I am surprised at the level of Islamophobia on Mumsnet

[Cyclebabble]

I have seen a number of threads on Mumsnet over the last couple of days that question relationships with Muslim men, Muslim Marriages and suggest that Islam is an extreme religion looking to take over the world. I am a Hindu (nominally at least), but come from a country where inter faith marriages are common and where I am friends with and related to a number of Muslims.

Guess what. They are all normal people just looking to get on with their lives, doing the best for their family and friends. They are good citizens and they harm no-one.

There is a building view on Mumsnet that Islam is dangerous, repressive and looking to take over the world. It is now different to any other religion, as are the people.

You talk about muslim marriages. Well, lots of these in the UK are not legal and offer no protection to women

Islam is dangerous, repressive and looking to take over the world.

In my ideal world, religion wouldn’t exist, all religion is to some extent dangerous, repressive and looking to take over the world. I do agree that that Islam seems to attract more negativity on here than other religions and I would say some of it falls into Islamophobia.

I agree OP
I am not blind to some of the issues within Muslim communities but a lot of these are Cultural not religious. I live in an area with Muslim Communities and grew up in one - I know there are areas where I may not feel comfortable and where I grew up there were places that white people were not welcomed. I lived near and worked in Bradford during the Rushdie Fatwa era and saw the rise of more militant Islamism.
So I am not coming from this as someone who grew up in a leafy white suburb of Surrey or similar BUT I have been absolutely horrifed at some of the attitudes on MN, the fear people have of a religion that is actually MORE peaceful than Christianity in its purest sense.
I have recently returned to MN after a 6 month break and there is definitely a shift in attitude towards Islam on here. I am not sure if its down to an general rise in The UK of Islamaphobia or whether MN is being targeted by certain groups.
As a religion Islam is no better or worse than any other (I am not keen on any of them to be honest) and while I agree that Islam seems to attract a lot of extremism and there is a backlash to that but I am still pretty horrified by som eof the posts and responses I see here
Lack of education, a refusal to integrate, treatment of women - all these are cultural and not prescribed in Islam

Totally agree op, its quite shocking the amount of posts I have seen lately!

Yabu to be surprised

im daughter of Indian immigrants who are both very ”British”. they have integrated into this country’s culture and people, adopted their traditions (x mas etc) and don’t impose their views on others. Sadly I can’t say the same for Muslims. 2 of my best friends are Muslim (they are like sisters to me and are in my will to receive ££ should I pass) but we live very different lives. I’m engaged to a white guy and we have had some cultural clashes ( move in before marriage etc) but these are NOTHING compared to the demands the Quran makes of Muslims. I’m all for multiculturalism (obviously, I think I’m the perfect example) but that’s not the ethos of my Muslim cousins.

I love this country but scared for its future.

There is far more Christianophobia on MN than anything else. I constantly see posts which mock Christianity and spout hatred. Nobody bats an eyelid. There is no push back. It's really shocking that such bigotry and hatred is alive and well in 2024 Britain!

Guess what. Christians are all normal people just looking to get on with their lives, doing the best for their family and friends. They are good citizens and they harm no-one.

I have met many Christians and have only ever experienced kindness and generosity!

This thread is about Islamaphobia.
Are you saying there isnt any? Or that there is but its Ok?
I am not sure of your point

That’s because it’s not “trendy” to support Christianity. People just like to blindly support all aspects of Islam because of all the calls or “racism” if you don’t. Christianity doesn’t have the same virtue signalling draw, sadly. Probably why so many Muslim men in Rotherham were allowed to get away with raping teenage white girls for as long as they were. Or why everyone is pouring out vocal support for Palestine, and ignoring some of the extremely dubious behaviour happening on these marches.

'Should i pass'.

I admire your optimism, my friend!

There has been a marked rise in anti-Islam propaganda in the press, so no wonder that has leaked onto MN as well.

There are also lots of 'bots' or similar posting at the moment, and those posts are pretty easy to spot.

The more people try to spread this hatred the more important it is to challenge it every single time.

