A recent survey by Whitestone Insight for the Institute on the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) found that 70% of British Muslims identify primarily with their religious identity, with only about 25% identifying most strongly with their British/English identity. This trend is particularly pronounced among younger Muslims (85% of 18-24 year olds).
The article suggests several reasons for this finding. The centrality of Islam in the lives of many British Muslims, including the concept of the Ummah (global Islamic community), plays a significant role. However, the author notes that many British Muslims, especially those born in the UK, are integrated in terms of education and employment, engaging in social mixing outside their religious group.
Despite this, the author argues that many law-abiding, socially conservative British Muslims find that integrating into mainstream British society is undesirable due to factors such as:
These factors lead some British Muslims, particularly younger, politically engaged individuals, to prioritize their religious identity and feel alienated from mainstream British society.
The author concludes that the idea of “diversity is our strength” feels increasingly hollow in the face of these complex societal issues. The author, a British Muslim of Bangladeshi origin, expresses concern that political leaders lack an understanding of how to address these challenges.
A new survey of British Muslims has provided much food for thought on how to view the matters of demography, culture and identity in modern Britain.
The Whitestone Insight polling conducted on behalf of the Institute on the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) found that seven in 10 British Muslim respondents identified with their religious identity first and foremost – with around a quarter identifying most strongly with their British/English national identity.
This is not necessarily a surprise, especially when one considers the centrality of Islam to the lives of many British Muslims, including the concept of the Ummah (global Islamic community). But the fact that younger British Muslims are more likely to identify as “Muslim first” than their elders – peaking at 85 per cent for 18-to-24-year-olds – burns a hole in the theory that “minority identities” subside over the generations. It appears the opposite is taking place regarding British Muslims.
The reality is that many British Muslims – especially those born in the UK – have integrated in terms of education and employment. They will tend to have higher rates of “social mixing” outside their own ethnic and religious group, especially when compared to foreign-born parents or grandparents.
Is it any wonder that some don’t want to integrate? Perhaps the most significant development in modern Britain is that many law-abiding Muslim social conservatives – including those who are born on these islands, well-educated and making headway in the labour market – have reached the view that “integrating” into mainstream Britain is not desirable and a certain degree of “insulation” is preferable in the shape of conventional Islamic morality.
Integration in modern Britain is a double-edged sword. As Britain’s Muslim population has become more integrated, it has also been more exposed to the reality that they live in a society characterised by high levels of family breakdown, intergenerational disconnection and a fundamental loss of community spirit – against a backdrop of fast-paced secularisation and rampant material individualism.
The growing disregard of the sanctity of life – whether it is abortion or assisted dying – would alienate the most liberal of Muslims. Previous research by the IIFL found that three in five British Muslims believe that most Brits prioritise their individual interests over their own family and local community – perhaps they have a point?
And many young, politically-engaged, British Muslims – who will have higher expectations of their democracy when compared to foreign-born elders who are naturally grateful after leaving conflict-affected, unstable and impoverished places of origin – will be left disillusioned by the perceived lack of solidarity with Palestine among the political establishment. Some may even consider it to be a betrayal, which will only raise the salience of their religious identity.
As a patriotic British Muslim of Bangladeshi origin, none of this fills me with pleasure. The portrait of modern Britain is becoming an increasingly complicated one – “diversity is our strength” rings hollower by the day. And it seems like none of our political leaders has the faintest idea on how to navigate the choppy waters we find ourselves in.
Dr Rakib Ehsan is the author of Beyond Grievance
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