Criticism of Islam is a protected belief

[theilltemperedmaggotintheheartofthelaw]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15272771/Criticism-Islam-ruled-legally-protected-belief-man-banned-fined-thousands-pounds-social-media-posts.html

I wasn't able to find the judgment. There'll be a hearing in February but it's not clear to me whether claimant's beliefs have already been tested for Grainger compliance. Either way, the tribunal will (also) have to address objectionable manifestation (Bananarama doctrine).

I've raised it here because of the parallels with Forstater. It's a constant refrain of TRAs that permitting Forstater belief is tantamount to attacking GR as a protected characteristic. They do not understand secularism (or the SC ruling).

Of course the situation is not the same insofar as Islam has not been written into our law and Muslims don't expect the rest of us to follow its rules.

Article 9, anyone?

She grew up in Somalia but also lived in Saudi Arabia. At one point she was an Islamic teacher and scholar. She knows her stuff. She eventually sought asylum in the Netherlands after seeking to escape an arranged marriage and became involved in politics. She has written an excellent series of memoirs ( The Caged Virgin, Nomad, Infidel). She still lives with heightened security - though now in the U.S

I don't think secularism, religion, or even democracy, are enough to stop that happening again. Since the War, we've pinned our hopes on a shared understanding of what constitutes basic human rights. Enforcement is another matter.

There's also the story of the girl in Canada who was hit by her stepfather for not memorising the Quran, but the judge sent her back to him because this was normal in "their culture".

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210905876-unveiled

The law on smacking children has changed since then, so I'd like to think this wouldn't happen today, but, still...

Sayan Hirsi Ali worked on the documentary which got Theo van Gogh killed in Amsterdam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submission_(2004_film)
She has now converted to Christianity, so the most deranged atheists now no longer like her - proof that idiocy and fanaticism can be found in every camp.

And a colleague of hers was shot in the head for making a film which was critical of Islam.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/nov/02/filmnews.islam

I know several women who escaped from Iran back in the 80s (one was my best friend at the time) and subsequently became Christians here in the UK. I also know of a couple of men who did the same. a lot were escaping them. They don't have anything good to say about Islam. My friend lost 2 of her brothers to the regime (they were 'political prisoners' who were later executed.)

@GentleSheep I am not religious, but I'd say it's wrong to conflate Iranian fanatics with, I don't know, someone like London Mayor Sadiq Khan. There are many reasons to dislike Khan and and he sure has many flaws, but he remains a moderate left-wing liberal, not a fanatic.

Just like you cannot conflate these crazy American Christian pastors with the loads of Christians who are not fanatics.

Well yes. Not every Muslim or Christian (or whatever) is going to become a 'fanatic' or extremist. But in the case of Islam it's the shadow of Sharia law that could possibly become a reality in the future if the population of Muslims outstrips other faiths. However I expect there would be Muslims, particularly women, who would not welcome that in this country. I just hope it never comes to pass!

I think the issue comes when you have entire countries brutalised by these fanatics and some of the fanatics are here in the UK and Europe and trying to kill us.

France is currently remembering the victims of the Bataclan massacre and has foiled a new terrorist plot by the girlfriend of the surviving terrorist.

The craziest American pastors are not as murderous and determined as the Islamic fanatics.

From the BBC - apologies for the source but hopefully this is reasonably honest.

A former girlfriend of the only jihadist to survive the November 2015 attacks has been arrested on suspicion of plotting her own violent act.
The woman - a 27 year-old French convert to Islam named as Maëva B - began a letter-writing relationship with Salah Abdeslam, 36, who is serving a life sentence in jail near the Belgian border following his conviction in 2022.
When prison guards discovered that Abdeslam had been using a USB key containing jihadist propaganda, they traced its origin to face-to-face meetings that the prisoner had with Maëva B.
Detectives then looked into Maëva B's own computer and telephone, where they found evidence she may have been planning a jihadist attack, and on Monday she was placed under judicial investigation along with two alleged associates.
With France commemorating 10 years since the worst attack in its modern history, the arrest has focused minds on the enemy that never went away.
Six plots have been thwarted this year, says Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, and the threat level remains high.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6291204278o

The craziest American pastors are not as murderous and determined as the Islamic fanatics.

Yes exactly.

Khan denied the existence of grooming gangs in London and has a very misogynistic attitude to women.

@Bangbangwhizzbang The whole left played down the issue of the grooming gangs because they didn't want to be seen as racist. Of course it angers me a lot, but it's to do with certain extremism within the left, more than with his religion.

In what other ways was Khan misogynistic?

The recently published Sara Sharif report is horrifying. Details that healthcare workers were anxious about to ask about her wearing the hijab through fear of causing offence, that neighbours were too anxious to report for fear of being called racist and that the hijab was actually used as a way to hide bruising. Worryingly the report appears to blame "white fragility" for the reluctance of others to be involved.

"This occupational therapist recalls seeing Sara as she was keeping the younger children quiet and calm. She noted that Sara was the only person wearing a hijab but did not think this was unreasonable at the time although she has reflected that she may have been reticent to talk about it for fear of causing offence."

"It was within this context that the decision of Sara to start wearing the hijab in 2021 took place. She was eight years old. The school showed appropriate curiosity by talking to Sara and Stepmother and accepted the explanation that this was linked to Sara’s interest with Pakistani culture following a visit to her paternal grandparents in Pakistan. Expert advice given to the review by the local Muslim community suggests that it would have been highly unusual for such a young child to decide to wear the hijab without either members of their family or peers doing the same. The need for easy access to such advice for all practitioners who may lack knowledge about the impact of race/culture/religion on children is an area for further discussion within Surrey and is explored further in finding six. We now know that the wearing of the hijab did, in the later period of Sara’s life, hide bruising and injuries to her face and head."

"The neighbours of the family spoke to both the criminal investigation and the review, saying that they were worried about reporting concerns about what they heard within the family’s home. They feared being branded as being racist, especially on social media."

https://surreyscp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SS-CSPR-SSCP-Report-for-publication-13.11.25.pdf

He's more worried about the rights of men in dresses than women.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/trans-women-supreme-court-ruling-khan-b2756071.html

Agree @Signalbox unfortunately there's substantial evidence that female ethnic minority violence victims are less likely to be taken seriously by authorities and more likely to be victims of serious violence.

With Sara rather than "respecting her belief" it also shows a lack of any understanding.

Muslims girls/women only wear hijab in front of unrelated men. There is absolutely no reason for her to be hiding her hair in front of a female teacher or social worker who also could have asked her to take it off in private.

Unfortunately it's very likely though if one had they would have been accused of racism.

Or if it turned out to be innocuous (which based on the info they had may have been, safeguarding is risk management) may even have lost their jobs.