020, when every state school in England will be have to teach pro-LGBT lessons to children as young as five.
Parents will not have the right to withdraw their children from these classes in primary schools, and will have to submit a “withdrawal request” which the school is not obliged to grant.
Hundreds of Muslim parents in Birmingham have been peacefully protesting against the pro-LGBT curriculum being taught in primary schools, stating that it goes against Islam and is not age appropriate.
However, after reviewing the pro-LGBT ‘No Outsiders’ programme which was taught in Parkfield Community School in Birmingham, Ofsted concluded that the curriculum was “age appropriate”.
It was also revealed by the founder of ‘No Outsiders’, Andrew Moffat, that the programme was also driven to “counter-extremism”.
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The statement read:
“Beliefs about “sexuality” and LGBT in particular have been the subject of news coverage recently, due to hundreds of Muslim parents in Birmingham protesting at the actions of their children’s school senior leadership.
“The United Kingdom is a multicultural society. The Muslim community is by no means the only community here, and while we encourage constructive, respectful debate of ideas, we condemn one community’s opinions and beliefs being forced upon others, no matter how big or small.
“We, the undersigned, are inheritors of a scholarly tradition which from its inception enshrined a methodology for ensuring peaceful coexistence of different peoples, customs, beliefs and even legal systems. Whether it was different religious minorities having judicial and civic autonomy, or different schools of thought among Muslims having overlapping jurisdictions, tolerating differing opinions to relative degrees is in the DNA of Muslim scholars, and something our wider society today would do well to learn from.
“One such thing we urge policy makers and executors to pay close attention to is the important distinction between facts and values. It is a fact to say that some people regard same-sex relationships as appropriate, due to their philosophical and moral views; and some people do not—just like it is a fact that some people regard eating meat to be appropriate and some do not. But to go beyond the facts into saying “It is OK and normal to…” is in the realm of values, which should not be imposed on people who disagree.
“The types of relationships a person or community regards as good or bad, appropriate or inappropriate, normal or abnormal, are not the result of hard facts, but a product of many interacting beliefs and cultural norms about, for example, the purpose of life, desires and impulses, and conceptions of love, among other things.
“Passionately believing in a cause or moral standpoint is one thing, but then enforcing it on others is unacceptable.
“There is a clear and unambiguous acceptance in law that the primary givers of philosophical, moral and ethical values to children are their parents. Schools—or anyone else for that matter—may only educate in these areas on behalf of the parents.
“When there is a conflict between the philosophical, moral or ethical positions of parents and teachers, schools must respect this and ensure teachers do not transgress the fact/value boundary mentioned above. This includes ideologically or socially-constructed norms which some may passionately believe to be universal facts whilst others do not—such as concerning “sexuality” or “gender”.
“It goes without saying that we likewise affirm the rights of those who disagree with our opinions to do so without fear of insult, bullying or any type of oppression whatsoever. However, we also expect the same in return—particularly not being subjected to state enforcement of values and philosophical convictions.
“We should respect and tolerate our differences, without the enforcing of some people’s positions on others, especially children.”
Scholars and imams who want to add their name to this statement can do so by visiting Islam21c.
