Dear Mr Andrews

Thank you for your email regarding the Pause for Thought broadcast on 6 July.  Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in replying. The aim of the item you wrote about was for Faris Badawi to give a view on a story that was in the news at the time and connect it to wider spiritual issues. In this case, he was commenting on the Prime Minister’s remarks about relations between Muslims and Western governments and linking it to the values of forgiveness. As a Muslim, he used Islamic references to emphasise the significance of forgiveness and did not advocate the spread of Islamic rule through deception or otherwise. We aim to show a diversity of views from different religions as part of Pause for Thought, with the intention of stimulating listeners’ minds and providing them with a more nuanced understanding of the various faiths.

Yours sincerely

• Mark O’Brien
• Producer
• Pause for Thought

 

Dear Mr O’Brien,

To enable me to consider carefully what you have written please email me the full text of what Mr Faris Badawi said on the morning in question.

Yours faithfully

Cecil Andrews

 

Date – 02/10/2006 

Dear Mr Andrews,

Thank you for your further e-mail regarding the response you received about
Pause for Thought.

As requested, please find attached a copy of the transcript for the
‘Thought’ in question.

Should you wish to pursue your complaint, at this stage you should do so by
writing to the BBC’s independent Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU).  The ECU
is the second level of the BBC’s three stage complaints system and their
address is;

BBC Editorial Complaints Unit
MC4C6
Media Centre
Media Village
201 Wood Lane
London W12 7TQ

Yours sincerely

Alison Wilson
Divisional Adviser
Factual Programmes

Pause for Thought – 06/07/06

Good Morning Johnny [Walker – standing in for Wogan], The Prime minister said this week in answer to a question from the commons liaison committee that Muslims should confront the extremists in their midst and that we should get over a completely “false sense of grievance against the west”

I felt this was a little unfair, for two reasons, firstly relations between the west and the Muslim and Arab worlds have since the early part of the 20th century, resulted in events and actions that no one on either side has any reason to be proud of, along of course with many things that were very positive.

That’s how history is, there are various elements to every story, nonetheless there were actions by the western powers that should rightly inspire shame in all of us, and the attitudes and ideas of superiority and entitlement that underlay those policies should be confronted whether they
appear amongst easterners or westerners.

My second reason for concern was that Mr. Blair addressed his message to Muslims, not to Arabs, Pakistanis or any other largely Muslim nationality but to Muslims per se, now it may be that at the moment we do not have a very good reputation here in the west, but a brief excursus into the Quran will the give the casual reader the impression that on the score of harbouring rancour and bearing grudges Muslims are just nothing to worry about.

In fact even if they are harshly treated the Quran advises Muslims that “To forgive is nearer to piety. And forget not kindness among yourselves.” 2.109

There really is no need to misrepresent history when advising Muslims not to bear grudges, irrespective of what has happened and what was sometimes done to subject Muslim peoples, a history with which Muslims are very familiar, it is still the case that Muslims can demand of themselves, in adherence to the tenets of the faith, that they must generate forgiveness in their hearts for any harm or injustice that they have undergone as result of Western or other actions, The Quran asks us when anger gets hold of us to forgive and show indulgence, as we would wish God to forgive us.

No matter what happened or was done in the past, which now shapes our present, we are required as Muslims to be patient and forgiving.

An ancient Arabian saying was “retaliation preserves life” I think in the modern world that saying can be reversed and that now “forgiveness and forbearance preserve life” because today our retaliation may be so terrible that it could even destroy this precious world.

 Reply by Cecil to BBC email of 2nd October 2006

This is in response to Alison Wilson who in her email to me of 2 October tried to fob me off to the ECU. I had asked Mark O’Brien who had written to me on this subject to let me have the text of what was said. Having done this I am replying to him – not to the ECU.

A lie in the text was as follows –‘a brief excursus into the Quran will the give the casual reader the impression that on the score of harbouring rancour and bearing grudges Muslims are just nothing to worry about’. -.

In response these quotations from the Koran will show that non- Muslims [infidels] have every reason to worry if they make ‘a brief excursus’ into the Koran –

‘Believers, retaliation is decreed for you in bloodshed’ (Sura 2: 178).

