Being British Muslims

Being British Muslims
Author: Dr Mamnun Khan
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Total Pages: 225
Release: 2019-04-22
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1728382661

This highly thought-provoking book, packed with incisive observations and analyses on a wide range of issues facing British Muslims, offers concise yet extensive commentary on the cultural and intellectual contentions in contextualising Islam in the UK. As of 2018, roughly 50% of the UK’s Muslim population was born in the UK. With this shift comes, on one hand, the loss of “old-ways” of experiencing the world and navigating one’s place within it, and on the other hand it comes with the excitement and opportunity to make “new culture.” The questions now facing British Muslims are: “From where can British Muslims get their inspiration?” and “What should be the nature of this new culture?” These questions are becoming ever more important as the UK’s Muslim population is expected to grow from 5% to 10% by 2050. Thus, the author’s clearly presented analysis provides critical and constructive insights for readers wanting to understand how to make faith more meaningful and relevant, going from a largely immigrant ethnocentric religion and identity politics to one formed on intelligent and confident theocentric understanding. Essential reading for anyone interested in Islam and British Muslims, including policymakers, community leaders, philanthropists and activists as well as scholars and students of Islamic studies, sociology, cultural studies, politics, philosophy and identity. This is a most refreshing and indispensable overview for anyone interested in the area. Commendations “Dr Khan rejects the shallow identity politics which assume that British Muslims must either assimilate to ‘western’ secular norms or react fanatically against them. Instead, he reminds us that all great religions demand an intelligent application of their principles to everyday life, and demonstrates how this should be done, in a series of thoughtful articles which not only offer informed judgements but encourage readers to think for themselves.” Dr Michael Sherborne, author of HG Wells: Another Kind of Life (2010). “Mamnun is a young social analyst, founder of grassroots initiatives and writer whose collection of articles are interesting, insightful and pertinent. His ability to question received wisdom, analyse complex issues succinctly and offer possible solutions to the challenges facing British Muslims is refreshing and admirable. Recommended reading.” Muhammad Mojlum Khan F.R.A.S., author of bestselling The Muslim 100 (2008), The Muslim Heritage of Bengal (2013) and Great Muslims of the West (2017). “This collection of thoughts, observations and meditations provides a welcome perspective to the ongoing crystallisation of religiously-inspired thinking in Britain ... it is in the spirit of communal deliberation and intellectual enquiry that this anthology constructively demonstrates how we might proceed.” Shaykh Muhammad Nizami, British born Islamic scholar and political theorist. “Islam in the UK is at a fork in the road. At the end of one turn is weakness, irrelevance and eventual disappearance. At the other end is confidence, prosperity and illumination. Dr Mamnun’s timely series of short essays boldly and effectively makes the case for the latter. May this work inspire positive action in those who are concerned by our current predicament and long for a return to godliness, guidance and harmony.” Iqbal Nasim, Chief Executive, National Zakat Foundation.

Muslims in Britain

Muslims in Britain
Author: Peter Hopkins
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2009-03-31
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0748631232

Following the events of 11th September 2001 in the USA, and more especially, the bombings on the London underground on 7th July 2005 and the incident at Glasgow Airport on 30th June 2007, an increasing amount of public attention has been focused upon Muslims in Britain. Against the backdrop of this debate, this book sets out a series of innovative insights into the everyday lives of Muslims living in contemporary Britain, in an attempt to move beyond prevalent stereotypes concerning what it means to be 'Muslim'. Combining original empirical research with theoretical interventions, this collection offers a range of reflections on how Muslims in Britain negotiate their everyday lives, manage experiences of racism and exclusion, and develop local networks and global connections. The authors explore a broad range of themes including gender relations; educational and economic issues; migration and mobility; religion and politics; racism and Islamophobia; and the construction and contestation of Muslim identities. Threaded through the treatment of these themes is a unifying concern with the ways in which geography matters to how Muslims negotiate their daily experiences as well as their racialised, gendered and religious identities. Above all, attention is focused upon the role of the home and local community, the influence of the economy and the nation, and the power of transnational connections and mobilities in the everyday lives of Muslims in Britain. Includes contributions from: Louise Archer, Yahya Birt, Sophie Bowlby, Claire Dwyer, Richard Gale, Peter Hopkins, Lily Kong, Sally Lloyd-Evans, Sean McLoughlin, Sharmina Mawani, Tariq Modood, Anjoom Mukadam, Caroline Nagel, Deborah Phillips, Bindi Shah, and Lynn Staeheli

British Muslims and Their Discourses

British Muslims and Their Discourses
Author: Laurens de Rooij
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2023-12-03
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9783031450129

This book highlights the changing dynamics of Muslim identity and integration in Britain, focusing on the post-9/11 era. Historically, Muslims faced discrimination based on ethnicity rather than religion. However, contemporary discrimination against Muslims is rooted in different reasons, with events like the Rushdie affair significantly impacting multicultural relations. This study analyzes the evolving multicultural landscape in Britain, exploring the shift from predominantly assimilationist policies to a more mutual process of integration. It delves into the emergence of interfaith dialogue as well as the complexities surrounding the intersection of race, religion, gender, and identity. The research examines two key themes: the discursive positioning of Islam beyond integration and terrorism narratives, and the operationalization of identity by Muslims in various contexts. The study employs empirical methods and cultural studies theories to understand how individual and social practices intersect in this context. By doing so, it contributes to Islamic studies, socio-political studies, and cultural studies, shedding light on the discourses that shape and are shaped by Muslim lives in Britain. The analysis encompasses diverse perspectives, from macro-level societal discourses to micro-level individual actions, thus providing a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted experiences of Muslims in Britain.

