Muslims in Bristol and Britain

Muslims in Bristol and Britain:
FAQ’s
Myths
... and the Facts
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Contents
Introduction
1
1 Muslims in Britain and Bristol
2
2 What are the Core Beliefs of Islam?
4
3 Muslims contribution to Britain and Bristol
7
4 Why are Muslims always in the news?
9
5 Do Muslims expect special treatment?
13
6 Do Muslim women have rights in Islam?
16
7 Mosques and Islamic centres
18
8 Community organisations
20
Muslims in Bristol and Britain
Acknowledgements
By Fauzia Ahmad and Tariq Modood
The authors would like to thank all
members of the Muslim Reference Group
for their helpful comments during earlier
drafts of this booklet. Updates were
provided by the Tackling Islamophobia
Group in 2014
The University of Bristol on behalf of
the Equalities and Community Cohesion
Team, Bristol City Council.
Finally, but by no means least, we would
like to thank Dr Mohammad Siddique
Seddon at the University of Chester and
Dr Anas al Shaikh Ali of the International
Institute for Islamic Thought UK (IIIT), and
the Association of Muslim Social Scientists
UK (AMSS), for acting as independent
peer reviewers. Any errors however, are
the authors’.
Introduction
This booklet was commissioned
as part of the council’s
commitment to mythbusting
and is part of a series of booklets
(see previous mythbusting
booklets about asylum seekers
and refugees and gypsies and
travellers).
1
As a result of current
Islamophobia work across the
city of Bristol, this is a 2014
revised booklet.
Islam is one of the main faiths
practised in Britain today. Since
9/11 and the London bombings
in July 2005 there has been
a rise in Islamophobia.Myths
about Islam and Muslims are
common. It is important that
the wider community has access
to information about Islam and
diverse Muslim communities in
Bristol and Britain, in order to
promote better understanding
and community cohesion.
2
1 Muslims in Britain and Bristol
The history between Britain and “the
East” pre-dates Islam to the times of
the Roman Empire. Coins from the 8th
century minted by King Offa of Mercia
(an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom), bore
the Islamic declaration of faith, “There
is no God but God and He is without
association”* which demonstrates
there were early, positive relationships
between Muslims and Britain. There are
also references to Muslims in the work
of European scholars such as Chaucer in
his Canterbury Tales (1386), and Queen
Elizabeth I sought the naval assistance
of the Ottoman Sultan Murad against
the Spanish Armada in the mid-1580s.
She maintained trade relations with
the Ottoman Empire to supplement
the English fondness for sweets and
luxurious goods and gave a Royal Charter
to “The East India Company” in 1600.
The first large group of Muslims in
Britain were sailors recruited by the East
India Company, arriving about 300 years
ago but also included ship’s cooks, which,
as the British taste for curries developed,
eventually gave rise to the first Indian
restaurant opening in Britain in the
19th century.
The earliest settled communities were
from Yemen, who made homes in the
port towns such as Cardiff and Liverpool
and later moved to places like Sheffield
and Birmingham, establishing the first
mosques. The first purpose-built mosque
was the Shah Jehan Mosque in Woking
(1894), and was followed in 1944 by
the famous Islamic Cultural Centre near
London’s Regent’s Park opened by King
George VI, and funded by Churchill’s
government in recognition of Muslim
support for the Allies during World Wars
1 and 2.
From the 1950’s onward, large numbers
of migrants from Britain’s former colonies
were invited to Britain to help in post-war
reconstruction. Many Muslims arrived from
the Indian sub-continent but Muslims in
Britain today reflect the vast diversity of
Muslims across the globe influencing their
cultural practices, the way they dress, food
they eat, languages, and customs. This
diversity contributes to Britain’s overall
success as a multicultural nation
*www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/explore/
highlights/highlight_, objects/cm/g/
gold_imitation_dinar_of_offa.aspx
lM
uslims in Bristol
Muslims in Bristol are a very diverse
group; the community is younger
than the Bristol average and
includes some high skilled, home
owning families and individuals.
However Muslim communities have
significant issues of disadvantage,
including long term unemployment.
The 2011 Census included the question
‘What is your religion?’ The question was
the only question that was voluntary, so
people were not required to respond to
it if they chose not to. There are at least
45 religions represented in Bristol. There
are 22,016 people resident in Bristol who
indicated their religion as Muslim – this
accounts for 5.1% of the total population
of Bristol.
Since 2001 the religion to increase the
most in Bristol has been the Muslim
religion which increased from 2% of
all people in Bristol in 2001 to 5% of all
people in 2011. This is an increase of 3.1
percentage points since 2001 when there
were 7,664 Muslims living in Bristol.
