| Jalal Uddin |
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| Written by Malcolm Dick, Millennibrum Project | |
| Wednesday, 27 December 2000 | |
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Jalal Uddin profile of local activist Islam is a great world religion. Birmingham's large and diverse Islamic community makes it an international centre for the faith in Western Europe. There are about 80 mosques serving British Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and Yemenis, newcomers from Somalia, Kosovo and Kurdistan and local converts. One of the members of this community is Jalal Uddin. Born a British subject, he came to Birmingham in 1957 to enhance his education. Training as an electrical engineer, Jalal worked for Joseph Lucas, the GPO, as a translator, interpreter and equal opportunities officer. He was a NALGO shop steward. Now retired he continues his commitments to Islam, local Bangladeshis and involvement with other communities. In 1957 opportunities for worship were few. Two mosques served the Yemeni and Pakistani communities and they faced restrictions on their opening hours. Jalal worked to persuade the Council to ease regulations. He helped to establish local mosques, becoming Chair of the Council of Mosques from 1976 to 1982 and its representative on the Birmingham Community Relations Council. Gradually the cultural profile of Muslims expanded. There are five Muslim schools and children are also taught Islamic Studies and languages in mosques. One of Jalal's current campaigns is to ensure that male circumcision is provided on the NHS locally as it is in neighbouring Health Authorities. As a Bengali speaker Jalal promoted the rights of Bangladeshis. Until the 1960s they did not have their own place of worship. A dwelling house in Aston was converted into one. It became the Masjid-E-Noor mosque and he served as its President from 1974 for 19 years. Compared to Sikhs and Pakistanis, Bangladeshis were latecomers to Birmingham and Bengali was not accorded the same status as other community languages. He campaigned to ensure that leaflets included Bengali translations. Locally, his community involvement is signified by his status as a school governor, a lifelong member of the Court of Birmingham University and member of the Religious Council of West Midlands Radio. Working closely with other faiths he was active in promoting understanding. Jalal was a founder member of the Birmingham Council of Faiths in 1974 and its chairman on four occasions. He has worked with the Inter-Faith Network in London and internationally with Kairos. Originally published in the Millennibrum Supplement, "Birmingham and the Wider World", The Birmingham Post, Wednesday December 27 2000 |
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