In the past few days two reports have highlighted what may indicate rising tensions between Britain's Sikh and Muslim communities and if they are correct should we be worried?
In yesterday's paper I reported on how a few Sikh groups are rather upset that the BBC's Religion and Ethics department has made more than 40 programmes on Islam but just four on Hinduism and one on Sikhism since 2001. There is a feeling, and I've heard the same sentiments echoed by Hindu groups, that a disproportionate amount of programming is dedicated towards Islam at the expense of Britain's two other populous Asian religions.
At the same time a new report published today by the think-tank Faith Matters warns that in some localised areas there is a growing gulf between young male Sikhs and Muslims that, if not tackled now, could become a national issue in 5-10 years. (I'll post the link as soon as I have it).
So should we be worried?
The Faith Matters report is in its current form rather anecdotal and therefore a little difficult to draw anything empirical from but it does help illustrate which issues are currently causing problems between the two communities.
It was compiled from a series of "problem solving" conversations between Sikhs and Muslims in areas where there are issues dividing the two communities. According to Fiyaz Mughal, who compiled the report, some of the commonly voiced complaints included:
- Feelings on the Sikh side that a disproportionate amount of government and local funding is going to Muslims at the expense of their own community.
- Unsubstantiated rumours that Muslims are forcibly converting Sikh women.
- A feeling that Muslim community leaders did not speak out enough when a number of Sikhs were attacked post-9/11 after thugs mistook them for Muslims.
- Concerns by Muslims that in some areas Sikhs are becoming increasingly anti-Muslim in their rhetoric, particularly where radical anti-kafir groups such as Hizb ut Tahrir and (the now defunct) Al Muhajiroun are/were strong.
Some of these complaints might at first glance seem a bit petty or even far fetched (police have yet to find any evidence of forced conversions) but according to Fiyaz Mughal they're still dangerous.
"Whether Sikh girls are being forcibly converted or not doesn't necessarily matter. If people believe that it is happening then we have a problem regardless," he said.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s there was a particularly acute problem with warring Muslim and Sikh gangs in and around Slough and Fiyaz believes these type of problems may return and spread if outstanding issues between the two communities are not tackled.
He is now calling for the government to create five national Sikh and Muslim commissioners who can work together to resolve these issues.
The question is, do we need them? Do we risk making a mountain out of a molehill? Or is Fiyaz right to say there is a major problem between the two communities that needs to be fixed? Let us know what you think.
I cannot speak for the Muslim community however in my experience, being a North Indian Hindu married to a Sikh, underneath the surface there is a deeply felt animosity from Sikhs/Hindus (particularly North Indian Hindus) toward Muslims. However this animosity has far deeper roots than 11/9 and certainly has little to do with the amount of religious programming on TV.
I would just like to make it clear that I am not in any way justifying this anti-Muslim sentiment, however I do think it is about time these feelings were out in the open.
Where the white British community expresses its fears in the context of their way of life being eroded. Our Sikh/Hindu parents and grandparents are more mindful that it was as a consequence of extremist Muslim demands that their homeland was torn apart in 1948 and many lost their homes, land and livelihood.
There is a great deal of fear within the community each time the media reports further Muslim demands for religious rights and these fears can easily be exploited by our own so called community leaders. A lot of their rhetoric is based on their belief and frustration that the wider British public cannot see where conceding to Muslim extremist demands will eventually lead and feel that their own experiences of Partition should serve as a warning to the West.
The media itself seems utterly oblivious of its role and power in maintaining community relations and will happily report lies, misinformation and exaggerations in order to portray the Muslim community as a whole as being unreasonable in its demands. By the time retractions/corrections are printed or broadcast the damage has been done.
It is also worth pointing out that there are, of course, many Sikhs/Hindus who are not anti-Muslim and do not share these feelings.
Posted by: MSB | Tuesday, 09 September 2008 at 10:37 AM
Just realised that i hadn't actually answered the question raised in the blog - yes I do think something needs to be done and soon!
