Controversial speaker Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari was allowed to hold a lecture on campus last week, hosted by ISoc, despite pressure on YUSU and the University to reconsider the plans.
Several societies on campus including StandforPeace, Freedom Society, and Amnesty International all spoke out against the Islamic scholar’s lecture, saying: “We believe he is a threat to social cohesion at the university and that his views are out of place in a civilised, free and equal society.”
A CIVITAS report produced a profile of al-Kawthari, saying that “he places severe restrictions on male doctors treating female patients; he rules that women may not swim (even for medical reasons) where a male lifeguard is present, or where there are non-Muslim women; using tampons is ‘disliked’… a woman may not travel beyond 48 miles without her husband or a close relative accompanying her.”
Sam Westrop, a member of StandforPeace who co-ordinated the campaign against al-Kawthari told Vision: “al-Kawthari recommends that if someone engages in sexual intercourse outside of marriage, the punishment should vary from 100 lashes to death by stoning. Furthermore, al-Kawthari legitimises rape.”
Al-Kawthari directly responded to campus debate, admitting he was “hurt” by his reception at the lecture. He proposed that controversial views such as the stoning of women or the distance women should be from their husband were merely part of an “academic debate” and would only be enforced in an Islamic state.
Since posting a blog on The Jerusalem Post website, condemning the York Labour Club and the York Lib Dem leaders for not speaking out openly against al-Kawthari, Westrop has faced criticism himself.
Labour Club Chair Gemma Egan-Perkins said that she and the Club did condemn some of al-Kawthari’s alleged views, but did not believe in the no-platform policy other societies were pushing for.
YUSU President Tim Ngwena reiterated at Union Council last week that a ‘no-platform policy’, where racist and fascist speakers can be prevented from talking on campus, does not currently exist but if students wanted one they could submit a UGM. He released a similar statement via a blog on the YUSU website.
Al-Kawthari’s lecture, ‘Misconceptions About Islam’ was part of York Islamic Society’s ‘Islam awareness week.’ In response to the criticism of their choice of speaker, a statement was released defending their conduct: “What seems to be happening is that speakers are being quoted bizarrely out of context, or have social values or political ideals conflated with actual violent extremism, when there is no link between the two.
“It is important to note that socially conservative views should not be confused with violent extreme views – whilst one is completely abhorrent the other should be confronted and discussed openly through rational debate.”
Following the large number of complaints, the University released a statement reading: “YUSU has a protocol for visiting speakers and we have been assured that these procedures have been followed. The University has a clear and unequivocal position on issues of human rights, gender equality and religious toleration.”
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Students Jane Grenville attended, confirming the lecture complied with university rules and thus she did not intervene.
Having liaised with Stand for Peace on this, it’s amazing how people just don’t listen. we didn’t call for the speaker to be banned; we urged the Islamic Society to change the speaker. Infringing on freedom of speech is when you forcibly/legally prevent someone from speaking! We did no such thing: we simply urged the Islamic Society to change the speaker. This is not about freedom of speech! The reality of our aims, as when we fight extremism all across the country is to draw attention to the views of these people, so they can be questioned and criticised.
Considering the topic was ‘Misconceptions about Islam’, inviting someone who didn’t want women stoned would probably have been a better move. Al-Kawthari gives a bad name to all of us Muslims everywhere, and it’s no surprise that a large number of Muslim students avoid Islamic Societies on their campuses because they are too politicised, and occasionally with an Islamist agenda. No surprise given that FOSIS, the representative body of all I-socs is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, a murderous Islamist group that supports terror.