Saadia's Column

Questions on Integration (November 2003)

I’m one of those people who instinctively dislikes it when debates are titled “Are Islam and the West compatible?” because such titles make Islam seem like some alien eastern thing. I’ve grown up believing that Islam was not revealed merely for those in the East; it’s principles were meant to be applied anywhere in the world. But recently I’ve been wondering why Muslim communities have done such a poor job of integrating in many western countries.

Is it the religion that has prevented integration (i.e., a belief that adoption of the local culture would clash with religious values)? Or is it strong reluctance on the part of Muslim communities to abandon their original culture, even where religion doesn’t directly intervene? Or is it because western society does not make it easy for them to integrate, with racism playing a role and the mass media propagating unfavorable stereotypes?

But what does ‘integration’ mean? Ideally, in any society, diversity is a good thing—diversity of dress, language, customs, ideas. That’s what all the politicians say, at any rate. Each community, no matter how different—so long as its customs do not impinge upon the rights of others—should receive equal respect. But the fact is: Muslims have often been targeted just because they are different. A study recently quoted on the BBC website, about the increase in anti-Muslim sentiment after 9/11, concluded that one of the reasons for the animosity towards Muslims was their refusal to “integrate.” Now, Muslims in Britain have jobs, are paying taxes, send their children to school, respect other religions, and take part in national elections. The fact that they are still not perceived as having integrated can only mean one thing: that they are expected to become invisible; they should be indistinguishable outwardly as Muslims. In other words, they should probably drop customs and norms that serve to identify them as different.

How would Muslims feel about this? Islam is a lifestyle. Many Muslims draw the line where they think lifestyle clashes with religion, hence the reluctance for them to fully embrace their host culture. A friend who works in the UK can’t join in the drinking that takes place after office hours each evening. As a result, he feels his relationship with his colleagues has suffered. Muslim girls and boys in their teens are usually forbidden dating by their parents. This sets them apart among their school and college mates. Real, seemingly uncompromisable issues are involved here.

However, could little things make a difference? And is it worth pursuing these, or would it be against Muslim dignity? Names, for instance. What if Muslims stopped naming their American kids things like Sikandar and Yahya and instead switched to their English equivalents: Alexander or John? There would be nothing un-Islamic about doing so, and it would certainly make life easier for the kids. What if Muslim women switched from saris and shalwar kameez to some modest form of western attire? Would steps such as these be sufficient to satisfy those who think we haven’t integrated?

Religio-cultural issues aside, though, the attitude of Muslim immigrants could also be a factor in the lack of integration. Many Muslim immigrant parents just haven’t embraced the new western countries as their own. I think this sets them apart from other immigrant communities in a big way. For instance, in the US, several other immigrant communities fled to the country because they were desperate—on the verge of starvation, or being persecuted. They flung themselves into their new lives, their new country, with enthusiasm. This was their country now. Many Muslims, on the other hand, merely came for better economic opportunity. They haven’t tried to get involved in their western country of choice, and many do not really see it as ‘home.’ An unfortunate side effect of this attitude is the extremely low public presence of Muslims, in areas ranging from liberal arts to sports to politics. Muslims just haven’t become mainstream. They haven’t been able to put together an alternate public image to what the mass media generally churns out.

The extreme ignorance of many westerners on Islam also serves to heighten the idea that we can’t and don’t ‘integrate.’ It’s in our own self-interest to clear the misunderstandings. We need more TV programs that show western Muslims as ‘normal’ human beings, rather than shots of bearded men furiously muttering on their prayer mats. We need more Muslims to write letters to the editor clarifying blatant errors in fact that are often published regarding Islam. We need more Muslims involved in politics, law, and journalism. And we need a society that does not punish people just for being ‘different.’