Posted by: MSB | Tuesday, 09 September 2008 at 10:40 AM
There have been tensions for many years. The media is so far behind the situation on the street that they seem to think they are the first on the scene.
Posted by: JLB8 | Tuesday, 09 September 2008 at 02:51 PM
Could the British public differentiate a Sikh from a Pakistani or a Hindu? I guess not. Then the whole issue is pointless as the masses do not see the difference between these communities. For then they all the same - Asians. True? Some of us have tried real hard for decades to integrate with the mainstream while still preserving out unique identity. Others of course want to live in UK but want to take the country back to the 14th century. Appeasing these politico-religious organizations in term of media coverage, politics or other way is a short term approach and may be determent to the British way of life. It is about time the British public, media, and politicians realize this fact or it may be too late ....
Posted by: Arv Singh | Tuesday, 09 September 2008 at 04:54 PM
I think there is no such case. There might be conflicts between hindus and muslims as there are between hindus and sikhs based on religion. but as far as sikhs and muslims are concerned there is not much as these both religions have been friendly to each other especialy in the subcontinent. this is because both have been victim to hindu-extremism as is happening with christians now. hopefully situations would be better rather than worse.
Posted by: TH | Tuesday, 09 September 2008 at 04:58 PM
You read about this every so often in the press or hear things on the street, but as far as I can tell the communities don't have any real tension that is visible.
Forced conversions ? I don't know one person who knows anyone who has been forcibly converted. I personally know four Muslim girls who are married to Sikh boys ! There obviously must be some sikh girls married to Muslim boys. Unfortunately you always have the few who want to stir up trouble even when none exists. To answer your question yes, get people talking, Mosques to Gurdwaras to Mandirs.
Posted by: RK | Tuesday, 09 September 2008 at 06:25 PM
I also agree with MSB above.
Posted by: RK | Tuesday, 09 September 2008 at 06:29 PM
The realationship between Islam and other relegion in india had a lot of sreesed period , but also there were multipale periods which consedired golden age > for example , Sikhs are the result of the reaction between islam and hindu and they admit it . until now there islamic poems still in the golden temple in india for celeprations. and once there was a muslim king who fight his brother just because he did't treat Sikhs & Hindus very well . Hindus always said that there were a lot of mousqes which built above hidu temple , but I want to ask u guys something: why Hindus did't refuse them when they start bulidng . Maybey becuse muslims bought them from hidnus , maybey they were empty and hindus left the viliages and maybey they were a temporary solution for the increasing numbers of muslims . the history tell us that once upon time a muslim conqurer attak a town before he tell ask them . He were must asked them to be muslim or to surroud the city and give them Jizea or to fight them . so the peolpe of the town complain for the Muslims Judge, and the judge commande the conqurer to get out the city and so he did .
Posted by: abu_ezoom | Tuesday, 09 September 2008 at 08:20 PM
It was really more of the case of Pakistani muslim boyz marrying/converting hindu gujarati (patel) girls that was studied/ described as one of the reasons why the gujarati diaspora is such a big fan/supporter of the fascist VHP in India... Don't know about the Sikhs because remember a lot of Sikhs hate India because of the Golden temple incident!!!
Posted by: Moe | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 12:59 AM
I think the post by Dilbagh Singh Dhillon pretty much exemplifies the paranoia amongst some Sikhs/Hindus. TH you must be living on a different planet - Sikhs and Muslims in India living in amicable agreement!?!
Can I just ask the Muslims posting on here what is the Islamic thinking on Hindus and Sikhs? I personally have been referred to as sub-human and an animal worshipper by the more extreme believers however I also have Muslim friend who wouldn't dream of insulting my faith. I would be interested to know what exactly is being taught, particularly within the Islamic Faith Schools? I think a little openess and honesty on both sides would be a good start in bridging gaps.
