DR USAMA Hasan, Vice Chairman of the Masjid Madrasah al-Tawhid mosque in Leyton High Road has invoked the wrath of fundamentalist hotheads who want him dead for daring to suggest that Muslims need to accept the theory of evolution.
According to this report, a lecture given recently by Dr Hasan was disrupted by protesters who shouted for his execution. He has now been forced to step down from conducting Friday prayers.
This is how Dr Hasan is portrayed on the Islamic Awakening website
A while back he wrote:
… One problem is that many Muslims retain the simple picture that God created Adam from clay, much as a potter makes a statue, and then breathed into the lifeless statue and it became a living human.
This is a children’s madrassa-level understanding and Muslims really have to move on as adults and intellectuals.
Dr Hasan has also come under fire for expressing his views on the right of Muslim women not to cover their hair.
Several fatwas have been issued by Muslim scholars denouncing Dr Hasan, and it is reported that he has been forced  to step up security at his home where he lives with his wife and four children.
Police are monitoring the situation.
In January the Islamic Standard website accused Hasan of being a man who:
Believes our father Adam (was not made by Allah from clay, but was the children of two ape -like creatures. He also denies the Shariah of Allah in open apostasy and the necessity of Hijab.
The Standard added:
Though it may have passed many average Muslims by without them even noticing, there has been increasing problems and discord in the Leyton Muslim community around Masjid Tawhid due to the increasingly bizarre statements of its Imam Usama Hasan, son of Sheikh Suhaib Hasan, the founder of the Masjid.
Even though he is clearly no scholar, Usama Hasan himself did a lot of good work in the past in the UK but his crimes against Islam, his clear statements of apostasy cannot be ignored just because of previous work … Usama Hasan has clearly become a modernist liberal Muslim, making statements of disbelief in stating that Adam evolved from Monkeys, that Islam and Secularism are compatible, and that the Hijab is not compulsory upon Muslim women.
Hat Tip: B Barrett
Update: Hasan has reportedly withdrawn his statement.
Hat Tip: Pete H.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
March 8th, 2011 at 8:59 am
The Independent had a report on this:
http://www.independent.co.uk/n.....32952.html
I especially loved the last paragraph:
“Most Islamic scholars have little problem with evolution as long as Muslims accept the supremacy of God in the process. But in recent years a small number of orthodox scholars, mainly from Saudi Arabia – where many clerics still preach that the Sun revolves around the Earth – have ruled against evolution, declaring that belief in the concept goes against the Koran’s statement that Adam and Eve were the first humans.”
The sun still orbits the earth!!! They really need to get out more.
Oh, another thing, wearing a hijab isn’t compulsory either as a quick visit to Mombassa would show them.
March 8th, 2011 at 9:05 am
As an infidel, if I make threats against ANYONE, the police would be knocking down my door. In this case, “The police are monitoring the situation”. WTF? Do they do that monitoring while they are at Friday prayers? They should be discovering who and when and locking them up.
March 8th, 2011 at 9:08 am
I’m sure there are many devout Muslims who share Dr Usama Hasan’s views on evolution and science in general. They simply don’t broadcast it publicly; Dr Hasan is a brave man to do so. It only takes a vocal minority of fanatics to sustain the fear of speaking out. This applies to all religions where fanatics exist, and polarized religious beliefs are held.
The people who make these threats and incite violence should be recognised as criminals. They take advantage of the UK’s tolerance toward ethnic diversity, but allowing this kind of abuse is political correctness gone mad.
I wish Dr Hasan and his family well. Perhaps his actions will be the spark that ends the UK’s tolerance of radical religious groups.
March 8th, 2011 at 9:39 am
@Newspaniard: “The police are monitoring the situationâ€
On the other hand, when non-muslims are threatened, the police rarely do that much – unless the ‘threatened-one’ is prominent. Often, the non-muslim is in turn threatened by the police for ‘come-uppance’ against their overlords: the islamic Ãœbermenschen.
The shari’ah forbids kuffir to comment on islam or islamic practises.
