European and Community Languages


The class of 2006 is poorly equipped to take on the globalised world, despite of their high grades. Less than five percent take foreign languages. The UK recently came bottom out of 28 countries in language ability, according to a study. Learning of languages widens the mental horizons. The British education system is depriving its citizens of the possibility of all the wonderful and useful things that come with a foreign language. An English only education leaves our children at a linguistic and cultural disadvantage. It leaves our children behind. Learning a second language at an early age has a positive effect on intellectual growth and enriches and enhances a child’s mental development. It leaves students with more flexibility in thinking. It opens the door to other culture and helps a child understand and appreciate people from other countries. It increases job opportunities in many careers where knowing another language is a real asset. Some research suggests that bilingual children are more creative and better at solving complex problems. Bilinguals outperform verbal and non-verbal tests of intelligence. Researchers from University College London found out that learning a second language “boots” brain power. It is a well known fact, if somebody refuses to learn someone else’s language; they implicitly reject the other’s culture and their way of life. Schools need to teach children maths and three languages from nursery to A-level. In western European countries, all children are supposed to learn two languages along with the mother tongue at early stages. Younger children are more receptive to foreign languages than older pupils and are able to absorb the rhythms and structures more easily. It is essential that enthusiasm for languages could be nurtured earlier.


The largest ethnic minority groups in British schools are children of Pakistani origin: a community often accused of resisting assimilation and integration. Ann Cryer, the MP for Keighley blamed Imams for not speaking English. She should blame British schooling for not teaching Urdu/Arabic to Pakistani children, thus depriving them of understanding the Sermons in Arabic/Urdu. They are unable to enjoy the beauty of Urdu/Arabic literature and poetry. Imams are not part of the problem rather than the solutions. There is a proposal to teach Urdu as a compulsory language instead of French and German in British schools. The British Government is urged to remove the requirement in the National Curriculum that children between the ages of 11-14 study at least one European language. The linguistic abilities of large number of Muslim children were being ignored because they had to learn another European language as well as mastering English. The Government must promote the status of Urdu language instead of languages of European origin. Tim Benson, head of Nelson primary school in Newham said that the “nationalistic curriculum failed to recognize the staggering array of linguistic abilities and competencies” in schools such as his, where the pupils spoke more than 40 languages. The linguistic dexterity of families speaking an array of languages was celebrated but the “awesome achievements” of children mastering three or four languages were barely recognised by the education system. Social and emotional education comes with your own language-literature and poetry. A DFES document clearly states that children should be encouraged to maintain and develop their home languages. A study shows that bilingualism is a positive benefit to cognitive development and bilingual teacher is a dire necessity and is a role model. The price of ignoring children’s bilingualism is educational failure and social exclusion. Bilingualism could be developed by bringing a partner from Pakistan. The kids will get better at both languages. One will speak English while the other will speak Urdu.


A language is not just a series of words and communications; it’s the product of a culture of people. Language is a product of history and culture. The more we destroy our linguistic diversity by only using English, the more we lose the diversity of our cultural and historical identities. Erasing languages is erasing history. Erasing history leaves people without identity and a sense of identity is what makes us human. Learning languages teach us different ways of thinking, a worthwhile and enlightening mental exercise. Languages keep us apart from animal world. Human diversity is a part of God’s plan of creation. It is something to be encouraged as a social good, not something to be annihilated in a melting pot of national cohesion. If we force the whole world to speak only one language, we are forcing the whole world to lose its own identity and culture. Languages make the world a better place. It helps us to realize that we are all different and hopefully to be more tolerant with our differences.


Iftikhar Ahmad


www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk

Bismillah:


I would like to share this beautiful song of Yusuf Islam with all of you.





<div><iframe width="459" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZfQHOj-0RPs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>

Salam


Wael

Peace to all here, I am new here and have spoken with two of your great members Muslimah, and I think Wel_Mel (I am not positive that is his name here but I think so.) Glad to be aboard to learn more about Islam, which I have learned much. I used to be a member of a faithless forum that is now not in existence where I meet both of them. On there I was known as Blackstar. Muslimah may remember me.


I hope to learn more of the religion of Islam of which I have the deepest respect though I am atheist, I have a different definition of the term. (if anyone wishes to know that I will gladly correspond through PM.) Though I am NOT anti-religion. I believe religion has its virtues and Islam from what I know now is very beneficial to mankind.


I have read the quran, and though I do not believe it to be the word of an allmighty god I do believe it was written by a VERY wise man. Muhammed (pbuh) was a man of peace and integrity and taught those concepts.


I hope to have wholesome dialogue with Muslims and others here that share the GREAT idea of PEACE among all mankind!!