‘Fight for the sake of Allah those that fight against you, but do not attack them first. Allah does not love the aggressors. Kill them wherever you find them…if they attack you put them to the sword…Fight against them until idolatry is no more and Allah’s religion reigns supreme…If anyone attacks you, attack him as he attacked you’ (Sura 2: 190-4).

‘Fight for the cause of Allah’ (Sura 2: 244).

‘Those that deny Our revelations We will burn in Hellfire…As for those that have faith and do good works, We shall admit them to gardens watered by running streams, where, wedded to chaste virgins, they shall abide forever…the believers who do good works, whether men or women, shall enter the gardens of Paradise’ (Sura 4: 55-7, 124).

‘The true believers fight for the cause of Allah, but the infidels fight for idols. Fight then against the friends of Satan’ (Sura 4: 76).

‘Therefore fight for the cause of Allah’ (Sura 4: 84).

Allah has given those that fight with their goods and their persons a higher rank than those who stay at home. He has promised all a good reward; but far richer is the recompense of those who fight for Him…’ (Sura 4: 96).

‘Unbelievers are those who declare: ‘Allah is the Messiah, the Son of Mary” (Sura 5: 17).

‘When the sacred months are over, slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them…'(Sura 9: 5).

‘…make war on the leaders of unbelief…’ (Sura 9: 12).

‘Believers, know that the idolaters are unclean…’ (Sura 9: 28).

‘The Jews say Ezra is the son of Allah, while the Christians say the Messiah is the son of Allah. Such are their assertions, by which they imitate the infidels of old. Allah confound them! How perverse they are! They worship . . . the Messiah the son of Mary, as gods besides Allah; though they were ordered to serve one God only. There is no god but Him. Exalted be He above those whom they deify beside Him! …It is He who has sent forth His apostle with guidance and the true faith to make it triumphant over all religions, however much the idolaters may dislike it’ (Sura 9: 30-3).

‘Proclaim a woeful punishment to those that hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s cause. The day will surely come when their treasures shall be heated in the fire of Hell,…’ (Sura 9: 35).

‘If you do not fight He will punish you sternly and replace you by other men…’ (Sura 9: 39).

‘Whether unarmed or well-equipped, march on and fight for the cause of Allah, with your wealth and your persons’ (Sura 9: 41).

‘Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home: an evil fate’ (Sura 9:73).

‘Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you…’ (Sura 9: 122).

These are not idle threats as the following extracts from a report received in the past few days sadly illustrate –

‘On Tuesday 10th October [2006] Paulos Iskander, an Iraqi church minister, was abducted in Mosul. Iskander’s eldest son received a phone call from the kidnappers demanding a ransom of $250,000; the family, unable to raise this money, were able to negotiate for a ransom of $40,000, but the kidnappers also demanded that Iskander’s church publicly repudiate the remarks about Islam quoted by Pope Benedict XVI last month. When Iskander’s family asked for proof that he was still alive the kidnappers held up the phone so that the sounds of crying and screaming could be heard. The family began to raise the ransom by asking churches and Christians in the area to help, and arranging several loans. Iskander’s church as well as several other churches placed 30 large posters around the city to distance themselves from the Pope’s words. However, before the ransom could be paid Iskander’s decapitated body was discovered on 12th October, dumped in an outlying suburb of Mosul. His body showed signs of torture, with cigarette burns, bullet holes and wounds from beatings. His hands and legs had been severed, and arranged around his head which was placed on his chest. Iskander’s family later received a phone call from the kidnappers, who taunted them that Iskander “had a lot of blood in him”.

In Baquba, 65km north-east of Baghdad, a Christian doctor was abducted and killed on his way to work in Baquba hospital. There has also been an unconfirmed report that a 14-year-old Christian boy was crucified in Basra.

Amidst the surge in hostility towards Christians in recent weeks, Christian girls have increasingly become the target in a spate of kidnappings and rapes. The girls are taken from their families at gunpoint, from their homes or snatched off streets into waiting cars. They are frequently raped and abused while in captivity, only released if their families are able to find the large ransoms demanded. The shame of their ordeal, which is felt far more in such a culture than in the West, can make the victims suicidal. In one case a girl killed herself after being abducted and gang raped by nine men. When the abductors allowed her to call her family she asked them not to pay the ransom. The family did pay and she was returned to them, but she was found dead the following morning; she had taken an overdose of sleeping pills.

