Population

Reported in January 2009 the Muslim population in the U.K.  grew in recent years at a pace 10 times greater than the rest of the population to a figure exceeding 2.4 million. (3.9% of total population)  The growth is attributable to immigration, a higher birthrate and conversions to Islam during the period of 2004-2008, when the data was gathered. There are more than 42.6 million Christians in Britain, according to the Office for National Statistics, whose figures were obtained through the quarterly Labour Force Survey of around 53,000 homes. But while the biggest Christian population is among over-70s bracket, for Muslims it is the under-4s (301,000 under age 4 as of September 2008). The total population in the UK is about 61,000,000 with 84-85% living in England.   From The Times, January 30, 2009, “Muhammad Abdul Bari, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, predicted that the number of mosques in Britain would multiply from the present 1,600 in line with the rising Islamic population. He said the greater platform that Muslims would command in the future should not be perceived as a threat to the rest of society.  “We each have our own set of beliefs. This should really be a source of celebration rather than fear as long as we all clearly understand that we must abide by the laws of this country regardless of the faith we belong to,” he said.  The Cohesion Minister, Sadiq Khan, told The Times: “We in central Government and local authorities need to continue our work to ensure that our communities are as integrated and cohesive as possible.”

Islamic Law – Sharia

The threat of increasing pressure from Muslims living in England to be able to live under Sharia Law is real, more than perceived. This is counter to the statement made by Muhammad Abdul Bari (above para.) to “abide by the laws of this country regardless of faith.” 

From the Magna Carta to Sharia Law – From the desk of A. Miller, 9/15/2008,

“We have sunk further and quicker than we thought possible. Today we learned that sharia courts (which have operated illegally in Britain until now) are being re-classed as tribunal hearings, making their judgments legally binding. According to the Daily Express, “new powers have been given to tribunals in London, Birmingham, Bradford and Manchester with the network’s headquarters in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Two more courts are being planned for Glasgow and Edinburgh.” According to the Daily Mail, this “[…] new network of courts […] agree[s] to be bound by traditional sharia law, and under the 1996 Arbitration Act the court’s decisions can then be enforced by the county courts or the High Court. It is almost unbelievable that this should occur in a modern, democratic, Western country, and, moreover, under a government that claims to be liberal, and to care about the right of women and homosexuals among others. But, tracing the actions of the pro-Islamic Labour Party, and of modern liberalism more generally, it should have been predictable. Modern liberalism is not a force for human rights and equality (though it still uses these terms where they can be of use in breaking down British tradition); it is a selfish urge for freedom for one’s own self – others be damned. Multiculturalism frees the liberal from the demands of ‘culture.’ Mass immigration frees him from the need to know his history….But Islam is neither a race nor ethnicity, but a religion, and one that has Asian, Black, and White followers….Only yesterday, the Sun newspaper showed a video of radical clerics announcing plans to take over Britain: It may be by pure conversion that Britain will become an Islamic state. We may never need to conquer it from the outside. This, among other similar pronouncements, was made at a rally billed as a debate on whether the West had “learned the lessons” of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Apparently, we have not….

 

The establishment of sharia law in Britain, even on a minor scale, not only undermines British law and culture of equality ‘under the law,’ with cases judged by a jury of one’s peers, but is implicitly menacing to people of all non-Muslim religions, atheists, conservatives, women, homosexuals, and people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds….The liberal establishment generally, and the Labour government in particular, has betrayed their professed belief in human rights and equality, and are ushering in extremism and intolerance. If their proposed new Bill of Rights for the UK goes ahead as planned, extremist Muslims may have yet another advantage, as it is proposed that religious minorities will be given additional rights, thus possibly reinforcing sharia….Whatever their difference, the people of Britain must form a broad coalition to oppose such extremism. The homosexual man or woman, the Hindu, Sikh, and atheist, have as much to lose as the White British Christian.”

 

Is this a reflection of the Islamic Strategy of Conquest (Understanding Islam – Part 23) being fulfilled in the United Kingdom?

Minority Targets

In 2008 a Muslim leader in the United Kingdom claimed it has become legitimate to target Muslims in the media and society at large in a way that would be unacceptable for any other minority.  Shahid Malik, who was appointed as a minister in the Department for International Development by Gordon Brown in the summer of 2007, made note also that many British Muslims now felt like “aliens in their own country”. He said he himself had been the target of a string of racist incidents, including the firebombing of his family car and an attempt to run him down at a petrol station.  “Somehow there’s a message out there that it’s OK to target people as long as it’s Muslims. And you don’t have to worry about the facts, and people will turn a blind eye.”

Malik made an excellent point, one most all feel must be taken seriously. 

But shouldn’t Muslims be an example to the world of their religious tolerance, thus reflected as a condition of their religion and justification for his statements.  They shout in effect “we are being persecuted” yet within the boundaries of areas where Muslims are the dominant people minorities are of little regard.  Can Malik truly state that Muslims provide evidence of their tolerance for minorities, reflecting on his judgment of the targeting of minorities as “unacceptable for any…”  Take Jews and Christians, those considered non-believers in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, what are their rights?  What are their rights within the communities of Muslims in the United Kingdom?  What freedom do non-believers in Muslim countries have to practice their religion, build churches or synagogues, preach, and proclaim their faith, their love of God?  Is this what may be coming to the UK?  How can a notable figure, as a Muslim, express such concerns when in fact worldwide Muslims lead in the way of minority persecutions?  It might be a better exercise for Malik to take his message into the Muslim world and ask them to demonstrate his regard for minorities so we as non-believers in Allah can feel safe in the presence of ALL Muslims.  How would we otherwise know, as a minority in a Muslim area, we are free to believe as we believe without being suppressed, attacked, taxed, or otherwise treated as second class citizens.