3
The Muslim population is concentrated
in particular areas of the city. The highest
proportion is in Lawrence Hill ward where
almost a third (30.2%) of the population
are Muslim. The proportion of Muslims is
higher than average in a number of other
wards in Central and East Bristol including
Easton (15.0%), Ashley (14.7%), Eastville
(14.5%), Lockleaze (10.6%), Hillfields
(8.2%), Frome Vale (6.3%), Cabot (6.1%)
and St George West (5.3%).
In terms of ethnicity, almost 70%
of Muslims living in Bristol describe
themselves as belonging to one of just
three groups: Pakistani (26.3%), Black
African (31.1%) or Other Black (11.5%) .
40% of the Muslims living in Bristol were
born in the UK, 21% were born in Somalia
and 17% were born in Southern Asia
(includes, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh).
Bristol has a particularly high proportion
of Muslims born in Somalia (21%)
compared to the average for England
and Wales (3%). The age profile of the
Muslim population living in Bristol is
much younger than that of the population
as a whole - almost 40% of Muslims are
children aged under 16 compared to 18%
of the total population. Similarly, less
than 3% of Muslims are aged 65 and over
compared to 13% of the total population.
A lower proportion of Muslims (17.9%)
are in full time employment than
the Bristol average (36.6%). However
the proportion of Muslims working
part time (13.6%) and self-employed
(9.4%) is slightly higher than the city
averages (12.4% and 7.8% respectively).
Muslims have a lower proportion of
people in managerial, professional and
intermediate occupations (19.8%) than
the city average (43.8%) but higher levels
of small employers and own account
workers - 10% compared to Bristol
average 7%. Almost a quarter (23%) of
Muslims have never worked or are longterm unemployed (Bristol average 5.5%).
Most Muslims (44.4%) live in social rented
accommodation, a higher proportion than
the population as a whole (19.6%); 28.5%
own their own property (Bristol average
55.5%) and 27.2% rent privately or live
rent free (Bristol average 24.9%).
See www.bristol.gov.uk/statistics
4
2 What are the Core Beliefs of Islam?
It is helpful to understand some basic
Islamic concepts. Essentially, “Islam”
means “surrender” or “submission” to
the will of God. A “Muslim” is a follower
of Islam and someone who is willingly
submissive to God’s will, believes in the
five pillars of Islam and the six articles
of faith).
For Muslims, as with followers of other
faiths, Islam is more than just a religion,
it is often described as a complete way
of life, or “Deen” which encompasses
personal, social, economic and political
aspects with spiritual and religious
observance.
The Muslim holy book is called the
Qur’an and was revealed over a period
of 23 years (from 610 to 632 in the 7th
century) to the Prophet Muhammad who
Muslims believe to be the last and final
Prophet and Messenger of God. It has
remained unchanged since its revelation
over 1400 years ago.
1 The translation used to cite all quotations
from the Qur’an isMAS Abdel Haleem’s (2005) The Qur’an,
A NewTranslation, Oxford University Press.
lC
ommonalities between
Islam and Christianity and
Judaism
“Allah” means the One and Only universal
God of all humanity. “Allah” is not just
a translation from Arabic of the English
word “God”, but is also His personal
name. It cannot be made masculine or
feminine or pluralized. When Muslims
refer to “Allah”, they are referring to the
same God that Christians and Jews refer
to in the Old Testament and the Torah.
While the Christian idea of God is based
on a trinity, Muslims believe that God
is Unique and has no “Son”, partners
or associates. Throughout the Qur’an,
Muslims are reminded that they are not
the only ones who worship God. Islam,
Christianity and Judaism are collectively
known as the “Abrahamic faiths” since
they share many common monotheistic
beliefs. The Qur’an refers to Islam as “the
religion of Abraham”, and calls Jews and
Christians “Ahle Kitab”,meaning “People
of the Book”. This title reflects a shared
heritage with Muslims and how Jews and
Christians were honoured with Prophets
who brought revelations from God.
lT
he five Pillars of Islam
These represent the essential basis, or
infrastructure of Islam’s teachings and are
obligatory upon all Muslims.
•The first Pillar is the very cornerstone
of Islamic belief and requires that one
confesses with full conviction that
God is the one and only deity and that
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the
servant and messenger of God.
Any person who utters this testimony
with sincerity is a Muslim.
•The second Pillar of Islamis “Salat”
or Prayer. The prayers are performed
at five set times over the course of a
day and are obligatory upon all adult
Muslims (though there are some
specific exceptions, eg for people who
are very ill).
