Islam vs Islamism vs Islamophobia

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2024 on Saturday 19 October at Church House, Westminster.

ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION

Despite a broader decline in religious belief across Britain, Islam is the fastest-growing religion, largely due to relatively recent waves of migration from predominantly Muslim countries. Yet, discussions about Islam are often clouded by censorship and taboo, tip-toeing through concerns about criticism of a religion (Islam), a political ideology (Islamism) and anti-Muslim prejudice (Islamophobia).

The debate about Islam in Britain has been significantly shaped by the Salman Rushdie affair in 1988. Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, seen as blasphemous by some Muslims, led to widespread protests that brought questions about free speech and religious sensitivity to the forefront of public debate.

There have been other controversies since. For example, during the ‘Trojan Horse’ affair in Birmingham in 2014, hardline Islamists were alleged to have tried to take over schools. In 2021, there were protests by local Muslims when a teacher at Batley Grammar School showed a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad during a lesson, with the teacher forced to go into hiding. Such furores underscore the sensitivity and anxieties over Islamist influence over sections of British life.

This year’s recent general election saw some MPs elected on a pro-Palestine platform, raising fears of sectarianism. Some claim these fears are motivated by Islamophobia and racism. The recent race riots suggest that some are indeed hostile, even to Muslims per se, leading to violence and genuine fear for ordinary Muslims in Northern towns. Meanwhile, scenes of Muslims shouting ‘Allahu Akbar!’ while wielding weapons have also raised alarm at growing divisions.

However, there are still worries that the accusation of Islamophobia is used to blur the line between legitimate criticism of Islam as religion and attacks on Muslims. Concerns also exist that what is perceived as prejudice against Muslims may actually be legitimate criticism of Islamism, which seeks an Islamic state under Sharia law. For instance, during the 2024 general election, the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood – who is Muslim – described facing intimidation during the campaign and even being called an ‘infidel’, but this did not lead to a broader public debate on Islamist tactics.

The challenge lies in disentangling Islam from discussions about Islamism, which are often labelled as Islamophobic. As Muslims are an integral part of British society, it is essential to have open discussions about all aspects of Muslim life. Some argue that Islam cannot integrate into Western society, but this perspective risks marginalising British Muslims from the liberal democratic project.

If Muslims are citizens, don’t they have the right to influence society, even if that includes Islamist perspectives? Or is this a sign of a worrying trend towards illiberalism within society? How do we combat anti-Muslim bigotry while preserving the freedom to discuss and critique all religions?

SPEAKERS
Professor Aaqil Ahmed
director, Amplify Consulting Ltd; professor of media, University of Bolton; former head of religion, Channel 4 and BBC

Mohammed Amin MBE
co-chair, Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester

Peymana Assad
Obama Leader of Europe; councillor, London Borough of Harrow; first person of Afghan origin elected to UK public office; founder, Labour Foreign Policy Group

Dolan Cummings
writer and novelist; co-director, Manifesto Club

Dr Taj Hargey
provost, Oxford Institute for British Islam

CHAIR
Inaya Folarin Iman
broadcaster and columnist; founder and director, The Equiano Project