The Islamic Society of Britain:TEDDY BEAR MADNESS - A POLITICAL FOOTBALL

Press Release

27th November 2007

TEDDY BEAR MADNESS - A POLITICAL FOOTBALL

The Islamic Society of Britain has today written to the Sudanese Ambassador in London, His Excellency Omer Mohamed Ahmed Siddig, demanding the immediate release of Gillian Gibbons

How would the Prophet Muhammad himself have reacted to a classroom of children wanting to name a teddy used for their learning in his honour? He would have been touched and would probably have laughed. Such was his gentle and pragmatic character

Yet it is in his name, supposedly, that an ordinary school teacher has been arrested and, if reports are correct, faces a trial, all for an innocent and well meaning classroom exercise – outrageous! 20 classroom children out of 23 chose the name Muhammad, the most popular name in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records, a name that means ‘one worthy of praise’. They clearly hold the name dearly

Are the Sudanese authorities using the case as a political football? In whose name are they acting and, even by their own laws, where is the offence? To quote the question on everyone’s mind, what planet are they on

Gillian Gibbons should be released immediately, apologised to and compensated. The Islamic Society of Britain will do what it can to ensure her immediate release, if she is not released today

Islamic Society of Britain

Note: The Islamic Society of Britain produced an educational teddy, called Adam the Prayer Bear, in 2004. It was a runaway success with parents. Adam is the name of the God’s first prophet according to Islamic teachings

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شكرا اخي محمد عمر لايراد نص رسالة المجلس الاعلى الاسلامي البريطاني
الله يخيزيهم المتشنجين فرجوا فينا خلق الله الله يفرج خلقه فيهم قادر يا كريم.

هذا هو الغرب المتسامح
يكرم طفلة بحضور ثلاث (عمد) لانها شجاعه ودافعت عن حجابها
ونحن نرعب معلمه هرمه خلف الغضبان ونستفرد بها لاحظوا فراق السلوك للطرفين:

تقليد وسام الشجاعة لطفلة سودانية بكالفورنيا امام عمد ث...كية(توجد صور+ فيديو)

Mr. Omer
This fiasco could have cost someone his/her job had it been a lapse in judgement in countries where the rule of law is respected. The whole teddy affair has been a front page news in most media outlets all over the world today, a freshly harvested piece of news that Islamphobic could have dreamed of and it came from a country that kills and has slaughtered its people with sheer impunity in the name of God. I'm not a muslim but I want to know what good god fearing muslims of Sudan think about this. Jesus Good Lord,and if you live in the Us, please, do not watch Jay Leno or Mr. Mr. Letterman tonight, it ain't looking good
Yai Kual.

I wil be shocked if I encounter anyone who really thinks that Omer Al Bashir and his cronies actually believe in heaven above and hell below. The whole Teddy Gate affair was a poorly choreographed political ploy to incite the sentiments of the ordinary muslims against the West. It has everything to do with scheduled UN forces due to arrive in Darfur. You remember at the beginning of this month that Bashir lashed out at whom he called the Prophet insulter. He vowed then, to refuse entry to Darfur forces from Denmark, Sweden and Norway, countries in which newspapers published controversial cartoons that were deemed insulting to Musilms and the Prophet Mohammed. Do you see how far this people can go to keep the junta afloat.
Yai Kual

THE Bishop of Liverpool today called on the Sudanese government to free teacher Gillian Gibbons

In a joint statement with Muslim leader Akbar Ali and the Archbishop of Liverpool Patrick Kelly, Bishop James Jones appealed for compassion

They said: “We, as Christian and Muslim leaders in the city of Liverpool, appeal to the Sudanese government to show compassion in the name of God the most merciful and release Gillian Gibbons”

A selection of comments appears here.

What do you think? Have your say at www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/forums

"If found guilty under Sharia Law she will get six months in prison and/or 40 lashes.

"Excuse me but how can Sudan be a member of the UN? This is a bad country just like dozens of others who have no regard for human rights," Colmoma

"Now, I know it's an 'over the top' reaction but surely a teacher would know the sensitivities attached to the name of Mohammed. I mean, doesn't she read the papers?" Moriarty, Maghull

"I expect people to obey the law in this country, the same should apply over there although I can't see her getting the lash," Marty1

"The odd thing about this story is we all know by now the seemingly fragile Muslim sensitivities, yet the teacher asked the school children to name the teddy, they suggested, Abdul, Mohammed, and many other popular Muslim names, they chose 'Mohammed' probably because it is the most popular name anyway

"They say the Liverpool teacher was naive, but I think 40 lashes or three months jail is just a bit strong!" Chancery 3

"What is it about the Brits? They go abroad and think it’s an extension of their own society", Michael