I agree with you but I don't think it's something unique to Mumsnet. It exists all over the country - and in many other countries too. Remember when Trump banned Muslims from entering the country? I still can't believe that happened.
I live in an area with a high number of Muslims. I have many Muslim friends, colleagues etc. What I read said about them on Mumsnet, social media, news websites etc bears absolutely no resemblance to how they are. The Muslims I know are kind, hardworking, inclusive and chartitable people. Many give up their mornings to help at homeless shelters or go without birthday presents to donate to charity. If you believe what you read online you'd think Muslims are demanding that we don't say Christmas or they're offended by the Union Jack. Absolute nonsense. The Muslims I know respect our customs, sometimes send Christmas cards etc.
I'm forever shocked by the Islamaphobia here but eve more shocked by what I see abroad. I have a lot of family overseas and the anti-Muslim feeling is rampant and blatant.
I do wonder how all this hate affects Muslims. It must be incredibly demoralising.

How can you say Muslims haven't integrated with a straight face when your two best friends are Muslim and you are Hindu?

I obviously dont have the lived experience that you have but my take on it is that people with a religion tend to be more militant if they have come from somewhere where they have been a minority religion. I think the strictest Muslim family I met amongst DS friends were Kasmiri and had moved here to escape persecution.
I think that India isnt necessarily the easiest place to be Muslim and I am always shocked at the Islamaphobia I hear from some Indian people.

YABU for being surprised, unless you just arrived.

All the phobias and isms are rife here. Even when MN sets up separate boards / safe spaces, you’ll find them saturated with all kinds of vile shit.

There is absolutely no link whatsoever between the child abuse in Rotherham and other Northern cities and Islam.

The voting tells you all you need to know, as does the thread running about the demonstration in Germany.

YANB at all U, OP.

Eta: I think I might have misunderstood which way to vote! But to be clear, there is a lot of Islamophobia on MN.

My eyes were opened when my son and his girlfriend moved to a house in an area of Cardiff that had a high proportion of Muslims. They moved there so she could walk to her job at the Museum.

She is a very modestly dressed young woman and had to walk with her gaze downwards and was shouted at and insulted by Muslim men simply for being a non Muslim and not covering her hair.

I walked with her once and it was horrible.

Which area of Cardiff is this @DrJoanAllenby

Questioning aspects of a religion do not make you phobic. YABU for using that term.

Haha fair enough. Sorry without deep diving into my will I meant that should I pass before certain life events ie kids / home ownership / parents being alive.

The problem for me is that I don't know the difference between Islam and culture.

I am white British. All my ancestors for several generations are white British.

I grew up in a town with a substantial Muslim population.

A friend of mine was forced by her parents to leave the country at age 17 to go "home" and get married to someone they had chosen. I really struggle with that - I would not do that to my children. But I don't know enough about Islam to know if that is Islam or their culture.

I can buy books about Islam (and I do and have) and read them. I am also learning Arabic (fusha). But the books tend towards the anodyne (marriage ceremonies are like this, etc etc).

I also really struggle with the idea of forced Abaya/burka etc. I don't personally give a shit what people wear and in fact I have an Islamic swimming costume because I do wild swimming and it helps keep me warm

But I really don't like the idea of punishing women like Iran and Saudi do if they are not wearing what is deemed "appropriate" clothing.

Sorry if that is Islamphobic.

I'm sad to say this but the most islamaphobic people I know are Indian - and yes I do understand the history between Indians and Muslims.
I've married an Indian man who is in no way islamaphobic. However, I can't say the same for his family they're constantly circulating videos on WhatsApp that look like they were made by the BNP and are full of blatant lies. They constantly say "Muslims are taking over the world Muslims are evil."
When I look at what's happening to Muslims in India under Modi's rule I feel sick to my stomach. The harassment and intimidation of Muslims trying to live peaceful lives is horrifying. The blatant restrictions of their rights and the violence against them is outrageous. Why are Indians not up in arms about this?!

You are kidding right ? like this is a joke. Surely. Please provide examples coz I think you are living in a made up world.

I live in london and you can’t move more pro Palestine flags and marches. There have been notables rises in anti-semitism with Muslims being protected under freedom of speech. It’s disgusting

People who are bigoted against one minority tend to not just hate that one single group. It bleeds over into a hatred of most other groups to a greater or lesser extent as the core belief tends to be that otherness is wrong.

When Mumsnet decided to make itself a safe haven for transphobes they opened the door for people to feel comfortable letting our their bigotry against one group and since that went unchallenged it's now bleeding out into the wider boards against other groups too.

Those who can't stand seeing bigotry mostly left the site and all that remains now is mostly the bigots and those for whom bigotry is not a deal breaker. Similar is happening now on twitter.