Syed Arif Ahmad
In the late 1950s and 60s labour migration led to the establishment and growth of new Muslim communities in several EU Member States. Initially these immigrant communities were composed mainly of working age males and were defined primarily in terms of their economic function (as ‘guest workers’), their colour or nationality. With the restriction of primary economic migration in the 1970s a process of settlement and of family reunification began. As men were joined by their wives and children, attention turned to the development of community infrastructure. An increasing proportion of the Muslim population is now second and third generation European-born Muslims. In the 1980s, Muslims also arrived in northern Europe as refugees seeking asylum, initially from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, and then in the early 1990s from the former Republic of Yugoslavia and Somalia. In some cases these were skilled professionals arriving from urban centres.
Since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the USA in 2001, many Muslims in EU Member States have been seriously affected by a difficult climate-as the EUMC (European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia) documented in 2001 and 2002 in a series of reports which showed how Muslims had become targets of increased hostility. This is in spite of positive initiatives, involving Muslims and other religious groups, which aim to promote mutual respect and improve the social participation and positive integration of Muslims into EU societies.
Based on evidence gathered by EUMC over the last few years indicates that since the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001, European Muslims have been seriously affected by an increasingly hostile social climate. Subsequent incidents, such as the murder of the Dutch film director Theo van Gogh and the Madrid and London bombings further exacerbated prejudices and fuelled more incidents of hostility and aggression.
Though many Muslims acknowledge that they themselves also need to do more to engage with wider society, to overcome the obstacles and difficulties that they face and to take greater responsibility for integration. However, engagement and participation also need encouragement and support from mainstream society that needs to do more to accommodate diversity and remove barriers to integration. It is also to be noted that discrimination against Muslims and Islamophobia are entirely incompatible with European values, and to urge European Member States to fully and effectively implement EU laws against discrimination and racism.
Herewith an analysis of the survey based on interviews conducted between August 2005 and January 2006 by the European Monitoring Centre with European Muslims in ten Member States: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Austria and the United Kingdom.
Changes since 2001
The report suggest that many Muslims in the European Union feel that they are under intense security. For most of the respondents in the survey feel that a great deal changed from 11 September 2001, the date of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. From that time onwards respondents in different countries have reported an increase in open incidents of everyday hostility. Most of those interviewed agreed that the situation had deteriorated over the last five years.
Citizenship and exclusion
Many Muslims in the European Union feel excluded from economic, social and cultural life. This is stated to be particularly the case in those Member States where a large part of the Muslim population does not have access to citizenship. Examples are given how the vulnerability of those without citizenship is sometimes exploited by state officials, employers or landlords.
Further even when Muslims are citizens of a Member State, they can still feel a sense of exclusion. They feel that they are perceived as ‘foreigners’ who are a threat to society, and treated with suspicion. According to the survey, this feeling is reported to be stronger among young European born Muslims than their parents. While the second and third generation are in many ways more integrated than the first, at the same time their expectations are greater and so the consequent exclusion is more keenly felt.
Demands on integration
Respondent felt that the demands on Muslims to ‘integrate’ are often unreasonable and inconsistent. The younger generation who get particularly frustrated by this because they feel that they have done all they can on their side to ‘integrate’. They felt that although integration is a two-way-process, yet the constant pressure on Muslims to integrate means that in practice only one side is emphasised. They argue that a sense of belonging is intimately linked to equal treatment that they expect from wider society. Thus Islamophobia, discrimination, and socio-economic marginalisation have a primary role in generating disaffection and alienation.
The respondents feel that, increasingly, acceptance by society is premised on the assumption that they should lose their Muslim identity. They feel that there is an assumption that their values are not compatible with ‘European’ values. In some instances the fact of having religious values is seen as a source of conflict with the majority European secular values. Furthermore most of the respondents feel that Islam is portrayed as undermining key values of European societies, whereas in their view the values of the average Muslim are entirely consistent with European values.
To Be Continued…
Syed Arif Ahmad is a graduate student at an European university.
Photo: Grand Mosque, Paris
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Syed, could you please explain this point some more? What kind of encouragement and support are you looking for? What kind of barriers are there?
That is correct. The European countries also
1. have a secular constitution,
2. give equal rights to women, and
3. have laws against discrimination of gays and lesbians.
Would you like to explain the position of Muslims – who move to Europe – on these points, and the general attitude of Muslim community when it comes to these three issues? And I’m not looking for quotations from Qur’an, but rather ground realities. Thanks.
