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Muslim free speech advocate jeered
A BUNCH of around 30 gathered at the university last night to protest over a lecture delivered by Sheikh Dr Usama Hasan, a specialist in Islamism.
Hasan, according to this report, was targeted by zealots who were angry over his failure to condemn the “Jesus and Mo” cartoon tweeted by Maajid Nawaz, a Lib Dem parliamentary candidate.
Dr Hasan, a senior researcher in Islamic Studies at Quilliam, was speaking at the Jill Craigie cinema on the topic of Islam and democracy in the wake of the Arab Spring.
The University cited Dr Hasan as a trained imam and a scientist with a PhD, MA and MSc from the Universities of Cambridge and London, and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.
In 2011, some numpty called Matthew Smith slammed Hasan over his belief in evolutionary theory, and wrote that Hasan:
Went beyond the pale in a public meeting by saying that Adam, the first human being and Prophet (peace be upon him), had parents that were nearly human, i.e. that there had been evolution up to him.
This put him outside of Islam (making his position as an imam untenable) for two reasons, the first being his insult to a Prophet and the second being his direct contradiction of the account in the Qur’an which says that Adam (peace be upon him) had no parents and was created directly.
The university protesters gathered peacefully in the lobby area of the Roland Levinsky building ahead of Hasan’s arrival. A few boos were heard as he entered the lectured theatre.
Quilliam says it lobbies government and public institutions for more nuanced policies regarding Islam and the need for greater democracy in the Muslim world.
The university’s Plymouth Islamic Society protested to Vice Chancellor, Wendy Purcell, saying Quilliam instigated “Islamophobia” and demanded the event be cancelled.
A spokesman for Plymouth University said it hosted “hundreds” of events each year, attracting “high profile guest speakers” and these events played a key role in
Stimulating debate and encouraging individuals to think for themselves, broaden their horizons and make sense of the world in an informed manner.
The spokesman added:
This does mean that some topics may not be of interest to everyone, suit their tastes, or be in keeping with their ideologies, which is something we understand and respect. We rigorously consider the appropriateness of any event or guest speaker in balancing our obligation to uphold the principles of free speech with our duty of care to students, staff and the community.
Hat Tip: BarrieJohn
18 responses to “Muslim free speech advocate jeered”
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I’d rather have evolved from monkeys, than be descended from someone that was created out of dirt.
I’m evolved, they’re full of shit.
[…] By Barry Duke […]
The religious stifling debate again; any contrary facts or opinion must be silenced lest the credulous hear something that may shake them from their religious stupor. Hassan must be a bit dodgy if he claims to be a Scientist and Imam.
Our forefathers are not monkeys: Apes and humans have a common ancestor. The ‘warning’ regarding monkey forefathers is interesting from the point of view of ignorance – the photograph is of apes, not monkeys. The protesters seem a little confused.
One of the commenters pointed out that the Socialist Workers’ Party are supporting these imbeciles. What the fuck has it got to do with them?
http://www.workersliberty.org/jesusandmo
Not confused, David, just mind-numbingly ignorant. As are most anti-evolutionists.
There you go, facts!
http://islamcomicbook.com/02.htm
_____
The SWP are there because they have this stupid idea that because islam is the supposed enemy of the USA, which is the home of capitalism, then islam must be the friend of socialism. Oh boy, are they wrong.
There should be no taboo subjects. Everything must be discussed. Everything must be questioned, reasoning, and without the pretense of being offended.
Rather than say ‘yes, Muhammad had sex with children and that is wrong,’ Quilliam quizling Mo Ansar says well, maybe Aisha was 18.
faithinfeminism.com/isnt-islam-anti-women/
That isn’t moderation or reform. That is lying.
And yet again, an organized religion demands special treatment. How different is this “walk on egg shells” around Muslims so different from the Jewish “chosen people of doG”?
ALL religion should be fair game to be questioned. Religion makes extraordinary claims. Well, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. What evidence of ANY kind has religion ever provided? And NO, their own “holly books” do NOT count.
Why are white people protesting against an Asian preacher for being too enlightened and rational? I can understand people being raised in the religion of their parents, but for adults, raised and educated in a European country to convert to an ideology such as islam? Why don’t they become Sufis or Ismailis? They usually seem to take up the most toxic strains such as Wahhabism or Salafism.
@ G M-R. It was no surprise to me either that the SWP had wormed their way in-for the reasons you say. I think it all dates back to some cynical Leninist colonial theory about siding with any form of anti-imperialism, because it would weaken the colonial power. Which would, of course,by coincidence,favour anyone trying to establish a Leninist junta. I think Gramsci “developed” the theory along the lines that anything that opposes the ruling hegemony, must be good.
It led to so-called leftists supporting the Galtieri regime during the Falklands war, which was throwing genuine leftists and liberals into the sea.
Nowadays, I think the Trotskyist/Leninist left is so defeated, and so bankrupt of ideas, they just support anyone they think can give the “establishment” a bloody nose. Don’t get me wrong. I agree with a lot of Marx’s ideas.But I despise the way this shower bastardised them for their own ends.
Who are those fools in the photograph? What do they think they are doing? How the hell do they qualify to be on a University campus?
@ barriejohn
Christopher Hitchens would weep!
WTF?!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25968306
And now The Sun gets all religious on us, asking millions of readers to join its prayer campaign to end all the rain:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/5413030/join-sun-prayer-campaign-to-stop-rain-and-bring-sunshine.html
Religions naturally encourage ignorance as part of their survival strategy. Everything has evolved including religion. Religions are based on ignorance, superstition and fear. I am skeptical to anyone that, while considering themselves to be educated, continues to call himself a Muslim. Like the QuillIAms do.