A new Report called "Time for Change: Report on the Future of the Study of Islam and Muslims in Universities and Colleges in Multicultural Britain" was launched recently in the Dinsdale Young Room of Central Hall Westminster, London.
The report was prepared by Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi and Professor Malory Nye from the Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Dundee, who are two of the UK's leading experts in the study of Islam and Muslims.
"Islamic Studies in Britain's higher education establishments are failing to meet the needs of a 21st century multicultural society," that is one of the major findings of a two-year research Report published in 2006 and written by two of the UK's leading experts in the study of Islam and Muslims.
The report has examined 55 higher education departments and centres currently offering courses in the study of Islam and Muslims looking to see if they are "relevant to contemporary multicultural British society."
In this connection, it may be mentioned that Arabic and Islamic studies were established in the UK 250 years ago. The earliest Chairs of Arabic were Oxford in 1640 and Cambridge in 1660.
The authors pose two questions? Is it right to say that Islamic Studies can only be pursued by Muslims? And does Islamic Studies require a Muslim Institution? The report's answer to these is a very definite no.
The Report says there is an urgent need for a new agenda to develop Islamic Studies into the Study of Islam and Muslims to challenge both the more traditional approaches that were often faith based and excluded non-Muslims and the Orientalist approaches that often alienated Muslims.
There are over 1.5 million members of the Muslim community living in the UK. They are the largest non-Christian grouping and one of the most misunderstood. In recent weeks Home Secretary John Reid has warned parents of young Muslims to watch out for creeping fundamentalism and the Leader of the House of Commons, Jack Straw caused controversy by saying he would prefer Muslim women not to cover their faces (Niqab).
The Report said, "With a population of over 1.5 million British Muslims now living in multicultural UK they are the largest non-Christian grouping; and yet the last report related to Islamic Studies was commissioned by the Government over 40 years ago."
In this connection, it may be mentioned that the three major reports commissioned in the past were? The Reay Committee in 1909, The Scarborough Committee in 1947 and The Hayter Committee in 1961.
The main focus of their document is to examine the study of Islam and Muslims in Britain and map out how this field needs to be developed. Turnig to the performance of current departments and centres in the UK providing programmes in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Middle Eastern Studies and Religious Studies it argues that the current crisis is not caused by lack of funding, instead it says there are a number of clear problems including.
Departments not focusing on the needs of 21st century multicultural Britain instead concentrating on out of date and irrelevant issues. Some departments choosing local Imams and religious leaders as lecturers for "political correctness".
Evidence of some departments failing to replace experts in Islamic Studies. Lack of clarity on where and how the subject should be taught. Many Muslim institutions focusing on their own political links and agendas to serve their own needs and not those of multicultural Britain.
According to Professor El-Awaisi, "I want to stress that our report only looks at one aspect? The role of education, particularly higher education, to address issues surrounding the study of Islam and Muslims by people of all backgrounds in multicultural Britain.
The report states that "there are some deeply embedded issues within our society regarding Islam and Muslims, of stereotyping, hostility, Islamophobia and misunderstanding? There needs to be appreciation that Muslims are no longer 'others' they are part of the fabric of British society."
It goes on to say, "It is also clear most British non-Muslims do not 'get' Islam, and they do not understand what makes Muslims 'tick.' Many British communities, including British Muslims, have failed to understand each other and have failed to engage effectively in Multicultural Britain. There is mutual incomprehension and this can only be addressed by education."
"Time for change" Report claims that current education structures are "letting down" Muslims who were born and brought up in Britain and it goes on to say, "The most favoured option so far of Muslim schools and colleges set up and run by Muslims for Muslims for educating Islamically is NOT the answer to these difficult questions. The agenda needs to be much more challenging than that for all involved."
The authors of the Report argue that "Multiculturalism is not about separatism, ghettoisation or balkanisation, it is instead recognition of diversity, the need for common ground, mutual respect and cultural engagement."
Professor El-Awaisi's "call for a new agenda is timely and necessary to prevent the misguided and narrow interpretation of Islam which is the source of so many problems in our multicultural society. It is only through multicultural education we can work to eliminate extremism and fundamentalism," said Professor El-Awaisi.
The report's authors also state that they recognise not everyone will agree with their recommendations but they hope it will act as a catalyst for debate. To widen the debate, they are organising a national symposium to discuss issues raised in the report to be held in Dundee early this year.
The authors argue that in today's multicultural Britain, the field of study must be open to bring together people of all backgrounds, something they have been doing for the past five years at Al-Maktoum Institute in Dundee.
The Report identifies the Key issues of multiculturalism, globalisation, colonialism and Muslims in the west and how these must set the agenda for the field to meet these new challenges in the 21st century. Accordingly, it argues that Britain needs to set up a new agenda for the study of Islam and Muslims among its higher educational establishments.
"Time for Change" Report concludes with a series of recommendations for action, including: Priority should be given to producing the next generation of young British nationals (of all background) as scholars in the study of Islam and Muslims.
There is a need to have a focus on the Study of Islam as a religion. In particular, the core Muslim sources and approaches should be studied academically within the context of multicultural higher education institutions.
There should be a separate RAE panel in the field of the Study of Islam and Muslims. Islamic Studies should be separated from Theology and Religious Studies and Middle Eastern Studies and be established in its own right as the Study of Islam and Muslims.
This report urges scholars in the field of the Study of Islam and Muslims to establish a new professional cross-cultural academic body for the field. This new professional body may be called, for example, the British Association for the Study of Islam and Muslims (BASIM).
Muslim institutions should focus on training British Muslim Imams and Muslim religious leaders who understand how to live in multicultural Britain. Some Muslim institutions should be encouraged to integrate more actively into the British higher education system, particularly on issues of quality assurance and multicultural engagement with the wider society.
As a matter of urgency the Government should commission a study on Muslim institutions, ie schools, colleges, and institutions, and their place in the development of Islam and Muslims as an integral part of multicultural British society.
Priority should be given to provide training for the next generation of British nationals (of all backgrounds) to take up posts at British universities. Professor Nye concluded, "All those who participate in the development of this area of higher education have the responsibility to respond to the new realities of contemporary multicultural Britain. We must ensure the integration of all aspects of society within these debates and also recognise the need to make the understanding of Islam and Muslims a mainstream part of the curricular."
- The Muslim World