In another case five Christian girls were kidnapped in front of policemen as they tried to obtain passports from a travel and citizenship department in Baghdad. The police did nothing to try to stop the kidnappers. Indeed police forces in Iraq generally seem either unable or unwilling to do anything to protect Christians, and it is reported that some are even participating in these brutal crimes against Christian women and children’.

Let’s have no more ‘lies’ about Islam propagated by the BBC.

Mr Cecil Andrews

 

Date – 01/11/2006 

Dear Mr Andrews

Thank you for your further e-mail.

I am afraid that, as I outlined in my previous e-mail to you, if you wish
to pursue your complaint about Pause for Thought you now need to do so by
contacting the ECU.

BBC Editorial Complaints Unit
MC4C6
Media Centre
Media Village
201 Wood Lane
London W12 7TQ

You can alternatively e-mail the unit at ecu@bbc.co.uk

I have discussed the matter with Mark O’Brien, but he cannot add to his
original response to you on the subject.

Yours sincerely

Alison Wilson
Divisional Adviser
Factual Programmes

 

ECU COMPLAINT submitted by Cecil 20/11/06

Dear Sirs,

I have been directed to you concerning a complaint I lodge re the ‘Pause for Thought’ broadcast on 6 July 2006. I think the simplest thing is for me to copy the complaint/email exchanges thus far.

I await hearing from you.

Yours truly

Cecil Andrews

 

BBC response to my last email received as an attachment – it can’t be copied to this document but my email response of 20^th November quotes/explains the relevant sections.

 

Date – 20/11/2006

Dear Rebecca,

I am in receipt of Mr Steel’s response.

The ‘Editorial Principles’ by which you are guided and governed were set out as follows –‘We WILL ENSURE that the beliefs and practices of the great world faiths are DESCRIBED ACCURATELY and IMPARTIALLY.

‘We WILL ENSURE that the religious views and beliefs of…a religion ARE NOT MISREPRESENTED’.

Faris Badawi said on air ‘a brief excursus into the Quran will give the casual reader the impression that on the score of harbouring rancour and bearing grudges Muslims are just nothing to worry about’.

I documented how this statement flies in the face of what ISLAM officially believes and practices according to its supreme and ultimate authority, The Koran.

The views expressed personally by Mr Badawi were INACCURATE and PARTIAL and they MISREPRESENTED the OFFICIAL religious views and beliefs of ISLAM as found in The Koran.

I am not satisfied with Mr Steel’s response and would ask ECU to revisit this complaint.

Yours truly

Cecil Andrews

 

Date – 27/11/2006

Dear Mr Andrews,

Thank you for your e-mail of 20 November to Rebecca Fullick.

We’ve discussed your continuing concerns and are now seeking a further response from the programme-makers.  This may take longer than we would wish as one of them is currently away.  Please bear with us – we’ll try to get a further substantive response to you as soon as we can.

Yours sincerely,

Douglas Evans  

 

BBC response following their email of 27th November received as an attachment – it can’t be copied to this document but my letter response of 9th February quotes/explains the relevant sections.

 

Date – 01/02/2007

• Bruce Vander
• BBC Trust Unit
• 35 Marylebone High Street
• London
• W1U 4AA

9 February 2007

Dear Mr Vander,

Pause for Thought: Radio 2: 6 July 2006

I have been pursuing a complaint about this subject since the day of the broadcast and have passed through the initial BBC complaints procedure and through the Editorial Complaints Unit and have now been referred to you by Fraser Steel who wrote to me on 31 January. I am assuming that you will be able to access all the correspondence that has gone before so I will limit this letter to responding to Mr Steel’s reply to me of 31 January.

On page 2 Mr Steel listed some quotations from the Koran that the speaker, Mr Badawi had cited to support his ‘interpretation’ of what Islam teaches. Mr Badawi’s response is a classic example of a Muslim using the principle of TAKEYYA [a principle of deception] to try and prevent harm being done to the religion of Islam.

