Mention names like Dawud Wharnsby Ali, Professor Jamal Badawi, and Imran Khan, and we all feed proud to proclaim that they are Muslims. These individuals were just three of the many who attended this earlier UK conference (late July-August of this year). i wanted to post this up because of a recent debate in one of the other Forums where it was debated by some that one cannot be Muslim and British at the same time. When you focus on stuff like that exclusively, at the expense of other perhaps more significant issues, then i think one has no right to mention names like Imran Khan, Jamal Badawi’s, or D. Wharnsby Ali’s - or Yusuf Islam, Sheikh Yusuf Estes, etc. There is nothing ‘wrong’ with having this type of identity - we’re one billion Muslims residing in each corner of the world. When we focus upon such minute issues, we lose sight of the larger picture. Who knows how much knowledge may have been gained for the participants of this conference, and how it may have solidified, rather than minimized, a sense of unity amongst the Muslims attending.
Being British, Feeling Muslim: A Unique Festival of British Islam, Khadijah Elshayyal, IslamOnline
On Thursday, 31 July, over 3,000 Muslims converged at the Lincolnshire Showground to attend Living Islam 2003, the largest ever Muslim residential camp to be held in the United Kingdom. The four-day festival was the culmination of over two years’ preparation by the Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) and its youth wing, the Young Muslims UK. Both organizations have developed the experience of organizing residential camps over the past two decades, but Living Islam 2003 was distinguished by its varied program and attractions, the high degree of its professionalism, the huge media interest that it attracted, and the uniquely relaxed atmosphere that was present.
For four days, participants were inspired by speakers from the UK and abroad, including Imran Khan, Professor Jamal Badawi, Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick and others. Several films were shown, covering aspects of Islamic history and current affairs. There was also a fascinating display by renowned artist-photographer Peter Saunders.
During the afternoon, sports tournaments in soccer (football), cricket, rounders, volleyball and chess were only a few of the recreational activities on offer. Other more unusual ones included horse riding, obstacle races, hot air balloon rides and a huge water fight based on Harry Potter’s adventures. For those interested in interactive discussion, there were workshops covering effective lobbying, married life, and other topics. For the younger participants there was an entirely separate scouts program which saw the launch of the Islamic Scouts of Britain, while teenagers also had the opportunity to share and discuss issues particular to them in the specialized teenage sessions of the Young Muslims UK.
The evenings were a different experience altogether, as the marquee hosted huge concerts with an electrifying atmosphere. Artists featured were the USA’s Native Deen, Sami Yusuf and Canada’s Dawud Wharnsby Ali, interspersed by hilarious comedy acts and insightful, yet humorous sketches. Friday night was set aside for women’s entertainment, giving the sisters the opportunity to take the stage and show off their talents through plays commenting on Islam’s place in their everyday life, singing performances, and even a fashion show displaying the work of an upcoming Muslim fashion designer, Hamra Alam.
But this was not all. Throughout the event, an onsite exhibition hall hosted a wide array of stalls selling everything from books to clothing, perfume and accessories to multimedia. Feel the Movement, a brand new exhibition commissioned especially for the camp, displayed aspects of history and achievement in both pictorial and multimedia form. Saturday saw the arrival of a careers fair giving participants the chance to browse and discuss with employers the diverse range of job opportunities offered. Experts and representatives provided an insight into careers in the police service, legal professions, pharmacy, the civil service, construction management and many others.
For those wanting to relax and catch up with old friends, or to meet new ones, the Oasis Café provided the perfect location. With Islamic songs playing in the background and copies of Emel magazine on every table, it created just the right feeling for a Muslim café. Catering throughout the event was masterfully coordinated and provided by nine different outlets offering something for every taste and diet.
The more spiritual side of the camp was the daily congregational Salah (ritual Prayer) led by Sheikh Muhammad Taher of Leeds Grand Mosque. The climax of this was the open air Friday Jumu`ah Prayer. The sound of the Adhan (call to Prayer) projected over the 20-acre campsite was a rare treat for UK Muslims, as was the melodious recitation of the Qur’an by the sheikh that followed Fajr Prayer every morning and served as an opening to the program for each day.
Leaving the site on Sunday, participants went away informed, refreshed and, above all, motivated and inspired. Living Islam was indeed a unique environment in which the UK’s Muslims could enjoy one another’s company and celebrate the richness of their history, culture and heritage. They were able to rejoice in and explore the wonderfully diverse yet harmonious strands that make up today’s British Islam. At a time when the media portrayal of Islam and Muslims is often negative, Living Islam provided an opportunity for the community to make a strong statement to the public: that our way of life encapsulates a balance between the serious and the recreational, and that our values and principles - peace, equality, brotherhood, justice, care and compassion for others, values that are often hard to come by in today’s increasingly individual-centred, materialistic society - provide a solid basis for successful living. Living Islam demonstrated a firm expression of British Islam, one that sees itself as an integral part of the country’s make-up and feels that it has a great deal to give. The four-day event was a display of the wealth of talent and ingenuity that our community possesses and a signal of the massive potential that it has to grow in its vibrancy.
For further information, visit www.livingislam.co.uk and www.isb.org.uk.
The author is an undergraduate student and a member of the Young Muslims UK
Really confused now. You didn’t attend it, so how do you manage to rationalize your criticisms of a conference occurring in a country (let alone continent) you are not even currently living in, one that was attended by thousands of your Muslim brothers and sisters, took months and months to organize? Mera armchair critic banna bahaut asaan hota hai, but unless i am one of the organizers who put in the ungodly hours to get this conference off the road, to have people like Dr. Badawi fly all the way from Canada to the UK, to arrange topical panel discussions and seminars, to coordinate peoples’ schedules, to arrange the speakers flying in from different parts of the world, and on top of that especially if i don’t attend such a conference myself - then i really don’t have the right to criticize an undertaking such as this. In my humble opinion.