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For some English Muslim Women the term integration may sound not relevant to their positions |
The European Muslims Section introduces this debate * between Bashy Quraishy and Ajmal Masroor over whether integration is the best form of interaction between European Muslims and the more secularized public domains in Europe. We asked our audience to send us their feedback. An English Muslim, Rachel Babar, has sent us her commentary emphasizing that she finds the term integration not relevant to her position as an English woman.
As-salamu `alaykum,
As a Muslim native English person, married to a person whose parents come from two different cultures again (Spain/Pakistan), and with three little girls who look English but whom we are trying to bring up Muslim, this is a subject close to my heart.
However, I have a problem with the term integration because it isn't relevant to me. I don't see why I have to integrate because I am culturally English even though I am completely Muslim. I have two more friends in this same small town who are in the same position. Right now we switch and mix the foods, clothes, ideas, and attitudes of the different cultures (Muslim/non-Muslim) as long as they are consistent with Islam, and we enjoy the extra dimensions added to our English backgrounds and diet by our contacts with our Pakistani or Arabic friends.
But our long-term dream is of the development of a distinctively English Islamic culture, and I enjoy imagining to myself what forms it would take. I am optimistic that in the long term this can happen, but there are still many hurdles to get over although I think they are all solvable by time. Especially if the Muslim community becomes confident that it is here to stay, that it has something that post-Christian Britain needs desperately — a religion that solves the problems yet has the same teachings of the Biblical prophets (peace be upon them and upon all the righteous servants of God).
As ties with the old countries weaken as each new generation appears, let's start exploring ways of intermingling with the English community's traditional networks outside the Church or pub — like drama or art or music or athletic clubs or Guides or Scouts, etc. for kids. If the activities aren't suitable for Muslims, let's tell them why and let's try to explore ways in which they can be adapted. One family can't do it alone, but a whole series of families could.
Let's not just barricade the doors and act like we are under siege to the problems in English culture, but open them wide and start suffusing into the English culture in the manner of the first Muslims in Asia, Turkey, Spain or Africa.
Think long term and work for the flowering of a rich, authentically Muslim, distinctively English Islam in a few hundred years, and dream of a time when England becomes Muslim bi idhni Allah (with the prmission of Allah).
Wa as-salam,
Rachael Babar
rachael_babar@yahoo.co.uk
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