A sermon at a mosque in ladbroke grove got me pondering what the main differences are between church sermons and their Islamic counterpart. Apart from the imam today unwittingly comparing a women to a "horse", there was little difference I could speculate on. (The said phrase however was "play" with one's wife in the same way one would play with a "horse" before taking it to "jihad". The concept being that not all "play" is meaningless.) Although something struck me at the end, which was the reference to the situation in Pakistan. There was unequivocal condemnation and criticism for the actions taken against Benazir Bhutto, and the counter-productive methods employed by "terrorists". So there was a political and moral dimension to the concluding statements of the Imam. The recurrent prayers for the mujahideen in Palestine, Iraq, Kashmir etc then ensued.

If anything the main contrast with any western christian sermon would be a reversal of the political overview, or an absense of this altogether. I've never heard a priest talk very much about important current affairs within a religious framework. It's always been localised issues about personal redemption and individual progression.

As I watched the swarms of people coming in and then leaving I couldn't help but get the impression everyone was carrying out a 'duty' in their attendance. Then I thought of what was important to these people outside of their religion, and I could think of little. It seems that Muslims in this country are somewhat impervious to the trivialities of consumerism, celebrity and irrational jingoism that many in this country have come accustomed to.

This notion follows that religion is therefore a problem for the establishment. It provides a separate dimension for large communities which has a serious influence, a unifiying effect, but is also outside of the political authorities. The stated rise in extremism in London and the UK is a result of this climate, but also a result of state foriegn policy (and to some extent domestic), undoubtedly implemented with the anticipation of a heightened risk of terrorism.

The way to address the issue of extremism is to make it policy, not to allow the circumstances which make people feel what they are doing is NOT "extreme", in the pursuit of some notions of justice and liberty. All bombing is terrorism and it certainly isn't right to claim attacks in London are disconnected socially and politically to the global structure. The point of this was really to look at religion in society in general, then Islam as a more unique body in the West. If Muslims have more serious representation in this discredited political system we could see a more positive social change, but what we need is widespread political participation, and a media that facilitates this. At the moment people simply feel detached from the centralised and impersonal political authorities.