Posted by: MSB | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 09:51 AM
Adherents of other religions who complain that there is too much coverage of Islam and Muslims on the BBC should not that much of the coverage is very negative - eg the recent Michael Buerk interview on radio 4's The Choice with Dutch MP Geert Wilders during which Wilders was given free rein for half an hour to expound on his inflammatory views that compare the Koran to Hitler's Mein Kampf and say it should be banned, and that Islam is a fascist religion. Much of the coverage is negative, rather than eg Sarfraz Manzoor's genial Radio 4 investigation on cricket among Muslim teams in Britain. Whenever Radio 4's Woman's Hour announces a slot on Muslim women you can almost guarantee the content will be something negative, and rarely eg young Muslim women of achievement. Coverage of Islam on the Radio 4 Sunday programme on Sunday mornings is often negative. So those who complain should look not only at the volume of coverage, but also at its content.
Posted by: susie | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 10:11 AM
MSB - you obviously don't know what you're talking about. Partition wasn't a one way catalogue of atrocities, in fact it was mutually barbaric. It wasn't helped by British incompetence and ineffectual leadership by that blithering idiot Lord MountBatten.
On the street, in the towns where there are large communities of all three religions there's a lot more going in terms of integration and co-operation than you think. The rise of the Asian Fusion music scene and bhangra is a good example. Bhangra was a punjabi traditional folk dance, done by both muslims and sikhs. It ended up being turned into a music scene with ragga/ dancehall and RnB influences that was generally listen to by most muslims.
MSB you have a chip on your shoulder - get over it.
Posted by: Hasan Ali | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 11:38 AM
I agree with Hasan Ali- Indians who harp on about Partition need to get over themselves. Partition ensured that Indian Muslims could live in a Muslim country. One only has to look at India now to see the oppressionand violence directed at minorities, ie non- Hindus by Hindu fanatics and militants.
Also most of the media coverage of Islam and Muslims has been negative- as a Muslim, I wish I didn't have to keep seeing articles, programmes etc on Islam! Find another subject to fixate on, please.
Posted by: Farhana | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 01:06 PM
Hasan Ali - please refrain from personally attacking me - this is supposed to be a debate. I was not referring to the process of Partition and the atrocities on both sides which I am fully aware of thank you. I was referring to the vociferous demands from the Muslim community for a separate state in the years leading up to Partition and how some Sikhs/Hindu, probably unreasonably, associate any Muslim demands with this difficult period in their or their parents own experiences. I am sure Muslim Indians and Pakistanis have their own fears and beliefs which can also be traced back to the events of this period - as I said before I cannot speak for them as I am not Muslim.
The Asian Fusion music scene is a minority interest within a couple of minority communities and cannot really be considered to be representative of the views held by the wider community of Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims. Also I think you will find that Bhangra is a traditional folk dance which was /is practiced by Punjabi Jats whether they were Sikh, Muslim or indeed Hindu as you conveniently forget to mention. Also I think your assertion that most Muslims listen to bhangra is a huge exaggeration - bhangra is not really that popular outside punjabi speaking society except for the occasional song that has been translated into punjabi-lite for the Bollywood audience. I am not aware of many Middle-Eastern or North African Muslims who have even the slightest interest in bhangra or asian fusion.
Posted by: MSB | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 02:20 PM
MSB - as a Muslim from East Africa, I have found generally that East African asians of all faiths get on really well. The problem seems to mainly be between those from the subcontinent. I also find that my children, born and bred in this country have sikh and hindu friends.
There are nutters on both sides who preach hatred.
Farhana - Pakistan is not there for Indian Muslims, it is there for the 4 people as mentioned in their constitution - Punjabi, Baluchi, Sindhi and the Afghani (ithink). The partition of India was probably the worst thing to happen to Indian Muslims. What it did was break up the Muslims into 3 different portions, thereby diluting the strength of the Muslims who remained in India (and incidentally are in the majority) Had India not been divided Muslims would have been able to leverage more from the Government, they would have been almost 450m muslims in a united India, a huge number.
