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She is our Queen, say proud Muslim leaders in royal visit
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
(Filed: 01/08/2002)

The Queen made her first visit to a British mosque yesterday in the cause of inter-faith tolerance and asked: "Which direction is Mecca?"

She slipped off her shoes to enter the Islamic Centre in Scunthorpe, as part of efforts to repair relations between the Christian and Muslim communities after the September 11 attacks on America.

The centre was included in the Queen's Golden Jubilee tour after it was vandalised in the anti-Islamic backlash. Its windows were smashed and slogans reading "Kill Muslims" were daubed on its walls.

The Queen, wearing a lime-green suit and matching hat, sat in a specially screened-off area furnished with an armchair and footstool to swap her black leather shoes for a pair of skin-coloured slippers.

As her feet sank into the new carpet laid in the centre's prayer room in her honour, she asked whether the prayer-mat pattern woven into it was aligned to Mecca.

Later, after unveiling a plaque commemorating her visit, the Queen was presented with a copy of the Koran - in both Arabic and English - which she passed carefully to an aide. The book will be kept in the royal archive at Windsor Castle.

The Queen's visit provoked warnings from traditionalist Protestants who said that she was in danger of compromising her role as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

David Phillips, the general secretary of the Church Society, said that she risked "sending out the message that all faiths are equally valid".

But Buckingham Palace said she was determined to recognise the growth in religious and cultural diversity in the past 50 years. Earlier this year she went to a Hindu temple and a Jewish museum and today she will visit a Sikh temple in Leicester.

Jawaid Ishaq, an Islamic Centre executive member who wrote to the Palace suggesting the visit, said: "We are British Muslims and she is our Queen. Her visit is not only a tribute to the 5,000 Muslims in the Scunthorpe area but to the 3.5 million Muslims throughout the United Kingdom."

Later, at a festival of nations in Scunthorpe Market Square, the Queen and Prince Philip "brought to life" two ceremonial Chinese lions, by painting their eyes with brushes.

Posted by Kindgo (Member # 2) on :

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A "THE" MAKES!

Speaking of forgetting God, did you read recently that Prince Charles, who stands in line to become the next King of England, has decided that he wants to change one of his titles as king? The King of England carries the additional title, "Protector of the Faith," which is part of his role as head of the Church of England. The purpose of that title is for the king to preserve "THE" faith (in this case, Christianity as represented by his church) without allowing military coercion, or doctrinal subversion, to overcome the state church.

Prince Charles wants to be more embracing – more protective of all faiths – and so he intends to move the word "the" to the front of his title. That would change it to "The Protector of Faith!" As such, he would honor and protect Muslims, Buddhists, Animists, Hindus, etc. And as such, he would be the first king to formally abandon the Church of England in principle as well as in deed. What a difference a "the" makes!