Giving with one hand, taking back with the other. From the BBC, with thanks to Anthony:
The ways in which Muslims can integrate better into society will be examined at a students' conference on Thursday.
The 500 delegates at the event organised by the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (Fosis) will also discuss discrimination at universities.Fosis spokesman Azam Bakeer Markar said Muslims faced more suspicion on campus since the attacks of 11 September.
Giving:
But he said the UK's 9,000 Muslim students would be encouraged to do more to show they "had nothing to hide"."Muslim students are very active on campus and now there's always people questioning their various gatherings," Mr Markar said.
"In the climate of fear after 9/11 we consider it's best to engage more rather than withdraw into our shell."...
Taking back:
They will also hear from the wife of Babar Ahmad, who is facing extradition to the US on terror charges.Fosis president Wakkar Khan said her presence reflected the students' concern at anti-terror measures taken by the government since September 11.
"Mrs Ahmad is going to be touching on the issues surrounding what happened with her husband and the implications for the Muslim community at large.
"It was quite a shock for the Muslim community when this happened because they saw Babar as just another Muslim, it could be any of us," Mr Khan said.
The US Department of State has claimed that websites run by Mr Ahmad, who is from Tooting, south London, urged Muslims to use "every means at their disposal" to train for jihad, or holy war.
This "could be any of us"? Really?
"Fosis".
Sounds like a disease.
Deciding to kill civilians en masse is like catching the flu for a Muslim. One day you love your neighbors; the next day you want to kill all your neighbors. Just an ordinary day for an ordinary Muslim.
Inshallah
The ways in which Muslims can integrate better into society
Drop Islam. Or at least 90% of it. Which doesn't leave much. Just some odd rituals about stepping this way, wiping that way, while saying something or other. Barring that, move to an Islamic country.
This "could be any of us"? Really?
You can count me out: I'm not a Mohammedan!
I demand free suicide belts for all Mohammedans, on condition they blow by themselves somewhere in the desert where they can do no harm!
The 10 per cent that's left can keep 'the five pillars' and the rest of the Koran will go to the shredders.
Sounds good?
Fosis spokesman Azam Bakeer Markar said Muslims faced more suspicion on campus since the attacks of 11 September.
That is because of the daily, low level, insidious harassment and intimidation of Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Christian students by Muslim bigots on University campuses across the land, in a hyestria of religious chauvinism utterly inimical to the ethos of tolerance, plurality and liberalism that is the whole meaning of being a student and University life.
Its very simple, bigots are disliked because they are bigots.
I say they try to integrate by:
A) wearing uncommon clothing,
B) behaving in an obnoxious manner,
C) insisting on unusual foods,
D) banning the literature, alcohol and women's bodies being exposed by their neighbors,
and:
E) insisting that laws be created by the majority to forbid them to criticize this specific minority.
That's called Islamic Integration.
Sure to charm the locals.
But he said the UK's 9,000 Muslim students would be encouraged to do more to show they "had nothing to hide".
"Muslim students are very active on campus and now there's always people questioning their various gatherings," Mr Markar said.
Granny: are there really only 9,000 Muslim students attending British colleges and universities? Given the number of foreign students and the large Muslim population, that seems a very small figure.
As for levels of activity on Brit campuses, Melanie Phillips would probably have lots to say about how they make their presence known, particularly with respect to Israel and Jewish students. Of course all the raving loonie Arabists amongst British academe would make them feel very much at home.
Waterdragon
It doesn't sound like that many but it is well known that Asian Muslims do less well academically than any other ethnic group. In contrast to Hindus and Sikhs who do very well.
But the best person to ask about the accuracy of that figure is Zico. I believe that has more up to date connections with higher education than I.
Funny, Granny, not that I have any statistical data, but it seems Muslims are well represented on university campuses in southern Ontario (Canada) cities and making life difficult for Jewish students in some cases. They also seem to be well represented numerically on US university campuses, or at the least, very bellicose and aggressive.
Bellicose and aggressive is an understatement. Empty vessels do make the most noise.
The best I can find is this table from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/ethnic0304.htm
The most recent year they have statistics for is 2003/2004. As you will see they persist in the "Asian" definition of ethnicity, only broken down in relation to country of family origin not belief. Which means lumping the achieving Hindus, Sikhs and Christians (not to mention Buddists Jews, Jains etc) in with Muslims. You will see that there were just over 381,000 students doing a first degree that year. Which, I agree, does make 9000 look a bit silly.