9-11 damaged the status of Muslims in the United Kingdom Discuss Muslims in the UK before 11/09 Mass migration of Muslim population into the UK happened after WWII, in 50s, 60s, 70s. Due to destruction of the World War Two Britain needed rebuilding and a new labour. Government brought new workers from former colonial states, mainly from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. (1) Some other reasons, such as security in their homeland, brought migrants from Yemen, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt. This migration happened ‘silently’ and was accepted ‘silently’ by wide population in context of its religiosity. The UK was hospitable to Muslims prior 11/9. (2) Before 11/9 Muslims in the UK were largely ‘spotted’ only when publicly demonstrating against Salman Rushdie’s novel ‘The Satanic Verses’, together with demonstrations against the Gulf War. 11th September 2001 Osama Bin Laden, al-Qaida founder, declared in august 1996 holly war (jihad) on America, on its soil, its financial interests and on its military objects. (3) Four years later, on September 11th, 2001, happened the worst terrorist attack in modern time. Al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four airliners and crashed them, two of which crashed in the World Trade Centre buildings, killing 2,996 people. (4) These events changed much of the known world order and launched war on terror. Muslims became in spotlight of this war. After 11th September Events of 11TH September negatively affected many thigs about Islam and Muslims. Multi-religious, social and political engagement by Muslim population became under ‘microscope’. After 11th September media write more often, and report more frequently on Muslims. Newspapers were writing about Muslims before 11/09, but after this date, volume of these writings drastically changed. Here happened outburst of information about Muslims. Negative stories attracted more attention. Differences between Islam and British culture came into focus. (5) Media paid significant attention to Islamic extremism. This new approach towards Muslims brought new and restricted immigration policies. The old ones are now being revised. (6) Surveillance came into effect with tightened security policies. It changed Muslim community relations with others. All of this negatively changed status of Muslims in the UK and as a consequence brought Islamophobia, discrimination and finally violence against Muslims. 11/09 and new face of Islam Putting Muslims in focus, media are selecting which themes are correlative with Islam and Muslims and which themes will dominate in media. This approach gave great opportunity to radicals to express their opinion. They got real importance in western media and reduced power of voice of moderate Muslims. Together with media attention, radicals use freedom of expression, moving with no borders and religious freedom to spread their radical views and to gain more media attention and win new followers. Moderate Muslim scholars, instead of empowering multi-religious dialog and bringing positive western culture in Islam, have to distance themselves from radicals, to clean mess radicals leave after them. The shift of power change damaged the status of Islam itself and the status of Muslims in the UK. Radicals brought takfir (pronouncement of unbelief against someone (7)). They pronounce as infidels even some Muslim scholars for their ‘weakness’ in front of atheistic and secular state. Together with takfir radicals made calls for jihad (armed struggle against unbelievers) (8) One of important development after 11/09 is that Muslims became object of suspicion, on streets, in schools, at work. It is widespread perception of Islam as religion of intolerance and conquer. Muslims, especially Arab and black Muslims, are seen as source of security suspicion. Muslims are seen as treat to western values. Being suspicion made Muslims to ‘retreat’ and withdraw in their own communities. They got feeling of not being welcomed in politics, culture, education. From other side, some Muslim communities strengthened own communities focusing on themselves and isolating themselves even more. This development caused significant damage to the status of Muslims. Being Muslim women after 11/09 One of damages 11/09 events brought indirectly to the UK Muslims is perception of Muslim women. Muslims are mainly patriarchate communities focusing on what men can do and achieve. This was/is tradition by many Muslims through centuries. Muslim women suffered of male supremacy for long time. (9) Many Muslims brought their traditions to the UK and tradition towards women. Dominate scenes of Muslim women in the media are the one with hijab and niqab followed by stories of oppressiveness. Muslim women are portrayed as backward and decadent and Niqab (Burqa) is used as evidence. Some European countries banned (Austria, Swiss, France) Niqab and prescribed penalties for wearing Niqab. Hijab is seen as softer variant of Niqab. Women with Hijab are portrayed as religious, limited, without own choice, not fashionable and just after this can be smart, professional, educated etc. All this resulted in withdrawing of Muslim women. Consequently, Muslim women are largely (if not completely) out of politics, economics, cultural and social life. They are retreating in front of bad Muslim tradition and in front of community not ready to understand and accept different choice. At the end, the status of Muslim women is being double damaged. Phenomenon of Islamophobia, discrimination and violence Though Islamophobia (dislike and prejudice against Islam and Muslims (10)) appears in the UK before (11) 11/09, islamophobia gained its peak in years after 11/9 events. Soon after these events increased Islamophobic media reports on Islam and Muslims. Islam is being presented as barbaric, oppressive, treat, or backward. It is commonly understood that Islam inspires terrorists. Islamophobic media see all Muslims as one homogenous religious group. Fear of Islam and Muslims is mainly used for political purposes, sometimes social and even financial. (12) Islamophobia led to discrimination. According to a study (2017 September) from Social Mobility Commission, Muslims are discriminated at work. Only 19,8% Muslims aged 16-74 are in full-time employment, compared with 34.9% of others. (13) Islamophobia led to violence against British Muslims. Records show that whenever happens terrorist attacks, violence against Muslims increase. (14) One other study says that two-thirds of Pakistanis are being subjected to ‘intentional insults’. (15) References 1. Muslims in Britain. Gilliat-Ray, S. Cambridge University Press. 2010 2. Islam in the 21th Century. Islam and the Modern World. Wiley Blackwell. 2013 3. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Islamic World. Oxford Islamic Studies Online. DeLong-Bas. Natana J. "Bin Laden, Osama." 4. Matthew J. Morgan (August 4, 2009). The Impact of 9/11 on Politics and War: The Day that Changed Everything? Palgrave Macmillan 5. Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies Images of Islam in the UK The Representation of British Muslims in the National Print News Media 2000-2008 Kerry Moore, Paul Mason and Justin Lewis 7th July 2008 Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies Images of Islam in the UK The Representation of British Muslims in the National Print News Media 2000-2008 Kerry Moore, Paul Mason and Justin Lewis 7th July 2008 6. Muslims as minorities in the West. Aminah Beverly McCloud. Wiley Blackwell. 2013. 7. Oxford Islamic Studies Online. Ibrahim A. Karawan. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of The Islamic World. 8. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of Islam and Politics. Rudolph Peters, David Cook. 9. Muslima theology: the voices of Muslim women theologian. Ednan Aslan. Peter Lang Edition. 2013. 10. English Oxford Online Dictionary 11. Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All. Runnymede Trust Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia. Runnymede Trust, London. 1997. 12. Terrorism, Islamophobia, and the Media. An Introduction to Islam in the 21st Century. Edited by Aminah Beverly McCloud, Scott W. Hibbard, And Laith Saud. 13. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/07/islamophobia-holding-back-uk-muslims-in-workplace-study-finds 14. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/07/anti-muslim-hate-crimes-increase-fivefold-since-london-bridge-attacks 15. Multicultural Nationalism: Islamophobia, Anglophobia and devolution. Asifa M. Hussain and William L. Miller. Oxford Scholarship Online. 2006.