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UK school found to be promoting extreme Islam

A private Muslim school in Yorkshire is promoting an extreme form of Islam, claiming that Jews ar...
Newstalk
Newstalk

19.48 31 Mar 2016


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UK school found to be promotin...

UK school found to be promoting extreme Islam

Newstalk
Newstalk

19.48 31 Mar 2016


Share this article


A private Muslim school in Yorkshire is promoting an extreme form of Islam, claiming that Jews are engaged in a global conspiracy to take over the world and that adopting British customs is forbidden.

The Islamic Tarbiyah Academy in Dewsbury teaches 140 primary school children in an after-school madrasa and runs full-time classes for over-16s and adults.

Mufti Zubair Dudha, the centre's founder and head, is a respected cleric from the orthodox Deobandi sect which is thought to control half of all mosques and madrasas in the UK.

In one leaflet Mr Dudha quotes the Protocols of Zion, an early 20th Century anti-Semitic forgery, which claims to prove Jewish people are engaged in a global conspiracy.

He claims that colourful pictures, films, magazines and sporting celebrities are part of the conspiracy to "poison the thinking and minds" of young Muslim people.

"The various forms of distractions have been successful to considerable extent in achieving their objectives," he wrote.

Other leaflets and newsletters, some of which are distributed to Deobandi mosques, say all mixed-sex institutions are evil, warn Muslims not to adopt British customs, ban the watching of TV, and tell women not to go out to work and to be fully covered before leaving the house.

In a section on jihad he tells Muslims they should be prepared to "expend ... even life" to create a world organised "according to Allah's just order".

Deobandis believe in a highly orthodox spiritual version of Islam and Mr Dudha also produces leaflets condemning terrorism and advocating non-violence.

Dewsbury has a history of disaffected youth becoming radicalised and was home to Britain's youngest suicide bomber, its youngest convicted terrorist, and one of the 7/7 bombers.

Keith Vaz, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, told Sky News he believes the centre's teachings are dangerous.

"After what we have seen in Paris and in Brussels and the way in which the Muslim community has come out so strongly in favour of peace and tolerance, I think these kinds of leaflets serve no purpose but to divide in a poisonous and totally reckless way," he said.

MPs are currently investigating radicalisation and the Government said last year that it intends to regulate madrasas.

The Department for Education told us: "These serious allegations are under investigation. While it would be inappropriate to comment on the specific investigations of these institutions, we are clear that extremism has no place in our society and we are determined to protect children from it."

But in a statement, Mr Dudha told Sky News: "It saddens me greatly that certain extracts from our publications have been taken and misrepresented to link the Academy with extremism. We fully believe in the importance and need of integration whilst being able to practise our faith."

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