Voice of British Muslim Women

Nadia Ghauri, Oxford

The ‘West’ is a nebulous concept; at times glorified as a model of modern civilisation, and at others, denigrated as superficial and morally corrupted. I grew up in a small, rural city in southern England. Naturally, as a Muslim of Pakistani heritage I would feel out of place in a city that was anything but diverse. Navigating my faith in a western culture has posed numerous dilemmas that have been at the crux of my personal jihad; a term grossly misconstrued as a bloodthirsty battle, but which in fact refers to a person’s internal self-improvement.

Multiple facets of western society have challenged my faith and forced me to think about the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of certain ways of acting, dressing or expressing myself in accordance to Islamic teachings. One salient feature of British society for many years now is its deeply ingrained consumerism and the declining importance given to religion. While the UK is a nominally Christian country, the growth of secularism has been described as ‘unabated’ by a recent survey. Between 1983 and 2019, the number of people who identified themselves as Christian dropped significantly from 66% to 38%[i] . This coincided with a rise in materialism and a culture that attaches value to money-making and worldly pursuits. I frequently stumble across a new ‘must have’ fashion staple, another DIY lip filler or a social media ‘influencer’ swearing by a flat tummy tea or weight loss lollipops. Society is insidiously influencing our notions of how we should look and what it means to be ‘female’. Brands are capitalising on sources of insecurity such as body shape. The lack of representation of Muslims in the media and the general absence of Muslims in my hometown made me reflect upon the concept of hijab and whether or not I should cover myself. In many ways, the unrealistic expectations of femininity that I am surrounded by, actually pushed me to take on the hijab. ‘Hijab’ literally means ‘barrier’ in Arabic, and is a way of combatting these societal pressures. His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad captures this particular struggle:

“If you live in a society where a certain instruction of Allah is looked down upon or mocked, but you continue to follow God’s command then you will attain even more blessings and rewards from Him on account of your steadfastness…in this society you will surely be greatly rewarded for observing the proper standards of Hijab.”[ii] 

As part of my studies, I had the valuable opportunity to live in the Muslim majority country of Jordan. One memorable experience was hearing the call to Prayer five times a day from mosques located at almost every street corner. This, of course, made it far easier for me to be punctual in my Prayers, whilst the celebratory banners and lights adorning the city during Ramadan created a sense of shared experience. Now back in the UK, this is no longer the case. Practicing my faith can be more demanding here, but by the same token, more rewarding.

Another point I would like to touch upon is how western media is often driven by sensationalism, producing headlines that grab public attention and make money. This has led to the distortion of Islam in the British media and made me more self-aware. I sometimes have to counter peoples’ questions and stereotypes regarding my Muslim identity. When I moved out of my home for university, I suddenly found myself uprooted from the warmth and comfort of my Islamic household and in an environment that was sometimes completely at odds with my faith. Although I still have much to improve upon, my circumstances have made me actively choose to cover my hair, observe my Prayers, attend Friday Prayers whenever I can. Navigating the norms of the ‘West’ has helped me to understand my faith better. However, I also appreciate how living in British society gives me the freedom to express my religious identity, physically and verbally; a human right which should not be taken for granted. Wherever I may be however, my ultimate source of reassurance is found in God’s words:

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ

“…and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein.” (50:17)

[i] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/11/uk-secularism-on-rise-as-more-than-half-say-they-have-no-religion

[ii] http://www.pressahmadiyya.com/press-releases/2014/10/lajna-imaillah-uk-ijtema-concludes-in-london-with-address-by-hazrat-mirza-masroor-ahmad-aba/