The Muslim holy day is Friday or “Jumm’a”,
which is marked by a congregational
service and a sermon, attendance of
which is obligatory for men. Contrary to
some stereotypes, women are permitted
to attend and pray together in mosques
though some mosques lack provision for
separate women’s spaces.
5
•The third Pillar of Islam is “Zakah” or
Obligatory Alms giving. This refers to
the payment of a certain percentage of
one’s assets to the needy.
lS
unnah and Shari’ah Law
•The fourth Pillar of Islamis “Sawm”
or Fasting during the holy month of
“Ramadan”. During Ramadan, Muslims
abstain from food, drink, smoking and
intimate relations while fasting from
dawn to sunset. The aim of the fast
is to learn physical and mental selfcontrol while Muslims focus on seeking
God’s forgiveness for their sins and
mistakes and developing their spiritual
connection with God.
•“Sunnah”: This is the established
body of what the Prophet said, did,
agreed to, or condemned. These are
transmitted and preserved through the
recorded sayings of the Prophet known
as “hadiths”.
•The fifth Pillar of Islam is The “Hajj”, or
Pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj is a duty
on every Muslim who is financially and
physically able to travel to Mecca at
least once in a person’s lifetime. The
purpose of the Hajj is the glorification
of God and commemorates a number
of events in the life of the Prophet
Abraham (peace be upon him) and his
family in Mecca.
In addition to the Five Pillars, there are
two other sources of religious guidance:
•“Shari’ah”, or Islamic Law: This
represents the eternal, ethical and
moral code of Islam based on the
Qu’ran and Sunnah. It includes all
the religious, ethical and legal
systems which guide the lives of
practising Muslims.
Contrary to the impression some
newspapers and opinion polls give,
Shari’ah law is not about cutting off
people’s hands, or stoning people to
death. Nor do Muslims in Britain want
to impose “Shari’ah law” on the rest of
the country. Instead, when Muslims talk
about Shari’ah law in Britain, they are
talking about the right to live according
to Islamic principles if they choose to.
Media:
“CENTRAL Bristol witnessed
ugly scenes last night as right
wing protesters opposed to
plans to open a mosque in
Stokes Croft were confronted
by counter-demonstrators.”
Bristol Evening Post 8 January 2014
“The University of Essex found
Muslims actually identify with
Britishness more than any
other Britons. 83% of Muslims
are proud to be a British
citizen, compared to 79% of
the general public. 77% of
Muslims strongly identify with
Britain while only 50% of the
wider population do.”
The Guardian 3 July 2012
6
Media:
“Is there something within
the religion or ideology
of Islam which somehow
encourages, or merely
facilitates, extremist Muslim
maniacs to maim or kill
non-Muslims? I think there
probably is. But you can’t say
that; when a terrorist atrocity
occurs you must say ‘this
has nothing at all to do with
Islam’, even though that
may be untrue, and a
convenient evasion.”
The Spectator 30 November 2013
In practical terms this means things like
being able to buy and eat halal food, the
right to pray, the right to get married in
an Islamic way. The Bank of England has
introduced schemes for some Islamic
financial services to comply with Shar’ia
law prohibiting usury (earning interest).
lS
unni and Shia
Muslims are split into two main
branches, the Sunnis and Shias. The split
originates in a dispute soon after the
death of the Prophet Muhammad over
who should lead the Muslim community.
Most faiths have denominations, for
example Roman Catholic and Protestant
are the two main branches of Christianity
although there are a number of
additional denominations.
The great majority of Muslims are
Sunnis - estimates suggest the figure
is somewhere between 85% and 90%.
Shias are in the majority in Iran but
Sunnis are the majority in Africa and
South Asia. Members of the two sects
have co-existed for centuries and share
many fundamental beliefs and practices
and differences tend to relate to culture.
3 Muslims contribution to Britain and Bristol
Education and learning are highly valued
in Islam. Early Muslim civilisations
sparked some of the most significant
and enduring scientific and intellectual
contributions as well as everyday
luxuries that are now viewed as part and
parcel of our lives.
www.1001inventions.com is an
exhibition of inventions by Muslims.
The exhibition travels the world (it was
in Manchester in 2006) The exhibition
also explores the Arabic origins of
several words in the modern day
English language, such as “algorithm”,
“magazine”, “loofah”, “alchemy”,
“guitar”, and gazelle.
Innovations in Islamic Sciences are
highlighted in www.muslimheritage.com.
Muslims made advances in the field
of astonomy (advance that were later
used by European scientists such as
Copernicus) and in the fields of algebra,
with the word itself derived from the
Arabic al-Jabr. The first free health
systems were also founded in the early
9th century in Baghdad.
