UK: Eton to appoint imam to help understanding of Islam

Telegraph ^ | 04/18/04 | Telegraph

[Pikamax]

Eton to appoint imam to help understanding of Islam (Filed: 18/04/2004)

Eton College is to become the first top public school in the country to appoint an imam to help pupils gain an understanding of Islamic culture and thought.

Pupils at Eton will have the opportunity to learn Arabic Tony Little, the headmaster of the Berkshire school, has written to parents to reassure them that the school will remain an Anglican, Christian school.

The school, which has taught 18 British prime ministers, is also to offer Arabic as a language for the first time from this September to increase better understanding of the Muslim world.

The imam, who is a trained Muslim cleric will also attend to the needs of around 20 Muslim pupils who attend the exclusive £21,000 a year school.

The appointment of Oxford graduate Monawar Hussain has already been supported by many who say it is a positive initiative on behalf of Eton and a sign that many traditional British institutions are changing.

The school currently has a Roman Catholic chaplain and a Jewish tutor as well as its four Anglican priests caring for the spiritual well-being of its 1,290 boys aged 13 to 18.

The appointment has been funded by the London-based Karim Rida Said Foundation, founded in 1986 to promote better understanding of Islam in the West.

The charity worth some £22 million, also runs projects in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, the Lebanon and Palestine educating and aiding disadvantaged Arab children.

[Cicero]

The appointment has been funded by the London-based Karim Rida Said Foundation, founded in 1986 to promote better understanding of Islam in the West.

Nothing like a little oil money to grease the wheels of academia.

[mathurine]

If you attract a score or two of buttheads, and there is the money for it, hire some butthead chaplain.

[July 4th]

[numberonepal]

This is the only thing they'll really understand:

[USF]

According to Saudis Arab News, Islam is infesting Britain: Islam Attracts Top Britons in a Growing Trend:

Over 14,000 Britons have embraced Islam, according to the UK’s Sunday Times...

The faith has made inroads into the Establishment. It emerged this weekend that the great-granddaughter of a British prime minister has converted. Emma Clark, whose ancestor, the Liberal Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, took Britain into the First World War, said: “We’re all the rage; I hope it’s not a passing fashion.”

[USF]

PS...

Btw don't forget that twit Prince Charles has a thing for Islam too...

ME Forum: Prince Charles of Arabia

Daniel Pipes: Is Prince Charles a Convert to Islam?

Sunnah.org: Prince Charles Praises Islam

IslamOnLine: Prince Charles To Islamically Makeover Garden

I miss the days when Prince Charles simply wished to be Camillias "Tampax"...

[Ed Thomas]

An example of sound business sense IMO. These days many British Public Schools make most of their money from foreign students (and most Moslem students at Eton will be foreign, the sons of sheiks etc). Catering for them in this way makes good sense for the school's admissions policy. I'm quite suprised Eton only has 20 Muslim students actually- the school I went to has around 25, as well as a huge number of Chinese and many Russians, Germans etc. Fees for foreign students are much higher, and it's the main growth area of Private Education in the UK.

We always had an 'Alternative' Chapel service available for non-Christians- if Eton has the resources to hire non-Anglican chaplains then an Imam is a logical addition.

I wish I could have had the chance learnt Arabic at school- luckily my University has a course available.