MUSLIM extremists fighting to build a “mega-mosque” in East London are banning women from their own weddings.
Hardline
separatists Tablighi Jamaat, dubbed an “antechamber of fundamentalism”
by intelligence officials, insist on segregation between sexes.
Last
night Dr Taj Hargey, imam of the Oxford Islamic Congregation and
director of the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford, said: “The ceremony
is normally a male-only affair where a male relative, usually a father
or brother, signs on behalf of the woman and the service is conducted by
a male priest, an imam, in front of male witnesses exclusively.
“We totally denounce this kind of sexism.”
Dr
Jenny Taylor, of Lapido Media, a charity dedicated to raising
awareness of religious affairs, branded the practice “medieval”.
She said: “Women are not allowed even to attend their own marriages. It is ludicrous to think this promotes social cohesion.
“When
I visited the head- quarters in Delhi they were very nice to me but I
was made to do my interview sitting with my back to the professor. This
is where the international training is done. There were British Muslims
present when I did my interview.
“We need to encourage
people to integrate in the country they live in, otherwise you end up
with enclaves of Western-phobia which generate suspicion and hatred.”
Earlier
this month we revealed the Islamist group could be planning Britain’s
first Sharia-controlled zone if plans to move their UK headquarters from
Dewsbury, in West Yorkshire, to a site in Newham, east London, get the
go-ahead.
Dr Taylor added: “Children are being brought up in
places where contact with the mainstream is minimal. The Dewsbury HQ is
now a Tablighi enclave.
“Masses of research has been done on this as a result of 7/7 but it seems to be almost completely ignored by government.
“Different
norms start to prevail as is evidenced with this question of women’s
marriage. Allowing a huge centre to be built in Newham that will churn
out these values is appallingly irresponsible.
“This is a country where women died for freedom.
“Are
we wanting to see the east of London become completely Islamic and
split off from the mainstream country? It would be an absolute
catastrophe.”
She added: “This is not diversity but apartheid.”
The
religious writer and commentator was backed by Tehmina Kazi, the
director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy and a former project
officer at the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
She said: “Female members are kept secluded and the values surrounding their seclusion are transmitted to their children.”
Two
of the July 7 bombers, Shehzad Tanweer and Mohammad Sidique Khan, plus
failed shoe bomber Richard Reid, are believed to have prayed at the
Tablighi HQ in Dewsbury.
Last night trustees of the Riverine centre, who run the TJ site in Newham, were unavailable for comment.
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