Mr Badawi quoted a number of Suras from the Koran and I will now list the Suras he quoted and show how they form no defence in the matter of my complaint.

Sura 3:159 – This is speaking of MUSLIMS who turn back from battle and has NOTHING to do with Muslim treatment of unbelievers.

Sura 5:8 – This is telling MUSLIMS how to conduct THEMSELVES in dealings and NOT how to deal with unbelievers.

Sura 7:199 – This is an early MECCAN Sura that has been ABROGATED by later MEDINAN Suras.

Sura 24:22 – This is for MUSLIM next of kin or poor and NOT for unbelievers

Sura 42:37 – This is an early MECCAN Sura that has been ABROGATED by later MEDINAN Suras.

Mr Badawi alleged that on sanctioning aggression ‘the so-called militant verses must necessarily be ripped from the body of the Sura’ – the reality is that this is precisely what he has done in order to misrepresent Islam as being ‘just nothing to worry about’.

Mr Badawi wrote ‘you will not understand Muslims by referring to the Quran’ – I would suggest that you will not understand Mr Badawi when he writes about the Quran ‘It is utterly fungible and interpretable, the ONLY guides being conscience etc’.

In the light of this latest response to me I would reaffirm what I wrote in previous correspondence –

The views expressed personally by Mr Badawi were INACCURATE and PARTIAL and they MISREPRESENTED the OFFICIAL religious views and beliefs of ISLAM as found in The Koran.

In conclusion let me say this – there is much that is false being propagated publicly about the religion of Islam and the BBC is a major player in this misrepresentation. If they don’t awaken to this reality it will in the long term be to their great cost. I’ll finish with these words from my original complaint lodged on 6 July 2006

The teaching of the Koran and the aim of Islam are to bring the WHOLE world under the rule of Islam. Islam divides the world into 2 camps – [1] Dar el Islam, the house of Islam where Islamic [Sharia] law rules and [2] Dar el Harb, the house of war where Islamic law does not rule. IT IS A DUTY for Dar el Islam to fight and conquer Dar el Harb and permanently assimilate it. That is the true aim of Islam and the teaching of the Koran.

Let’s have no more whitewashed views of Islam

Yours faithfully

• Cecil Andrews
• PO Box 13
• Ballynahinch
• Co Down
• BT24 8AL

 

Date – 20/02/2007

Dear Mr Andrews,

Thank you for your letter dated 9 February 2007 asking the Editorial Standards Committee (ESC) to look at your recent complaint.

I am writing to let you know that your complaint will be considered on the 9 May 2007…we will be in contact with you again in the next few weeks with the provisional paperwork being prepared for the committee. You will then be given the opportunity to comment on the breakdown of the complaint and the editorial advice being provided to the committee. Ant comments you make will be included in the final paperwork…

Yours sincerely

Bruce Vander

Complaints Manager, BBC Trust

 

Date – 02/04/2007

Dear Mr Andrews,

Further to my letter of 20 February, I’m afraid I’m writing to let you know that your complaint has been delayed until the June Editorial Standards Committee (ESC) meeting.

This has been due to a larger than expected workload within the department. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

However I am confident we will be in a position to send you the committee’s paperwork for your comments within the next few weeks. Further details explaining the form of response and the time period in which you have to respond will be sent with the paperwork.

Please accept my apologies once again for this delay.

Yours sincerely

Bruce Vander

Complaints Manager, BBC Trust

 

Date – 10/05/2007

Dear Mr Andrews,

Further to my letter of 2 April, I’m afraid I’m writing to let you know that your complaint has been delayed until the July Editorial Standards Committee (ESC) meeting.

Whilst investigating your complaint it came to light that we would require the advice of an expert, which therefore led to further delays.

However I am confident we will be in a position to send you the committee’s paperwork for your comments within the next few weeks. Further details explaining the form of response and the time period in which you have to respond will be sent with the paperwork.

Please accept my apologies once again for the delay, we are working to ensure that this does not become a regular occurrence.

