One place in London that has become a centre of extremism is no mosque or university venue. Instead it is Friends House in Euston. The Quaker meeting hall has been used repeatedly by some of Britain’s worst hate preachers.
Concerns have been expressed, by Quakers as well as others. They have fallen on deaf ears. On 20 March Friends House will host Hizb ut-Tahrir yet again. It is the virulently anti-Western and antisemitic party that opposes democracy and calls for a caliphate.
Last November Hizb staged a rally in Friends House where one speaker sang the praises of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons:
My brothers and sisters, it is the Islamic government, if you work with Hizb ut-Tahrir to establish it, that will protect our nuclear assets, that will never see the governance of America over our lands, that will absolutely adhere to the words of Allah when he says: “and prepare for them from power and tether your horses so that you may strike fear into the heart of the enemy”.
…
My brothers and sisters, this maxim, this principle, that we will be strong, we will not weaken our armed forces, we will not weaken our nuclear assets, we will be prepared to strike fear into the heart of India and America.
This statement is still up on a Hizb website:
Jews are the same “Maghdoob” (on whom Allah was angry) nation about which Allah (swt) Himself ordered Muslims to seek refuge from their evil ways five times a day. This and such other deeds are only the handiwork of this cursed nation, whose forefathers were made monkeys and pigs for their inexcusable actions.
…
There is only one way to stop the aggression of Israel and save the captive Muslims of Gaza, and this way does not pass through halls of National assembly, OIC or UN rather it originates from the garrisons of the Muslim armies. This is the responsibility of the Generals of the Muslim armies to point their tanks and missiles towards Israel and mobilize their armies to eradicate the state of Israel from the face of the planet. And if these traitor rulers try to come in their way they should trample upon them as well. We call upon the Pakistani army to fulfill their responsibility and prepare nuclear bombs and other weapons for Jihad instead of polishing them to give guard-of-honors. And if Zardari or Gilani comes in their way they should uproot them and give bayaa to a sincere Khaleefah to fight under this command to annihilate Israel.
The topic (pdf) at the 20 March meeting is “Islam: The Global Liberation of Women”.
Let’s see what life would be like for women under Hizb rule, according to the party’s constitution.
Segregation is a must:
Article 109
Men and women are basically to be segregated from each other, and they should not meet together except for a need that the shar’a allows it and allows the meeting for its sake, such as trading and pilgrimage (Hajj).
Women may not rule:
Article 112
Women are not allowed to take charge of ruling, thus women cannot hold the positions of Khaleefah mu’awin, wali, ‘aamil, nor to practice any of the actions of ruling. She is not allowed to be a chief judge, a judge in mahkamat ul-MuDHalim nor amir of Jihad.
Cover up and obey the rules about who you can live with:
Article 113
Women live within a public and private life. Within their public life, they are allowed to live with other women, maharam males [males forbidden to them in marriage] and foreign men (whom they can marry) on condition that nothing of the women’s body is revealed, apart from her face and hands, and that the clothing is not revealing nor her charms displayed. Within the private life she is not allowed to live except with women or her mahram males;and she is not allowed to live together with the foreign men. In both cases she has to restrict herself with the rules of shar’a.Article 114
Women are forbidden to be in private (khulwah) with any men they can marry, they are also forbidden to display their charms or to reveal their body in front of foreign men.
Work may be permissible, but not if it is morally dangerous (one can imagine how extremists will define that one):
Article 115
Men and women must not practice any work that poses danger to the morals or causes corruption in society.
Women must know their place, including at home. For example, do the housework!
Article 116
Marital life is one of tranquility and companionship. The responsibility of the husband on behalf of his wife (quwamah) is one of taking care, and not ruling. She is obliged to obey her husband and he is obliged to meet the costs of her livelihood according to the seemly standard of living.Article 117
The married couple must fully assist each other in performing the household duties, with the husband performing all the actions normally undertaken outside of the house, and the woman performing those actions normally undertaken inside the house as best as she can. The husband should provide home-help as required to assist with the household tasks she cannot manage herself.
Friends House has set these lettings terms (pdf):
A booking may be refused if:
– The aims and policies of the organisation or individual are in serious conflict with Quaker beliefs. Written details of the aims or policies of new groups wishing to hold meetings in Friends house are normally requested
– Violence or the encouragement of violence at a meeting may reasonably be anticipated
It would be nice if they were applied for once.
