"But i know where Ballerz is comming" you do??? masaallah personally i just thought he was taking rubbish abayo.

BARAWAAQO...So i see that your Economic instincts would be be so over-riding that you would chance the risk lol. I appladue such bravery. I wouldnt dare. knowing my luck this would occur on a day where there was a anti-terrorism raid on the neirbouring Pakistani hair cutters lol and nxt day u would see on the local and national newspapers " NOMAD CAUGHT SMEERING RACIN ON ATM MACHINE" lol....perhaps if IT where just advice slips then i would display my atheltic talents grab some and make like Maurice Green lol. Although i dont no how they would be of use to the many rough sleepers that i encounter (perhaps they could use that to role a joint or somethin ).

"inshallah in 12 yrs time ...i will become the president of islamic state of somalia...(ISS)..lol" Inshallah i will be there as one of the empowered nomads exercising my right of self determination ramapage and you might still get my vote....but u got to get rid of the arseeanl lol. Back to the question No, who knows what is going to happen tomorrow let alone 12/13 yrs down the line, i mean just look @ the world @ the moment huh these are testing times. I can only speak of my hopes and aspiriations, namely that i will have managed to have stayed on the rigth path and not get derailed onto the wrong path, in the process become a more knowledagble and active muslim inshallah. That i will have been successful in establishing a proffesional career from what am currently studying and that i will be able to settle down with a loving wife and many kids.

Hey that was kool. am gonna start invading this particular section in the forum soon so watch this space cos the competition is about to get hotter

Looks interestring but very long i'll checki it out and give my two cents on it later if i got a chance. Thx H.A

Thx very much for the article Tamina it was very educative. May allah reward your efforts in informin us.

