Islamophobia

Poetry: Society Unshackle Me!

I am imprisoned within a microscopic lensStereotyped, analysed, suffocatedToo submissive, too ignorant, too uneducatedThat I need to be liberated Society, unshackle me! Let me be!My scarf is wrong for me, my dress style wrongMy skin colour is wrong, I am all wrongI do not fit into the prescription of a liberated society Society, stop! Stop …

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More than Scarf Deep

“If I were you, I’d cut ties with all friendships and start over.” A friend advised me when I broke it to her that I was going to take off my headscarf. It was scandalous and shameful in her eyes. And that was the last time I saw of her, she never contacted me since. …

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How can the British Army engage with UK Muslims?

Photo credit: Hifsa Haroon Iqbal This week, Akeela Ahmed, (Founder of SheSpeaksWeHear and chair of the UK government’s Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group) arranged for a group of 20 Muslim women to visit Pirbright Army Training Centre. This incredible opportunity proved to be a real eye-opener in terms of forming a better understanding of the Armed …

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More needs to be done to protect the mental health of young British Muslims

In a society where Muslims are constantly placed under the lens, examined, picked apart and policed for their views, it can be argued that the chances of young Muslims developing and suffering from mental disorders is increasing. From anxiety to depression, the mental and physical health of the Muslim community is deteriorating, with there being …

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Impact of hate crimes on mental health

In the UK the rates of depression and suicide are on the rise, with the last known statistic suggesting 1 in 4 adults experience a diagnosed mental health issue. The statistics suggest that 1 in 10 children and young people have a mental health problem including depression, anxiety and conduct disorder, with 70% of children …

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‘Su-Shi’ and interfaith dialogue with Anne Dijk and Arjen Buitelaar

Deviating slightly from our usual posts, we wanted to share with our readers an interview between Anne Dijk, a female Sunni scholar based in the Netherlands and Arjen Buitelaar, a male Shia scholar also from the Netherlands. They were interviewed by Arek Miernik who is from Poland, and the interview has been translated to English. You …

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Bravo France

Last night I forced myself to look at this image. Over and over again. It was uncomfortable, sickening and terrifying. But as I sat up in bed, in the dark, with Imaan asleep next to me, I forced myself to stare at it. I had scrolled past the image earlier in the day. I was …

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Preventing and Addressing Rising Religious Bigotry and Anti-Semitism

  In the 1670’s, my maternal grandfather’s family arrived in London from Holland, having come to Amsterdam as refugees fleeing the inquisition in Spain. I am still asked which of my parents or grandparents immigrated to the UK (they were all born in the East End or Leeds!). 18 years ago, in my first Religious …

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