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RECOGNITION IN PUBLIC SPHERE
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2001
Census - Question on Religion
Every ten years, the Government conducts a survey of the whole of
the population of the UK - the Census. This is an important source
of information to understand the social and economic composition
of society, and plan for the future. It tells us, for example, how
many young persons there are within certain age bands, so that schools
and colleges can be built in the right places. It also provides
information on family size, health, employment and use of transport.
The 2001 Census for the first time in modern British history, included
the question 'What is your religion'. We now have accurate and official
statistics on British Muslims. The Muslim community had to work
very hard to ensure the Census included the religion question -
it needed years of campaigning and lobbying and working together
with other faith communities in the UK. It means that British Muslims
have been recognised as a distinct part of society whose needs must
be taken into account in the way local and central government provides
public services. The census information is also useful in industry
and commerce, for businesses who provide goods and services to the
Muslim consumer.
Professor
Tariq Modood, and his researcher Serena Hussain, are conducting
research on 'A statistical mapping of British Muslims' For further
information on this project and a Census archive click here http://www.mcb.org.uk/indexcensus.htm
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Metropolitan Police's scheme on PCW uniform
Since 2002 the Metropolitan Police Service has amended its dress
code to allow female Muslim officers to wear
the hijab. The Head of the Met's Human Resources, Bernard Hogan-Howe,
has said: "It is only right that the Met ensures that its uniform
is appropriate for all its staff."
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Ministry
of Defence and 'Muslim-friendly' practices
The
MoD has relaxed rules to allow Muslim servicemen to wear trimmed
beards, if they are short and neatly trimmed beards, subject to
occupational or operational reasons such as the use of breathing
apparatus. Not withstanding this, Muslim men will not be required
to shave their beards in order to perform NBC training drills. It
is also reported the Navy provides halaal meat to personnel.
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HM
Prison Service appoints a full-time Muslims Adviser
In September 1999 HM Prisons appointed its first Muslim Adviser,
Maqsood Ahmed,working within the HQ Chaplaincy Team. The adviser
is involved in the appointment of prison imams and providing them
support and guidance. Many inmates adopt Islam as their religion
while in prison.
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Hospital Chaplaincy
A
number of UK hospital trusts have employed part-time Muslim 'chaplains'
to provide counselling and support to Muslim patients. The chaplains
regularly visit the wards to offer a 'listening ear'. Many hospitals
have multi-faith prayer rooms for use by staff and patients.
Department
for International Development
DFiD has sought out the assistance of faith groups, including the
Muslim community in preparing promotional material. An example is
the booklet on world poverty, prepared specifically with the British
Muslim donor in mind.
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Foreign Office & Dept of Health support
for British Hajjis 
Over 20,000 British Muslims perform the Hajj pilgrimage every year.
Many also visit Mecca for Umra and travel to Medina to pray in the
Prophet's mosque. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office with support
from Muslim community organisations has established a Hajj Advisory
Group, a body that provides services to British Hajjis such as medical
care. A consular office is also established in Mecca during Hajj,
with Muslim staff. The Department of Health has also conducted campaigns
to notify Muslims of vaccination requirements.
For further information on Hajj click
here
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Treasury and Bank of England support Islamic financing
schemes
Under Islamic law, the receipt and payment of interest is forbidden
and many Muslims are
reluctant to take out mortgages from banks and building societies
to finance home purchase. In response to this need, a working party
was established - 'The Bank of England working party on Islamic
home finance'. In his April 2003 Budget the Chancellor introduced
a measure (abolishment of double stamp duty) that has opened the
way for financial institutions such as HSBC to offer home purchasing
schemes.
In a speech in February 2003 to the Council of Mortgage Lenders,
the Governor of the Bank of England Sir Eddie George (photo) noted
"So all in all, Chairman, I think that you have made tremendous
progress on the question of Islamic mortgages over the past year
or two - and I congratulate you…. That would be a wonderful thing
for the peace of mind of concerned members of the growing Muslim
community in the UK. It would represent both a useful business opportunity
for those companies involved in the provision of housing finance
and a welcome diversification of our financial system. And it would
demonstrate in a small, but significant and very practical, way
a commitment on the part of the authorities in this country, working
together with the Private Sector, financial and professional community
and with representatives of our ethnic minority population - in
this case our Muslim population - to accommodate differences of
religious principle or tradition insofar as we can without in any
way undermining the values or traditions of our indigenous society".
Salaam welcomes further examples of the recognition of the
Muslim community in public life. Please email info@salaam.co.uk
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