If you look around in western societies, but also in some others, the stereotype of the "oppressed Muslim woman" is unfortunately easy to find. We are seemingly oppressed by everything: clothes, brains, language, and most notably, we even oppress ourselves simply by daring to exist as Muslim women. The notion of oppressed Muslim women is one of the key pillars of Islamophobia – structural, as well as everyday and casual, anti-Muslim hatred.
This trope is deeply entrenched and hard to shift. I know this because I’ve been trying for 20 years and, sadly, I could write the same articles now that I used to decades ago. I could even publish the same memoir I wrote 15 years ago, Love in a Headscarf. But at least I can say that there is a public tussle over its prevalence and the methods to dismantle it. At least we talk about the trope.
What we don’t talk enough about is its partner-in-crime stereotype: the "violent Muslim man", or how to dismantle it. The two go hand in hand, the stereotypical violent Muslim man, and therefore, the oppressed Muslim woman.
This line of thinking is everywhere, communicated in both subtle and overt ways. And paradoxically – or perhaps deliberately – it’s being advanced to greater levels during November, which in the UK is Islamophobia Awareness Month. The paradox here is stark: while we aim to raise awareness about Islamophobia, the very stereotypes that perpetuate it are being amplified in mainstream media and political discourse.
The trope of the "violent Muslim man" – with its roots all the way back to the Middle Ages, the Crusades and then built on by colonial-era stereotypes of Muslims as "backwards" and driven by the sword – has evolved in modern times into a powerful tool for vilifying Muslims.
While we aim to raise awareness about Islamophobia, the very stereotypes that perpetuate it are being amplified in mainstream media and political discourse
Such stereotypes often surface in immigration debates, where Muslim immigrants are portrayed as violent infiltrators, or in high-profile cases of crime and conflict, where only Muslim perpetrators are highlighted. For example, incidents involving Muslim immigrants are disproportionately amplified in western media, painting entire communities as security threats.
Meanwhile, Muslim-majority countries facing conflict are often depicted as inherently violent societies, which reinforces the stereotype on a global scale and serves to justify exclusionary immigration policies and restrictive laws specifically targeting Muslims.
We saw this play out over the summer in the UK far-right riots, painting asylum-seekers, Muslims and refugees as inherent threats to justify violence against them (the irony!), as well as events in the Middle East and around the world dehumanising Muslim men.
Sadly, there are violent Muslim men, just like there are violent men everywhere. Male violence is a global problem, whether in South Korea, where women are leading the 4B movement to divest from men, or in the US, where the MeToo movement has exposed the prevalence of sexual violence, or even in the UK, where too many news headlines are about domestic violence. From the Taliban erasing women’s rights to the daily violence women face in domestic spaces, male violence shows up everywhere.
But this universal reality cannot and should not be pinned on one group of men, nor be framed as a Muslim-only phenomenon. And the irony is that quite often men criticising Muslim men for being violent have records of abuse and violence themselves.
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One real-life version of this is lists I see suddenly popping up everywhere on social media of "terror attacks" exclusively by Muslims, but no reference to all the many and varied acts of war, domestic violence, persecution, murder and many more happening all over the world and by all types of people.
The "violent Muslim man" stereotype diverts attention away from the universality of male violence. By focusing on a singular, racialised and religiously motivated view of violence, we dilute the efforts needed to tackle this epidemic of violence on a broader scale. Because many living in the West have been conditioned to see Muslim men as the ultimate threat, the opportunity to address this issue in a consistent way is all too often completely missed.
It becomes harder to address the root causes of aggression and oppression that exist across cultures. The cycle perpetuates itself, making it even more difficult for society to work towards a world where all violent men are held accountable for their actions, and where no man is defined by the violence he is falsely presumed to carry within.
The "oppressed Muslim woman" stereotype can be addressed through proactive actions: we can speak up and we can demonstrate control over our own lives. But to dismantle the accusation of being violent requires being passive.
I can’t imagine the harm it does to the mental health of even the most law-abiding, peace-loving Muslim men. This is particularly so when there is a feeling of helplessness and a sense that they can never escape damaging stereotypes, regardless of their individual character.
If we are truly committed to dismantling Islamophobia, we must confront this head-on, while also acknowledging the universality of the problem of male violence. Only then can we begin to address these issues in a way that promotes justice, equality and safety for all.
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The five pillars of Islam
PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
1 Man City 26 20 3 3 63 17 63
2 Liverpool 25 17 6 2 64 20 57
3 Chelsea 25 14 8 3 49 18 50
4 Man Utd 26 13 7 6 44 34 46
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5 West Ham 26 12 6 8 45 34 42
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6 Arsenal 23 13 3 7 36 26 42
7 Wolves 24 12 4 8 23 18 40
8 Tottenham 23 12 4 8 31 31 39
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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BeIN Sports currently has the rights to show
- Champions League
- English Premier League
- Spanish Primera Liga
- Italian, French and Scottish leagues
- Wimbledon and other tennis majors
- Formula One
- Rugby Union - Six Nations and European Cups
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEquestrian%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAbdullah%20Humaid%20Al%20Muhairi%2C%20Abdullah%20Al%20Marri%2C%20Omar%20Al%20Marzooqi%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Suwaidi%2C%20and%20Ali%20Al%20Karbi%20(four%20to%20be%20selected).%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EJudo%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMen%3A%20Narmandakh%20Bayanmunkh%20(66kg)%2C%20Nugzari%20Tatalashvili%20(81kg)%2C%20Aram%20Grigorian%20(90kg)%2C%20Dzhafar%20Kostoev%20(100kg)%2C%20Magomedomar%20Magomedomarov%20(%2B100kg)%3B%20women's%20Khorloodoi%20Bishrelt%20(52kg).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECycling%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESafia%20Al%20Sayegh%20(women's%20road%20race).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESwimming%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMen%3A%20Yousef%20Rashid%20Al%20Matroushi%20(100m%20freestyle)%3B%20women%3A%20Maha%20Abdullah%20Al%20Shehi%20(200m%20freestyle).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAthletics%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMaryam%20Mohammed%20Al%20Farsi%20(women's%20100%20metres).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Ramy%3A%20Season%203%2C%20Episode%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAri%20Katcher%2C%20Ryan%20Welch%2C%20Ramy%20Youssef%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERamy%20Youssef%2C%20Amr%20Waked%2C%20Mohammed%20Amer%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company%C2%A0profile
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Four stars
