Not many people know about this nation surrounding the Caspian Sea. When some hear of Azerbaijan, they think about an exotic land and possibly about energy resources if they have kept abreast of news stories recently. Yet Azerbaijan has a deep history of tolerance towards other faiths and traditions. Many do not know that Azerbaijan […]
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The news of a suicide bomber killing over 65 people, mostly women and children in a park in Lahore, is more evidence of the fault-line that runs through Pakistan. The Pakistani Taliban have claimed the attack and we saw, first hand the impacts of extremism and sectarianism when attacks against other minorities have taken place […]
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As another terrorist attack rocks Europe and in the heart of Brussels, the reality is that Daesh or IS are sending a set of signals to us all. The first is that they can hit back in a European city and create huge fear and apprehension which causes significant ripples and impacts for the life […]
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The mass murder and carnage that took place today in Brussels has led to a measured response from the public and from others on social media. The sheer brutality of the killing has led to a response that has talked of communities ‘coming together’ against the extremists and terrorists. This is the right and proportionate […]
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The University of Westminster Students Union has just reported that CCTV cameras have been installed in prayer rooms in Westminster University. The Director of Faith Matters, Fiyaz Mughal, made the following comment to the Quintin Hogg, the online news-site for the Students Union. “This is very concerning and utterly ludicrous, students who want to reflect […]
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In May 2015, we were contacted by parents in Waltham Forest who were concerned about a ‘questionnaire‘ that was being circulated to young people in schools. We were aware of the following questionnaires being circulated in Buxton School in Leytonstone (Waltham Forest) and the questionnaires seemed to indicate that they related to Prevent work. The […]
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We are shocked and horrified to learn about the murders of over 120 people on Friday evening in Paris. As news unfolds, it is becoming clear that terrorists targeted the cultural and social heart of Paris. As the Turkish Prime Minister has stated, these crimes are a “crime against humanity”. These multiple attacks show the […]
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Faith Matters warmly welcomes the release of Shaker Aamer after 14 long years. Many of them were spent in the legal black hole that is Guantanamo and it is clear that the long periods of solitary confinement have also had an impact on his mental and physical health. Yet, it should never have come to […]
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The announcement from the Prime Minister regarding a raft of measures as part of the counter-extremism strategy primarily looks to disrupt extremist activities including the use of venues, the posting of extremist material and tougher measures on radio and television channels showing extremist content. These are a raft of measures that will be implemented in […]
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Following the recent calls by faith leaders from across a range of faiths, the Church of England has released a letter it had written to the Prime Minister asking him for further action on allowing in more refugees from Syria into the United Kingdom. The letter has been released and picked up by the Guardian […]
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