The beauty and breadth of Islamic art
and architecture, with its characteristic
geometric and floral patterns still
influences and inspires art and design in
interiors, exteriors and gardens today.
These can be seen in the design of the
Royal Pavilion in Brighton, and the work
of the designer William Morris who was
influenced by the floral patterns found in
Persian carpets that were popular in 19th
century England. www.islamicart.com
Cosmetics such as eye kohl (derived
from the Arabic al-khol), lipstick, and
perfume oils, and toiletries such as
under-arm deodorants and hand lotions
were important to early Muslims
before they were widely used in Britain.
Soap, for example, was developed in
7th century Middle East and was very
popular amongst Muslims from all social
backgrounds
Today, Muslims in Britain contribute to its
vibrant diversity in a wide range of fields
from the sciences, medicine and health
care, the legal profession, government,
financial services, politics, the arts, the
social sciences, community and voluntary
services, sport, media and entertainment.
Media:
“Quarter of young people say
Britain would be better off
without Muslims.”
Daily Star, 25th September 2013
“A Populus poll found that
… 52% agreed with the
proposition that “Muslims
create problems in the UK.”
The Observer 26 February 2011
Sick: How extremists
welcomed our troops - MUSLIM
extremists sparked outrage
last night after they subjected
heroic British soldiers to vile
abuse during a home-coming
parade – and then were
protected by the police.”
Daily Express 11 March 2009
7
8
Media:
“Bombers are all sponging
asylum seekers.”
Daily Express, July 27, 2007
The Muslim News Awards for Excellence,
an annual event that seeks to raise
the profile of Muslim role models –
both the well-known and unknown,
ordinary citizens who contribute to the
betterment of society.
www.salaam.co.uk who’s who of
Muslim men and women with brief
profiles of professional British Muslims
and their contributions in education,
medicine, law, media, charity work,
politics and sport.
Individual Muslim citizen’s contributions
to commerce, IT, Law, medical, politics
and teaching in Bristol are too numerous
to mention. There is an emerging cohort
of Muslim community leaders who
influence decision making processes in
the City of Bristol, including working in
partnership with the NHS, Bristol City
Council, the Local Economic Partnership
(LEP), Police and political parties which
results in decisions being made that are
more reflective of Muslims’ needs and
aspirations for the city. Muslims are also
engaging in local politics and the council
has a number of male and female elected
members who are Muslim. Muslims’
contributions to Bristol include the
introduction of Indian restaurants to the
West country and Sweet Mart grocery
shop in Easton is an early model for good
community relations. Recently, Bristol
welcomed its first Muslim Lord Mayor,
Councillor Faruk Choudhury and the
first Muslim High Sheriff Mrs Shaheen
Chaudhry.
4 Why are Muslims always in the news?
l What does Islam say about
terrorism?
Some politicians, Individuals and
sections of the media wrongly create
the impression that terrorism, suicide
bombings and violent jihad are part of
Islam’s teachings and that “all terrorists
are Muslims”. None of these are true.
In Britain, the last decade has seen a
growth in a range of extremist and
violent behaviours. At the top end of this
spectrum there is a growing incidence of
gang membership, gun and knife crime,
religious and political radicalism, and
violence motivated by intolerance of
others. In Bristol, work to tackle violent
extremism includes work to tackle AlQaeda inspired terrorism, far-right and
white supremacism, religious and political
extremism, cults and gangs.
The Qur’an is equally clear that even
though the right to self-defence is given,
it is forbidden to lash out against an entire
population of people as this oversteps the
limits of self-defence. Forgiveness and
peace, one of the predominant themes in
the Qur’an, is by far the preferred response.
“You who believe, be steadfast in your
devotion to God and bear witness
impartially: do not let hatred of others
lead you away from justice, for that is
closer to awareness of God.”
(Qur’an, Surah al-Maidah,
5:8, trans. MAS Haleem, 2005)
There is no such thing as “Islamic
terrorism”
Terrorism is not supported in Islamic
teachings. The Qur’an (the Muslim holy
book), is categorical that the killing of
innocents is completely unjustified.
Muslim scholars and organisations in the
UK and across the world have repeatedly
stated that Islam does not condone
terrorism. In fact, the Qur’an says that
the killing of one innocent person is the
equivalent to the killing of the whole of
mankind. For example:
““If anyone kills a person – unless in
retribution for murder or spreading
corruption in the land – it is as if he kills
all mankind.”
(The Qur’an, 5:32, trans. MAS Haleem, 2005)
The key message of the Qur’an is one
of peace, faith, hope and justice among
fellow human beings. Islamis essentially,
a religion of the “Middle way” and not
one of extremes. The Qur’an warns
believers not to become “oppressors”
and continually urges forgiveness and
restraint.
l What is “jihad”?