Signatories
- Imam Suliman Gani, Purley Masjid
- Shaykh Haitham al-Haddad
- Mufti Amjad Mohammed, Bradford
- Shaykh Zahir Mahmood, As-Suffa Institute
- Imam Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf, Zamzam Academy
- Shaikh Tauqir Ishaq, Nuneaton
- Imam Abdullah Patel, Head teacher, Al-Ashraf Secondary School for Girls, Gloucester
- Imam Shakeel Begg, Lewisham Islamic Centre
- Imam Fakhrul Islam, Hockwell Ring Masjid, Luton
- Molana Sauban, Masjid Heera, Dewsbury
- Imam Dr Louay Al-Alousi (Abu Salam), Masjid-us-Sunnah Leicester
- Imam Abid Khan, Cheadle Mosque, Manchester
- Shaykh Salim Astewani, CMA, Manchester
- Shaykh Abu Umar, Didsbury Mosque, Manchester
- Imam Shah Talha Ahmed, Forest Gate Masjid
- Moulana Hayaat R. Khan, Bradford
- Shaykh Asif Mansoor Khan Al-Azhari, PGCE QTS BA BSc
- Abdul Wahhab – Darul Atfaal and Beacontree Masjid Headteacher
- Imam Abdul Mateen, London
- Maulana Shah Muaz Ahmed, Quwwatul Islam, London
- Imam Ahmed Desai, Masjid Quba Bradford
- M Younus Khan, Madina tul Ilm Academy
- Imam Abdul Hakim, Masjid Noor and Education Centre, Dewsbury
- Imam Mohammed Waseem, Masjid At Taqwa, Bradford
- Maulana Mohammed Farook Kazi, Al-Ansaar Welfare & Education, Preston
- Molana Sulayman Khan, Frizinghall, Bradford
- Hafiz Aziz Khan, Principal of Masjid Ibraheem & Education Centre, Bradford
- Imam Zahed Fettah, Wisdom Cultural and Islamic Centre, Birmingham
- Mufti Sufyan, myislaam.com
- Muhammad Mustaqeem Shah, Abu Bakr Trust, Walsall
- Shaykh Mahmud Mezhar, City Mosque, Preston
- Imam Ismail Bulbulia, Masjid Noor & Education Centre, Dewsbury
- Molana S. Munshi, Masjid Heera/Islamic Research Institute of GB, Dewsbury
- Shaykh Bilal Brown, Chaplain of Oldham Police Station, Member of Oldham SACRE, and teacher at Darul Hadis Latifiah NW
- Shaykh Ousman Annsary, Masjid Al Jannah
- Shaykh Shahrul Hussain, Ibn Rushd Centre of Excellence for Islamic Research
- Imam Khabbaab Ahmad, Al Hashim Academy, Batley
- Moulana Farook Raja, Al Hashim Academy, Batley
- Mufti Sajid Patel, Chadwell Heath
- Maulana Dawood Khan, London
- Imam Ilyaas H Limbada, Yeovil Islamic Centre
- Imam Kassim Essak, CJM Southall
- Imaam Arif Polli, Eldon St. Masjid, Preston
- Moulana Afrooz Ali, Al Hikmah Masjid & Learning Centre, Bradford
- Imam Ibrahim Suleman Badat, Purley Masjid, London
- Zaid Mohammed, Imam Central Masjid Rochdale
- Imam Abdullah Kola, Madina Masjid, Newcastle Upon Tyne
- Imam Shah Muhammed Anas, Zakariya Academy, London
- Molana imtiyaz, Masjid e Saliheen, Preston
- Imam Khubaeb Raja, Balham Mosque and Tooting Islamic Centre
- Imam Hamza Patel, Balham Mosque and Tooting Islamic Centre
- Maulana Naweed Sardar, Scunthorpe Central Mosque
- Imam Bilal Toorawa, MASJID-E-ANWAAR, Blackburn
- Imam Tehsin Abo Barirah, Bait-Ut-Tauheed, Dewsbury
- Imam Salmaan Patel, Kettering Muslim Association (KMA)
- Imam Ashfaq Rafiq Patel, Central Mosque Blackpool
- Imam Zakaullah Saleem, Green Lane Masjid, Birmingham
- Imam Umair Vohra, Purley Masjid
- Imam Safwaan Hussein, Battersea Mosque
- Molana Sauban, Masjid Heera, Dewsbury
- Shaykh Muhammad Yasir al-Ḥanafī, Aylesbury
- Imam Muhammed Anas, Forest Gate Masjid, London
- Maulana Muhammad Hasan, Al-Haqq Academy
- Yacoob Hafejee , Head Teacher Madrasah Taleemul Islam Manchester
- Mufti Shah Hamza The Fountain London E15
- Mufti Shuaib Mutala Academy London E13
- Maulana Moin Choudhury Iqra Academy Plaistow
- Maulana Hussain Ahmed Darus Sunnah E7
- Maulana Yousaf Baig, Dewsbury
- Moulana Khairul Huda Khan, Shahjalal Mosque, Manchester
- Maulana Abdul Kabir, London, Head Teacher: CJM Madrassah & R.E School Teacher
- Imam Mustapha Azhar, Jamiah masjid and head teacher at Darut Taqwa, Accrington
- Imam Mohammad Karolia, Al Medinah Mosque, Brighton
- Imam Zaid Mohammed, Central Masjid Rochdale
- Maulana Muhammed Akib Hassan, Bradford
- Maulana Yusuf Mayat, Bradford
- Mufti Bilal Issak, Leicester
- Maulana Haroon Butt, Nottingham
- Maulana Mohammed Shoiab Patel, Dewsbury
- Maulana Ibrahim Patel, Dewsbury
- Maulana Ebrahim Diwan, Manchester
- Maulana Amin Sadiq, Imam Chingford, London.
