Submission from the Islamic Society of
Britain
We are delighted to hear of the recent initiative
currently being undertaken by the House of Lords on Religious
Offences. We appreciate the opportunity to submit our concerns
regarding this vital matter. These are detailed below.
ISB strongly supports the passing of a law that
clearly prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion in
all areas of British life, not merely in employment. We welcome
this change, for as the law stands, it is currently discriminatory.
This is clearly evidenced in the fact that incitement to racial
hatred is classified as a legal offence, whilst incitement to
religious hatred is not recognised or punishable under current
legislation. Yet nevertheless, under existing legislation, particular
faith communities, namely Jews and Sikhs are protected as they
are recognised as identifiable racial/ethnic groups. This has
meant that because Muslims cannot be classified as a singular
racial/ethnic group due to Islams' multi-racial and universal
vision, Muslims have been overlooked and denied the protection
they rightly deserve. This anomalous situation (dating as far
back as the Race Relations Act of 1974) is in urgent need of rectification
and must be addressed in order to create a fair, just and safer
society in which members of all faiths are equally protected.
This legislative disparity is doubly alarming
in light of the recent surge of Islamaphobic attacks in the aftermath
of September 11 2001. The term "Islamaphobia" has come
in to frequent currency to describe the "unfounded hostility
towards Islam."[10]
Muslim women in particular have been singled out by their headscarves
and been subject to physical and verbal abuse: none of which have
been or can be addressed under current legislation. This loophole
has been further abused by right-wing fascists who have no qualms
about blaming all of society's ills on Muslims. Inciting Islamaphobic
hatred as a key part of their political agenda, after September
11, the British National Party jumped on the anti-Islamic bandwagon
and began distributing leaflets that "explained" to
the British public how Islam "spawns psychotic murderers."
This type of vilification is deeply disturbing and has been reinforced
in many spheres of British life, namely the media. Vulnerable
to discrimination, this has left many British Muslims living in
fear and insecurity.
Islamaphobia however, did not suddenly appear
post-September 11 for it is a longstanding prejudice, which has
wrought pervasive and systematic inequalities in Britain's social
and professional landscape. Muslims have for some time now been
projected as a dangerous fifth column, vilified in the media as
"terrorists" and treated as the Trojan horse in the
heart of Britain. Many followers of the Islamic tradition have
been socially alienated, institutionally marginalised and publicly
ridiculed. The cargo of negative connotations that today accompany
Britain's some three million Muslims has and will continue to
have serious short-term and long-term consequences. This was clearly
documented by the Runnymeade Trust in the Islamaphobia Report.
(Islamaphobia, Report of The Runnymeade Trust Commission
on British Muslims and Islamaphobia, 1997 p12). The report listed
the consequences of Islamaphobia: some of which include, injustice,
social disorder, the obstruction of co-operation and interchange
and a waste of valuable skills in the economy.[11]
These factors indicate the sheer severity of the problem, for
it is not merely Britain's Muslims that are affected by this legal
anomaly, but in turn, the well-being of wider British society.
ISB thus urges the House of Lords to deal with this legal loophole
and thereby continue to allow Britain's Muslims to continue to
make a productive contribution to British society. We would also
suggest that you take into consideration the proliferation of
Islamaphobic discrimination in recent times.
Finally, ISB also suggests that the law of Blasphemy
is incorporated as a key facet of this initiative. As Law-abiding
Muslims we support a law on blasphemy, which would protect religious
figures/beliefs from defamation and vilification. At the present
time however, the law is only favourable to the Christian religion,
and rightly protects Jesus (Peace be Upon him), an important prophet
in the Islamic tradition. It is unfortunate however, that there
is no law that protects other religious beliefs by enforcing due
and equal respect. In light of this inadequate protection for
beliefs other than those of Christianity, ISB urges that all faith
groups are protected legally in a comprehensive and respectable
fashion. To be clear, this is not a censorship on faith dialogue
or religious discussion as ISB is involved in successful interfaith
dialogue and strongly encourages this. Rather, we simply request
that the vilification and defamation of religious beliefs are
outlawed under British legislation.
We would appreciate a considered response to
our submission and look forward to hearing from you in the near
future.
29 July 2002
10 Islamaphobia Report, 1997, p. 4. Back
11
It is also noted that Islamaphobia prevents co-operation on shared
issues, for example urban poverty and deprivation. (Islamaphobia
report, 1997, p. 12). Back
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