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MECO's stand against Muslim women being forced to wear the niqab was praised in articles by Christine Odone in The Daily Telegraph and by James Orr in Guardian Education on 6 February 2007.
Click here to read the article by Christine Odone from The Daily Telegraph's own web site
Click here to read the article by James Orr from The Guardian's own web site
MECO's own full page (~600 word) article on this subject was published in The Daily Telegraph's on 7 February 2007.
Click here to read the full text from The Daily Telegraph's own web site.
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MECO celebrated the start of 1428 AH (After Hijrah) last Saturday. Over 100 people (including friends from the Christian, Jewish and Hindu communities) attended this Islamic New Year event on the 1st of Muharram. As usual MECO led the way and was alone in celebrating this annual Islamic milestone which was reported by the Oxford Times as well as BBC Radio Oxford. By publicly acknowledging and celebrating this notable landmark in the Muslim almanac, MECO re-affirmed a sense of spiritual renewal and religious re-dedication so that Muslims would come closer to the Creator by leading truly righteous and more producitve lives. After formal congregational evening prayers, the function opened with an Arabic-English recitation from the Holy Qur’an. MECO then provided a highly pertinent and illuminating historical background to the formation of the official Islamic calendar in the year 622 CE. All the participants enjoyed gourmet homemade food from around the Muslim world before AHMAD SALAM, a leading banker with Credit Suisse Boston and a founding director of the Islamic Bank of Britain, delivered a thought-provoking analysis of ISLAMIC FINANCE IN THE CONTEMPORARY AGE. Such was the interest in his informative keynote address that many members of the audience have asked him to return at a later date to discuss the multiple issues that were raised in more depth. Following the religious, spiritual and intellectual dimensions of the evening, an especially composed poem saluting the beginning of the Islamic New Year penned by the famous Oxford-based Urdu poet, AKBAR HYDERABADI was received with popular acclaim and appreciation. (Click here to read this inspiring poem). The cultural and entertainment programme was, for many (particularly the children), the highlight of the evening. A troupe of students of Middle Eastern origin led by NASRINE JA’AFAR performed a pulsating routine of folkloric dancing from Lebanon and Palestine, which was followed by British-born MAEMUNAH performing poetry and songs from Bangladesh. HAJJI AMEER KHAN’S Qawali group from London brought MECO’s New Year celebrations to a rapturous close. In view of this event’s spectacular success, MECO is looking forward to inviting everyone to the next Islamic new year on 10th January 2008 when an equally inspiring programme combining spiritual and social components will mark the end of one year and the beginning of the next. MECO is determined to remain in the forefront of pioneering a progressive and pluralistic perspective of Islam by organising unique events which bring people from all backgrounds and beliefs together.
| A JOYOUS IDD MUBARAK TO EVERYONE MECO takes this opportunity to wish one and all IDD MUBARAK, a blessed and happy celebration marking the end of the Ramadan fast. Over 100 exultant and joyful people gathered early to perform the IDD AL-FITR prayers and then participated in the festive celebrations held by MECO in North Oxford this morning. Following a riveting and incisive sermon dissecting the full and proper significance of fasting during the month Ramadan, men, women and children all enjoyed an extensive homemade brunch with delicious food from many different parts of the Islamic world. In addition to Muslims from Britain and several other nations, a dozen non-Muslims, including Christian clergy and Jewish observers, also attended this hugely successful celebratory event. MECO thanks all those who volunteered and contributed to making this religious function such an immensely enjoyable occasion for all the attendees. Their unpaid selfless service brought to life the true meaning and purpose of IDD AL-FITR. We are truly indebted to them for their exceptional generosity and kindness. We pray that Muslims today will experience and absorb the true radiance of this special day as they visit family and join friends for IDD AL-FITR festivities. Click here to read the full sermon. This statement issued 23rd October 2006
MECO's Second Annual Oxford Muslim Music Festival reported in Press and on TV
MECO's second annual OXFORD MUSLIM MUSIC FESTIVAL held last Saturday (10th June 2006) in the Town Hall was a striking success and is now an eagerly anticipated national event for all those who appreciate world music and multi-cultural understanding.
