George Orwell's Old School Appoints Imam

The Sunday Times - Britain



April 18, 2004

Eton appoints an imam
Christopher Morgan



ETON COLLEGE is to become Britain's first leading independent school to
appoint an imam to help its pupils understand Islamic culture and thought.
Monawar Hussain, an Oxford graduate in his thirties who has trained as a
Muslim cleric, will also attend to the spiritual needs and welfare of about
20 Muslim pupils who attend the £21,000-a-year school.


Eton has four Anglican chaplains and Tony Little, the head master, said in a
letter to parents that it would remain "an Anglican school in the broad
Christian tradition".
However, he added: "The relationship between the West and the Islamic world
is likely to be one of the dominant issues for our boys for the years to
come. To be effective citizens they will need a sound understanding of
Islamic culture."
The school, which has educated 18 prime ministers from Sir Robert Walpole to
Harold Macmillan, is also to offer Arabic as a language for the first time
from September to help "increase awareness of the Islamic world".
The Islamic programme is being funded by the Karim Rida Said Foundation,
which was established by Wafic Said, the Syrian-born businessman, in 1992 in
memory of his son, who died in an accident when he was a child. It aims to
promote understanding of Arab and Islamic culture in the West.
One of the trustees is Sir Eric Anderson, who is provost of Eton. When he
was at Gordonstoun, he taught the Prince of Wales, who has himself been a
strong advocate of closer ties between Islam and other faith communities.
Anderson also taught Tony Blair at Fettes College in Edinburgh.
Described as "personable and approachable", Hussain, who is studying at the
Muslim College in west London, will take up his new post in September. He
was born in Britain and his parents are originally from Pakistan.
Zaki Badawi, who teaches Hussain at the college and recommended him for the
new post, said: "This initiative came from Eton and is a sign that our major
institutions are changing."
The school now has 1,290 boys aged 13 to 18. As well as its Anglican
priests, Eton has a Roman Catholic chaplain and a Jewish tutor. The
appointment of a Muslim cleric may set a lead for other top independent
schools.
Roger Dancey, the chief master of King Edward's school in Birmingham, where
a fifth of the pupils are Muslim, said: "This is an excellent development
which other schools will wish to follow when funding allows."