Islam Awareness Week
Encyclopedia
The Islamic Society of Britain
Islamic Society of Britain
The Islamic Society of Britain was set up in 1990 for British Muslims to promote Islamic values.Its youth wing is The Young Muslims UK .-Methods of working:The Islamic Society of Britain directs its work into the following areas:...
initiated Islam Awareness Week in 1994, to raise awareness and remove misconceptions surrounding Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. In 1997 the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia by the Runnymede Trust
Runnymede Trust
The Runnymede Trust is a leading pro-multiculturalism think tank., Its aim is to generate intelligence for a "multi-ethnic" Britain through research, network building and policy engagement...
confirmed the existence of widespread prejudice and discrimination against Muslims in Britain. Their report, 'Islamophobia - a challenge for us all' (1997), launched by the Home Secretary at the House of Commons, proposed sixty recommendations, one of which was the desperate need for awareness and understanding of the true teachings of Islam. This was confirmed by the Commission’s second report on Islamophobia launched in 2004.
Since and before the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and the bombings of various European cities, the view has spread that Islam is a purely violent religion. Attempting to counter this idea by portraying Islam as tolerant and peaceful, Islam Awareness Week promotes social interaction between the Muslim and Western cultures.
Themes
2006: One WorldOne World reminds us of the global village that we inhabit, that the world's concerns and problems are ours to both share and solve together, and that the things that we have in common are more significant than the differences that are perceived to exist between us.
What is interesting but unknown about Muslim communities in Britain is that they are the most diverse in the world, where communities from Africa, Asia, the Far East, Eastern Europe and the Middle East contribute to the expression of Islam in today’s multicultural Britain. More importantly, they contribute to and live alongside all the other communities and peoples that are so integral to today’s multicultural Britain.
2005: Past and Present: 1000 years of Islam in Britain
In 2005, Islam Awareness Week told the tale of two peoples as never told before. The Islam and Britain that was never known. Knowing that Britain is currently in a climate in which misunderstandings and hostility are all too common, 2005’s theme was critical to help unearth historical truths in order to carve a new public consciousness, one of commonality and inter-dependence.
It told a story of kings and paupers, of soldiers and sailors, of alchemists and anatomists and of mosques and universities. The story was one of interchange, of dialogue, of political alliances and of friendships from across continents and cultures. Above all it told the tale of interplay between Islam and Britain, of ordinary men and women here in Britain, of communities shaping themselves and of revolutionary ideas that shaped the Britain we have today. Today's Britain would be very different without Islam!
A specially commissioned publication introducing this history was produced for Islam Awareness Week 2005. By highlighting this relationship it was clear to see that the presence of Muslims in the British Isles is not just a recent phenomenon and also helped raise awareness of the mutually enriching role that Islam and British culture have played in the past and continue to play today.
2004: Your Muslim Neighbour
The theme for IAW 2004 was 'Your Muslim Neighbour' and highlighted the often unnoticed contribution made by Muslim neighbours, co-workers and citizens in enriching British society. At the heart of 2004's activities was the desire to bring British communities together in neighbourliness and understanding.
These projects aimed to build bridges and break down misconceptions, harnessing the very strong ethos within Islamic teachings relating to taking care of one's environment and one's neighbours - all of which are common concerns.
2004’s launch was at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre where, as part of the theatre’s Shakespeare and Islam Season, there were readings, recitals, lectures, a souk and other special events.
2003: Muslim Heritage
The focus of IAW 2003 was Muslim heritage and culture. Societies advance through the combined efforts of diverse people, past and present and IAW 2003 demonstrated the part played by Islamic civilization
Islamic Golden Age
During the Islamic Golden Age philosophers, scientists and engineers of the Islamic world contributed enormously to technology and culture, both by preserving earlier traditions and by adding their own inventions and innovations...
in influencing contemporary ideas about science
Islamic science
Science in the medieval Islamic world, also known as Islamic science or Arabic science, is the science developed and practised in the Islamic world during the Islamic Golden Age . During this time, Indian, Iranian and especially Greek knowledge was translated into Arabic...
, medicine
Islamic medicine
In the history of medicine, Islamic medicine, Arabic medicine or Arabian medicine refers to medicine developed in the Islamic Golden Age, and written in Arabic, the lingua franca of Islamic civilization....
, mathematics
Islamic mathematics
In the history of mathematics, mathematics in medieval Islam, often termed Islamic mathematics or Arabic mathematics, covers the body of mathematics preserved and developed under the Islamic civilization between circa 622 and 1600...
