Dr. Simon Ross Valentine
From the early 90īs Simon has worked part-time at the Universities of Leeds and Bradford, and Trinity & All Saints College, Horsforth, creating and teaching various courses on community religions (particularly Islam), Church history, Victorian religion, the Philosophy of Religion and the Sociology of Religion. His teaching has included not only GCSE and A level students, undergraduates aged 18-21, but also mature students from various social, educational and cultural backgrounds. He has organized various Day Schools and Conferences. From 2001 Simon has further developed his knowledge and skills as a free-lance writer and lecturer. Simon is presently looking for a full time permanent post lecturing in religious studies, Church history or Islam.
During his time as a teacher Simon studied part-time for a Masters degree in the Sociology of Religion and a PhD in Church History. In 2001 he became a Farmington Fellow at Manchester Harris College, Oxford University, studying liberation theology. In 2008 he gained an MPhil in Islamic Studies from the university of Bradford. Simon is currently undertaking post-graduate research into contemporary Islamic reform movements. His publications are extensive including two books on Church history in the 18th century and numerous articles and book reviews in various periodicals and journals. He has contributed to the New Dictionary of National Biography, the Dictionary of Christian Biography and the Dictionary of British and Irish Methodism. His latest book, Islam & the Ahmadi Jama'at, published by Hurst & Co 2008, is a comprehensive study of the teaching, ritual and practice of one of the most controversial groups within contemporary Isla.
Simon has travelled extensively in Pakistan, India, Kashmir and North Africa. He is a Local Preacher in the Methodist Church and lives in Bradford, west Yorkshire, with his wife Naheeda.
Simon can be contacted, either for conference/seminar work or merely to exchange ideas, on archegos@btinternet.com
Articles by Dr. Simon Ross Valentine
December 23, 2009
Hizb-ut-Tahrir [HT], despite being a banned organization in Pakistan, is highly active in that country promoting social and political change, and the introduction of an Islamic state with Shariah law. For many analysts HT poses a serious threat to the security of Pakistan. It has been claimed by one recent report that HT "prescribes violence, which includes suicide bombings as well as hi-jacking and bombing planes". The same report criticises HT´s "policy of military coups in Muslim-majority countries". HT, however, officially claims to be a non-violent organisation. The aim of this paper is to briefly examine the ideology and beliefs held by HT, particularly its teaching on Khilafah; its attitude towards the west, especially America, and its criticism of the Pakistan government and army, and assess whether or not it is a threat to Pakistan national security.
December 23, 2009
Anjem Choudary, a leading Muslim extremist in the UK, and founder of the Islamist group Islam4UK has called the 9/11 bombers "magnificent people carrying out their Islamic responsibility" and declared there will be "blood on the streets of London and New York". David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party has called upon Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, to ban both Islam4Uk and Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Dr Simon Ross Valentine, an expert in radical Islam, describes an interview he recently had with Choudary.
July 16, 2009
Eight years after the events of 9/11 what do Muslims think about America, terrorism and war? Dr Simon Ross Valentine, who has spent considerable time living amongst the Muslim community of Bradford, W. Yorkshire, England writes of the fears and concerns of British Muslims.
December 11, 2008
Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966) is widely accepted, not only as one of "the spiritual leaders of radical Islamism", but as "the architect of worldwide jihad". Qutbīs influence has been profound. His thinking has provided the motivation and legitimizing ideology behind 9/11 and other recent terrorist attacks on the west. Lawrence Wright, in The Looming Tower (2006) suggested that Al-Qaeda would not have come into existence without the influence of Sayyid Qutb. A full understanding of Qutb and his ideology is necessary if we are ever to overcome the threat of militant Islam.
November 22, 2008
The only book to be written on the Ahmadi jama'at presents an informative guide to the beliefs, practices and history of the Ahmadiyya Jama'at
November 22, 2008
The Ahmadiyya Jama'at, a reform movement within Islam, is fiercely persecuted by mainstream Muslims. In this brief report the author, focusing mainly on Pakistan, examines certain questions: who are the Ahmadi, what are their beliefs and why are thbey persecuted?
Articles by Dr. Simon Ross Valentine From Other Sources
January 05, 2010
published in Report, Pakistan Security & Research Unit, University of Bradford
September 02, 2009
published in PSRU, University of Bradford
September 07, 2008
published in Hurst & co, 2008
July 02, 2006
published in Compas, Islamic Research Centre, Oxford University
January 30, 2004
published in Scarecrow Press, Lanham,
February 25, 2003
published in Methodist Publishing House