London Diary: Muslims and nationality

Few issues infuriate Indian Muslims greater than being requested whether or not they regard themselves as Muslims first, or Indian first.

They see the query as a sly try to query their patriotism. An Islamophobic slur. “What nonsense! After all, Indian first,” they’d retort.

British Muslims, nonetheless, are extra upfront and freely admit that their religion takes priority over their nationality. No “ifs” and “buts”.

At the least, that is what they instructed a research commissioned by Institute for the Affect of Religion in Life (IIFL).  

Most of them mentioned that their spiritual id was extra treasured to them than their Britishness.

That is significantly true of younger Muslims whereas the older era for causes which aren’t clear is extra more likely to establish as primarily British.

Nevertheless, based on IIFL, the findings shouldn’t be learn as a mirrored image on their patriotism. It is an expression of their sense of “exclusion from mainstream notions of Britishness”.

These within the 12 to 27 years of age–the so-called “Gen Z”–are mentioned to be extra delicate to what they regard as “damaging” notion of their religion, ethnicity and life-style.

“The identification as Muslim first was not about not eager to establish as British, nor something doctrinal demanding loyalty to Islam first. As a substitute it was about not feeling welcomed to establish as British first,” mentioned Charlotte Littlewood, the IIFL’s director of analysis.

In the meantime, the Muslim World League (MWL), one the world’s most influential Islamic organisations, has warned that the battle in Gaza has “exacerbated” divisions between Muslims and non-Muslims, which may then enable extremism to breed on each side.

For all this, nonetheless, most British Muslims view the UK as a extra “accommodating” nation than its European neighbours, and really feel freer to overtly establish as Muslim than they’d in France.

Most would like to stay within the UK than in a Muslim-majority nation, whereas 77 per cent consider it is very important “elevate youngsters to be residents who make constructive contributions to British society”.

There is a phrase for this type of leaning each methods: having the most effective of each worlds. And why not?

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“Alarming” pupil visa abuse 

There was an alarming rise in abuse of pupil visa by worldwide students regardless of a authorities crackdown. And many of the culprits occur to return from the subcontinent and Nigeria.

Residence Secretary Yvette Cooper was shocked to find the size of the abuse whereas reviewing the working of the dysfunctional asylum system. 

She was instructed that “hundreds” of international college students who got here to the UK legally however overstayed their short-term visas have managed to stay within the UK by trying to hunt asylum claiming that it’ll not be protected for them to return to their nation both due to their political opinions, faith, life-style selections or gender.

Final 12 months 16,000 asylum claims have been reportedly lodged by migrants who initially got here to the UK on a research visa.

“1000’s of them have been capable of declare taxpayer-funded lodging together with inns by claiming they lacked the funds to hire some place themselves,” The Occasions reported.