'A generation of Muslims not able to go to university?' blog discussion

bylromarha

callum9999 wrote: »

I'd be willing to wager that the majority of the country is Islamophobic in some form, even the people who are otherwise perfectly pleasant people.

I'd agree. I started a thread a few months back saying how shocked I was at the anti islamic comments I was getting from the parents of the children I teach in primary school, and DT told me I was out of order for expecting parents to be happy to allow their kids to learn about Islam.

If the government are unwilling to set up a suitable loan system for these students, I hope the Muslim community pulls together on this one and sets up some sort of Islamic credit union for its students who choose to follow Sharia law.

callum9999

torbrex wrote: »

Its their choice, why should a whole country pander to the choice of a single religious group?

No-one was willing to enter into debt so that I could go to university so the choice was made and I didn't go and guess what, it had nothing to do with religion.

How on Earth would anyone in the country have to "pander" to a religious group? It would take a couple of people in the education department less than a day to come up with a scheme suitable for them that wouldn't cost the taxpayer any more than the current one does.

Congratulations - want a medal?

Fire_Fox

Isn't the issue going to university FULL TIME not going to university full stop? Nothing stopping anyone with no family savings taking a year or two out to save up, then continuing to work whilst doing a modular degree part time. Also the option for many families of selling property or getting an Islamic loan. And plenty of Muslim families are not that strict, it's hardly a whole generation.

thistledome

Only a very small minority of very devout Muslims will miss out on a University education solely due to having to pay interest. The rest will just get their loan (after having a whinge to show they don't like it), or get a job or do whatever they have to do - the same as everybody else has to.

Don't expect sympathy from me. I didn't go to uni because I had to leave school and get a job to help out at home - like most working class people of my age. The entitlement generation need to get real.

zerog

Martin's_tweet wrote:

To those saying "we should help UK nationals not foreigners". Eh? Foreigners don't get student loans. Im talking UK nationals - muslim ones!

Don't have twitter so replying to Martin here - eligibility for student loans is not based on your nationality, it is based on where you have lived for the past 3 years.

sharnad

Nada666 wrote: »

Only half of a generation of Muslims are affected by this - the other half have always been banned from education.

any other lie you want to state

meher

callum9999 wrote: »

Martin is clearly living in his own little world! I have no idea why he is "surprised" at the anti-Muslim ranting on his blog post - I'd be willing to wager that the majority of the country is Islamophobic in some form, even the people who are otherwise perfectly pleasant people.

It can be two sided as your post would suggest. I don't think such views are representative of Britsh people. Just look at the good responses being appreciated a lot more than the mindless ones . Labelling everyone as islamophobic is simply not smart or productive. It is not all about Muslims you know - this blog is about bigger values and fairness. Stop being so touchy.

Truthfully here the sentiments are not strictly about Muslims, much as some of yu would like to flatter yourself. It is about non muslims feeling that they may not be treated fairly. When a section of people start acting precious, there will always be conflict. Look at all those special allowances for disabled people, black people, unemployed people etc - when they have special allowances it will not be met with or accepted by others, uncritically, and so it should be. Everything should be questioned and a possible provision of sharia products for muslim students being debated is no different. I am not a fan of anyone who starts bleating islamophoia, benefit basher, bigot, racist etc - most of the time it is more a reflection of their own deep seated insecurities than the islamophobia they accuse others of. Other than that when we start calling people islamophobics it simply suggests that we are not intellectually equipped to consider the nuances of the issues being raised. Like Ted on dt always says sympathisers of all brands do come up with thought terminating rhetoric on every thread with a bang but rarely of any substance. Frankly, being a muslim or islam is not that important, sorry to disappoint you. The issue here is one about offering options for financing education for students from different communities, that the question affects muslims is just incidental, it is about students from some communities who might be disadvantaged if they didn't have access to education and I think there should be choice of resources to fund their educational needs and this says it succintly enough for me:

If we could find a system where Muslim students have access to finance at the same cost, with no benefit (equality is key) but that is sharia compliant, I think it important.

N1AK

meher wrote: »

When a section of people start acting precious, there will always be conflict.

Their religion bars them from taking loans and they are asking for an option that fits with that belief to be offered; it's hardly precious and given the ease of providing this for them it is entirely-unreasonable not to. I have absolutely no doubt that it is intolerance of muslims that is driving many, if not most, of opposing comments.

ccbrowning

On the face of it I don't see the problem as long as it isn't giving a certain group easier access to education. If one is following strict sharia tenants and can't get an education due to interest, then yes they are disadvantaged I suppose...but where do you draw the line? Interest isn't even explicitly forbidden and it's all a manner of interpretation. There are numerous groups in the UK, religious or otherwise, so it is rather hard to come up with special accommodating for everyone.

Interest-free student loans for everyone, I say.

meher

N1AK wrote: »

I have absolutely no doubt that it is intolerance of muslims that is driving many, if not most, of opposing comments.

I disagree. It is intolerance of debate or questioning of anything remotely connected to muslims and islam that is more prominant than anything else. This taking offence of the slightest is quite a moronic and unpleasant experience. So what if people are critical about differences? Why should anyone be compelled and obliged to accept everything unquestioningly? I agree however that some of them are mindless responses but to suggest that most British people are islamophobics is nothing but a projection of their own inner hostility and intolerance. It is ok to be cynical, it is ok to question when some people are given special favours, afterall we are talking about interest free loan for some whilst the rest of them pay interest over it. It is nothing to do with any one community in particular but if some folks keep thinking the world should revolve around them, feel for them, it aint gonna happen because the majority of us are interested only in fairness and justice.