Shah Abdul Hannan DEMOCRACY IN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE Shah Abdul Hannan Former Secretary, Govt. of Bangladesh Democracy is a commonly known word all over the world. Most of the political movements in the world have made it their goal to establish this system in their respective countries. Democracy is the most popular and accepted political system in the modern world. Yet, there exists some difference of opinion among the Islamic groups on democracy. Democracy and human rights have occupied very important position in the political agenda of many of the Islamic parties. However, some of the parties and people do not accept it, since democracy speaks of sovereignty of the people. In this context, we need a careful and deep analysis of this issue. We need to understand the issue avoiding the minor technicalities. As we see, Islamic parties and Islamic scholars of the modern world think of a political system wherein government will run the country through Parliament. They also want freedom of expression, voting right of the people, rule of law, independent & free judiciary, free press, fundamental human rights etc. These are also the pre-requisites of the democratic system. It is therefore, apparent on a deeper analysis that the concept of state and govt. of Islamic Parties are in conformity with the principles of democracy. Theoretically speaking, Islam speaks of sovereignty of Allah, while western democracy advocates that sovereignty belongs to people. However, all political thinkers do not share the same view of sovereignty. Some political scientists even argue that there is no need of the concept sovereignty at all. Even the concept of sovereignty is not highlighted in the books which discuss democracy though sovereignty is discussed in great detail as a political concept in the books of political science. In this connection position taken in the constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran is very relevant. Heading of chapter 5 of the consititution is “Sovereignty of the Nation and the Powers emanating there from”. Article 56 reads as follows: “The absolute sovereignty over the universe and man belongs to God who has bestowed upon man sovereignty over his social destiny. None can deprive man of this sovereignty, nor can he place it in the interest of certain other person or group of persons. The nation shall exercise this divine sovereignty through the ways referred to in the following articles of Law” It is apparent that sovereignty has been divided between “absolute Soverignty” and “bestowed Soverignty” (like concepts of legal sovereignty and political sovereignty in the western concepts). It is clear from above that all of us need not take same view on the concept and nature of sovereignty. In this context, we feel it necessary to quote from the writings of Allama Yousuf Al Qardawi, an eminent Islamic scholar of the present time. He wrote on Political Freedom and Democracy as follows: “ The fear of some people here that democracy makes the people a source of power and even legislation (although legislation is Allah’s alone) should not be heeded here, because we are supposed to be speaking of a people that in its majority has accepted Allah as its Lord, Mohammad as its Prophet and Islam as its Religion. Such a people would not be expected to pass a legislation that contradicts Islam and its incontestable principles and conclusive rules.” “Anyway, these fears can be overcome by one article stipulating that any legislation contradicting the incontestable provisions of Islam shall be null and void because Islam is the religion of the State and the source of legitimacy of all its institutions and therefore may no be contradicted, as a branch may not run against the main stream.” “It should be known that the acceptance of the principle that legislation or rule belong to Allah does not rob the Nation of its right to seek for itself the codes necessary to regulate its ever-changing life and earthly affairs.” “What we seek is that legislations and codes be within the limits of the flawless texts and the over all objectives of Sharia and the Islamic Message. The binding texts are very few, while the area of “permissibility” or legislative free space is quite wide and the texts themselves are so flexible and capacious as to accommodate more than one understanding and accept more than one interpretation, which leads to the existence of several schools and philosophies within the expansive framework of Islam.” (Quoted from ‘Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase’, Chapter : The Movement and political Freedom and Democracy) We find many Islamic scholars accepted the idea of democracy in Islam though under certain conditions. Dr. Abu Said Nuruddin has written in his book ‘Mohakobi Iqbal’, ( Iqbal the Great Poet) that Allama Iqbal, was not happy with the democratic system because of its secularist stance but he suggested in his writings that there was no alternative to democracy. In his 6th speech on ‘Reconstruction of religious thought in Islam’, Allama Iqbal stated that Islamic state is established on the principles of freedom, equality, and the absolute principles of stability. Therefore the principles of democratic rule is not only similar with the fundamental aspects of Islam rather the executing powers are enhanced in the Muslim world (Mohakabi Iqbal, Iqbal the Great Poet by Dr. Abu Said Nuruddin) Iqbal observed, should the foundation of democracy rest upon spiritual and moral values, it would be the best political system. He wrote in the "The New Era" on its 28th July, 1917 issue: that democracy was born in Europe from economic renaissance that took place in most of its societies…….But Islamic democracy is not developed from the idea of economic advancement rather it is a spiritual principle that comes from the principle that everybody is a source of power whose possibilities can be developed through virtue and character”. [Mohakabi Iqbal ( Iqbal the Great Poet) by Dr. Abu Said Nuruddin, page -239) That means according to Iqbal Islam prescribes democracy under the law of Allah. We see Moulana Maududi, fifty years ago from now, in his book “Political theory of Islam” used the term “Theo-democracy” for Islamic state. He didn’t deny the term ‘democracy’. Rather he accepted democracy while this system will work under the sovereignty of Allah. There is a misconception about Moulana Maududi’s true position about democracy. Moulana Maududi initially criticized western democracy because of its secularism and popular sovereignty (in the sense that Parliament can make any law even if it violates the Law of Allah). However, his later writings and political conduct proved that he believed in Democracy (Rule of the people) subject to the Law of Allah (Sovereignty of Allah). In an interview with Akhbar-e-Jahan Karachi which was published on 2 April 1969, Sayyid Maududi said, “Islam and Democracy are not opposed to each other. Democracy is a system where Govt. is formed run and changed on the basis of public opinion. Islamic political order also is of the same type. However, our democratic values are different from western values. Western democracy has no limits…………………………………………… ……. …………………………... On the other hand Islamic democracy is controlled by the Quran and the Sunnah ………… …” (Interviews of Moulana Maududi, on Bangla translation) published by Adhunik Prokashani, Bangla Bazar, Dhaka, 1st edition. 