Voice of British Muslim Women

‘Islam’ and ‘the West’ have long been pitted against each other. Western society being censured for its material temptations and so-called progressive principles by one camp. Meanwhile Islam is branded an oppressive, backwards religion out of touch with and out of place in a modern, dynamic Western society by the other. As a British Muslim woman, this may seem like a lot to contend with. In reality, however, I have found that growing up and living as a Muslim in a western society has had a positive impact on how I understand and practice my faith.

Being in my mid-20s, I was lucky enough to grow up in a tolerant and accepting, if a little wary, society that offered safety and freedom of religious expression. In addition to religious freedom, British society has given me the opportunity for higher education and a place in the workforce, protection from debilitating poverty and provision of free healthcare. Because of this I have been able to be live and prosper as a Muslim in the West.

So yes, living in a Western country offers us the freedom to be Muslim but it is up to the individual to utilise this freedom for their spiritual benefit. The absence of a prominent Muslim culture in the West requires believers to take personal responsibility and control of the day to day fulfilment of our Islamic duties. The challenge is that we must do this knowing that it will create a degree of discernible separate-ness from society. Every day I go out to work, hijab gingerly pinned, overcoat billowing in the wind and I’m different. I get a notification on my phone 5 times a day to alert me of Prayer times and I need to excuse myself to pop out in order to Pray. During Ramadan I continue to go to work, hungry and sleepy; and I follow all the halal food accounts on Instagram. Being so obviously out of the norm, whilst difficult, can be beneficial for our faith. It means that our expression of faith and acts of worship are more deliberate, we develop increased self-awareness and the ability to reflect and improve Islamic practices.

Not only must we be conscious of ourselves but also to the reaction that society has towards us. Muslim women are often in the firing line of Western media; that tends to consider modest dress as restrictive and Islamic gender rules as oppressive. Islam generally is regarded as an over-strict and unrelenting religion. Many Western governments have banned the wearing of face veils in the name of liberation of women and national security. These criticisms of Islam by Western society have only emboldened me to hold on to my hijab and maintain my modesty. It has inspired me to dig deeper into Islamic literature to discover and understand why Islam instructs certain behaviours and a particular lifestyle. So that in the face of criticism and questions I am able to defend my religion and my choices with confidence rather than shrink away and succumb to the pressure of society.

In his Friday Sermon on the 13th of January 2017, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad stated:

“…pay attention to God Almighty’s teachings. Instead of getting influenced by the world and walking behind them, you should make the world follow you”

As Ahmadi Muslim women living in a Western, secular nation we are ambassadors of our faith and have a duty to uphold and demonstrate the true teachings of Islam, those of peace and service to humankind. In order to do this, we must ensure that we are informed about the principles of our faith and have a deeper understanding of the teachings of Islam. We must be proud and confident in the practice of our faith and remain unwavering in the face of questions and criticism.