In any case Pakistan has done nothing for the cause of Muslims or Islam and as a Muslim I find that sad. Pakistan has also failed to develop economically and if ever Pakistan is to progress it will only happen when it reintegrates economically with India. I say this neither with glee or happiness, this is the only pragmatic way forward for Pakistan.
Posted by: RK | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 02:31 PM
MSB - You're wrong - Bhangra is HUGE with ALL the Asian kids. Muslim, Hindu and Sikh. Every Muslim wedding I've attended lately has Bhangra and the Sikh drummers who usher the Bride and Groom in are a must :-)
Posted by: RK | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 02:35 PM
Sikhs are taught that Muslims killed their Prophets - this feeling of wrong leads to a deep hatred often in many religious Sikhs against Muslims.
I have seen Sikh and Muslim gangs face off against each other, and experienced the Sikh friends I have use Islamaphobic remarks about Muslims - 'sola' is one, when they are amongst other Sikhs.
Its sad that history lives on today - partition is not the real issue - it is the belief that Muslim Kings Of India were responsible for the death of many of their religious leaders.
Until this belief is challenged and undone this animosity will live on.
Posted by: Saladin | Wednesday, 10 September 2008 at 06:01 PM
I’m a Muslim.... I tell you what Sikhs and Muslim will never get on. You know why? Some Sikh people that I know enlighten me that, SIKHS WILL NEVER CUT THIER HAIR UNTILL NO MUSLIM LEFT ON THE FACE OF ERATH... No matter what we do, we can never be friends and that’s a fact.
In regards of Sikh girls converting to Islam. What’s wrong with that? There is Christian born girl’s convert to Islam every day round the world.
Also, currently we all hear about Islam more then anything, probably more then football if you ask me. Sikhism on the other hand only exists in India and also has Indian origin followers so it’s no as big as Islam. The press only focuses in big matters or international issues. So it’s not our fault that we get more unwanted focus. Even Jerome Taylor talks and writes about Islam more then Sikhism...
Posted by: H-d | Tuesday, 16 September 2008 at 03:03 AM
I am shocked at the above comment by H-d relating Sikhs keeping there hair with the Muslim faith. It is untrue, no where does the Sikh faith promote hatred against anyone. However this is not the first time I have heard this, recently some young Muslims asked me if the same was true. This left me wondering where such hatred was being spread and preached.
The Sikh Scriptures contain writing by people from many different faiths, including Muslims. The foundation stone of the Golden Temple was laid by a Muslim holy man, Mir Mian.
Sikhs are taught to recognise God in all of humanity.
It is such fatalist and untrue comments like what H-d has posted which are the cause of hatred and division between communities.
Posted by: Gurpreet Singh | Tuesday, 16 September 2008 at 12:26 PM
Gurpreet Singh, get real, read all of my post not the bit I wrote in capital letters......
The French law is fully a Muslim law, that doesn't mean special treatment towards Muslims... Hatred!!!, this word gets on my nerves.. People like you have no idea what you on about... Do you know what the definition of an opinion is??? I guess not... Yes Sikhs believe as I was told by other Sikhs so don’t get upset and deal with the issue in hand...
So what do u say about Muslims having more unwanted attention from the media and also Jerome Taylor writing more about Islam then skhisms?, u didn't comment on that…..
Posted by: H-d | Tuesday, 16 September 2008 at 02:06 PM
H-d, the media issue is one to do with programming produced by the BBC Religion and Ethics department, I don't see how you would classify that as unwanted media attention.
In your original posting that I had comented on you stated "No matter what we do, we can never be friends and that’s a fact." Clearly you are not just expressing an opinion here as you use the word fact.
I ask you now to justify the basis of this so called fact, do either Sikh or Muslim scriptures state anything to justify your so called fact?
I am a Sikh with a turban and a beard, I can tell you about hatred. I see it and feel it when people call me Bin-Laden, I see it and feel it when I know at an aiport security check that I will get the extra long search.