Apart from a dozen artists and acts from all around the Islamic world who performed a very wide diversity of sacred music, devotional chanting and sufi songs, this pioneering event also provided all those who attended with delicious and mouth-watering food from the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. Such was the media interest, that ITV Central News broadcasted live interviews on the day with some of the leading musicians performing at the festival. In addition, the Oxford Mail (14 June), the Oxford Times (15 June) and the Oxford Star (16 June) all carried extensive reports and photos of this annual event. In view of its cross-cultural relevance and musical uniqueness, these newspapers have confirmed that they will be actively involved in the promotion of this major Muslim festival next year.
MECO's joint music and food festival has now an intrinsic part of the Oxford cultural landscape and next year and it will be even bigger and better. Haifa Zangana, the well-known Iraqi-born novelist, artists and political
activist delivered an impassioned plea supporting continued resistance to the
illegal Anglo-American occupation of Iraq. In a revealing and wide-ranging
presentation to MECO's Monthly Forum on 16th April 2006, she convincingly
catalogued the brutality of the foreign invasion and alien control of her
devastated homeland. Besides presenting compelling first-hand evidence of Western deceit and
duplicity, Ms Zangana also encouraged the well-attended meeting of the need to
reclaim the lexical agenda, which had been seized and distorted by Bush, Blair
and their journalism acolytes. She exhorted the audience of Muslims and
non-Muslims to reject the Western media's fraudulent vocabulary and reclaim
the truth and real meaning of words. Prejudiced phrases such as 'insurgents
and insurgency' and 'terrorist and terrorism' when referring to the US/UK
occupation of Iraq should be discarded and replaced by more accurate terms
such as 'freedom fighters' and the 'national liberation struggle' and
'legitimate resistance'. Ms Zangana reminded everyone that the UN acknowledges the fundamental right of
all occupied peoples to resist foreign domination by whatever means possible.
In this connection, she asked her audience to work for the early restoration
of full and unfettered sovereignty to Iraq, free of American and British
imperialism. Such was the compelling nature of Haifa Zangana's illuminating address that
ITV's local Central News station also conducted a further in-depth interview
with Ms Zangana which it broadcast as a lead item on its main evening and late
night news programmes. In addition, the Oxford Mail featured a photo of Ms
Zangana and a report about MECO's Monthly Forum in its 18th April 2006 edition In response to the church's initiative, MECO reciprocated the gesture by inviting St Michael's congregation to attend the prayers and celebrations marking the end of the Hajj and IDD AL ADHA on 10th January 2006. Over 150 people attended the Idd prayers and afterwards enjoyed a range of Muslim food and drink from around the Islamic world. The local press, including the Oxford Times and the Oxford Star carried reports of this unique get-together of Muslims and Christians. Future interfaith activities are envisaged to foster better community relations in Oxford and to accelerate Muslim integration in the City of Dreaming Spires. MECO is actively engaged in building bridges with all constituents of British society. In this context, it devotes part of its charitable service and contributions to worthwhile British philanthropic endeavours. As part of this on-going community interaction, MECO participated in the annual Anthony Nolan Big Bike charity cycle ride on Sunday, 25th June 2005. TEAM MECO joined 2000 other amateur and professional cyclists on a 35-mile cycle route through the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. TEAM MECO raised over £200 pounds for the Anthony Nolan Trust and has committed itself to raising a greater sum next year. As in previous years, MECO was the only Muslim group present but elicited very positive responses from the organizers as well as the other participants. In September 2005, TEAM MECO took part in the annual British Heart Foundation Oxford charity cycle ride. We encourage everyone to be part of these exciting days of activity and raise funds for noble charitable causes. In October 2005, we also participated in the annual Oxford to Cambridge bike ride. This 80-mile journey, though breath-taking small country lanes, was tough but rewarding. Certainly something we will remember. Why don’t YOU join us and become an integral part of TEAM MECO? All you need is a degree of fitness (optional), a zest for life (obligatory) and a bicycle in reasonable working order! For further details and application forms, email: info@meco.org.uk or phone 01865-766032. |
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