The shari’ah forbids the kuffir being equal – they must be made to recognise and acknowledge their inferior role in society. Failure to do this is punishable by death in islamic countries and law-suits in our ‘free’ society.
Since muslims actually understand that is serious, a threat is usually sufficient to shut them up.
March 8th, 2011 at 9:40 am
So this fictional man Adam was made of clay and not straw?
I agree with Newspaniard that we have a one way street as far as dealing with the consequences of islam; it is time our Government started locking up or deporting the extremists.
March 8th, 2011 at 10:30 am
Muslims obviously haven’t evolved, so they do have a point there.
March 8th, 2011 at 10:39 am
I read that article in The Independent the other day, and chuckled at the very same thing. Isn’t it funny how Christians and Muslims keep telling us that their “holy books” are full of scientific wonders, and accurate in every detail, yet these fundamentalist idiots immediately blast holes in their carefully-constructed arguments by demonstrating with their childish drivel what intelligent people have known all along?
March 8th, 2011 at 10:46 am
http://answering-islam.org/Qur.....n_set.html
March 8th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
More details from the Quilliam Foundation, posted at Harry’s Place
http://hurryupharry.org/2011/0.....programme/
March 8th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
If you consider that 90% of the BS in the karan is from the BS in the buyBull, then the idea that Adam is made of ‘clay’ is wrong. The ‘clay’ thing is the same as the ‘apple’ thing–a medieval invention.
Not knowing the hebrew this is from authority…
But my readings say that the hebrew word means ‘scum’ or ‘dirt’ so if rewritten ‘… One problem is that many Muslims retain the simple picture that God created Adam from clay’ is incorrect as it should be …’… One problem is that many Muslims retain the simple picture that God created Adam from worm shit…’ or xtains, jews, & IsLames would rather believe we came from ‘worm shit’ rather then from a common furry ancestor. Well religious have a very low self-image (all are sinners) so being made of schite is probably more appealing.
March 8th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
These creationist clowns shoot themselves in the head. Unable to deal with science, facts and honest debate they are, yet again, left only with violence and when they can get away with it murder. What are their fatwas but instructions from an ignorant bigot to kill someone who has something to say to which he objects.
They don’t get it because they are too stupid. Your cannot order someone to believe what he or she does not believe. You might as well tell someone sitting in the mid-day son that they must believe that it is mid-night. The depths of abysmal claptrack to which they descend begars belief. Why should anyone pay any attention to these fools who demand belief, accompanied by threats of murder, with no knowledge, no understanding and no education.?
March 8th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Islamic Standard website = Dim sect draws banalities
March 8th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
That picture of the man’s head on a monkey’s body takes us back to T.H.Huxley’s comment in the original Darwin debates. Something along the lines of Huxley would rather be descended from a monkey that abuse his intellect, like his opponent Wilberforce, to pervert debate and ignore facts.
These muslim fundies are at least 150 years out of date.
March 8th, 2011 at 4:01 pm
We live in a country where women are over-sexualised and sold as ‘products’ for capitalist gains. A woman’s beauty is splashed around everywhere, and she is only judged by that. Islam tells a woman to cover up so that she is not abused as Western women are. Islam provides the security and respect to women community than other religions.the western countries are using the women as an entertainment channels.All the women in the world should think about themselves then decide what is right and what is wrong for them in other religions(than Islam)
Islam is the fastest growing faith in Britain. Hundreds and thousands of Brits are reverting to Islam. By the middle of this century, over half of Brits would be Muslims.Truth will prevail irrespective of the negative propaganda against the most peaceful religion in the world.The more hatred enemies of islam spread the more it grows.
New research has shown more women convert to Islam than men – in fact, they account for 60 per cent of conversions. They believed that they should be a force for good by building bridges between the Muslim and Non Muslim communities in order to understand Islam better.
Examples of women who have left high powered jobs in the city, educated women who mostly found out about Islam independently via books, the internet or discussion with Muslims; seem to be the picture that is portrayed in this study. This clearly demonstrates a clear pattern of converts who while non Muslim rethought their lives and actively sought to reject secular values, for a belief system offering spiritual and worldly guidance in order to regulate life in a meaningful and fulfilling way. The rejection of materialism and decadence seem to be some of the catalysts in making that change.
