Islam, Migration and Religious Pluralism
1. How migration has created multicultural societies, which include Islam, with particular
reference to migration by Muslims into the UK from 1950s onwards
• Absolute position = one that insists that there is a right view and a wrong view, and the two are
mutually exclusive
• Relativist position = argues that the rightness or wrongness of a view depends on where one
stands relative to that view
• Before 18th century the only non-Cristian religion that most Europeans had come into contact
with peacefully was Judaism
• Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims - 8 major crusade ex-
peditions took place
• By the 18th century Europeans knew more about other religions
• The issue of religious diversity became more prevalent in the 20th century with immigration in-
creasing
• Following Indian independence in 1947 many Indians and Pakistanis came to the UK
• UK became multicultural society
• First groups of Muslims to come in significant numbers to the UK came in 18th century and were
sailors recruited on British ships
• Largest group of Muslims in the UK are from Pakistani descent.
• Second largest group are Bangladeshi, they make up 15% of Muslim population in UK
• Somalis make up an estimated 101,000 of the population (figure from 2008), largest Somali
group in Europe
• Nigerian Muslims are concentrated in London and are at an estimated 14000 (figure from 2009)
2. The diversity within the Muslim community in Britain
• Christianity = 59.3% of population - down from 71.8% in 2001
• No religion = 25.1% of population - up 10.3% in 2001
• Islam = 4.8% of population - up 1.8% since 2001
3. Freedom of religion as a human right in European law and religious pluralism as a fea-
ture of modern secular states
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Article 18 = everyone has the right to freedom of
though, conscience and religion; freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom to worship
• European Law = The UDHR article 18 is confirmed and included in ECHR as Article 9
• British Law = Signatory of ECHRand 1988 Human Rights Act also includes freedom of religion
• Britain is pluralist and multiculturalist
• Two issues which have become controversial in UK:
• FGM
• Forced marriage
4. Emphasis on exclusivism; its basis in the Quran 3:85, attitudes within Islam to minority
Muslim groups
• Quran 3:85 “And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from
him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers”
• Islam is the one true faith - original and primordial faith
• Quran is final and unaltered word and revelation from Allah
• Certain Islamic nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran are more exclusivist towards other reli-
gions than others, such as Indonesia and Egypt
• Surah 5:3 “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you
and have approved for you Islam as religion”
• Previous religions and holy books contained errors and needed to be superseded with a perfect
message
• Exclusivists believe Islam is superior
• All born Muslim - revert not convert
• “There is no compulsion in religion” - Surah 2:256
• First centuries of Islam gave rise to Sunnis and Shias
1. How migration has created multicultural societies, which include Islam, with particular
reference to migration by Muslims into the UK from 1950s onwards
• Absolute position = one that insists that there is a right view and a wrong view, and the two are
mutually exclusive
• Relativist position = argues that the rightness or wrongness of a view depends on where one
stands relative to that view
• Before 18th century the only non-Cristian religion that most Europeans had come into contact
with peacefully was Judaism
• Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims - 8 major crusade ex-
peditions took place
• By the 18th century Europeans knew more about other religions
• The issue of religious diversity became more prevalent in the 20th century with immigration in-
creasing
• Following Indian independence in 1947 many Indians and Pakistanis came to the UK
• UK became multicultural society
• First groups of Muslims to come in significant numbers to the UK came in 18th century and were
sailors recruited on British ships
• Largest group of Muslims in the UK are from Pakistani descent.
• Second largest group are Bangladeshi, they make up 15% of Muslim population in UK
• Somalis make up an estimated 101,000 of the population (figure from 2008), largest Somali
group in Europe
• Nigerian Muslims are concentrated in London and are at an estimated 14000 (figure from 2009)
2. The diversity within the Muslim community in Britain
• Christianity = 59.3% of population - down from 71.8% in 2001
• No religion = 25.1% of population - up 10.3% in 2001
• Islam = 4.8% of population - up 1.8% since 2001
3. Freedom of religion as a human right in European law and religious pluralism as a fea-
ture of modern secular states
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Article 18 = everyone has the right to freedom of
though, conscience and religion; freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom to worship
• European Law = The UDHR article 18 is confirmed and included in ECHR as Article 9
• British Law = Signatory of ECHRand 1988 Human Rights Act also includes freedom of religion
• Britain is pluralist and multiculturalist
• Two issues which have become controversial in UK:
• FGM
• Forced marriage
4. Emphasis on exclusivism; its basis in the Quran 3:85, attitudes within Islam to minority
Muslim groups
• Quran 3:85 “And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from
him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers”
• Islam is the one true faith - original and primordial faith
• Quran is final and unaltered word and revelation from Allah
• Certain Islamic nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran are more exclusivist towards other reli-
gions than others, such as Indonesia and Egypt
• Surah 5:3 “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you
and have approved for you Islam as religion”
• Previous religions and holy books contained errors and needed to be superseded with a perfect
message
• Exclusivists believe Islam is superior
• All born Muslim - revert not convert
• “There is no compulsion in religion” - Surah 2:256
• First centuries of Islam gave rise to Sunnis and Shias