Peace to you all,


Voice of reason

Bismillah


Assalamu alaikum


I wanted to check some messeges I have received in my PM box, but to my surprise all from this year seams to have vanished. Only have two left. Where did they go? :confused_smile:


And I cannot upload a avatar. The only thing that I can see after uploading is a red kross up in the corner, NO picture. Help...? :blush:

The Satanic Web


Verily! Satan is to man an open enemy.(QURAN)


I think by now most of the world has heard about the so called NET, yes the INTERNET, it has it's benefits but at the same time it has it's dangers, especially for a Muslim who's aim in life is to please Allah and attain paradise, how? You may be wondering innocently. Well keep reading and you'll see, The WEB or the NET is the name which cannot be argued about because it traps the victim just like a spider traps a fly but the difference is the victim instead of wanting to escape like the fly, actually begins to enjoy this captivity, such is the terrible addiction and attraction, It's difficult to judge whether the surfer is in control or being controlled. I know what your thinking, naaaa not me I have full control, well think again friend.


Ok so what's the problem with surfing huh? Well once online it's like you get into a trance or more like cyber space, it makes you forget the real world and the reality around you but puts you into what its called virtual reality, yes that's the name virtual reality where everything is unreal but appears to be so real. Personally I think it should be called the Satans web.


Once the user is connected then everything else is disconnected and believe me I mean everything, Mom's shouting from downstairs, kids are crying around you, maybe the door bell has rang a couple of times but nop this person is in a different world, the concern for salah is gone, work, studies and other good deeds like reading quran, thikr are either delayed or sometimes completely in the recycle bin, INNALILAHI WA INNA ALAYHI RAJIOON, yes the most scary and most dangerous thing about it is that it has disconnected us from ALLAH .


As Muslims we have to be alert and worry about our Faith in all circumstances and in all times, for this life is very short and the life of the hereafter is for ever enjoying but only for those who make effort on their faith and Islam and try to save themselves from the evils of Satan, maybe were enjoying ourselves surfing horrific web sites or even chatting in the rooms. Hold on, I think chatting is the wrong term, it should be flirting, the biggest evil of all, SATANS ROOM, yes cyberfreinds, the room without a view but the most dangerous part of the net, we all know what goes on in these rooms, this is the room where even the innocent ones have become addicted, their father being proud of them thinking they are sitting in front of the PC working hard little does he know that she's chatting to more guys then she would have if she went out. Think about this, if you had a child would you like her roaming on the streets chatting up guys some as old has probably Clinton, oops better not mention no names, anyway would you? Or would you let strangers come in to your daughters bedroom and chat with her for hours? Well that's what's happening and dont think MY DAUGHTER? NEVER my daughter cant even think of such a thing, well wake up MR and stop pretending you know what's going on cuz you dont, this is how Satan's destroying us sitting in our own homes.


Yeah forget the pen pal days, that was the innocent stuff nowadays girls and boys are known to have travelled around the world meeting their cyber girl/boy friends, and if not that then long distance phone calls is common and you know how it starts? Well it start's of with just looking into the chatrooms maybe to make a friend of the same sex.


Satan even tells the god fearing ones, you can give dawah to them look how many people you can talk about Islam to and how much reward you will earn, yeah. All rubbish, Satans playing with you in his fingers, its a coincidence how everytime you end up giving dawah to the opposite sex, hmmmm I wonder why, well anyway your in the rooms with your cool username saying hi room, asl and all that stuff and after some time in and out the rooms you starting to get this big friends list, and usually its the opposite sex.


Your chatting day in day out, getting closer to your friends and if they live locally then you take it one step further, we all know what that is dont we? Course we, do its the mobile with the coolest tune around yeah another thing which is kicking nowadays anyway well talk about that another day so now you've exchanged numbers and send each other text messages and before you know it wing bing bang wallop, you running away with him/her, ok maybe not that far but whatever or however far you've got, your taking your self closer and closer to the fire of hell and just think about it brothers and sisters what would happen if death would take us in that state or that night where we just had a good chat and exchanged some lovy dovy sentences between each other?


We tend to forget death specially when were young, we think naa maan I got long time left, but death can take us anytime and in any condition, we dont have to be old and ill or have any problems, and once death comes finish, no coming back only one way in this world and only one way out.


So as I was saying you got these yahoo pager or MSN messenger and ICQ and now theirs even voice chat and web cams so many it's hard to keep track and all of them are full of friends, Havant had so many friends in your life isnt it great? Is it?


Yeah great for wasting your time, this precious time will never come back and will be accountable for on the day of judgement, anyway so now your chatting away, if you pray your salah probably pausing and quickly praying it at the speed of 50 mph then jumping back on to the hot seat, so your chatting away to your real friend which in reality you dont know jack about him only what he /she has told you which in most cases is a lot of cod wallops whatever that is and youve fell for him or her, now your up till midnight chatting away talking freely which you would never able to imagine doing if you werent online and when your not talking to him/her your thinking about him/her probably even got a pic in your PC ,I bet your even fantasising or day dreaming while in studies or at the office desk probably sending a quick mail from uni or college or school now you tend to feel a bit happy and cant wait to get online and chat again some even start meeting in cinemas and shopping, malls, raves and partys etc ,so now the net has made meeting strangers possible in such a large scale which before would be unimaginable some have even got married , ok thats good but come one how many is that ?


