LONDON, 10 November 2003 — That there should be no compulsion in religion is an article of faith in Islam. During Ramadan, Muslims take matters philosophical more seriously, and the Ummah worldwide makes an effort at friendship and harmony through hospitality.
“Opening doors to the wider community can be a way to reduce artificial barriers between faiths and communities that often exist only because of the peddling of outmoded or sensationalist stereotypes by the ignorant.”
A Muslim sentiment surely, but expressed by the Prince of Wales recently at the opening of the London Muslim Center Project at the East London Mosque. He continued by pointing out that members of other faiths “share many key social values — compassion, tolerance, respect for family and the community, belief in justice and the search for greater wisdom and understanding.”
In the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic melting pot that is modern Britain, he concluded, “there is far more that unites than divides the different faiths in this country, if only people would spend the time to investigate. Nobody has a monopoly on the truth.”
But at ground level, are the same sentiments put into practice? With around two million Muslims in the UK, the authorities might be expected to take some notice of Ramadan.
Hertfordshire County Council, a largely semi-rural and dormitory county with only a relatively small concentration of Muslims, privately circulated to primary schools a leaflet on the traditions and peculiarities of Ramadan, offering guidance to teachers. Authored by Stephen Lavender, the county adviser for religious education, it lays out very clearly the origins of Ramadan, what is permitted and should be observed for Muslim pupils who have reached puberty.
The guide to teachers detailed the eventualities that my occur as a result of pupils fasting — including the effect of fasting on concentration, physical activity, examinations — and even explained the preference Muslim families have expressed for their children not to swim during fasting hours lest water should enter the mouth.
The form that was attached and designed to be sent to Muslim parents asked for guidance from parents as to what action the school should take if a fasting child got into difficulties during the day. Schools have a statutory duty of care and are “in loco parentis” while the child is on the premises.
“We rarely if ever have any Muslim pupils in our school,” said Sonia Robson, a teacher at a primary school in Letchworth. “The guidance leaflet was a very useful basis for some inter-cultural activities though. What we have done is take all the pupils on a walk through the traditions and customs of Ramadan and had whole-class investigations into what the month means to Muslims.”
“There are a few Muslim families in the town,” she said, “and introducing young minds to different philosophies sows the seeds for tolerance early on.”
Another typically dormitory town in one of the leafier counties of England, Woking in Surrey, is the site of the UK’s first mosque, the Shah Jehan, built in the late 19th century — by a nationalized non-Muslim Hungarian. It’s a striking example of the mainly unseen and certainly understated spirit of tolerance that British culture and tradition has long had in common with the Muslim tradition.
The first state-funded Islamic school in Britain, the Islamia School in north London, observes Ramadan while addressing the needs of the statutory requirements of education.
“We finish earlier than normal, and the last ten days we have free,” said Abdullah Trevathan, the school’s headmaster. “But apart from that, the schedule is pretty much the same. Children below the age of six don’t fast, but many of the pre-pubescent pupils do.” Most of the younger pupils want to join the fast “but if we see them flagging, then we insist they have something to eat,” said Abdullah. “Our first point of reference is the legal ruling that children don’t have to fast.”
Being young, the fast does affect the pupils. Many of the children start out the day with strong intent strictly to observe the fast. “It’s quite hard to prevent them from getting muddle-headed,” Trevathan said, “but we check with the parents what action to take should a child not required by Islam to fast get distressed from hunger or thirst, and invariably they agree to let them take food. But most of the children of six and above see the month through.”
The school has established itself as part of the local community. Media discussion — even hype — about “Islamophobia” is something that Abdullah has to deal with. “It affects us, but we simply have to deal with it in the general course of things,” he said. “What we really do not want is to adopt a victim mentality. There are many that do and seem to think that no one understands them.”
Abdullah sees a real danger in part of the community and some parents demonizing other state schools and by implication distancing their children from the majority of the community. “It’s good to see that when we invite children in from state schools, our pupils are pleasantly surprised,” he said. “I think the children are more broad-minded, tolerant and accepting. There is some demonization out there and part of our task in the school is to cut that down. What we need to do is reach out a lot more and be much more a part of the wider community than we have in the past.”
Institutions, schools and numerous non-Muslim organizations across the UK are involving themselves with, if not celebrating, then honoring, tolerating and trying to understand Ramadan and the culture it stems from. In the words of Prince Charles, “Nobody has a monopoly on the truth. To recognize that is, I believe, a first step to real wisdom, and a vital blow against the suspicion and misunderstanding that too often characterizes the public relationships between different faiths.”
Unsung and often unseen, it is happening, despite the headline-grabbing vocalizations of Islamophobics.
