Abu Usamah
{{Short description|American imam}}
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{{Criticism section|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Imam
| name = Abu Usamah At-Thahabi
| image =
| caption =
| birth_place = New Jersey, United States
| birth_date =
| occupation = Instructor, Imam
| era = Modern
| nationality = American
| known_for = Controversial views
| alma_mater = Islamic University of Medina :Category:Islamic University of Madinah alumni
| website =
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}}
Abu Usamah at-Thahabi is an Imam at Green Lane Masjid in Birmingham, England.{{cite news|title=Birmingham mosque cleric accused of sexual harassment|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birmingham-mosque-cleric-accused-of-sexual-231250|access-date=27 February 2013|newspaper=Birmingham Mail|date=12 August 2012}}
An American national,{{Cite web|title = Outlawed Islamic group recruits near Swedish suicide bomber's Luton home|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8211534/Outlawed-Islamic-group-recruits-near-Swedish-suicide-bombers-Luton-home.html|website = Telegraph.co.uk| date=18 December 2010 |access-date = 2015-12-22}} he converted to Islam and studied at the Salafi-oriented University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia, an Islamic school popular with converts and international students.{{cite news|title=Britain's new preachers of hate|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/britains-new-preachers-of-hate-446268|access-date=27 February 2013|newspaper=Daily Mirror|date=11 January 2007}}
Controversies
=The Undercover Mosque=
During Abu Usamah's tenure at Green Lane Masjid, he was among a group of preachers whom were the focus of the Undercover Mosque program which was first aired on 15 January 2007 by Channel 4. In the program, Abu Usamah was quoted, among other things, to have said that "Christians and Jews are enemies to Muslims", to have taught that "jihad is coming against the unbelievers", and to have referred to non-Muslims by use of the term "kuffar" which translates to "unbelievers" or people who reject Islam.{{cite web|url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/46930/issue97.pdf |title=Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin, Issue 97|date=19 November 2007|publisher=Ofcom}}
The story caused backlash that resulted in 364 viewer complaints to Ofcom. In addition to this, on 10 August 2007 the West Midlands Police also raised a formal complaint to Ofcom regarding what it considered to be a "completely distorted" view of the intended message by Abu Usamah and the other preachers.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6936681.stm|title=Channel 4 distorted mosque programme|date=8 August 2007|publisher=BBC News}}{{cite news|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/film_tv/dispatches+reported+to+ofcom/660762.html|title=Dispatches reported to Ofcom|date=8 August 2007|publisher=Channel 4}} However, upon investigation of the matter Ofcom ruled in favour of Channel 4. The West Midlands Police also later apologised for their initial accusation, and offered £100,000 in compensation to Channel 4.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7401704.stm|title=Police apologise over mosque show|date=15 May 2008|publisher=BBC News}}
=Other Controversies=
According to a report by the Centre for Social Cohesion, Usamah "advocates holy war in an Islamic state; preaches hatred against non-Muslims; that apostasy and homosexuality are punishable by death; and that women are inferior to men", following an undercover recording of him preaching to his congregation which featured in a Channel 4 Dispatches episode on radical Islam at British universities.{{cite web |url=http://www.socialcohesion.co.uk/files/1292336866_1.pdf |title=Radical Islam on UK Campuses: A Comprehensive List of Extremist Speakers at UK Universities |date=April 2010 |publisher=Centre for Social Cohesion |access-date=13 February 2013 |archive-date=14 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114145943/http://www.socialcohesion.co.uk/files/1292336866_1.pdf |url-status=dead }} During the documentary, Usamah also praised Osama bin Laden,{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/radical-cleric-praises-bin-laden-7080142.html|title=Radical cleric praises bin Laden|work=Evening Standard|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en-GB}} and defended his right to freedom of expression, saying: "If I were to call homosexuals perverted, dirty, filthy dogs who should be murdered, that's my freedom of speech, isn't it?"{{cite news|title=Revealed: the true extent of Islamic radical influence at UCL|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/6924618/Revealed-the-true-extent-of-Islamic-radical-influence-at-UCL.html|access-date=27 February 2013|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=3 January 2010|author=David Barrett|author2=Patrick Sawer|author3=Sean Rayment}} Usamah also stated that "He (Osama bin Laden) is better than a million George Bushs, he's better than a thousand Tony Blairs."
Usamah was invited to speak at events held by University College London's Islamic Society on 1 February 2008 and 6 September 2009. He was invited to speak at the same venue on 30 November 2009, but the event was cancelled due to pressure from gay rights and anti-extremism campaign groups.{{cite news|title='Anti-gay' cleric talk cancelled|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8377437.stm|access-date=27 February 2013|newspaper=BBC News|date=25 November 2009}} In February 2013, he was invited to speak at the University of Reading, but the event was cancelled by the university after threats of violence.{{cite web|url=http://www.studentrights.org.uk/article/2052/reading_university_cancels_events_after_violent_threats|title=Reading University cancels events after violent threats|publisher=Student Rights|date=27 February 2013|access-date=3 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104213109/http://www.studentrights.org.uk/article/2052/reading_university_cancels_events_after_violent_threats|archive-date=4 January 2014|url-status=dead}}
In 2012, Usamah was accused of sexually harassing Muslim women, but a mosque spokesman said: “We have not been contacted by anybody regarding allegations of harassment, sexual or otherwise, against Abu Usamah who remains an employee of the mosque. However, we have been made aware of the website and note that it appears unable to back up these serious allegations with any proper proof.”
References
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Category:Islamic University of Madinah alumni