Now there are some things that puts some of us back and make us swear that we aint going in them rooms again, yup one is the big bill we get at the end of the month or quarterly, soon as we open that bill arghhhhhh our heart stops for a split second and were making excuses that noway, BT has overcharged me, But unfortunately Satan has one again, ok if our server is free we shouldnt get happy cuz thats more dangerous, then we dont have no time control and might end up eating our meals on the damn PC, yeah I bet some are even doing it. Secondly its the heart breaks that put us of for a while, we meet someone nice on the net and think he/she is the one and have high hopes for the future but soon after we find out the truth, that he is married and is older then your father or she is only 15 and is still in school, yup this is common everybodys lying their teeth out making themselves out to be the perfect partner just to impress eachother, so the hearts broken, (usually female hearts) and are sick of the net but as time goes by what are we doing? Yes back again caught in the web of Satan.


Lets take it further ok, not only the young and innocent are in cyber land but the married ones too are involved, the husband is chatting with women and the wife doesnt even suspect anything just wishing he would give her as much time as he gives his work well she thinks its work only if she knew hey, or the depressed house wives who are bored with their husbands and want something to bring the spark back in their lifes or viseversa, take this opportunity to chat or flirt with younger people and sometimes it even leads to affairs, yup you must have heard ab ut it, so and so person ran of and left her husband and kids, really? Yes, she found this guy on the net would you believe it? Well you better believe it coz now this is happening in realty. Now we shouldnt forget the single moms coz they are a victim in a large scale, men seeing them as an easy target and trying to make themselves sound caring and sweet so they win them over, the shy and innocent ones find it the best way to meet the right guy probably chatting to a doz people at a time, half the people dont even mention that there married and have got half a doz. children, why should they? It will spoil the fun, astagfirullah may ALLAH forgive us.


My dear friends Islam has never opposed technology and modern inventions but we have to in reality think and contemplate on how we are using the net, are the chatrooms taking us further form ALLAH or bringing us nearer to thee or is it making our creator happy or bringing his WRATH? Do we really think these chatrooms are benefiting us and our faith? The language used in the rooms is itself enough for one to decide this is a no go zone for us, and we all know that the topic the room is under is not whats being discussed. We cannot fool ourselves by saying and trying to make which is unlawful lawful by using the excuse that there is no serious harm and its just a bit of fun or our hearts are clean and we dont have any bad intentions, maybe we dont but Satan's traps are so dangerous that we would fall in to it without us even realising and his job is to try to take each and every one of us in hellfire and this is one of the tools he is using THE INTERNET, so we have to ponder for a while and ask ourselves are we a victim of SATAN >? And Im sure the answer will be YES.


So my friends we should repent sincerely and make firm intention to avoid indulging in these sins, ALLAH opens the ways for the one who trys, and Im sure all of us want to please our creator so we can live a life of bliss, it just takes a bit of effort, if we dont make a effort then it will be a grave danger for our IMAAN and AKHIRAH and we will have to face the consequences, whether we accept it or not its the truth and only Allah knows best.

<i>Rather than tackling the challenge of fundamentalist terrorism with a pithy remark packaged for the 9/11 anniversary or reaching for a John Paul-inspired sweeping gesture, the professor Pope went digging into his books. He went so far as to quote a 14th century Byzantine emperor´s hostile view of Islam's founder. "The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," the Pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."</i>


Obvioulsy, nobody hear is going to agree with that statement. Understandably so. However, rather than just getting angry at it why not offer a rebuttal. The 14th Centry Byzantine emperor and Pope Benedict say that Muhammad brought nothing new that was good. They say that he only brought evil and inhuman things.


So. Where does the Pope err? What did Muhammad bring that was new to the world?

It's always a good idea to take some time off to have a great laugh...


considering this...


take a look at this clip


ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS


http://addictingclips.com/Clip.aspx?key=...2AB451C177

assalam wa alaikum,


i would like to find out what are all the acceptable dowries used in islam given to women.i am soon to be married and i am a bit lost concerning this because i know women should not over exaggerate what they for their dowry.Can someone fill me in on it so i can give the best answer. Jazakallah .


salaams,


Khadeeja.

Asalaamualaykum





Email: as-sabiqoon@hotmail.com


Website: http://www.as-sabiqoon.com

On Sept. 11, 2001 a group of men boarded 4 planes with the intention of hijacking them and plowing them into the world trade center, the pentagon and the white house.


It was revealed that these men were are extremist Islamic terrorists from Osama Bin Laden's terror group "Al Queda."


These men thought that they were holy warriors in a jihad against the west. They, and many Muslims around the world, believe that these men are martyrs who are now enjoying paradise with the "dark eyes" (taken from the farawell videos from several of the attackers).


SO my question is this...Where do <b>YOU</b> think that these men are now? Do you believe that they are in Paradise?