Trevor Phillips, the head of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) has stated that the debate on the issue of the niqab could lead to rioting in areas with a large Muslim population such as Burnley, Oldham and Bradford.  Mr Phillips is right to raise the very possible danger of a debate that up until now though shrill and exaggerated in nature turning into something more sinister.

The issues of integration, racial and religious attitudes are important and certainly should be discussed but with respect.  Unfortunately what could be an opportunity to allay fears of Muslims and non-Muslims alike is being squandered largely through the efforts of more extreme elements on both sides of the debate.

MPACUK have been all too aware of the social problems faced by Muslim communities because we have witnessed them first hand.  Areas of a town become known as “Muslim areas” and “non-Muslim areas”.  The northern mill towns are especially divided along such lines.  The Muslim areas tend to have populations with lower educational attainment, worse health statistics, higher unemployment and crime.  This is not a new issue but the timing of the debate occurs when many Muslims feel besieged by criticism from non-Muslims on a host of issues.  The subtext of this barrage is that Muslims are not to be trusted and that they don’t belong “here”.  Lack of social interaction with the non-Muslim population breeds misunderstanding leading to a cycle mistrust and resentment that reinforces itself.  This is a perfect breeding ground for two groups; the elements on the far-right such as the BNP and radical isolationists, two sides of the same coin. The BNP have long since changed their policy of targeting all non-whites to specifically targeting Muslims.  The majority of ordinary people in the middle want to get on with their lives without confrontation or some part in an epic clash of civilisations.  They want to live in areas that are crime free, with good schools for their children, with decent housing, good job opportunities and friendly neighbours.  These aspirations are not specific to one group.  Everyone has them but this is hardly ever enunciated in this increasingly shrill debate about Islam, Muslims and integration and everything our country holds dear.

The increasingly more desperate stories about Muslim cab drivers, policeman and dairy owners in the tabloids in particular, leave little room for rational consideration that this debate is not necessarily being conducted by two implacably opposed camps, that there may well be a spectrum of opinion within non-Muslims and Muslims.  They are not homogenous blocks hell bent on a clash.  One of the best things about living in a liberal democracy is that there is room for dissent, that disagreements can be aired without harming your opponent and the merits of an argument can be considered.

The problem is we aren’t having a rational debate about values, customs, tradition or respect.  We are having a series of increasingly irrational arguments about specific incidents.  These incidents are being highlighted by members from both camps as proof of incompatibility and yes there is much mischief making going on by people who frankly should know better.  Recently the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) took action to prevent the publication of an article in the Daily Star called “Daily Fatwa” which purported to show how the paper would “look” under sharia law.  This article would have been an attempt to do nothing other than raise the temperature of a debate that is already too hot.  The Daily Star is owned by pornographer Richard Desmond A.K.A “Dirty Des”.  Unfortunately the Daily Star is not the only paper seemingly determined to cause offence.  The Sun has been comparing women who wear the niqab with Darth Vader and deliberately conflating the wearing of the garment with proof of extremism.  It recently sent a “page 3 girl” to walk around in a niqab and have pictures taken with her together with such startling observations such as “I got stared at”.  It would be interesting to know what Anila Begg, the Sun’s token Muslim female columnist, makes of this stunt.

Despite such odious provocation, mainstream Muslims should respond in a dignified manner and not follow the far-right onto the streets and into the gutter.  Show the critics that we are law abiding, god fearing people.  That we value the notions of family, charity, knowledge and faith.  Show that we actually have much in common with non-Muslims, particularly the members of the other Abrahamic faiths, that devout does not equate with extremist and that we are attempting integrate.  Instead of ignoring the message that Trevor Phillips has highlighted, Muslims should take his warning as wake up call.  Muslims should advocate our views in a calm and reasoned manner.

We live in trying times but we are here to stay and so we must look to the future.