1999, page 263). In an interview with Mujallatun Guraba, an Arabic paper from London (published in February 1969 No.), he said, “ to make people understand now it is essential to use modern terminology. But care should be taken in their use. Same terms should be avoided such as socialism. Some terms are permitted with the condition that their Islamic and western connotation should be clearly spelled out. Democracy, Constitutional system and parliamentary system are such terms …….”. (ibid, page 255). In an interview published in the Daily Mashriq of Lahore, Pakistan (1st February, 1970), in reply to a question he said that, “those are good people in his view who want to establish democracy in the country”. (ibid, pages 339-345). He has said in the same interview that “all our constitutional problems should be solved by the representative of the people”. In another interview in the Daily Hurriat in 1969 (published on 10th November), he again said that all constitutional amendments should be made in a democratic way by the representatives of the people”. (ibid, P-313). His party always supported democracy. Pakistan constitution in 1956 and in 1973 was modeled structurally on democracy and his party Jamaat-e-Islami supported these. His party fought against Martial Laws in Pakistan. He supported Fatima Jinnah against Ayub Khan in Presidential election in 1965 because she promised to restore democracy. His party was a component of DAC (Political combination of parties), where “D” stands for democracy. So it is evident from his later writings and political conduct that he stood for democracy. We also see that in the first Islamic constitution of the present world, the term democracy was accepted with the consent of Islamic scholars (ulema). In the preamble, the term democracy was accepted in the following manner : “Wherein the principles of democracy freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, should be fully observed”. (from the preamble of the constitution Pakistan of 1956) In the 1973 constitution of Pakistan the same position was maintained. “Wherein the principles of democracy freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, shall be fully observed”. (from the preamble of the constitution of 1973) This means that democracy has been accepted within the limits of Islam so that in the name of democracy Islamic principles cannot be violated. Islamic Scholars and Islamic Politicians have come to accept the word democracy and what it means within these limits. Allama Yousuf Al Qardawi in his book “ Priorities of the Islamic Movement In the Coming Phase” has titled one of its chapters as “ The Movement and Political Freedom and Democracy”. In this book he has shown that Islam does not allow any kind of autocracy or monarchy. He also showed that Islam spreads through political freedom. He stated that Islam unlike democracy is a complete code of life, which encompasses many more vital issues of human needs. Above all, he thinks democracy is consistent with Islam and the fundamental rights of mankind prescribed in Islam can be ensured through democracy. He has advocated in favor of democratic system and political freedom. But he suggested to introduce a clause in the constitution to the effect that no law will be passed contrary to the injunctions of the Quran and Sunnah. This clause will act as guarantee against the fear of some people that anti Islamic law may be passed under the cover of democracy. Dr. Qardawi writes: “ It is the duty of the ( Islamic) Movement in the coming phase to stand firm against totalitarian and dictatorial rule, political despotism and usurpation of people’s rights. The movement should always stand by political freedom, as represented by true , not false, democracy. It should flatly declare its refusal of tyrants and steer clear of all dictators, even if some tyrant appears to have good intentions towards it for some gain and for a time that is usually short, as has been shown by experience. The Prophet (SAWS) said , “ When you see my Nation fall victim to fear and does not say to wrong-doer , “ You are wrong”, then you may lose hope in them. “ So how about a regime that forces people to say to a conceited wrongdoer, “ How just, how great you are. O our hero, our savior and our liberator!” The Quran denounces tyrants such as Nimrudh, Pharoah, Haman and others, but it also dispraises those who follow tyrants and obey their orders. This is why Allah dispraises the people of Noah by saying, “ But they follow (men) whose wealth and children give them no increase but only loss.” [surat Nuh : 21] Allah also says of Ad, people of Hud, “ And followed the command of every powerful, obstinate transgressor”.[ Sura HUD : 59] See also what the Quran says about the people of Pharoah, “ But they followed the command of Pharaoh, and the command of Pharoah was not rightly guided.[ Surat Hud : 97] “ Thus he made fools of his people, and they obeyed him : truly they were a people rebellious (against Allah) .” [ Sura Az- Zukhruf : 54] A closer look at the history of the Muslim Nation and the Islamic Movement in modern times should show clearly that the Islamic idea, the Islamic Movement and the Islamic Awakening have never flourished or borne fruit unless in an atmosphere of democracy and freedom, and have withered and become barren only at the times of oppression and tyranny that trod over the will of the people by force which clung to Islam. Such oppressive regimes imposed their Secularism, Socialism, or Communism on their people by force and coercion, using covert torture and public executions, and employing those devilish tools that tore flesh, shed blood, crushed bone and destroyed the soul. On the other hand, we saw the Islamic Movement and the Islamic Awakening bear fruit and flourish at the times of freedom and democracy, and in the wake of the collapse of imperial regimes that ruled peoples with fear and oppression. Therefore, I would not imagine that the Islamic Movement could support anything other than political freedom and democracy.” “ However, the tools and guarantees created by democracy are as close as can ever be to the realization of the political principles brought to this earth by Islam to put a leash on the ambitions and whims of rulers. These principles are: shura (consultation), good advice enjoining what is proper and forbidding what is evil, disobeying illegal orders, resisting unbelief and changing wrong by force whenever possible. It is only in democracy and political freedom that the power of Parliament is evident and that people’s deputies can withdraw confidence from any government that breaches the Constitution, and it is only in such an environment that the strength of free press, free Parliament, opposition and the masses is most felt.” (Quoted from ‘Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase’, Chapter : The movement and political Freedom and Democracy) It is evident from the above discussion that Islamic thinkers and Muslim people want their right to vote, rule of law, and a government that is to be elected by the people. The term democracy mean all these things. Taking everything into consideration, we can say that there is no problem to accept democracy as a political structure and as a concept of freedom (except its concept of sovereignty). We find that different constitutions and Islamic scholars conditionally accepted the term ‘democracy’. Muslim community can accept this term. This will help to remove misunderstanding about Islam that it is for violence and dictatorship.