There may not be as many Sikhs in the World as Muslims, but after 9/11 we have taken the full brunt of the hatred. The first person to be killed in a hate attack after 9/11 was a Sikh.
I trust you now understand why the Sikh community feels offended that the BBC has only made 1 programme about Sikhs in the last 6 years, as we too have faced a backlash after 9/11.
Posted by: Gurpreet Singh | Tuesday, 16 September 2008 at 04:34 PM
H-D, Gurpreet,MSB and all, i can deduce from your opinion that each one of you is more interested in bringing different faiths together rather than slinging mud as it seems on the surface. Let us not shy away from the problem of racism or fanaticism, it does exist albeit at lower scale. The self serving media with its own mysterious agenda, the police who want to sow suspicion among different communities so that their job of policing gets easier, and finally our genius politicians who thrive on division and hatred; these three elements are responsible for the current mayhem. I am a Muslim and i have lots of hindus and christians as friends and I have no problem with them so far. Its all false preceptions and propaganda that fuels suspicion. Lately in India we are seeing Hindus being belligerent and virulently anti muslim and anti christian. These Hindus operate under the cover of cultural nationalism led by Hindu fanatic outfits like RSS, VHP, BAJRANGDAL, RAM SENA, HINDU SENA, SHIV SENA, DURGA VAHINI, RASHTRASAVIKA SANGH, HINDU MAHASABHA ETC.. Imagine India being a overwhelmingly Hindu counry needs all these fanatic outfits to protect it from Muslims and christians. But majority of Hindus dont belong to these Hindu bigoted groups. To bring all the communities together, be it in UK, USA or India, we need dialogue. Intense, continual and frank dialogue. then only a Muslim will not runaway at the sight of Turban or saffron bindi and likewise hindus and sikhs are not threatened at the sight of beards and minarets of mosque. Lets move forward and live in peace.
Posted by: abdul latif bhadravathi | Wednesday, 17 September 2008 at 07:37 PM
Any racism or animosity, from whoever and towards whoever it may be directed, stems from the living conditions of a community; isolation, poverty, poor education, unemployment. Take it from me, I live in UKIP/BNP heartland. Between Muslims and Sikhs or between any other two groups, there may only ever exist animosity if the 4 points I listed above were present. If they are not present, then I beleive it is very rare for hatred to exist amongst any UK community.
Posted by: Muslim | Tuesday, 07 October 2008 at 08:26 PM
i am not 'Sikh'
But I have seen with my own eyes evidence of the deliberate malicious spreading of hatred and encouragement of acts against Sikhs by Muslims- some recent examples.
1st-seen leaflets and posters offering rewards of money to Muslims to woo Sikh girls because they were suseptible to flattery and sleep around [my polite wording].
2nd- just yesterday- seen an internet blog called sikh4aweek which is filled with hateful language against sikhs & has names + photos + detailed descriptions of sikh girls targeted & groomed for sex/ prostitution/ blackmail by muslims.The boasting writer gleefully invites contributions to this 'library'from readers because his site is legal and cannot be shut down.[one of many internet site containing hate-filled content against Sikhs & other religions I have come across]
generally:-
whatever your views, these sorts of things are encouraging poisonous mindsets against non-muslims which underpin muslim violence reported DAILY from all over the world.
eg:-Statistics such as the very consistently high % of sex gang-attacks compared with % of muslims in several countries eg France,Norway, Sweden,Britain, Germany, Australia are not given publicity......
NO one community is perfect but facts I have convince me that there is a deliberate promotion of disrespect & manipuation of non-muslims generally and Sikhs in particular amongst the muslim communities.
Posted by: paula | Friday, 10 October 2008 at 11:37 AM
Please view this website below.........an Insight.......
http://www.whyichosesikhism.com/
Posted by: akaur | Friday, 10 October 2008 at 02:42 PM
It's typical that the authorities pander to the whims of voiceferous groups to the exclusion of other more sedate ones.This happens in all British life.Witness the knife scourge-you can't go around addressing communities where this is rife for being called racist.
Dave
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