Jihad” is an Arabic word which means
“to struggle” or “strive” in the way of
God for good against evil. However, it is
frequently misinterpreted as “holy war”
by the media.
The primary meaning of jihad is the moral,
inner struggle a Muslim faces in their daily
efforts to practice Islam. This is sometimes
known as the “greater jihad”. This includes
actions such as being on time with the five
daily prayers or not gossiping, for example.
The “lesser jihad” includes armed struggle
but can only apply when declared by an
appropriate authority and even then there
are strict conditions such as self-defence
or when protecting and freeing the
oppressed and weak, or when establishing
freedom of worship.
9
10
Media:
“A London bus driver today
accepted £30,000 in damages
from the Sun over a claim that
he ordered passengers off
his vehicle so that he could
pray… the newspaper now
accepted that the allegations
were entirely false and that
Raulynaitis did not order any
passengers off, there was no
rucksack and no one refused
to re-board because they
feared he was a fanatic.”
The Guardian 26 February 2009
Islam does not promote the spread of
Islam by force.
The Qur’an is very clear on this when
it says: “Let there be no compulsion in
religion” (Q.2:256). This applies even in
times of war.
Islam does not support suicide
In Islam suicide is expressly forbidden.
The Qur’an states:
“You who believe, do not kill each other
[yourselves], for God is merciful to you.
If any of you does those things, out of
hostility and injustice, We shall make
him suffer Fire…”
(Qur’an, 4:29–30, trans. MAS Haleem, 2005)
[Abdalhaqq and Aisha Bewley, 1999]
Why do a small minority of Muslims
seem to condone violence?
What the Qu’ran says and what some
Muslims do based on their understanding
of Islam may be different. Some people
don’t prioritise what is taught in the
Qu’ran. Some Muslims don’t know
very much about the Qu’ran and such
people are vulnerable to radicalisation.
Some people are attracted to cults and
gangs as a cool and exciting form of
counter-culture, that offer a sense of
identity and meaning. There are many
reasons for people’s attraction to war,
violence, counter cultures or joining antiestablishment groups, but there is never
an authentic Islamic basis for violent
extremism.
Similarly, some extremists use “snipped”
quotes to backup their own causes and
actions. For example, “kill them wherever
you encounter them” (Qur’an, 2:191).
However, if we look at the verses that
come before and after these quotes, we
can see the verse is talking about selfdefence. This is the only context in which
the Qur’an speaks about war or fighting.
This is very clear throughout the Qur’an.
This is why it is wrong to talk of “Islamic
terrorism” because there is nothing
“Islamic” about terrorism.
11
l Rise of Islamophobia
Other issues relating to Muslims which
are rarely reported are the positive
activities within the community to tackle
radicalism and the rising incidents of
Islamophobia and anti-Islam hate crime.
Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim
discrimination, refers to the “dread or
hatred of Islam and therefore, to the fear
and dislike of all Muslims” (Runnymede
Trust, 1997). It can include institutional
discrimination against a person because
she or he is Muslim, physical assault,
verbal abuse, or speech or writing that
is intended to cause harassment, public
disturbances or lead to racial or religious
tensions. Islamophobic attitudes and
practices can be both latent (hidden) as
well as overt. In 2014, a young Muslim
woman wearing the hijab was spat and
verbally abused on account of her religion
in Cabot Circus, she said she had suffered
incidents of racism many times but
nothing could have prepared her for this.
Many victims suffer religious harassment
and hate crime several times before
reporting it.
Media:
“How to spot a terrorist living
in your neighbourhood - We
know what kind of people are
tempted by Islamic extremism
– now we need to do more to
stop them”
Daily Telegraph 28 May 2013
The Centre for Fascist, Anti-fascist and
Post-fascist Studies at Teesside University
analysed anti-Muslim incidents recorded
by Faith Matters’ Tell MAMA project over
2013/14. There were 734 self-reported
cases between 1 May 2013 and 28
February 2014; of these, there were 599
incidents of online abuse and 135 offline
attacks, combining for an average of more
than 2 cases per day.
In Bristol reports to the police based on
religion/belief based hate crime are
increasing year on year. In 2012 there
were 83 reports made in Bristol and
reported to the police, in 2013 there were
96 reports and in 2014 from January to
September there were 78 reports. The
Bristol Hate Crime Service estimates 40%
of reports made to their service relating
to racially motivated hate crime include
Islamophobic incidents.