walaahi you are correct bro muraad lol how can we complain of being ill treated by our enemies when we should expect no less of them, the true shame lies in the way we treat each other. Do we treach others as muslims or as anyone else? I saw a post on here the other day and it was interesting to say what ppl said the question posed being what are you first? well anyway i think your right we have to try and have greater unity between muslim, you know true relationship as brothers and sisters in islam. We need to starting think about what that entails, how we conduct ourselves when we disagree and to moderate our behaviou towards each other I.E. thinking careful before acting. I know it rather simplistic to say so, and most would shout back your being too unrealistc. well that woud be true, it is the case that some of us just simply dont give any consideration to islam, but that shouldnt mean we forget that we are muslims. I might get my head shot off for picking the following as an example but take this current trend of somalis.... quick to jump to identify themselves as being a somalian or a somalilander?? why why not identify yourself first and formost as a muslim and everything else follows behind that everything else being subordinate to this idenfifcation why not?? well i strayed quite abit from the topic my appoliges, but that was a very important point you raised muraad i just thought i would try and elaborate on it.

Well what can i say hypocracy hypocracy and more hypocracy, and not accidental but deliberate, tactical, strategic thinking on the part of these most sinsiter and evil agencies. And the shout Terrorism all the time??? Just read the article to see what has got this naomad renating (YellowTimes.org) – President Bush has declared National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I should be forgiven for greeting the news with cynicism, but at least they included the word "national" in the title. The list of examples demonstrating how life is regarded by Americans with considerably less than sanctity outside their national borders is painfully long. There is eloquent testimony in the flesh of tens of thousands of innocent peasants ripped by metal shards of American landmines and cluster bombs in a dozen far-off lands. There is America's wanton disregard of Israel's brutal rule over the Palestinians; its years of wanton disregard of South Africa's brutal apartheid government; and its years of wanton disregard of official murder and torture in Chile, in Iran, and in a dozen other lands with governments bestowed by America's hysterical, witch-hunting interventions. But even that word "national" must be qualified. Within the sacred precincts of the temple to freedom and human rights itself, there seems to be some elasticity in the definition of sanctity of life. I'm sure the fetuses no one wants -- including the anti-abortion fanatics whose motto might well be, "We jus' helps 'em get born, what happens after is private 'n' personal!" -- are covered by the joyous national celebration. I think likely, too, sperm hurt by condoms and stem cells are included, but just what else is being celebrated remains mysterious. The governor of Illinois seemed to understand the meaning of the words "sanctity of life" when he commuted the sentences of more than a hundred and fifty people agonizingly awaiting execution. His decision came after overwhelming evidence that the death penalty was administered with about the predictability of a flip of a coin. The President never suffered qualms like that during his term as governor of Texas. The Texas lethal-injection assembly line rattled right along with the highest recorded productivity in the nation, and Mr. Bush was so sure justice was being served that he was moved on more than one occasion to joke about those waiting to die. I wonder how America's love affair with guns fits in with the sanctity of life? There's supposed to be about two hundred million of them, many of them handguns whose only purpose is killing people. Obtaining a handgun in many parts of America is far easier than getting a pair of eyeglasses. There's the little matter of the murder rate in America, the highest in the advanced world, and there's the infant mortality rate, also the highest in the advanced world. If there is some way of interpreting the documented brutality of American police forces as life embracing, it escapes me. Now we learn from a UPI story that, for the first time in its murderous history, Israel's intelligence agency Mossad has been granted permission by an American government to use the land of the free as one of its human-hunting grounds. Potential victims must qualify for that elusive category "terrorists." As determined by whom? I guess it's petty of me to ask such a question when Americans are busy celebrating the sanctity of life. Just a few days ago, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Russian officials announcing a new approach to the Chechens described as "the Israeli way," meaning they intend to start cold-bloodedly assassinating Chechens who are deemed terrorists. No objections were heard from the sanctity-of-life President. Bush's CIA recently blew up a car filled with people in Yemen after its arbitrary determination they were terrorists. It's wonderful the way these humanistic values are spreading around the planet. As I've remarked before, that word "terrorist" is taking on exactly the meaning of Stalin's "wreckers," a word he uttered each time he wanted to signal comrades that it was time to round up a new batch of victims. Only now the vicious game is going global. I wonder if Israel's new hunting privileges in America might be extended to other groups? Perhaps licenses could be sold for hefty fees or auctioned to the highest bidders. Americans could watch Russians and Chechens, Spaniards and Basques, Irish and English, Mexicans and aboriginal people, Pakistanis and Indians, Turks and Kurds, various Afghan tribes, or Muslim and non-Muslim Nigerians all hunting each other down in their streets. Now there's an idea for celebrating the second anniversary of National Sanctity of Life Day. Americans should be proud of the inspiring example they set for the world. Happy National Sanctity of Human Life Day, America! [John Chuckman is former chief economist for a large Canadian oil company. He has many interests and is a lifelong student of history. He writes with a passionate desire for honesty, the rule of reason, and concern for human decency. He is a member of no political party and takes exception to what has been called America's "culture of complaint" with its habit of reducing every important issue to an unproductive argument between two simplistically defined groups. John regards it as a badge of honor to have left the United States as a poor young man from the South Side of Chicago when the country embarked on the pointless murder of something like three million Vietnamese in their own land because they happened to embrace the wrong economic loyalties. He lives in Canada, which he is fond of calling the peaceable kingdom.]