, architecture
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
, music
Islamic music
Islamic music is Muslim religious music, as sung or played in public services or private devotions. The classic heartland of Islam is the Middle East, North Africa, Iran, Central Asia, Horn of Africa and South Asia. Due to Islam being a multi-ethnic religion, the musical expression of its adherents...
and the arts
Islamic art
Islamic art encompasses the visual arts produced from the 7th century onwards by people who lived within the territory that was inhabited by or ruled by culturally Islamic populations...
.
Through the use of diverse media, the week highlighted Islam's contribution
Islamic contributions to Medieval Europe
Islamic contributions to Medieval Europe were numerous, affecting such varied areas as art, architecture, medicine, agriculture, music, language, and technology. From the 11th to 13th centuries, Europe absorbed knowledge from the Islamic civilization...
to a wide variety of subjects, from the construction of language with words such as rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
, sandal
Sandal
Sandals are an open type of outdoor footwearSandal may also refer to:* Sandal Castle, site of the Battle of Wakefield in the Wars of the Roses* Sandal, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England* Sandal, Afghanistan* Šandal, village in Slovakia...
and castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
all originating from Arabic terminology
Influence of Arabic on other languages
Arabic has had a great influence on other languages, especially in vocabulary. The influence of Arabic has been most profound in those countries dominated by Islam or Islamic power...
, to the role played by eminent Muslim figures in advancing mathematics, developing the concept of the zero, algebra
Algebra
Algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
, geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
and trigonometry
Trigonometry
Trigonometry is a branch of mathematics that studies triangles and the relationships between their sides and the angles between these sides. Trigonometry defines the trigonometric functions, which describe those relationships and have applicability to cyclical phenomena, such as waves...
. Key inventions that changed the way people lived were also featured; the astrolabe
Astrolabe
An astrolabe is an elaborate inclinometer, historically used by astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses include locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, determining local time given local latitude and longitude, surveying, triangulation, and to...
and the quadrant
Quadrant (instrument)
A quadrant is an instrument that is used to measure angles up to 90°. It was originally proposed by Ptolemy as a better kind of astrolabe. Several different variations of the instrument were later produced by medieval Muslim astronomers.-Types of quadrants:...
, both essential tools for navigation, as well as some of the earliest surgical instruments
Surgical instruments
A surgical instrument is a specially designed tool or device for performing specific actions of carrying out desired effects during a surgery or operation, such as modifying biological tissue, or to provide access for viewing it. Over time, many different kinds of surgical instruments and tools...
. Architectural ingenuity and creativity was illustrated through images of Spain's Al-Hambra
Alhambra
The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra , is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain...
palace and the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
.
The reason why this theme was chosen was because this challenges the notion that some hold about Islam being a religion of frustration, anger, violence and backwardness. It shows how Muslims contributed to the lives of people around them and left a mark for centuries to come. By giving Muslim youth positive role models, this also gives them the confidence to believe in their heritage and faith and it is hoped that it will give them much needed inspiration to excel and contribute to modern day life. The Muslim Heritage Education Resource site (www.virtualclassroom.net) was launched on 3 November 2003 by Rt Hon Charles Clarke (Secretary of State for Education and Skills).
Also present at the launch in the House of Commons were:
Dominic Grieve
Dominic Grieve
Dominic Charles Roberts Grieve, QC MP is a British Conservative politician, barrister and Queen's Counsel.He is the Member of Parliament for Beaconsfield and the Attorney General for England and Wales and the Advocate General for Northern Ireland.-Early life:Grieve was born in Lambeth, the son of...
(Shadow Minister, Home Affairs)
Phil Willis
Phil Willis
George Philip Willis, Baron Willis of Knaresborough is a politician in the United Kingdom. He is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, and was Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough from 1997 until retiring at the 2010 general election...
(Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Lib Dem)
Trevor Philips (Chair, Commission for Racial Equality
Commission for Racial Equality
The Commission for Racial Equality was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom which aimed to tackle racial discrimination and promote racial equality. Its work has been merged into the new Equality and Human Rights Commission.-History:...
)
Representative of HRH The Prince of Wales
Iqbal Sacranie
Iqbal Sacranie
Sir Iqbal Abdul Karim Mussain Sacranie, OBE served as General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain until June 2006. He arrived in UK in 1969. He was founding Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain , and served four further years as Secretary General from 2002 to 2004 and 2004 to...
(Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Muslim Council of Britain
The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
)
2002: Fasting to Remember
The theme for 2002 included the launch of the first UK national day of fasting as IAW that year fell in the second week of the Muslim month of Ramadan. 'Fasting To Remember' is an opportunity for everyone to join in the experience of fasting and remember people who are less fortunate. People of many different faiths and backgrounds took part, including many schools and universities.
