LONDON: In recent years, few subjects have had more column inches, multimedia pieces and funding streams devoted to them than the integration of Muslims into British society. Whole essays have been devoted to the notion that donning the niqab (face veil) impedes the exchange of pleasantries in the street; research has been done on the radicalization potential of Islamic student associations at universities; and online news sites are brimming with details of clashes between groups like the English Defense League and Muslims Against the Crusades.
While it should be clear to most people that the views represented on each end of this spectrum are crude, and exacerbated by the harshness and unreasonableness of their approach, further coverage should be given to the nuanced positions in between.
Television programs such as BBC1’s “My Name is Muhammad” — which challenged stereotypes of British Muslims when it aired in March — have done a commendable job of publicizing the opinions of British Muslims who feel comfortable with the multiple facets of their identity. Make no mistake, these interviewees displayed a strong moral and spiritual commitment to their faith. But at the same time, they were proud British citizens who demonstrated high levels of engagement with the mainstream democratic process.
According to polls, however, second- and third-generation British Muslims are feeling increasingly alienated.
In a poll by market research company Gfk NOP, which was commissioned for Channel 4’s television special “Dispatches: What Muslims Want” in 2006, presenter journalist Jon Snow found that first-generation Muslim immigrants in Britain were keen to integrate, driven by their desire for jobs and prosperity.
However, the position of second- and third-generation British Muslims was more complicated. While they were strongly opposed to terrorism, a substantial number conveyed a sense of separateness in their answers to the survey questions. For example, one-third of the 1,000 Muslims polled expressed a preference for living under Islamic law. More recently, the Gallup Coexist Index 2009 found that while 64 percent of the general British public viewed political participation and volunteering in organizations serving the public as key markers of integration, these views were shared by only 54 percent and 24 percent of British Muslims on each of these issues respectively.
An overwhelming amount of literature has attributed these feelings of alienation to UK foreign policy and has recorded scores of international grievances where the British government is seen to be complicit in the mistreatment of Muslims. While it is crucial to highlight the suffering of innocent civilians in any conflict — regardless of their faith —this narrative is overly simplistic. It fails to explain why some British Muslims choose to channel their frustrations through constructive, democratic means, such as signing petitions, organizing demonstrations, donating money to relevant charities and undertaking humanitarian work in conflict zones — while others channel their frustration in a divisive, irrational manner.
This more discordant approach can be illustrated by the banned group Islam4UK’s decision to protest at the Royal Anglian Regiment’s homecoming parade through Luton in March 2009. Their members shouted abuse at the soldiers and held placards with offensive messages stating: "Anglian soldiers go to hell" and "Butchers of Basra”. This led to angry scenes breaking out between Islam4UK’s protesters and bystanders at the parade.
One of the causes of British Muslims’ alienation is the fact that many religious leaders are not attuned to the needs of second- and third-generation Muslims. In many parts of the UK, community elders control the mosques and preach an interpretation of Islam that focuses on faith-based rituals — but don’t do enough to equip followers with the skills to become active citizens.
Another cause is the proliferation of a discourse that revolves around demonizing “the other” rather than focusing on our common humanity and common values. There are many projects and organizations which aim to equip Muslims for civil and political life, and to widen access to these arenas. Such projects include youth leadership projects, debate skills training and educational materials.
However, in order for British Muslims to be truly successful as engaged citizens, three things must happen. First, they must be recognized for every facet of their identity, as opposed to being forced into the “token Muslim” trap. Second, Muslims must no longer be viewed as a homogenous group, and the expression of diverse intra-faith opinions and practices should be encouraged on issues such as wearing the headscarf, shaking hands with the opposite sex and voting in a democracy. Third, Muslims must avoid transplanting the politics of their countries of origin into British governance and civil society.
Once these changes are in place, the oft-lauded vision of a pluralistic and harmonious society will be a few steps closer to reality.
Tehmina Kazi is Director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy, an organization which aims to raise awareness of the benefits of democracy and its contribution to a shared vision of citizenship. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews), www.commongroundnews.org.