Walaahi thats the sitution, like Che said these are trully dark days for somalis.

Thx for the producing teh article KISIMA i dont live in the USA but what is clearly true (even in here in the UK) and probably more so there, when it comes to issues such us these their is no particular difference or choices to chose from between the ruling party and the opposition parties, am not even go into the the particularties ton this occasions as some of the nomads replies above more than done so. so no i think when it comes down to issues of 'national interest' as so simplistical termed by west and the media in general, then the is no signifcant difference between Parties whether they be Democrats or Republicans in the USA or even here in UK between Labour and Conservatives (even though there is some reblions from the back bench mp's).

Firstly Phaaaat Avartar ((i thinks thats the correct speeling)). They community section is probabl getting updated or modified axiib, but thats just my guess.

Thx for notifying us of this Talk Saxiib much appreciated. However unfortunately due to the fact that am facing some exams Particularly 1 on wednesday 22 i am afriad i wont be able to make it. So Inshallah plz if you or any nomads manage to make it to the talk gives as an idea of what it was like, the points raised and so forth, it will be much appreciated Thx saxiib. my allah reward your efforts

Ha ha ha, its soo sad though that that is the only thing that and a non existant nationalsim that you have going for a united Somalia man that is really nothing. "Nationalism is the last resprt of a scoundrel" i think religion should have been added to that quote. -SamiGyrl Really....well all i can say is better The Quran and Al Islam the very source that has sustained and maintained our society since back in the day, Than the mad rantings of arrogance that leads to such stupid logic. anyway Khayr these are questions asked constantly be probably every nomads. Those like us who find ourselves in the privilaged positions that we are in. We can trully see where we have gone astray and to be honest sometimes when i see the attitudes and mindsetts of some somali's who have managed to flee the confilcts to safety, who can observe countless documentries charting and recording somalia's fall into chaos and still not see the reasons i trully dispear. Only allah (SWT) knows when the situation will change in somalia....but correct me if am wrong It is stated that Allah swt will not change the situations of a ppl before the change themselves....well i can only hope that we will begining to view teh bigg picture and change, otherwise our situation as somali's will remian the same perhaps indeffinatley

Wlcm Sensual Healing hope u having a good day

Wlcm Sensual Healing hope u having a good day

Wlcm Sensual Healing hope u having a good day

Wlcm Sensual Healing hope u having a good day

I dont no Khayr i will check it up for you. Your comments where pretty strong. I do agree with you on the point you made on Rushdie and certainly i disagree with Zaki Badawi's when he says that there where only a handfull of Brits in Afghanistan clearly there where more. I just thought it was an interesting article to post on here from www.islamicity.com, i took it on with good faith, but i wanted to here what other nomads think of such views. so thx for the contribution

Most Deff not, but thats because i have seen whats on the net, not something for my unger sis or bro to be looking at @ there age, especially my sis. But am sure alot of somali kids are on the net already either in when in school or via there local internet cafe. You just hope that common sense prevails and that they stay out of harms way.