12
l Community led activities to
tackle violent extremism
• Building the Bridge
BTB aims to encourage and support the
Muslim community to play an active part
within the communities of Bristol. In this
way it is hoped to provide resilience to
communities in Bristol by identifying and
tackling the challenges we face today.
One of its main aims is to identify and
challenge violent extremist activity and
issues concerning vulnerability within
the community. In 2012, the Building the
Bridge leadership met with members of
the English Defence League in an attempt
build positive relations and to deter the
EDL from organising a march in Bristol
City Centre with anti-Islamic messaging.
The leadership also issued public
messages to the EDL, counter protesters
and to local Muslims to conduct
themselves in a peaceful way.
• Salaam Shalom
Salaam Shalom is based in Bristol
and aims to create familiarity and
understanding between people of
different faiths and cultures and
build bridges between communities,
particularly Muslim and Jewish
communities in the UK. The organisations
aims to use media and the arts as a tool
for positive social change.
• #notinmyname is a campaign initiated
by the Active Change Foundation. It is a
social media campaign to reject violent
extremism and to show that violence
does not represent the Islamic faith or the
Muslim community. Inspire has launched
the #makingastand campaign to prevent
young Muslim women from supporting
violent causes.
• www.islamispeace.org.uk promotes
greater understanding between different
communities.
• The Muslim Council of Britain ( www.
mcb.org.uk) is a national representative
Muslim umbrella body with over 500
affiliated national, regional and local
organisations, mosques, charities and
schools.It is an independent body,
established to promote consultation,
cooperation and coordination on Muslim
affairs in the United Kingdom.
5 Do Muslims expect special treatment?
Our society and our economy are
strongest when everyone is treated with
dignity and respect, and we all have
the opportunity to succeed. All citizens
want to have equal access to services
when they need them. Britain has a long
history of upholding people’s rights,
valuing religious diversity and challenging
religious intolerance.
This is enshrined in the Equality Act 2010
where discrimination on account of a
person’s religion is illegal and there is an
expectation for organisations to recognise
and accommodate for people’s differing
religious needs. This means ensuring that
services such as education, social welfare
and health for example, develop policies
that reflect the religious and cultural
diversity of contemporary communities
in Britain.
Therefore people of all religions and
indeed people without a religion or similar
belief are entitled to have their needs
considered. For Muslims, examples of how
the law is put into practice is the provision
of halal food in schools and hospitals; that
schools and workplaces allow for religious
concerns about modesty in uniforms and
allow men to have beards, that social
care provision respects religious, cultural
and gender-related sensitivities; and that
leave for religious holidays or prayer times
is given consideration. This is not special
treatment, this is simply the same rights
as other people enjoy.
The Equality Act 2010 gives rights to
people with a faith and those with no
faith. Therefore in developing policies
and services which comply with the law,
organisations need to balance the views
of people from all faith backgrounds,
including humanism and other beliefs,
and include the views of people who have
no faith (agnostic or atheist). Secularism
or Laïcité is core concept in the French
constitution, which formally states that
France is a secular republic, however in
Britain, secularism is given the same level
of consideration of faith.
Arguably, a multi-faith approach
requires greater understanding between
communities, which longer term creates
a stronger basis for good community
relations, than the perspective that
‘religion is a private matter’.
13
14
l Respect for all faiths
Media:
“The Archbishop of Canterbury
sparked outrage today by
saying the introduction
of Sharia law in Britain is
inevitable. In an explosive
outburst Dr Rowan Williams,
the country’s top Anglican,
said there should be one set
of rules for Muslims — and
another for everyone else”
The Sun 25 May 2011
“Subway removes ham and
bacon from nearly 200 stores
after ‘strong demand’ from
Muslims who can only eat
halal meat.”
Daily Mail April 30, 2014
The Qur’an encourages debate among
Muslims and non-Muslims on issues of
faith and acknowledges the individual’s
right not to accept Islam, illustrated by
the following quotes:
“Had your Lord willed, all the people on
earth would have believed.”
(10:99)
Say “Now, the truth has come from your
Lord: let those who wish to believe in it
do so, and let those who wish to reject it
do so”.
(18:29) (Qur’an, trans. MAS Haleem, 2005)
Since Muslims believe the Qur’an to
be the true word of God and revere all
Prophets, especially Muhammad (peace
be upon him), insults directed against
Islam are taken seriously but even here,
the Qur’an recommends restraint in
response and forgiveness:
“When you come across people who
speak with scorn about Our revelations,
turn away from them until they move
onto another topic.”
