Islamophobia Issues, Challenges and Action
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Islamophobia issues, challenges and action A report by the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia Chaired by Dr Richard Stone Research by Hugh Muir and Laura Smith Editor: Robin Richardson Adviser: Imam Dr Abduljalil Sajid Trentham Books Stoke on Trent, UK and Sterling, USA in association with the Uniting Britain Trust, London Trentham Books Limited Westview House 22883 Quicksilver Drive 734 London Road Sterling Oakhill VA 20166-2012 Stoke on Trent USA Staffordshire England ST4 5NP © 2004 Uniting Britain Trust All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. First published 2004 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library 1 85856 317 8 Designed and typeset by Trentham Print Design Ltd., Chester and printed in Great Britain by Cromwell Press Ltd, Wiltshire. CONTENTS Background and acknowledgements • v Foreword • vii PART ONE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES 1. TAKING STOCK – progress, unfinished business, new challenges • 1 2. ATTITUDES AND INSTITUTIONS – the nature of Islamophobia • 7 3. THE INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT – the impact of 9/11 and war • 15 4. CLOSED AND OPEN – approaches to disagreement • 21 PART TWO: ACTION 5. COUNTING – recognition and statistics • 27 6. CRIMINAL JUSTICE – hate crime, policing, courts, prisons • 31 7. EMPLOYMENT AND SERVICES – ensuring equality, recognising diversity • 41 8. IDENTITY AND EDUCATION – foundations for the future • 47 9. STREET AND NEIGHBOURHOOD – aspects of community cohesion • 57 10. DEALING WITH THE MEDIA – complaints and codes • 65 11. GETTING THERE? – notes on progress, 1997–2004 • 73 Notes and sources Chapter notes • 83 Bibliography • 87 Addresses and websites • 91 Islamophobia – issues, challenges and action • iii LIST OF BOXES AND TABLES Chapter 1 – Taking stock Chapter 8 – Identity and education 1. British, Muslim and proud • 1 21. Proud • 48 2. Recognising progress • 2 22. We need to come out • 49 3. Very little progress • 3 23. Everything we don’t want our kids to be • 50 4. Racism with a spin • 5 24. Questions for research • 51 5. The day will come • 5 25. Schools with Muslims and Muslim schools • 52 26. What have Muslims ever done for us? • 53 Chapter 2 – Attitudes and institutions 27. Colour, background, culture or religion • 27 6. You don’t belong here • 10 28. We killed hundreds of your lot yesterday • 55 7. We have reasons to be suspicious • 11 29. Listening to what they were saying • 56 8. A very evil, wicked religion • 12 9. Institutional Islamophobia • 14 Chapter 9 – street and neighbourhood 30. The violence of the violated • 58 Chapter 3 – The international context 31. The meaning of community • 60 10. Don’t blame the Muslims • 16 32. Look first at industrial history • 61 11. The world’s nightmare • 18 12. Great conversation • 20 Chapter 10 – Dealing with the media 33. The world I inhabit • 65 Chapter 4 – Closed and open 34. Twice as funny as white males • 66 13. The art of generosity • 24 35. Essentially foreign • 67 14. Solidarity at this time • 25 36. Representing Muslims and Arabs • 69 Chapter 6 – Criminal justice 37. What can be done? • 71 15. Any right thinking member of society • 33 Chapter 11 – Changing race relations 16. The only good religion • 35 38. Changing race relations • 81 17. Where is your God now? • 37 Tables Chapter 7 – Employment and services 1. Religious affiliations in the United Kingdom • 28 18. What is reasonable? • 43 2. Religions in England and Wales other than 19. Special sessions • 44 Christianity • 29 20. More sensitive ways • 45 3. Religion and ethnicity in England and Wales • 29 4. Local authorities in England with the highest proportions of Muslims • 30 iv • Islamophobia – issues, challenges and action BACKGROUND AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Consultations underlying this report The adviser for the report was Imam Dr Abduljalil Sajid. Acknowledgement is due to the many hundreds of people He is chair of the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial who took part in the projects and activities of the Harmony UK and for several years was chair of the social Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia in the policy, welfare and regeneration committee of the Muslim period 1999-2004. There were widespread consultations, Council of Britain, and chair or vice-chair of the Joint conferences and meetings, including events in Birmingham, Council for the Welfare of Immigrants. He has been a Bradford, London and Manchester; substantial contacts, member of the Commission on British Muslims and meetings and correspondence with interested individuals Islamophobia since 1996. and organisations; several