In the name of Allah the most beneficent the most merciful Ya Allah (A poem) Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair. and wished I was as fair. When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle. She had one leg and wore a crutch. But as she passed, a smile. Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine. I have 2 legs, the world is mine. I stopped to buy some candy. The lad who sold it had such charm. I talked with him, he seemed so glad. If I were late, it'd do no harm. And as I left, he said to me, "I thank you, you've been so kind. It's nice to talk with folks like you. You see," he said, "I'm blind." Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine. I have 2 eyes, the world is mine. Later while walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue. He stood and watched the others play. He did not know what to do. I stopped a moment and then I said, "Why don't you join the others, dear?" He looked ahead without a word. And then I knew, he couldn't hear. Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine. I have 2 ears, the world is mine. With feet to take me where I'd go. With eyes to see the sunset's glow. With ears to hear what I'd know. Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine. I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine. If this poem makes you feel like I felt just forward it to all your friends after all, it's just a simple reminder that we have so-o-o much to be Thankful for!!! HAVE A BLESSED DAY! Fear_Allaah-owner@yahoogroups.com

"in a historical context, its perfectly okay to research the origins of the somali tribes, but it's another thing to use and prejedice fellow somalis because of their qabiil. any intellegent person would recognize the fact that qabiil is some thing that exists, but in addition, they would do their best not to use it to harm others. this is the correct philosophy, unless one is hypocrit." Indeed Jaaluut lets hope more ppl start to think first before giving the 2 cents on qaabil, that would be a much mre intelligent way of conducting one's self

"i was hoping for henry to win" well The World player of the yea award is doggy enough as it is i.e. Figo one it inforn of zizo??? Alan sheara sorry shittera came third one year Beckhams name is always in the hat year in year our and he has came 2nd twice. Man if a player like henry (the horse)then wins it despite not having a left foot, desite not being able to header a ball, despite not being able to score 1-1 with goalies, despite being so crap in big time games...then i will lose any respect i have for that award. How come Del peiro or Batistuta or Rui costa have never even made the Top 5 Let alone the short list its a Joke. Even Players like Ryan Giggs and Paul scholes, who have been consistantly great over the last 6-8 years are over looked by this award.

looool i dont think that i was that excess in my celebrations, besides there wasnt any Baraasi or Baasto around. Tank u for the links i wil check the out

