Fears and hatred are fuelled by ignorance. So tackle ignorance by finding things out. This guide gives ideas for challenging the dislike and prejudice towards Muslims that is known as Islamophobia.
1. Find some basic facts about Muslims in Britain today. A good source is www.mcb.org.uk, the Muslim Council of Britain web site. There are between 1.5 million and two million Muslims in Britain today, mostly in larger cities. Most are British-born with family origins in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. There are others, recently arrived and recent converts. Find out about them.
2. Listen to what young Muslims say about Islam. Don't dwell on the tired stereotypes. There are far more relevant things to talk about than restrictive parenting, chadors and hijabs and links to fundamental terrorists. You are talking about a religion, so find out what its followers say about it. What do their beliefs mean to them personally? You'll need an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect to make that happen. And that's no bad thing on its own.
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