Malik’s use of the term ‘racist’ is interesting as Muslims are neither a race nor an ethnicity (as noted prior), but a religion, a religious tradition,  made up of whites, blacks, Asians, and others.

I will grant that the majority of Muslims outside Muslim dominated areas (and probably within as well) appear peaceful.  There are many of my friends that defend Muslims as kind, caring people.  Those of a peaceful nature were referred to, by one friend, as the ‘purest.’  However there was little defense for such a claim.  When I read the Quran (Sura’s noted by #) and take from it those ideals outlined as the ‘purest’ I come to understand an ideology of deceit (towards those that do not believe), 3:54 and 10:21; distrust (instructions to not become friendly with non-believers, non-believing neighbors), 3:28;  unity (until all the world is for Allah), 2:193; macho-istic men (men are above women – takes 2 women to testify vs. 1 man, 2:282;  a degree above as to all rights, their nature, their intellect, women inferior, 2:228; men can have relations with their wives when and as they like 2:223;  men can covet women, money, material things, 3:14; multiple wives possible, 4:3; and fighting/war once the specter or excuse of ‘persecution’ arises, 2:193, 8:65, 9:5, 9:29, until only Muslims remain.  [the numbers reference passages from the Quran]

Recommended Reading

If you read the Quran, which I would recommend for everyone, you will understand the threat Islam represents to other religions, even non-religions, atheists and secularists, to freedom itself.  Those Muslims most peaceful, those considered moderate, they too are under threat, as the ‘purists’ want ALL to live under the strictest, and only, standards of the Quran.  There are no other standards; there is not a new Quran written for changing times, changing attitudes, changing cultures, and a changing world.  The methods and practices are to remain and followed as Muhammad himself followed and dictated, noting at times his personal preferences.

Muslim Areas in the UK

Birmingham, an area northwest of London, is the largest concentration of Muslims outside of London itself. Almost 20% of the population is Muslim, 52% Christian. Birmingham has the largest population concentration for a City outside of London.   Manchester, also northwest of London, a smaller city, is approx. 9.2% Muslim compared with 3.9% for the Country as a whole.  Manchester is 62% Christian.  (Source:  Statistical information gathered from misc. websites, web encyclopedias, etc.) 

It is in these concentrated Muslim communities that the next stage of the Islamic Strategy of Conquest may be taking place. 

Salvation

Salvation is important to Muslims.  Of this, however, there is no assurance.  Allah has the final say, no matter the accounting for good in excess of evil for any given Muslim.  The Laws, many taken from the Bible’s Old Testament, are to be followed, except as modified for the rights of men over women, and then the Quran is followed.  Woman have few rights and as for any chance of salvation there is no mention in the Quran.  

Whereas the New Testament freed mankind, those that accept Christ, from the chains of the Laws that made it impossible to be 100% obedient, no such freedom exists for the Muslim.  Thus salvation for a Christian is assured.   The blessings of Christ are for all humans, all mankind.  Salvation can be assured by simply embracing and being thankful for the punishment, the curse, Jesus took with him to the cross, the curse of sin upon man, and freed man to love God, and be loved by God, to have a relationship with the Creator, taking great comfort, the Holy Spirit as Comforter, in an eternal life with the Triune God.  The Triune God is the ‘One’ God to be seen as his composite nature providing for his People, the People of the Book. 

May the United Kingdom find a Great Awakening in the light of God’s love bathing upon them and renew its faith in the Risen Lord, a faith that enabled the founders of this wonderful Country to establish itself as world leaders – as democratic leaders of a free world.

My heart reaches out to persons that have not understood the good news of Jesus Christ.  It is great news, indeed.  We, who have taken the time and come to know Jesus Christ, come also to realize what he made possible for everyone.  When we contemplate death and consider the consequences we are dealing with either nothing (returning to dust, to the earth, no soul, no future after life on earth) or something, a life after death.  Pascal is credited with the gamble that if the choices are nothing or something, he would go with, at least, something.  Then if that something entailed heaven or hell, he would try for heaven.  If heaven required salvation, my guess is he would go for the assurance of salvation.  Then if the assurance of salvation were possible and all religions were considered, the Christian religion would surface as the only one where assurance was provided by a living person, human and divine, incarnate, who walked with, spoke with, and demonstrated his miraculous power, and lived a ‘perfect’ life.  When study was then conducted into the Christian religion, the Bible and the New Testament, the reader would quickly realize that the Old Testament covered the old covenant of God and Laws and the New Testament covered a new covenant. With the ‘new’ justification by faith in Christ granted the assurance.  The new covenant was foretold in the Old Testament (Isaiah and Jeremiah).  Great joy was to befall all who have faith in Christ.  Christ lived, his death on the cross was actual (not faked as the Quran suggests), and the Resurrection was witnessed by hundreds, thus Christ overcame the sin of mankind, and death, via the resurrection.  We know him by the presence of his Spirit within us.  We then live a life with Christ as our mentor, our example and guide, one of caring for the sick, aiding the poor, and loving our neighbor.  We love, submit, and obey God, Christ, above all.  Christians do this voluntarily. 

Grace and peace to all who love and are loved by God.