A British actress Myriam Francois-Cerrah says she was motivated to convert to Islam especially when she started looking into the life of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Now she is gaining more popularity for being one of a growing number of educated middle class female converts to Islam in Britain. Her conversion to Islam shows to all non Muslims that Islam is the only solution for humanity and Peace, they have to learn, find and know the living reason in this world
.
One of the most high-profile examples is Tony Blair’s sister-in-law Lauren Booth, who recently announced she had adopted the faith after a trip to Iran. The conversion of Lauren Booth will have a positive impact, despite claims that it is just attention-seeking. It will encourage people to convert, unless they idolise her, but I think that it will educate people and make them more interested in learning about Muslims. It’s all about having a look at the Quran with an open mind, without presumptions and assumptions…Then would the reader understand what the beautiful religion is all about….
Increasing numbers of young, university-educated women in their twenties and thirties are converting to Islam. Well – educated white women are more likely to convert to Islam than other groups. Through wearing modest clothing, all the way to a head scarf, it’s no longer about how you look, It’s getting free from this idea that you are defined by your dress size.†At the London Central Mosque in Regent’s Park, women account for roughly two thirds of the “New Muslims†who make their official declarations of faith – and most of them are under the age of 30.
The question is why are so-called liberated women choosing Islam. Such women are part of an intriguing trend. They seek spirituality, a higher meaning, and tend to be deep thinkers.
While 9/11 has led to a western military and ideological onslaught on Islam, 9/11 has also been the catalyst for increasing numbers, born and bred in the west, to question and reject western values and convert to Islam.
It is also of no surprise that no matter what policies or narrative is pushed by governments, writers, thinkers or elements of the media to try and reason away such conversions as ‘fringe’, ‘coercion’ or ‘blind following,’ this trend will continue in a world that seeks to understand the extent to which Capitalist liberal values have failed man in every sense and left a void which can only be filled by the truth!
“I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him – the wonderful man and in my opinion for from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much
needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today.” [G.B. Shaw, THE GENUINE ISLAM, Vol. 1, No. 81936.]
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk
March 8th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
DO NOT FEED IT
March 8th, 2011 at 4:55 pm
Woman are not liberated with Islam but made into slaves to believe there sexuality is a sin.. Showing beauty is a sin, free thinking is a sin, men like u should just do us all a favour and fuck off to a country that caters for your medeival needs… Let women decide how to dress and conduct they business in the public eye I don’t a religion to tell me! Your vision of a world of Islam is a dream like your god!
Iffitikhar
March 8th, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Six sentences before boredom set it. I didn’t read the rest of what seemed to be a long diatribe of bullshit. Why do these faith heads need to write so much. Is it because they have such a weak case and so much to attempt to prove. Or have they they power to persuade their women victims to listen to them.
March 8th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Iftikhar Ahmad, kindly fuck off.
And in honor of the one hundredth International Women’s Day, I bring you
March 8, 1979 Iranian Women March Against Hijab and Islamic Laws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxGYLk92edY
March 8th, 2011 at 6:33 pm
What has all that got to do with the truth of evolution or the truth that the Earth revolves around the Sun?
March 8th, 2011 at 6:47 pm
@Iftikar Ahmed
YAWN!
March 8th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can’t be taken on its own merits.
Dan Barker. Amen!
March 8th, 2011 at 7:40 pm
Another Dan Barker quote:
Asking “If there is no God, what is the purpose of life?” is like asking, “If there is no master, whose slave shall I be?”
March 8th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
@Daz. Nice one. I’ll remember that. Thanks.
March 8th, 2011 at 7:57 pm
Ahmed
How the fuck did you keep a straight face when typing ‘Islam tells a woman to cover up so that she is not abused?’ You and I both know that the reason you lot keep your women veiled is so that the rest of us cannot view the bruises that you ‘real men’ inflict on them.
March 8th, 2011 at 9:43 pm
Big Mo as world dictator then peace and happiness in the same sentence?
