Muslims in Western States

The British Experience and the Way Forward

Bibliographic Data

ID6085810
AuthorsMuhammad Anwar (0000-0003-1777-6860), Muhammad Ikram Anwar (0000-0003-3565-6942, corresponding author)
Year2008
Volume28
Issue1
Pages125-137
Publication date2008-04-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInstitute of Muslim Minority Affairs Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0266-6952 • E-ISSN: 1469-9591
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13602000802011143
OpenAlexW2071540061
LanguageEN
Citations received8

Almost one third of the world's Muslims live as minorities in non-Muslim states. This article examines the position of Muslims in the West with special reference to Muslims in the United Kingdom. First, an overview of Muslims in Western states is presented, concentrating on Muslims in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Second, the demographic and socio-economic position of Muslims in Britain is discussed, particularly highlighting various issues facing them. Third, the issues of religious discrimination and the feeling of insecurity among British Muslims, as well as state policies towards Muslims, are examined. Finally, it is argued that Western states, including Britain, have a long way to go in terms of their policies to accept Muslims as equal citizens and, in this context, several lines of action are proposed. Notes 1. Estimates of the total Muslim population of the world range from 1.2 to 1.8 billion. Similarly, the number of Muslim minorities in non-Muslim states are estimated to be between 400 and 600 million. Therefore, I have used the midpoint for these estimates. For the latest estimates see online: and . 2. This figure is based on various sources. In particular see M. Anwar, ‘Muslims in Western Europe: Responses to Integration’, in Regionalism and Immigration in the Context of European Integration, eds. T. Miyajima, T. Kajita and M. Yamada, Osaka: Japan Center for Area Studies, 1999; and see online: . 3. Ibid., and see online: , and . 4. E. L. Queen, S. R. Prothero and G. Shattuck Jr., The Encyclopedia of American Religious History, New York: Facts on File, 1996. 5. Ibid. 6. Zogby International, survey commissioned by the American Muslim Council quoted in US Department of State, Fact Sheet: Islam in the United States, Washington, DC: Office of International Information Programs, 2001; and A. I. Kahera, ‘Urban Enclaves, Muslim Identity and the Urban Mosque in America’, Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 22, No. 2, 2002, pp. 369–380. 7. O. Khalidi, “Mosque”, in Contemporary Religion, ed. W. C. Roof, New York: Macmillan, 2000. 8. Ibid. 9. B. Kosmin and E. Mayer, American Religious Identification Survey 2001, New York: City University of New York, 2001. 10. M. Nimer, The Status of Muslim Civil Rights in the United States, Washington, DC: Council on American–Islamic Relations, 2001. 11. Ibid. 12. Human Rights Watch, “We are not the Enemy” Hate Crime Against Arabs, Muslims and Those Perceived to be Arab or Muslim after September 11, Vol. 14, No. 6(G), New York: Human Rights Watch, 2002. 13. Ibid. 14. See online: . According to the 2001 Census of Canada, there were 579,640 Muslims in Canada, just under 2% of the population. See online: . 15. See online: ; ‘Muslims in Canada’, available online at: ; and Canadian Association of Islamic Relations (CAIR Canada), available online at: . 16. See online: ; and D. Bryant, ‘Some Notes on Muslims in Canada and the US’, available online at: . 17. ‘Muslims in Canada’, available online at: ; and Canadian Association of Islamic Relations (CAIR Canada), available online at: . 18. M. Blanchfield, ‘Keep Muslims Out, Poll Says; Nearly Half of Canadians Want Immigration Control’, The Times Colonist (Victoria), 21 December 2002. 19. See A. Saeed, Muslim Australians, Canberra: Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and Australian Multicultural Foundation in Association with the University of Melbourne, 2004, p. 5. 20. G. Henderson, Islam in Australia, London: Policy Exchange, 2007, p. 9. 21. See online: ; and also see online: . 22. Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Islam in Australia, 2002, available online at: ; also see A. Saeed and S. Akbarzadeh, eds., Muslim Communities in Australia, Sydney: University of New South Wales Press, 2001. 23. M. Anwar, The Myth of Return, London: Heinemann, 1979. 24. Anwar, ‘Muslims in Western Europe’, op. cit. 25. Anwar, The Myth of Return, op. cit. 26. Anwar, ‘Muslims in Western Europe’, op. cit. 27. N. Matter, Islam in Britain 1558–1685, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 28. M. Anwar, Between Cultures, London and New York: Routledge, 1998. 29. Anwar, The Myth of Return, op. cit. 30. Department of Education and Skills, Aiming High: Raising the Achievement of Minority Ethnic Pupils, London: Department for Education and Skills, 2003. 31. Anwar, Between Cultures, op. cit. 32. Labour Force Survey, Spring–Winter 2000, unpublished data, London: Office for National Statistics, 2001. 33. Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR), Survey of English Housing, London: DTLR, 2002. 34. T. Modood, R. Berthoud, J. Lakey, J. Nazroo, P. Smith, S. Virdee and S. Beishon, Ethnic Minorities in Britain: Diversity and Disadvantage, London: Policy Studies Institute, 1997. 35. M. Anwar, Race and Elections, Coventry: Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, 1994. 36. M. Anwar, ‘The Impact of Legislation on British Race Relations’, in From Legislation to Integration?, eds. M. Anwar, P. Roach and R. Sondhi, London: Macmillan, 2000. 37. P. Weller, A. Feldman and K. Purdam, Religious Discrimination in England and Wales, London: Home Office, 2001. 38. Runnymede Trust, Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All, London: Runnymede Trust, 1997. 39. M. Anwar and Q. Bakhsh, British Muslims and State Policies, Coventry: Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, 2003. 40. W. McPherson, The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report, London: HMSO, 1999. 41. European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), Anti-Islamic Reactions in the EU after the Terrorist Acts against the USA, Vienna: EUMC, 2001

Political science · Education and Islamic Studies · Islamic Studies and History · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies

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