- Maulana Mohammed Moreea – Imam – Walthamstow, London
- Maulana Adil Patel, Leytonstone, London
- Maulana Ammar Dana, Leicester
- Maulana Huzaifa Kolia, Imam, Walthamstow, London
- Maulana Zayd Mehtar, Imam, Walthamstow London
- Maulana Mohsin Ali, London
- Abbas Afzal, teacher Darul Uloom Muhammadiyyah, Wednesbury
- Imam Salim Ismail, Islamic Centre Upton Park
- Maulana Abdul Rehman Ghani, Birmingham
- Imam Muhammad Sadak, Chingford
- Maulana Abdullah Bhula, Bradford
- Maulana Suleman Collector, Headteacher, Cambridge Street School
- Moulana Abdullah Bham, Islamic Tutor Batley
- Moulana Muhammad Raees, Bradford
- Moulana Abdul Hafeez, Teacher of Quran
- Moulana Ahmed Bismillah, Imam Masjid Hidaya Keighley
- Moulana Ayyaz Iqbal, Teacher of Hadith and Tafseer Leeds
- Moulana Hafeezur Rahman, Bradford
- Maulana Suhail Patel, Bolton
- Maulana Mohammed Patel, Batley, Islamic teacher
- Moulana Mohammed Atiq, Leicester
- Imam Abdul Wahhab, Darul Atfaal, London
- Imam Ruhulamin Bapu, Preston, Madina Masjid
- Maulana Ata Muhammad, Imam Madina Masjid, Wolverhampton
- Hafiz Mehmood Ahmed, Quran Teacher, Wolverhampton
- Sheikh Wasim Kempson, London, org
- Imam Mohammed Amin, Bradford
- Ustadh Ramiz Ibrahim, London
- Moulana Said Ahmed, Preston
- Sheikh Abu Nusaybah Mohamed, Taiba Mosque Complex – London
- Ustadh Abu Haneefah Sohail
- Imam Omar Hajaj
- Moulana Obaidur Rahman
- Maulana Abdul Gaffar, Director, Al-Rushd Academy, London
- Hafiz Mehmood Ahmed
- Imam Amjad Ahmed, Howard Street
- Imam Muhammad Hafiz
- Imam Muhammad Hafiz
- Shaykh Muhammad Ameen Gani
- Maulana Shafiq Ur Rehman Shaheen. Oldham
- Sheikh Abdulbasid Haji Masjid Alfurqan, St.Matthew, Leicester.
- Imam Mohammad Teladia, Masjid Abu Bakr, Reading
- Mufti Quresh Ali
- Molana Suleman Pandor
- Maulana Rashid Ghani Qadiri
- Ustadh Mohammad Quraishi, Quantum Ruqya Education Trust
- Maulana Habibur Rahman
- Shaykh Muhammad Idris Watts, Founder of Quranic Circle
- Sheikh Muhammad Sabahul Haque
- Imam Khidir Hussain, Masjid Ayesha, Tottenham, London
- Maulana Muzakkir Ali, Masjid-e-Hamza, Ashton-under-Lyne
- Moulana Saad Khandelvi
- Mufti Ghulam Sarwar (Hanfia Masjid, Huddersfield)
- Maulana Waseem Patel
- Sheikh Shaqur Rehman
- Shaykh Abu Muhammad Saleh