Yours sincerely

Bruce Vander

Complaints Manager, BBC Trust

 

Letter dated 30th May 2007 received 1st1June 2007 enclosing the pack that will be given to each Committee member as they consider my complaint on 3 July 2007 [DV]. I was given an opportunity to respond and this is my letter in response to them.

 

• The Chairman of the Editorial Standards Committee
• Room 211, 35 Marylebone High Street
• London
• W1U 4AA
• 1st June 2007
• Your ref: AL/13878740

 Dear Sirs,

 Pause for Thought: Radio 2: 6 July 2006

I would confirm receipt of Bruce Vander’s letter of 30^th May and the pack of ‘background notes’ that will be given to the Committee to enable them to consider my complaint on 3 July 2007 [DV].

Overall the pack is accurate to the exchanges that I have had on this matter although of course the contribution by Mona Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic Studies at Glasgow University was new to me. Her contribution can hardly be regarded as ‘neutral’ and should perhaps have been balanced by the ESC seeking another non-Muslim view on the exchanges and I would certainly have been very glad to recommend someone for this task who has devoted much of his time and talents to this subject.

I personally would have liked to have seen a greater emphasis on my refutation of 23^rd October 2006 [see blue photocopy enclosure] to Mr Badawi’s claim that ‘a brief excursus into the Koran will give the casual reader the impression that on the score of harbouring rancour and bearing grudges Muslims are just nothing to worry about’.

I hope each Committee member will particularly bear in mind what happened to Paulos Iskander [as detailed in the blue photocopy] [readers of this article can read of this brutal incident on http://www.barnabasfund.org/news/archives/article.php?ID_news_items=233] and also what happened in April this year to 3 Christian men in Turkey, as can be read in the enclosed yellow photocopy report.

[readers of this article can read of this brutal incident on http://thepoint.breakpoint.org/2007/05/final_hours_of_.html]

This yellow report is not a ‘new complaint’ but merely reinforces the case I have made and I would ask that each Committee member be given a copy of this yellow report to read [and weep].

 Yours truly

•  Cecil Andrews
• PO Box 13
• Ballynahinch
• BT24 8AL

 

My complaint was considered by the ESC at their July 2007 meeting and the outcome of that meeting was posted to me in a letter from the BBC Trust dated 20th August 2007.

The covering letter stated –

Dear Mr Andrews,

Pause for Thought: Radio 2: 6 July 2006

The Editorial Standards Committee (ESC) has now considered your appeal. I enclose a copy of its decision.

The ESC’s finding looks at your complaint, which suggested that ‘Pause for Thought’ breached the BBC’s editorial standards. The complaint was not upheld. I realise this will be disappointing.

 

A summary of this finding will be included in the next edition of the monthly bulletin ‘Editorial Complaints: appeals to the Trust’ which will be published on the 23^rd August at the following address

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/appeals/editorial_appeal_findings.html

Yours sincerely

Richard Tait

Chairman, Editorial Standards Committee

The full transcript of the ‘findings’ of the ESC can be viewed on http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/appeals/esc_bulletins/jul07.pdf

And I shall be commenting on these published ‘findings’ in my reply to the BBC that you will be able to read shortly.

 

• Richard Tait
• Chairman, Editorial Standards Committee
• Room 211
• 35 Marylebone High Street
• London
• W1U 4AA
• 22^nd September 2007
• Ref AL/13878740

 Dear Mr Tait,

 ‘Pause for Thought’: Radio 2: 6th July 2006

 I am in receipt of your letter of 20th August.

 In it you wrote that I would probably find the committee’s decision ‘disappointing’ – you are actually quite wrong – I don’t find the committee’s decision ‘disappointing’, I find it ‘disgusting’.

Not only do I find the decision ‘disgusting’ but I also find the published transcript of the finding both ‘disgusting’ and ‘dishonest’.

Enclosed herewith is a final letter that I would ask you to photocopy and give to each member of the committee that arrived at this shameful ‘decision’.