(6.68) (Qur’an, trans. MAS Haleem, 2005)
15
l Muslim faith schools
Britain has a history of providing choice
in education, and faith schools have
been part of the range of schools in the
UK since state schooling began. The
Church of England was historically a
provider of many schools throughout
England, Church of England schools
were partially absorbed into the state
education system, with the church
retaining an influence on the schools
in return for its support in funding
and staffing. Muslim faith schools
are subject o the same legislation as
Christian faith school.
A faith school teaches a general
curriculum but has a particular
religious character or formal links
with a religious organisation. The
term is most commonly applied to
State-funded faith schools, although
many independent schools also have
religious characteristics. Faith schools
may give priority to applicants who are
of the faith of the school, and specific
exemptions from Section 85 of the
Equality Act 2010 enable them to do
that.
In 2011, about one third of the 20,000
state funded schools in England were
faith schools approximately 7,000 in
total, of which 68% were Church of
England schools and 30% were Roman
Catholic. There were 42 Jewish, 12
Muslim, 3 Sikh and 1 Hindu faith
schools.
(Department for Education (2011)
In addition, the evidence emerging
from Muslim faith schools is one of
educational success on a par with nonMuslim schools. In Bristol there is one
Muslim faith school, the Andalusia
Academy, which was judged by Ofsted
in October 2013, as being Good’ school
with ‘Outstanding’ features.
16
6 Do Muslim women have rights in Islam?
l Do women have rights
under Islam?
The status of Muslim women remains
one of the most misunderstood issues
about Islam, resulting in some of the most
distorted stereotypes.
Some common myths about Muslim
women and Islam state that Muslim
women have no rights, are oppressed
and have an inferior status to men,
that Muslim women are not allowed an
education or career, have no say in their
choice of marriage partner, and are forced
to wear veils.
Ignorance of the Shari’ah leads to further
stereotypes around the “stoning of
adulterous women”, Muslim men having
multiple wives and women’s lack of rights
in marriage and divorce. Unfortunately,
some stereotypes are also the result of
male-biased, cultural misinterpretations
and a lack of understanding of Islam by
some Muslims, which, over the years,
have distorted the Qur’an’s very clear
message of equality between men
and women.
The Qur’an does not condone the
appalling situation of women in
Afghanistan under the Taliban’s
interpretation of Islam, and the tight
restrictions on women’s movements in
Saudi Arabia, or issues such as “forced
marriages” and “honour killings” .
Instead, the Qur’an emphasises how
menand women are created “different
but equal”.
This recognises physical and biological
strengths and weaknesses between men
and women. Recognition of this forms
the basis of many Muslim women’s
movements for empowerment and
enables Muslim women to argue for their
rights by referring directly to the Qur’an.
Many of the rights given to Muslim
women detailed in the Qur’an were,
and still are, revolutionary concepts (see
below) andmany of these rights were
ones Western women had to fight for in
the 20th century.
Media:
“Horror as ‘Muslim convert’
beheads woman in garden ”
The Sun 5 September 2014
“FGM is …a monstrous
practice that is inflicted upon
around 125 million girls and
women in Africa and the
Middle East. And, of course,
it should be eradicated. But it
is also a cultural and religious
issue that in Britain affects
only very clearly defined
ethnic minority groups. So
why introduce this nightmare
concept to every child in the
country by teaching about it
in schools? ”
The Daily Mail 11 February 2014
17
Media:
BAN THE BURKHA
HERE IN BRITAIN
In a poll for the Daily
Express yesterday, 98 per
cent of people said they
agreed that Britain should
ban the garment.
Daily Express 24 June 2009
The Qur’an states women can be
economically independent, which includes
the right to buy, sell, mortgage, borrow,
lend, sign contracts, set up businesses,
etc. These rights are regardless of her
marital position.
Women’s rights to inheritance are clearly
guaranteed in the Qur’an. Unfortunately,
cultural pressures can mean that women
often feel obliged to renounce these
rights to male members of the family.
Islam regards marriage and the family
as a valuable institution and attaches
great importance to its well-being.
Islamic marriages are contracts made
between the husband and the wife. In
order for a marriage to be valid, it must
be between two consenting adults. There
is no room for coercion in marriage and
Islam encourages women to choose
their spouses. Domestic and sexual
violence, honour based violence and
forced marriages are un-Islamic and
have no basis in the Qur’an. The Qur’an
also makes no reference to any practices
related to Female Genital Mutilation and
this is not a religious practice.
18
7 Mosques and Islamic centres
l Mosques and Islamic centres in Bristol and the surrounding areas
See www.yourislam.org/download-ramadan-timetables for up to date telephone and contact information a religious practice.
