TALK. WHY NOT?

Norman Kember:

"I always think we are in danger of demonising Islam and I think we have to have a more open discussion about these things. The government obviously doesn't."

Mr Kember also wanted people to try to speak with Qatada more to "understand what his position is and why he takes it".

With all this in mind I popped round to Hajj's place at the weekend. I was a bit nervous because I knew there would be a gathering of his Muslim brothers there. I was also curious if I would recognise anyone from Finsbury park or if anyone would recognise me. My friends advised me to wear some smarter clothes but I always thought it better to be accepted for who I am which has never been a problem with Hajj. Things get too bloody complicated otherwise eh. Arriving at Hajj's front gate there were maybe 15 guys of various ages and races. Hajj was in the middle and spotting me saying

"No. Sorry. We don't allow any fundamentalists in here thank you!"

Kemal and another Jamaican brother called Ismael pounced on me with the Muslim hard sell..

"You can have a go" said Hajj "But I'm telling you now you'll be wasting your breath. Two years he heard Abu Hamza preach. Are we any better than him?"

Ismael meeting a fresh non-Muslim guest was undeterred.

"Seriously, help yourself." I said. "Say whatever you like. I understand that you want me to be a Muslim and I will answer as honestly as I can."

We proceeded to have the usual conversation I go through with Hajj's guests about why they believe there is a God, and why I am not sure if there is one or not. They all think that the world around us is proof that there is a God. It might be. How do I know? How do I know which one? Another friendly Cypriot guy joined in. He turned out to be a life coach. He had a great story about a house visit from MI-5. The usual. Someone who didn't like him had called them saying he was Al-Quaida. He ended up with the MI-5 guys number.

"Call me if there is any problems.."

I suppose turning up on my own to these sort of things where everyone is fervently discussing their "deen" must look like I want to become a Muslim. I explained my reasons for my first approaches to Finsbury park mosque and why I have carried on visiting Hajj.

I discussed Quilliam with them. Not surprisingly they were dead against the idea, accusing them of trying to invent a new Islam. I agreed that it looked to me that the Quilliam guys had got needlessly embroiled in arguments about theology but invited them to ponder whether the reasons the guys had started it up were pure ie- peace between "them" and "us". I said that I was worried that so many would look at them and condemn them without a conversation which might make their lives more difficult in future. I said I hoped that if they were unhappy with Quilliam they should still look for alternative channels to forge links with non-Muslims for all of our saftey and greater trust. I wanted to film with this in mind.

I think everyone believed I was genuine. I don't remember feeling uncomfortable once, let alone any hostility or suspicion. None of this surprises me, Hajj is the sort of person who if he accepts you his friends do too. Whenever they got together in the front yard to pray I nipped outside the gate for a cigarette. Kemal was all "Why didn't you bring your camera round?" which is a very good sign for future film work. We discussed Hamza. Again I found that those who knew him best were the nicest, and the most filmable of people. i explained that this made me want to pull my hair out, and my lack of success in convincing the family to film with me.

As people came and went we moved on to subjects we could relate about and I am very hopeful. Turns out Ismael used to play in a band in Jamaica. Hajj's garden is a very comfortable place to be on a summer night. I told a few of the guys about my website. Hajj said he had been on the phone to Atilla in Belmarsh and said he was OK.