Owls on lamp posts in Oldham.

[sum]

A few years ago, muslims in Oldham strongly complained about the mouldings of owls on the lamp posts and wanted them removed because they were offensive to muslims and are supposed to bring bad luck. The council initially agreed but the local non-musim population complained even more because they liked the old mouldings as they were part of the identity and culture of Oldham. The council backed down and the owls were given a stay of sentence.

Does anyone know if the owls are still on the lamp posts? If they are, then perhaps the muslims will come to see that they do not bring bad luck after all. It is a contradiction of Islam to give the inanimate owl mouldings power to bring bad luck to muslims - surely that is a form of idolatry?

sum

[Nosuperstition]

Well the howling of foxes in cemetery,the appearance of owl are considered bad omens even in Hinduism and are said to signify a coming unwanted evil event such as war etc.So may be muslims of sub-continental origins in U.K picked up this idea from Hindus from whom their ancestors got converted.Or may be they developed an independent dislike for owls due to their large eyes and night mobility.

[sum]

I am of the belief that muslims do not accept that stone idols or similar have any powers at all. Therefore, why should they be upset by the owl mouldings on the lamp posts if they have no power? This would suggest that they do consider the owl mouldings to have power of some sort which would make these muslims some kind of idolaters.

I believe that the muslims in Oldham originate from the Indian sub-continent and so might have picked up some of the myths that were prevalent there.

sum

[Fernando]

A few years ago, muslims in Oldham strongly complained about the mouldings of owls on the lamp posts and wanted them removed because they were offensive to muslims and are supposed to bring bad luck. The council initially agreed but the local non-musim population complained even more because they liked the old mouldings as they were part of the identity and culture of Oldham. The council backed down and the owls were given a stay of sentence.

Does anyone know if the owls are still on the lamp posts? If they are, then perhaps the muslims will come to see that they do not bring bad luck after all. It is a contradiction of Islam to give the inanimate owl mouldings power to bring bad luck to muslims - surely that is a form of idolatry?

sum

I can't find anything about lamp posts, but it seems the owls are a pun on "owldham". Part of the town's crest before it was devoured by "Greater" Manchester.

However there is news of a wooden owl in nearby Failsworth that was attacked by "thieves" with a chainsaw.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/vandals-use-chainsaw-steal-owl-1725193

[sum]

This was discussed in the Forum several years ago. If I remember correctly Jihadjedi made one or two posts on this matter.

sum

[pr126]

Did anyone mention stone idols?