They just don’t get it.
March 8th, 2011 at 11:22 pm
Tony E: The unspoken implication in Ahmed’s little Epistle to the Kuffar is that if a woman doesn’t cover up, she deserves to be abused. What a fucked-up and hypocritical world view this is that prattles on about western sexuality, but which presumes that men and women in uncontrolled proximity are always going to act like something out of a Russ Meyer movie.
March 8th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
OT, but I just found this, via Stumble. Not sure if it’s good or bad, but it looks interesting. An atheist presenting a documentary about the Bible on the BBC!
March 8th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Presumably, any Muslim in a nudist colony would instantly turn into an uncontrollable serial rapist!
March 9th, 2011 at 12:09 am
@ barriejohn You are, of course, right. But it is SOOOOOOO tempting!
March 9th, 2011 at 1:45 am
BJohn said:
“DO NOT FEED IT” LMFAO!! You must have known they couldn’t resist. You and I are long winded, but I thought he was writing his memoir. So many claims about changing demographics, yet not a single documentation.
Anyway, do you, for a second, think that if Ratzy had a choice between paying a huge settlement to a child abused by a RC priest and having that person murdered for blasphemy, that he would not opt for the latter? The only obstruction is that his fangs have been extracted. Thus, especially in light of Northern Ireland, I find no difference between any organized religions. Given power over the minds of the masses, they always abuse it to it’s maximum extent.
Why would we expect Islam to be different? Dr. Hasan is much like Galileo, a fundy, who thought that reasearch of the facts would bring the church into a new enlightenment. That didn’t work out well, either.
I think we have to understand that to call into question a single piece of their delusion is to put a chink in the armor of their faith in the afterlife. To doubt their god is to condemn them to eternal death. Truth, but they are not ready. At least, not yet.
NeoWolfe
March 9th, 2011 at 2:32 am
I don’t mind feeding the occasional troll, but I do prefer the discussion to at least start on topic. I.e., in this case, have something to do with a man being threatened for his views on religion. From there it could have wandered into more general discussion of apostasy, literal versus non-literal reading of the book in question etc. But no, the troll above seems to have just randomly shat out a lecture on the growth of Islam and wandered off again. Sad, really.
March 9th, 2011 at 3:45 am
Taz said:
” From there it could have wandered into more general discussion of apostasy, literal versus non-literal reading of the book in question etc.”
My question would be, which phrase did it utter that gave you a clue that it was ready to have a rational discussion? Was it that women don’t really want to paint themselves up like whores, they really want to be hidden? If you want an intellectual discussion with a Muslim, email Dr. Hasan.
NeoWolfe
March 9th, 2011 at 5:26 am
TeoWolfe (ahem)
“…which phrase did it utter that gave you a clue that it was ready to have a rational discussion?”
None whatsoever. That’s what I was talking about.
March 9th, 2011 at 8:48 am
He won’t be back, because he’s a troll, and that diatribe was copied and pasted. You only have to google his first sentence to see that he has posted the same thing all over the net already! There is no point in responding to his bullshit, as he is not looking for a debate.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:29 pm
Iftikhar you are a c*nt
March 14th, 2011 at 10:21 am
I just thought I would make one observation:
Were I to have been brought up to believe that the bloodthirsty paedophile Mohammed was the “perfect” man, then it would be no surprise that all the women should be encouraged to cover up.
This is a standard tu quoque fallacy argument, not dissimilar from the Xians who excuse the wrongdoings of their own religion by claiming that everyone else is “just as bad”. The really big mistake that Ifthikar and his peers make is to assume that secularists, humanists and atheists are equally as likely to be abusive to a woman as they would be if she weren’t somehow de-sexualised. On average, I would suggest this to be wildly wrong.
March 14th, 2011 at 10:28 am
I have an English friend of Pakistani origin – a very sweet, gentle person who also happens to be a Moslem. I have absolute respect for him and he is aware of what I think of his and all other belief systems. He welcomed me into his house while I was on a trip to the ME and was the perfect host.
He would also think that Iftikhar was a cu*t.