Family and its Changing Perceptions Amongst South Asian Muslims Living in London Since1960 By Syed Tariq Masood Zaidi A thesis submitted to the University of Gloucestershire in accordance with the requirements of the degree of MPhil in Islamic Studies and Society The Markfield Institute of Higher Education August 2016 1 Table of Contents FAMILY AND ITS CHANGING PERCEPTIONS AMONGST SOUTH ASIAN MUSLIMS LIVING IN LONDON SINCE1960 ..................................................................................................... 1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................ 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................................................... 5 DEDICATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 6 DECLARATION ................................................................................................................................... 7 GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 1: CONTEXT OF THE RESEARCH ............................................................................. 9 1.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 9 1.2 BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................................. 10 1.2.1 Concept of Family among South Asian Muslims in London ................................................. 12 1.3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 17 1.3.1 Research philosophy ............................................................................................................. 17 1.3.2 Research Questions ............................................................................................................... 18 1.3.3 Research Objectives .............................................................................................................. 18 1.3.4 Aims of the Research: ........................................................................................................... 18 1.3.5 Research Methods ................................................................................................................. 18 1.3.6 Design and planning of research .......................................................................................... 20 1.3.7 The Data ............................................................................................................................... 21 1.4 INTRODUCTION OF CHAPTERS ..................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 2 : LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 26 2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 26 2.2 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................................... 26 2.2.1 The Institution of Family in the West .................................................................................... 27 2.3 MUSLIMS IN BRITAIN ................................................................................................................... 28 2.3.1 Immigration .......................................................................................................................... 28 2.3.2 UK Muslim population ......................................................................................................... 29 2.3.3 Muslims in London (Demographic Detail) ........................................................................... 30 2.3.4 Racial Diversity .................................................................................................................... 31 2.3.5 Geographical Distribution .................................................................................................... 31 2.3.6 Age Profile ............................................................................................................................ 31 2.3.7 South Asian Muslims ............................................................................................................. 32 2.4 CONCEPT OF FAMILY IN ISLAM .................................................................................................... 33 2.5 SOUTH ASIAN MUSLIM FAMILIES IN THE UK .............................................................................. 35 2.6 RESEARCH ON THE MUSLIM FAMILY PRACTICES IN THE UK ...................................................... 37 2.7 MUSLIM YOUTH AND THEIR SEARCH FOR IDENTITY ................................................................... 40 2.8 MUSLIM YOUTH’S IDENTITY AND THE GENERATIONAL GAP ...................................................... 41 2 2.9 DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDE AMONG FIRST AND SECOND GENERATION MUSLIM INDIVIDUALS ... 45 2.10 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................. 48 CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................... 49 3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 49 3.2 PERCEPTION OF FAMILY ............................................................................................................... 49 3.3 GENERATIONAL GAP .................................................................................................................... 65 3.4 ROLE OF ISLAM IN MUSLIM FAMILIES .......................................................................................... 76 3.5 CULTURAL INFLUENCES ............................................................................................................... 88 3.6 ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN FAMILY SYSTEM ............................................................................... 103 3.7 SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 113 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................... 114 4.1 PERCEPTION OF FAMILY ............................................................................................................. 114 4.2 GENERATIONAL GAP .................................................................................................................. 114 4.3 ROLE OF ISLAM IN MUSLIM FAMILIES ........................................................................................ 114 4.4 CULTURAL INFLUENCE ............................................................................................................... 115 4.5 ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................................. 116 4.6 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ........................................................................... 118 BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................................................. 119 APPENDIX A : INTERVIEWEES .................................................................................................. 133 APPENDIX B : A GENERATIONAL CHART OF THE PARTICIPANTS OF THIS STUDY. ............................................................................................................................................................. 134 APPENDIX C: TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH “MRS. UZMA” A SECOND GENERATION MUSLIM ................................................................................................................ 135 APPENDIX D : DEMOGRAPHICAL CHARTS OF MUSLIMS IN BRITAIN. ........................ 141 3 ABSTRACT The present study deals with the changing perceptions about family as a social unit amongst South Asian Muslims living in London since 1960. It begins with a discussion of the background of South Asian Muslims and the history of Muslims immigrants in Britain in the early years of 1960. The ideal structure of the family as the basic unit of human society in the Islamic notion is also explained in the light of these changing perceptions. A qualitative method has been selected for this study. Three families and nine participants were interviewed for this research. Three participants were selected from each family as the representing members of three different generations. The study explores the relationships between individuals of the three generations. The research also found that the primary reason behind the differences of opinions is cultural, for the Islamic point of view most of them agree on family gnomes. There is a gap found in generations, this gap extended gradually and there is a big gap between first and third generation. The key finding of the research is that there is a gap in the relationship amongst the three generations due to the differences of opinions and perceptions. The differences are not only an outcome but reflect the growing cultural distancing