الأخ محمد
أعجبني بيان الجمعية الإسلامية البريطانية. اسمح لي بمحاولة ترجمة مضمونه:
ماذا سيكون رد فعل النبي محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم نفسه لو أراد فصل دراسي يضم أطفالا أن يشرف دبا يستخدم كوسيلة تعليمية بأن يسمى باسمه؟ لا بد أن هذا كان سيسعده و غالبا كان سيضحك. هكذا كانت شخصيته اللطيفة و العملية.
مع هذا و باسمه، افتراضا، فإن معلمة عادية تم اعتقالها و إذا صحت التقارير فإنها تواجه محاكمة، كل هذا لأجل تمرين دراسي بريء و ذي فائدة... شيئ لا يصدق! عشرون طالبا من ثلاثة و عشرين اختاروا اسم محمد، أكثر الأسماء انتشارا في العالم وفقا لموسوعة غينيس للأرقام القياسية، هذا الاسم الذي يعني (المستحق للحمد). لا بد أنهم يكنون حبا لهذا الاسم.
هل السلطات السودانية تستخدم هذا الأمر ككرة قدم سياسية؟ باسم من يتصرفون و حتى بقوانينهم نفسها أين الإساءة؟ و حتى ننقل السؤال الذي يدور بخلد أي إنسان في أي عالم يعيشون؟
جيلان جيبونز يجب أن يطلق سراحها فورا كما يجب الاعتذار لها و تعويضها. الجمعية الإسلامية ببريطانيا ستفعل ما بوسعها لضمان إطلاق سراحها فورا إن لم يكن قد تم ذلك اليوم.
الجمعية الإسلامية ببريطانيا
ملحوظة: في عام 2004 أنتجت الجمعية الإسلامية ببريطانيا وسيلة تعليمية في شكل دب و سمته آدم دب الصلاة. و حقق نجاحا كبيرا. آدم هو اسم أول نبي على حسب التعاليم الإسلامية.

28 Nov 2007

The Muslim Council of Britain- MCB


MCB Appalled At Sudanese Decision to Charge Gillian Gibbons

MCB Appalled At Sudanese Decision to Charge Gillian Gibbons

The Muslim Council of Britain is appalled at the decision of the Sudanese authorities to charge the British schoolteacher, Gillian Gibbons, for allegedly 'insulting religion'

"This is a disgraceful decision and defies common sense. There was clearly no intention on the part of the teacher to deliberately insult the Islamic faith. The children in Ms Gibbons' class and their parents have all testified as to her innocence in this matter. We call upon the Sudanese President, Umar al-Bashir, to intervene in this case without delay to ensure that Ms Gibbons is freed from this quite shameful ordeal," said Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain



For further information please contact the MCB
The Muslim Council of Britain
PO Box 57330
London
E1 2WJ
Tel: 0845 26 26 786
Fax: 0207 247 7079
[email protected]

http://www.mcb.org.uk/media/presstext.php?ann_id=277

THE AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS

Jana El-Horr, a Peacebuilding Fellow with the American Islamic Congress, noted that the Sudanese regime is trying to distract attention from the ongoing genocide in Darfur. “Muslims around the world are horrified over the brutal killings in Darfur,” El-Horr explained. “Now the Sudanese regime is trying to rally support by putting on the ‘defender of Islam’ hat. But we won’t be fooled.”The Teddy Bear Outrage comes public perception of Muslims continues to decline, as documented in a recent Pew Forum poll

“The Muslim world has much more pressing and urgent problems to deal with than a random teddy bear,” Weddady observed. “This ridiculous case has the potential to further tarnish popular perceptions of Muslims. What’s truly offensive here is the action of the Sudanese regime, which only entrenches the perception of Muslims as hyper-sensitive”

The American Islamic Congress is a civil-rights organization promoting tolerance and the exchange of ideas among Muslims and between other peoples. With the motto “passionate about moderation,” the organization leads initiatives around the world and has offices in Washington, Boston, Egypt, and Iraq


THE AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS

Washington, DC headquarters
1718 M Street NW, #243
Washington, DC 20036
phone: 1-202-595-3160

Northeast bureau
263 Huntington Avenue, #315
Boston, MA 02115
phone: 617-266-0080
fax: 617-812-4789

'Blasphemy' teacher appears in court


David Batty and agencies
Thursday November 29, 2007
Guardian Unlimited


A British primary school teacher appeared in a Sudanese court today after being charged with "insulting religion and inciting hatred" for allowing children in her class to name a
teddy bear Muhammad

Khalid al-Mubarak, a spokesman for the Sudanese embassy in London, said today it was "unlikely" Gibbons would be convicted

She had one of the best solicitors in Sudan - Tijani al-Karib - and could appeal if found guilty, he said.

Mubarak said naming the teddy bear Muhammad seemed to have been an "honest mistake".

He told BBC Breakfast News: "It should have been discussed at school level but there was a complaint from some irate parents who pressed the case and it went to the ministry of education."

Asked if he thought Gibbons would be able to return to Britain soon, he said: "This is my hope and my prayer"

A British embassy spokesman, Omar Daair, said the school had provided Gibbons's legal defence and translators

Sudan's top clerics, known as the assembly of the Ulemas, said in a statement on Wednesday that parents had handed them a book the teacher was assembling about the bear. "She, in a very abusive manner, used the name of Prophet Muhammad, may Allah shame her," the statement said

Unity's directors have shut the school to avoid protests like those that greeted the publication of notorious cartoons of the Muslim prophet in a Danish newspaper last year