submissions to government departments; briefing papers for parliamentarians; and the Funding publication, dissemination and discussion of a range of documents. The secretary of the Commission in 1999-2002 Throughout the period 1999-2004, up to and including the was Kaushika Amin. production of this report, the Commission's work was generously funded by the Stone Ashdown Trust. Documents published by the Commission included an interim report, Addressing the Challenge of Islamophobia; a list of resources relating to the events of 11September 2001, Chair widely circulated in the ensuing weeks; a model policy Since 1999 the Commission has been chaired by Dr statement for schools, published on the internet; a booklet Richard Stone. He was an adviser to the Stephen Lawrence about the Race Relations (Amendment) Act, Changing Inquiry, 1997-1999, and is chair of the Uniting Britain Trust Race Relations, published in summer 2002; and a leaflet for and of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality. He is vice- teachers and youth workers about the war in Iraq, published chair of the Runnymede Trust. in spring 2003. Throughout the period 1999-2004 the Commission Members benefited from the advice, support and publications of Solma Ahmed, adviser to the Government's Community Housing several Muslim organisations, in particular the Muslim Task Force Council of Britain. Yousif Al-Khoei, the director of the Al-Khoie Foundation Dr Kate Gavron, vice-chair of the Runnymede Trust Origins Professor Ian Hargreaves, professor of media studies at the The Commission was set up by the Runnymede Trust in University of Cardiff 1996. Its first report, Islamophobia: a challenge for us all, Khalida Khan, director of the An-Nisa Society, London was published in 1997 and was launched at the House of Commons by the Home Secretary, Jack Straw MP. Dr Philip Lewis, lecturer in peace studies at the University of Bradford Robin Richardson, co-director of the Insted consultancy Authorship and editing Imam Dr Abduljalil Sajid, chair of the Muslim Council for Much of the material in this report was researched and Religious and Racial Harmony UK assembled by Hugh Muir and Laura Smith. Hugh Muir works for The Guardian and was previously at the Evening Anil Singh, director of the Manningham Housing Association, Standard. Laura Smith worked until recently as a journalist Bradford at the Evening Standard and is now working freelance and Selina Ullah, senior manager Bradford Community Health Trust studying towards a masters degree at the London School of Revd John Webber, adviser on inter-faith issues to the Bishop of Economics. Stepney Substantial assistance was provided by a range of Muslim Talha Wadee, formerly director of the Lancashire Council of organisations. They included the Muslim Council of Britain Mosques. and the An-Nisa Society. A co-director of the latter, Khalida Khan, is a member of the Commission. Pranlal Sheth, a trustee of the Uniting Britain Trust and of the Runnymede Trust, was a member of the Commission until his The report was edited by Robin Richardson. He is a death in summer 2003. director of the Insted consultancy and a member of the Commission. Islamophobia – issues, challenges and action • v ● BACKGROUND AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Interviews and assistance The Commission's first phase In preparing material for this book Hugh Muir and Laura In its first phase, leading to the publication of its report in Smith interviewed Syed Nawazish Bokhari, president of the 1997, the Commission was chaired by Professor Gordon Muslim Teachers' Association; Basma Elshayyal, head of Conway, vice-chancellor of the University of Sussex. Its religious education and citizenship co-ordinator, Islamia members were: School, Queen's Park, London; Golshad Ghiaci, Maqsood Ahmad, then director of Kirklees Racial Equality psychotherapist; Humera Khan and Khalida Khan, directors Council of the an-Nisa Society; Imran Khan, disk jockey and broadcaster; Sadiq Khan , senior lawyer; Shazia Mirza, Professor Akbar Ahmed, then fellow of Selwyn College, comedian; Bushra Nasir, headteacher, Plashet School, Cambridge London, and students at the school; Murad Qureshi, Dr Zaki Badawi, principal of the Muslim College, London Westminster City Council; Abdullah Trevathan, Rt Rev Richard Chartres, Bishop of London headteacher, Brondesbury College for Boys, London, and students at the college; the Association of Muslim Schools; Ian Hargreaves, then editor of the New Statesman and later Baroness Uddin, House of Lords; Mohammed Umar, professor of media studies at the University of Cardiff publisher; Ahmed Versi, editor of The Muslim News; and Dr Philip Lewis, at that time adviser on inter-faith issues to the Rashid Yaqoob, solicitor. Bishop