Syed, this seems to be the crux. When incidents like these happen and religion (Islam) is given as the justification, and moderate Muslims living in Europe do not do enough to denounce and renounce fundamentalist elements in their ummah, is it any surprise to you that “Islamophobia” exists? That seems to be a very normal human reaction to events. Doesn’t make it right, but it is there.
I also think that any and all criticism of Islamist behavior is labeled as “Islamophobia” (or a Jewish conspiracy) when in many places, the criticism is valid and necessary. Maybe the Muslim community in Europe should introspect some more and not reflexively label all criticism as “Islamophobia.”
When Muslims criticize Bush’s policies or the “decadent” West, should that be labeled as “Westphobia”?
Another point to consider: many non-Muslim minorities also move to, and live in Europe. How many problems do you think they have integrating, and how does that compare to Muslims? Perhaps the Muslim community moving to Europe can look to other non-Muslim communities and see what they’re doing to integrate.
Just some thoughts.
In Europe, I do not believe that there is serious discrimination against Muslims. They are free to hold their congregations, disseminate their teachings, follow their customs etc.
The reality is that in Non Muslim countries, Muslims are treated far better than Non Muslims are in Muslim countries. Very honestly, Muslims need to stop cribbing and start participating. I refer to MUSLIM countries because they are just that, they are not genuinely ISLAMIC except Iran and that too, partially.
When we talk of Muslims being achievers in the new millennium, their islamicity is merely coincedental.
Muslims need to be dynamic, upright, thirsty for knowledge, and with a scientific temperament, as they were during the early days of Islam
Syed,
The following are placards from muslim rallies in europe.
“Islam will dominate the world”
“Behead those who insult Islam”
“Europe take some lessons from 9/11″
“Europe you will pay. Your 9/11 is on it’s way”
“Europe is the cancer, Islam is the answer”
“Blasphemous cartoonist must be hanged”
“Massacre those who insult Islam”
“Exterminate those who slander Islam”
“Europe, you will pay, extermination is on the way”
“Be prepared for the real Holocaust”
“Slay those who insult Islam”
“Butcher those who mock Islam”
don’t u think the europeans have shows 100 times more restraint than muslims would if a non muslim were to display such placards in a muslim country? and how is such muslim behaviour is helping the cause of muslims? the fact is there are too many brainwashed angry muslims in europe who talk to dominatin geurope by the end of this century – if they are not stopped by muslims, then the europeans will have to do it. afterall, europeans are not sissies, just more civil.
Muslims living in the western world must respect the law of the country they are staying in. From their side, they might face some problems. Certain freedoms may be encroached. There is a fine line. Each one finds his/her equation with a society. They have a good chance. Muslims living in the world must have only one agenda : To have the best education available., under the circumstances., i.e. By education, i mean “secular education”. Forget theology for a moment. Master Math, Physics, sciences, social sciences… each according to his inner potential. I know survival is hard. People do jobs just to survive.. its a hard life.. its not all romantic and pink… but ILM (or knowledge… and by that.. i mean secular education)is the Miras (inheritance) of a muslim. Never neglect education and ILM… Muslims must take to education in a big way world-wide. Only then, will their exploitation end. They will be able to protect their assets well… their honour well… until then, they are a football… to be kicked all round the ground !
Das,
I am with you totally. Muslims HAVE to pursue education with a PASSION. Else, what they say simply will not carry weight. After that they have to stand up for themselves in a logical and cohesive fashion.
And they need to start as of yesterday..
Das
There seems to be two of you on this forum. One who speaks the secular and liberal language and the another who spews vitriol.
Who is the real one
By secular I mean anyone who respects other religions, respects diversity and rights of all to be equal.
The Students’ Islamic Movement of India, a frontal organisation of the Jamait-e Islami, has started a campaign to prepare Muslim minorities for a full blown jihad (holy war) against Hindus, “who are responsible for the martyrdom of the Babri Mosque.”
Babri Mosque issue is past and let it be so, if babri cause is right for muslims then Hindus have the same right too as their temples were descarted, they were plundered, killed by those aurangzebs and the likes of gahznavis……..Hindus can start the same jehadi battle on these lines too. Does it mean that only history serves the Muslims of India and not Hindus? They are dead wrong.
keshto, I fail to see the relevance of your comment regarding SIMI to the post. This post is about Muslims in Europe.
IM Mods, could you please make sure that comments pertain to the discussion so that it doesn’t get side-tracked and remains ON TOPIC? Thanks.
thx. for all your comments on my article. well, in the second part of this article you will find most of the issues raised been addressed…, the same will be published shortly by the editorial team.
arif