Yours for the cause of truth

• Cecil Andrews
• PO Box 13
• Ballynahinch
• Co Down
• BT24 8AL

 

 

Editorial Standards Committee

 22nd September 2007

 Ref AL/13878740

 Dear Sirs,

 ‘Pause for Thought’: Radio 2: 6th July 2006

 I have received the details of your ‘findings’ and ‘decision’ in this matter. My reaction has been one of ‘disgust’ and it has been compounded by ‘the summary’ put out by the BBC into the public domain. This ‘summary’ is utterly dishonest as it fails to sufficiently draw attention to and highlight the crucial words of Mr Badawi that were at the very heart of my complaint when he said on air – ‘a brief excursus into the Koran will give the casual reader the impression that on the score of harbouring rancour and bearing grudges Muslims are just nothing to worry about’.

 

I even emphasised this fact when responding to my review of ‘the pack’ of background notes that would be given to each committee member when they came to consider my complaint. It would appear that the BBC employs its own version of Taqiya when it suits their cause!

 

In relation to your conclusions I would comment as follows –

BBC conclusion/My Response

Faris Badawi’s comment, although drawing upon a specific understanding of the Koran, had not been inappropriate.

The issue is not one of comments being ‘appropriate’ or ‘inappropriate’ but of whether they are ‘accurate’ or inaccurate’, ‘honest’ or ‘dishonest’

There was no evidence to suggest that Faris Badawi had used the principle of Taqiya and had thus been dishonest

There was no evidence to suggest that Faris Badawi had NOT used the principle of Taqiya and had thus been dishonest. In fact the testimony of almost 1500 years of history, right up to this present day, indicates clearly that he was being ‘dishonest’ when he made the comments at the very heart of this complaint.

The comments adhered to the guidelines of authored pieces which entitle a specialist to provide a personal view in order that the audience can hear fresh and original perspectives on a known issue.

The ‘personal view’ of any ‘specialist’ must still be subject to the test of whether it is accurate and honest – with the ‘licence’ of Taqiya any Muslim contributor is not bound by such constraints as accuracy and honesty.

That no one view could adequately address all interpretations of the Koran and that it was not practicable for every view to be qualified each time one was put forward. On that basis there were no grounds to suggest dishonesty or inaccuracy in the views expressed by Mr Badawi.

It may seem not to be ‘practicable’ to qualify every view put forward but on such a serious issue, literally of ‘life and death’, then an alternative view of whether or nota brief excursus into the Koran will give the casual reader… just nothing to worry about’ should be given airtime. Time constraint limitations have no bearing on whether or not Mr Badawi’s comments were either dishonest or inaccurate.

Let me finish by saying that the ESC members have collectively behaved like a herd of ‘Neville Chamberlain ostriches’ and if you don’t soon wake up to the reality of Islam’s Global Intentions then literally you may not have any heads to bury anywhere never mind in the sand.

The expression ‘BBC Trust’ has by this ‘decision’ been shown up clearly to be a living, breathing OXYMORON.

Yours for the cause of truth

• Cecil Andrews
• PO Box 13
• Ballynahinch
• Co Down
• BT24 8AL

 

Concluding comments

The ESC and ‘BBC Trust’ in their published ‘summary’ made reference to Faris Badawi’s response to my complaint but they failed to publish any details of my response in which I stated – ‘Mr Badawi quoted a number of Suras from the Koran and I will now list the Suras he quoted and show how they form no defence in the matter of my complaint’ – this omission looks like another example of ‘BBC Taqiya’.

When it comes to the matter of ‘truth’ the BBC are clearly not going to let that stand in the way of their own agendas.

By way of an ‘Appendix’ to this document and to further illustrate the dishonesty of Mr Badawi’s words – ‘a brief excursus into the Koran will give the casual reader the impression that on the score of harbouring rancour and bearing grudges Muslims are just nothing to worry about’

Let me share some excerpts from a recent email received from Moriel Ministries and in the light of what you read ask yourself – is it true, as Mr Badawi has claimed, that Christians in places like Eritrea, Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan and other unnamed Middle East regions have ‘just nothing to worry about’.

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 22nd September 2007

 

APPENDIX

[1] http://www.wnd.com/2007/09/43415/

[2] http://www.wnd.com/2007/09/43302/

[3] http://www.wnd.com/2007/08/43074/

[4] http://www.wnd.com/2007/08/43277/

[5] http://www.wnd.com/2007/08/43277/

[6] Link Broken