Al Baseera Bristol Centre
20 Wade Street
St Judes
BS2 9DR
Assahaba Centre
146 St Michaels Hill
BS2 8DA
Bristol Central Mosque
Owen Street
Easton
BS5 6AP
Bristol Jamia Mosque
Green St
Totterdown
BS3 4UB
Bristol Turk Islam Merkezi
270 Gloucester Road
Horfield
BS7 8PD
DALMO
Grovelands House
Woodlands Lane
Bradley Stoke
BS32 4JJ
Quran Academy
1 Littleton House
Easton
BS5 6BP
Easton Islami Darasghah
Castle Green Buildings
Greenbanks Road
BS5 6HE
Quran Academy
Abington Road
Prayer Hall
Fishponds
BS16 3NY
Huda Somali Centre
60 Fox Road
Easton
BS5 0YB
Shah Jalal Jame Mosque
468-470 Stapleton Road
Eastville
BS6 6PA
Islam Darasgah
Bristol 109 Lower Cheltenham Place
Montpelier
BS6 5LA
Shahporan Cultural and
Community Centre
382 Filton Avenue
BS7 0BE
Jalalabad Islamic Centre
145-149 Fishponds Rd
Eastville
BS5 6PR
Tawfiq Masjid
Aiken Street
Barton Hill
BS5 9TG
19
l Visiting a mosque
Mosques are always happy to greet visitors
wishing to know more about Islam.
However, it is a good idea to check if a
mosque is able to receive guests as some
Smaller mosques in particular may lack
the resources to host visitors or the timing
of request may be inconvenient. Larger
mosques are usually able to arrange tours
for individuals and groups alike.
There are also a few notes of etiquette
that Muslims would appreciate when
visitors enter a mosque. One of these
requires that men and women dress
modestly in accordance with Islamic
teachings when entering a mosque. For
men this means ensuring he is covered
from at least the naval to the knee,
while women should cover all parts of
their bodies except the face and hands.
Everyone has to remove their shoes before
entering the prayer area; there are usually
shoe racks for this purpose.
Visitors are also expected to respect
the separate prayer areas for men and
women. It is better to avoid taking
photographs, especially when people are
praying. If in doubt, seek advice.
20
8 Community organisations
l The following organisations are run by and for a range of communities and the organisations
are listed in this booklet because a significant proportion of Muslims will be providers or users
of their services.
African Voices Forum
141 City Road
Bristol
BS2 8YH
Email: [email protected]
Bangladesh Association
Bangladesh House
539 Stapleton Road
Eastville
Bristol
BS5 6PE
Tel: 0117 951 1491
Bristol Islamic Schools Trust
Andalusia Academy
Old School Building
St. Matthias Park
St. Phillips
Bristol, BS2 0BA.
UK Tel: 0117 929 1661
Email: [email protected]
Bristol Muslim Cultural Society
35 Mivart Street
Easton
Bristol
BS5 6JF
Tel: 0117 952 1802
Email: [email protected]
Dhek Bhal
43 Ducie Rd
Barton hill
BS5 0AX
Bristol Somali Forum (BSF)
43 Ducie Road
Barton Hill
Bristol
BS5 0AX
Tel: 07423 062485 / 07850 263353
Email: [email protected]
PWO Learning Centre (previously
Bristol Pakistani Community Welfare
Association)
454 Stapleton Road
Easton
BS5 6NQ
Tel: 0117 952 3031
Email: [email protected]
Bristol Somali Resource Centre
43 Ducie Road,
Barton Hill,
Bristol
BS5 0AX
Tel: 0117 907 7994
Email: [email protected]
Ghana Community Bristol
[email protected]
Refugee Women of Bristol
[email protected]
Tel: 0117 941 5867
Mobile: 07706 881 031
21
l The following organisations support a wide range of
communities and have services which specifically target
Muslim communities
Bristol Hate crime Services
S.A.R.I. in collaboration with Brandon Trust, Bristol Mind and LGBT Bristol are
Bristol’s Hate Crime Services (BHCS)
Supporting, Educating and
Strengthening Bristol’s Diverse
Communities
One Stop Reporting line –
0800 171 2272 (freephone)
P.O. Box 2454
Bristol BS2 2WX
Tel: 0117 942 0060
Email: [email protected]
Bristol Multi-Faith Forum
Barton Hill Settlement
43 Ducie Rd
Barton Hill
BRISTOL
BS5 0AX
Tel: 07834 812663
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 07834 812663
● If
you would like this information in a different
format, for example braille, audiotape, large print or
computer disk, or community languages,
please contact 0117 922 2329 or equalities.team@
bristol.gov.uk
www.bristol.gov.uk
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Designed by Bristol City Council Corporate Design BD6131 Nov 2014