Young British Muslims

Young British Muslims
Author: Nahid Afrose Kabir
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2012-03-14
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0748686924

In Britain's highly politicised social climate in the aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings, this book provides an in-depth understanding of British Muslim identity. Nahid Kabir has carried out over 200 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with young Muslims in five British cities: London, Leicester, Bradford, Leeds and Cardiff. By emphasising the importance of biculturalism, Kabir conveys a realistic and hopeful vision for their successful integration into British society.

Religiosity and Recognition

Religiosity and Recognition
Author: Thomas Sealy
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 239
Release: 2021-06-28
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 3030751279

This book argues that multiculturalism remains a relevant and vital framework through which to understand and construct inclusive forms of citizenship. Responding to contemporary ethnic and religious diversity in European states and the position of religious minorities, debates in multiculturalism have revitalized discussion of the public role of religion, yet multiculturalism has been increasingly challenged in both political as well as academic circles. With a focus on Britain and through a study of the narratives of British converts to Islam, this book engages in debates centered around multiculturalism, particularly on the issues of identity, recognition, and difference. Yet, it also identifies and interrogates multiculturalism’s shortcomings in relation to specifically religious identities and belonging. In a unique and innovative analysis, this book combines a discussion of multiculturalism in Britain with insights from political theology. It juxtaposes multiculturalism’s concepts of ethno-religious identity and recognition with the notions of religiosity and hospitality to offer a new perspective on religious identity and the implications of this for thinking with and about multiculturalism and multicultural social and political relations.

Muslim Communities in England 1962-90

Muslim Communities in England 1962-90
Author: Jed Fazakarley
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2018-08-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9783319852454

This book analyses Muslim integration into English society from the 1960s to the 1990s. The author argues that, contrary to common narratives built around a sudden transformation during the Rushdie affair, religious identity was of great importance to English Muslims throughout this period. The study also considers what the experiences of Muslim communities tell us about British multiculturalism. With chapters which consider English Muslim experiences in education, employment, and social services, British multiculturalism is shown to be a capacious artifice, variegated across and within localities and resistant to periodization. It is understood as positing separate ethnic communities, and serving these communities with special provisions aimed ultimately at integration. It is argued moreover to have developed its own momentum, limiting the efficacy of 21st century “backlashes” against it. Muslim Communities in England 1962-90 will be of interest to students and scholars across a range of disciplines, including sociology, history and politics.

Globalization, Americanization and British Muslim Identity

Globalization, Americanization and British Muslim Identity
Author: Saied Reza Ameli
Publisher: Saqi Books
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2002
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

A study of the impact of globalization upon the construction of Muslim identity in the West, in particular in Britain. Drawing on a number of theoretical models, it examines the way in which globalization generates, paradoxically, two parallel processes: homogenization and heterogenization. The former process is chiefly characterized by increasing Westernization, while the latter is observable in the different forms that growing Islamic resistance has taken in Muslim societies worldwide. By examining second-generation young adults born in the UK of migrant Muslim parents and the extent to which the Western global cultural industry has influenced their identity, the study suggests that through the process of heterogenization cultural forms have become diversified and fragmented, and identify common construction is diffused.

Scotland's Muslims

Scotland's Muslims
Author: Peter Hopkins
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781474427241

Between the 2001 and 2011 the Muslim population of Scotland increased by nearly eighty percent, and indications are that it will continue to rise. Yet Scotland's Muslim community does not feature prominently in research about 'Muslims in Britain': at best, Scotland is mentioned in passing, and at worst, generalisations are made about 'British Muslims' based on the assumption that the experiences of Muslims in Scotland and Muslims in England are the same. This book brings together leading and emerging scholars from a range of disciplines who have undertaken research with Muslims in Scotland over the last decade. This collection is one of the first to explore the everyday lives, political engagements and social practices of Scotland's Muslims. Themes and issues engaged with include: education, health and well-being; sexuality, gender and age; integration, multiculturalism and citizenship; and heritage, media and representation.

Living Apart Together

Living Apart Together
Author: Munira Mirza
Publisher:
Total Pages: 99
Release: 2007
Genre: Islam and state
ISBN: 9781906097028

This report explores the attitudes of Muslims in Britain today and the reasons why there has been a significant rise in Islamic fundamentalism amongst the younger generation.