Is London's future Islamic?
It’s the capital’s fastest growing religion, based on noble traditions and compassionate principles, yet Islam can still be tainted by mistrust and misunderstanding. Here Time Out argues that an Islamic London would be a better place.

1. - Public Health - In fact, Islam offers Londoners potential health benefits: the Muslim act of prayer is designed to keep worshippers fit, their joints supple and, at five times a day, their stomachs trim. The regular washing of the feet and hands required before prayers promotes public hygiene and would reduce the transmission of superbugs in London’s hospitals. One doesn't have to worry about headaches after your beheading. Women have fewer gynecological problems or breast cancer after being stoned to death for unsubstantiated indiscretions or beaten to death by an angry spouse acting under the auspices of Mohammeds teachings. It is also thought that the superbugs originated in the Muslim immigrant populations.

2. - Ecology -Muhammad was one of the first ever environmentalists, advocating hima – areas where wildlife and forestry are protected. So we could expect more public parks under Islam Of course after all these millions of Muslim men take four or more wives and reproduce as they currently do we won't have any room for parks as all the land will be needed to house more bred Muslims.

3. -Education - Tahir Alam, education spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, claims Muslim children do better in their own faith schools than in the mainstream state sector: ‘Muslim schools have their own distinct ethos. They use the children’s faith and heritage as primary motivators to provide the backdrop for their education and behaviour. This ethos is consistent with the messages that children are getting at home, so it is a very coherent operation between the home and the school.’  

If Islam became the dominant religion in London the same ethos could be applied to schooling across swathes of underprivileged and deprived areas of the city. This could have a revolutionary effect on educational achievement and, perhaps just as importantly, general levels of discipline and self-respect among London’s young people. Most faith based schools could boast similar qualities. There would be little need to worry about troublemaking children as they could be beaten or used as suicide bombers. 9 yr old Girls could be handed over to marry lecherous old men - like Mohammed - thus no need to educate females beyond the "marrying" age.

4. - Food - Application of halal (Arabic for ‘permissable’) dietary laws across London would free us at a stroke from our addiction to junk food, and the general adoption of a south Asian diet rich in fruit juice, rice and vegetables with occasional mutton or chicken would have a drastic effect on obesity, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorders and associated public health problems Many new jobs would be created slitting the throats of animals for halal. Perhaps someone should tell the company execs that there is NO McDonalds etc in any muslim nation as they sure believe there are! Where does this idiot get the idea that halal food would have a "drastic effect on obesity, hyperactivity, add etc?? Gosh, there goes my theory that muslim mobs running helter skelter in the streets with guns shooting into the air, burning effigies of public figures, wailing and thrashing was due to a hyperactivity disorder.

5.- Interfaith Relations - in an Islamic London, Christians and Jews – with their allegiance to the Bible and the Talmud – would be protected as ‘peoples of the book’. Hindus and Sikhs manage to live alongside a large Muslim population in India, so why not here? Although England has a long tradition of religious bigotry against, for instance, Roman Catholics, it is reasonable to assume that under the guiding hand of Islam a civilised accommodation could be made among faith groups in London. This welcoming stance already exists in the capital in the form of the City Circle (see Yahya Birt interview), which encourages inter-faith dialogue and open discussion. To a muslim there is only one faith - Islam - talk all you want but you are just an infidel or kafir.

6. -Arts - Some of the finest art in London is already Islamic.  Centuries of British & European art & literature apparently just don't cut impress Mr. Hodges.

7. Social Justice -Each Muslim is obliged to pay zakat, a welfare tax of 2.5 per cent of annual income, that is distributed to the poor and the needy. If the working population of London, 5.2 million, was predominantly Muslim this would produce approximately £3.2bn each year. More importantly, everyone would be obliged to consider those Londoners who haven’t shared their good fortune. London would become a little less cruel. Holy Smokes!! I guess that Great Britain isn't a socialist government after all and we can thank Mr. Hodges for pointing this out.  A multitude of thousands of muslims currently live off  British taxpayer paid benefits and enjoy housing, healthcare, food, clothing, etc courtesy of the British people (for their four wives and children too). London would be less cruel without the knife killings that now are rampant in some areas-- many of which are in the Somalian muslim population. It sure would be a lot less cruel if British taxpayers didn't have to pay for so many freeloaders on the "entitlement" programme.

8. Race Relations - Under Islam all ethnicities are equal. Once you have submitted to Allah you are a Muslim – it doesn’t matter what colour you are. End of story.

THIS LAST SENTENCE REALLY SUMS UP THE IDIOCY OF THIS ARTICLE. IT IS SO OFF THE WALL THAT I STILL CAN'T CONJURE UP ENOUGH APPROPRIATE WORDS TO FULLY EXPRESS MY OUTRAGE AT THE OUT AND OUT LIES AND FANTASIES MR HODGES HAS PUT FORTH. THIS MAN REALLY NEEDS TO SUBMIT TO A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION FOR DELUSIONS. WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED THAT BELOW THE COLUMN, WHERE THE COMMENTS SHOULD APPEAR, THERE IS A NOTICE IN RED THAT STATES:
                                             Some inappropriate comments have been 
                                             removed from this dialogue.
NOTICE THERE ARE NO COMMENTS AT ALL WHICH MEANS THAT NOT ONE SUPPORTIVE COMMENT WAS SUBMITTED. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED THE WHOLE REPULSIVE ARTICLE IS INAPPROPRIATE AND NOT FIT "HUMAN CONSUMPTION".