There is a practicing Muslim in Glasgow by the name of Shaykh Zoheeb Iqbal. He runs an organization called the Al Falaah Academy in Glasgow’s south side, an area heavily populated by Muslims. His organization helps deliver lectures and courses to universities.
This is all fine and dandy if it weren’t for the character of the man. I first encountered him on Facebook when he was opening Glasgow’s first Islamic kindergarten for children, called “Little Wonders Nursery.” This nursery claims to give children the best start in life by teaching them Islamic values. I phoned the nursery and asked the woman who answered the phone if she could describe to me what exactly “Islamic values” are. She couldn’t give me any answers. The best she could say was that they teach children to be thankful for meals. This isn’t specifically Islamic. Christianity predates Islam, and Christians say grace before meals and thank God for all things in their lives. I told her this and pressed for a deeper Islamic response, and she couldn’t give me any.
Shortly thereafter, I encountered Mr. Iqbal on Facebook and I put the question to him: what exactly are these Islamic values that are being instilled in children? He then told me in a private message that I was an “illiterate mongo” and that I should go work as a “toilet cleaner.” This is most disturbing because a “mongo” is the N-word for children who have learning difficulties. How safe are disabled or learning-impaired children in the hands of this man and his staff when no regard is given to their status at a public level? If this is how he refers to children with special needs to strangers in public, what are he and his staff saying about the children behind their backs? And are they being singled out and treated differently from every other child at his establishments?
The verbal abuse didn’t end there. Mr. Iqbal then proceeded to ask me if I even know who my father is, telling me that it could be one of many people (the obvious suggestion being that my mother is a whore). This behaviour is not acceptable from someone who seeks to be in charge of directing the development of young minds. I phoned around all of the educational bodies and the city councils and inspectors, but no one seemed able to do anything about this man and his stance towards children with learning difficulties, even though his nursery is in partnership with Glasgow City Council.
Now it transpires that this odious man is looking to open Glasgow’s first Islamic primary school for kids, and this will apparently be funded by the local council also. Speaking to a journalist, Mr. Iqbal said: “We want to educate young people so they are confident and strong and understand the true meaning of Islam.”
If Mr. Iqbal is any example of “the true meaning of Islam,” then it means teaching children how to dish out abuse instead of being able to answer simple questions about Islam. Judging by his behaviour, teaching children about Islam would mean teaching them to be angry and hostile and aggressive, as well as rude and insulting. He goes on to say that an Islamic school in Glasgow will help to stamp out “extremism” (bearing in mind that the “moderate” board of Glasgow’s biggest mosque were bullied out of their positions, receiving death threats by “extremists” who wanted things to stay exactly as they were).
Mr. Iqbal has no business being anywhere near children with this attitude of his. In regard to his suggestion that my own mother is a wanton floozy, what would his attitude be towards children in his care who are from single-family households? Will he assume that they, too, don’t have any idea who their father is? In Mr. Iqbal’s mind, it’s okay to have four mothers who are passed around the one man in the same household on a nightly basis, but a woman who might have chosen to have a child out of wedlock is simply unacceptable in his eyes. We live in a modern Western world, a world where women are free to make their own choices. But Mr. Iqbal, in debate, could not disguise his hatred for women, using their sexual acts as a tool with which to attack.
For the record, it should be stated that I’m very well aware of who my father is and that both of my parents are long dead. Mr. Iqbal and his comments also disrespect and make fun of the dead. Perhaps Mr. Iqbal should turn the ownership of his educational establishments over to some truly peaceful and respectful Muslim and learn about the values he is allegedly instilling in others – virtue, strength, tolerance, acceptance, and peace.