More than half of UK Muslims believe their lives are better today than they were five years ago but concern over discrimination in the workplace is high, a recent nationwide survey found.
The poll by Savanta ComRes, asked 1,503 British Muslims 12 questions on topics ranging from their financial situation to their opportunities for success.
The results revealed a general optimism, with more than two thirds of respondents noting an increased participation in society by Muslims over the past five years and 72 per cent saying they thought Muslims’ contribution to the economy had risen during the same period.
The survey, carried out on behalf of Hyphen, a new Muslim-focused digital magazine, includes the views of 700 people aged 18 to 24, of whom 69 per cent agreed that there were more “Muslim role models in the UK that inspire them”.
“Young Muslims, in particular those born in the UK, have grown up more comfortable with the interaction between their religious identity and Britishness,” said Emma Levin, senior consultant at Savanta ComRes. “With more and more representation in business, entertainment, politics and sport, this trend looks set to continue in the coming years.”
In recent years, the high-profile successes of British Muslims such as Oscar winner Riz Ahmed, Great British Bake-Off star Nadiya Hussain and footballers Mo Salah and Sadio Mane have done a lot to increase the positive visibility of Muslims in the UK.
More than half of those who answered the survey said they thought acceptance of Muslims had increased in the past five years and almost 60 per cent thought life in the UK was better for them than in other countries in Western Europe
Nevertheless, the general optimism in the survey, in which 53 per cent felt that “life overall” had improved over the past five years, compared with 19 per cent who said things felt worse, was tempered by two major worries.
The cost-of-living crisis ― a concern across the board in the UK ― and Islamophobia in the workplace were cited as issues that had worsened over the years.
Sixty-nine per cent of Muslims who completed the survey said they had experienced some form of racial discrimination at work, while 46 per cent said religious discrimination on the job had worsened in the past five years.
Increasing Islamophobia in the UK has been a concern for campaigners, politicians and monitoring groups for some time.
Home Office statistics show that for 2019-2020, offences against Muslims made up 50 per cent of all recorded hate crimes, although that figure reduced the following year to 45 per cent for 2020-2021.
Britain’s Conservative Party has been criticised for not tackling Islamophobia in the country or among its own membership.
Last year, a review led by Prof Swaran Singh found that “anti-Muslim sentiment remains a problem” in the party.
The Labour Party has also been accused of failing to act on growing Islamophobia among its membership.
Earlier this year, a survey from the University of Birmingham found that the British public are almost three times more likely to hold prejudiced views of Islam than they are of other religions.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
More coverage from the Future Forum
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Results for Stage 2
Stage 2 Yas Island to Abu Dhabi, 184 km, Road race
Overall leader: Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Fernando Gaviria COL (UAE Team Emirates) 2. Elia Viviani ITA (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) 3. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal)
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Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
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