Who is looking out for your kids?

From the Asian Image, first published Monday 18th Jun 2007.

Ask Muslim parents about the new Nasiha' course being piloted in some mosques and Madrassahs and most won't know what it is. Isn't it about time we found out says Salim Bhorat Ruth Kelly secretary of state for communities and local government, has in conjunction with the Bradford Council of Mosques recently launched the country's first ever citizenship curriculum for madrassahs.

It has even been given an arabic name "Nasiha" meaning advice or guidance.

Five Madrassahs and one school in Bradford have adopted the programme and 500 students have already completed the course.

The intention is "to step-up work with the overwhelming majority in Muslim communities who share core British values to isolate, prevent and defeat violent extremism".

The majority of Muslims would work to prevent extremism and few would argue against such work, but how does this translate to this course which Muslim children have undertaken?

The lessons include 'terrorist scenarios', one of which involves an imaginary group of Islamic extremists who want to buy fertilizer that could be used to make a bomb.

Pupils will be asked should the shopkeeper sell it to them, even if she suspects it will be used for "holy war?"

Another question involves the character "Ahmad" whose jihadi friends want to attack a local supermarket in retaliation for the war in Iraq.

Kids will be asked: "Is it right for Ahmad to harm innocent Britons just because their government invaded a Muslim country?"

Teachers could come under pressure to reveal the identities of Muslim children who sympathised with terrorism.

How many parents could be sure that their young innocent child would not give a wrong answer to some of these questions?

Would they be happy that their child could be watched and labelled as a potential terrorist from a young age?

So when is this coming to a Muslim school or a Madrassah near you?

Will you even learn about it beforehand or after it?

Who is looking out for your Muslim child?

With so many of our Muslim organisations now relying on funding from the Government and many Muslim leaders valuing their power by being 'connected' to MPs and Ministers, who do we trust notify us of this and to act in the parents' interest?

The silence on this issue has been deafening and Muslim parents reading this article will be shocked.

Sadly I fear that the initiative will rest with the parents to ask their Muslim schools and Madrassahs to notify them in advance of such courses being held.

The concerned parent should then either request to be present at the course or should demand the right to withdraw their child from attending courses of this nature.

I am fortunate that my children are too young to be subjected to this 'potential terrorist' test but would certainly have made sure that I took responsibility for their innocence and that they were not wrongly labelled, to possibly affect them throughout their lives.

As British citizens we need to fight terrorism but let's also take some responsibility for looking after our children and not go along with everything that's thrown at us without even a concern or a whimper.

Salim Bhorat is a writer and commentator for Justpeace (Muslims for Justice and Peace)

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