Defender of his faith The unofficial leader of Britain's Muslims has long been a fearless opponent of the radical, fatwa-happy elements of his community. Now, at 80, and with war looming, Zaki Badawi's voice of reason matters more than ever, writes Jack O'Sullivan Wednesday January 15, 2003 The Guardian In another age, Zaki Badawi would probably have held the title "Grand Mufti of Islam in Britain". Everyone would have known that, on matters of faith, his word ranks alongside that of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chief Rabbi and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster. But when the Ottoman empire collapsed in the 19th century the post died. So now Badawi competes with a melee of Muslim politicians, local imams plus any hotheads the media chances upon: imagine a cardinal battling for attention with Gerry Adams, the odd turbulent parish priest and the comedian Dave Allen on matters of Catholic doctrine and you get the picture. Yesterday, however, a party marking the Egyptian-born leader's 80th birthday celebrated his attempts to establish a modern Islam that can fit comfortably with British values. Attended by senior figures from the major faiths, alongside representatives of Prince Charles and the prime minister, it demonstrated that, with war looming and fears of British Islamic support for al-Qaida, Badawi's views matter. His message, combined with his seniority, explain the uniqueness of Badawi, chair of the Council of Imams and Mosques. Far from portraying Islam as being at odds with modernity, he sees it as the immigrant's route to becoming a contented Briton. "There is no theological problem in Islam taking on a great deal of western culture and values and incorporating them." He has waged scholarly war against, for example, forced marriages and female circumcision, practices he sees as having cultural rather than Islamic bases. He first coined the term "British Islam", much to the annoyance of those preferring ethnic terms such as British Asian or Black Briton. "Within a couple of generations," he says, "Muslims will lose their cultural baggage. Indian and Pakistani ways will disappear. They will adopt western cultural values and the whole community will be brought together as British Muslims." Badawi is, however, more than the acceptable voice of Islamic learned scholarship. As a pioneer of Islamic mortgages and insurance, his schemes, now backed by the Treasury, could soon transform the lives of British Muslims. Free from religious problems around paying interest, many more may soon be able, with a free conscience, to buy property here. Badawi has likewise revolutionised the training of Islamic thinkers in Britain, challenging the traditional inward-looking, rule-based education of most British imams with a broad, multi-faith training grounded in western philosophical study. It will not be easy for Osama bin Laden to hijack these updated, westernised Islamic scholars. We meet at the Muslim College, which he founded in west London. His wife, Mavis, opens the door. She is a child psychologist whom he met in the 50s when both studied psychology at London University. He is small and confident, a little curmudgeonly but bursting with vitality. He carries battle scars: the Rushdie affair, Bin Laden, the war in Afghanistan and the Iraq conflict have all threatened to place British Islam beyond respectability. Yet at each turn he brandishes his Koran to rally his community around non-violence, tolerance and loyal British citizenship. September 11 was "a violation of Islamic laws and ethics", he declared after the attack. He has urged Muslim British soldiers to obey their commanders against Saddam Hussein and ridiculed claims that 7,000 British Muslims would fight alongside the Taliban. "I said that if they could find seven, I would give them a medal. In fact, not a single British Muslim fought against the British forces - the only ones who went there were on humanitarian work." When Bin Laden issued a fatwa on Americans, he dismissed it as being without religious authority and declared acerbically: "Fatwas have become a cheap business. Since Ayatollah Khomeini issued his against Salman Rushdie, everyone has opened a fatwa shop." It is 14 years since Bradford's Muslims publicly burned Rushdie's novel, The Satanic Verses. It set their community on a collision course with liberal Britain and brought Badawi to prominence as he urged Muslims to spurn the book but save the man. He broke ranks - leading him to fear for his own life - and declared on television that if Rushdie was being chased and knocked at his door, he would give him refuge. His sentiments are not those voiced by the radicals of the Finsbury Park mosque, I suggest. "I've been called an Uncle Tom," he laughs. "Some people even said that I was working for the British government. I have never received a penny from the British government. I am naturally a rebel. I have always refused to be deferential, even to heads of state. Irreverence is part of my Islamic culture, of my training at Al-Azhar." He is referring to Al-Azhar University in Egypt, Islam's Oxford, where he spent 23 years, going on to teach and lead communities in Malaysia, Nigeria and Singapore, before he came to Britain and was appointed the first chief imam at London's Regent's Park Mosque in 1978. "I was horrified that none of the other imams could speak English. I was amazed that they didn't understand anything about other religions and were so unfamiliar with western culture." Such statements occasionally leave Badawi looking isolated in his ivory minaret, an arrogant, elitist Arab, disparaging followers who come largely from a rural community rooted in the Indian subcontinent. Why does he attack his own people? "I blame my community because they have the ability to remedy the things I am asking them to do." He believes they are often ill served by their representatives. "Muslim politicians have misled the community. They have taken upon themselves tasks that are beyond them. For too long, we have had Muslim chemists or businessmen represent us in a religious function. Because they lack knowledge they are often rigid, whereas a scholar can be more flexible." So how will he establish clear religious leadership? Not by taking a title such as Grand Mufti: "I don't want the Muslim position focused on an individual but on the concept of Islamic scholarship." He explains plans to establish in the spring a council of British Muslim scholars, whose authority will exceed rival voices and prevent Islam being hijacked. "I want the government to help me in training better imams," he says. "Governments plead poverty. That is their mantra. But my argument is that it is cheaper than having to combat the effect of bad imams." Are ministers listening to him? "The government has appointed Muslims to the House of Lords. There are three [Muslim] MPs and we now have four or five Islamic schools funded by the government. It is through this process that we are coming to dig our roots here." And are they listening to his opposition to war with Iraq? "If I were a British prime minister I would find it difficult not to see my interests being served by joining the Americans," he says. "I see the Americans as brute force tempered by wisdom from Britain. But Bush's economy needs to capture some free oil. I don't think the people of Iraq will oppose the invasion. After all, the inspectors are there to make sure that everything is OK, that the Iraqis have no weapons to oppose with. But if the Americans think a lawless world favours the strong, they are wrong. In the long run it destroys the powerful. Anyone reading the history of Rome should know that." www.islamicity.com