In addition, to coincide with IAW 2002, the Islamic Society of Britain
Islamic Society of Britain
The Islamic Society of Britain was set up in 1990 for British Muslims to promote Islamic values.Its youth wing is The Young Muslims UK .-Methods of working:The Islamic Society of Britain directs its work into the following areas:...
commissioned a public opinion survey by the respected pollsters YouGov
YouGov
YouGov, formerly known as PollingPoint in the United States, is an international internet-based market research firm launched in the UK in May 2000 by Stephan Shakespeare, now Chief Executive Officer, and Nadhim Zahawi...
on attitudes towards Muslims. The poll found that 74% of Britons said that they knew 'nothing or next to nothing about Islam' while another 64% of Britons said that their main source of information on Islam and Muslims was from the media.
Special guests at the launch event included:
Rt Hon Paul Boateng
Paul Boateng
Paul Yaw Boateng, Baron Boateng is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Brent South from 1987 to 2005, becoming the UK's first black Cabinet Minister in May 2002, when he was appointed as Chief Secretary to the Treasury...
(Secretary to the Treasury)
Christina Dyke (Conservative Party)
Lord Conrad Russell (Liberal Democrat Peer)
Mike Waldron, on behalf of HRH The Prince of Wales
Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari
Muhammad Abdul Bari
Muhammad Abdul Bari, MBE FRSA , is the Chairman of the East London Mosque, and was the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain from 2006 until 2010.-Life and career:...
(Deputy Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Muslim Council of Britain
The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
)
2001: Islam for Peace and Justice
IAW 2001 took place under the dark shadow of the terrible events of September 11 that year - but it provided an opportunity for Muslims and non-Muslims across the UK to join together, united in their condemnation of the killing of innocent people.
Special Guests at the launch event included:
Rt Hon John Prescott
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott is a British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Born in Prestatyn, Wales, he represented Hull East as the Labour Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010...
(Deputy Prime Minister)
Rt Hon Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin MP FRSA is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he is currently the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, and a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of West Dorset...
(Shadow Home Secretary)
Rt Hon Simon Hughes
Simon Hughes
Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...
(London & Home Affairs Spokesperson)
Sarah Joseph
Sarah Joseph
Sarah Joseph is CEO and Editor of magazine emel and commentator on British Muslims. She is a writer and a broadcaster and lectures on Islam both within the UK and internationally...
(Islamic Society of Britain
Islamic Society of Britain
The Islamic Society of Britain was set up in 1990 for British Muslims to promote Islamic values.Its youth wing is The Young Muslims UK .-Methods of working:The Islamic Society of Britain directs its work into the following areas:...
)
Yousuf Bhailok (Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Muslim Council of Britain
The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
)
2000: Fight the Prejudice - Islamophobia
IAW 2000 sought to highlight the disturbing conclusions of the report by the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia of the Runnymede Trust
Runnymede Trust
The Runnymede Trust is a leading pro-multiculturalism think tank., Its aim is to generate intelligence for a "multi-ethnic" Britain through research, network building and policy engagement...
and the urgent need for more action on the part of Muslims to explain the true teachings of Islam to others and help dispel age-old myths and misconceptions.
Guests at the launch event included:
Rt Hon William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
(Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition)
Rt Hon Jack Straw
Jack Straw
Jack Straw , British politician.Jack Straw may also refer to:* Jack Straw , English* "Jack Straw" , 1971 song by the Grateful Dead* Jack Straw by W...
(Home Secretary)
Rt Hon Simon Hughes
Simon Hughes
Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...
(London & Home Affairs Spokesperson)
Yousuf Bhailok (Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Muslim Council of Britain
The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
)
Other Islam Awareness Weeks
Islam Awareness Week (IAW) is also a week-long series of lectures, workshops, and seminars held all across University campuses in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
to increase awareness about Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and issues related to Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s. These activities specifically focus on dispelling stereotypes and prejudices surrounding Islam and Muslims. The actual week selected for holding IAW varies from one University campus to another.
Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, Ottawa - Canada, have been holding Islam Awareness Week for at least the past 5 years. It is a week long event by which more than 200 volunteers are recruited to raise awareness across campus and answer any questions students may have. The theme for the 2010 Islam Awareness Week at both universities was "You deserve to know more" - Both universities offered many different booths, set-up in the heart of the University Centre and included topics like Religion, Culture, Science, Contemporary Issues, Finance and Economics, Islamic Art, Women in Isla, Henna booth, Your name in Arabic, as well as free food.