There are plenty of countries to emigrate to that practice Sharia law, which will never be accepted in this country.

Get used to it, adapt and fit in. Otherwise, find a more appropriate place for you to live.

Banning police posters with dogs in it is just simply ridiculous - most people in this country do not have a phobia for posters portraying canines inspired by some fairy tale deity.

The claim that Muslims are being singled out in a manner that other minorities no longer face is farcical. In Britain it is a crime to incite hatred against Muslims by, for example, asserting that Muslims are all terrorists, but it is still acceptable for influential Christian and Muslim community leaders to assert that, for example, gays spread disease or are all paedophiles. What we are actually witnessing is theists, used to having their own way in communities where they form the dominant majority, demanding the right to continue to discriminate against and demonise other minorities, whose distress receives the response that they should be less thin-skinned, whilst demanding that similar treatment for themselves is unacceptable.

It is very bad to hear that there is a racism against musilms,because Britian is a democratic and not to treat them as a victim of 7th july.

Well, "Stuart," you've managed to prove that you hate Jews and Americans. But you have failed to demonstrate that Muslims are being victimized.

How can they possibly feel like the Jews of Europe? The Jewish people are not an aggressive people whose ambition is to rule the world. Anything within our democracies that offends muslims is whinged about and highlighted by the muslim community. They are their own worst enemy. What, unlike the Jews, have they offered the world in science, the humanities, the arts and tolerance. It is an insult to the Jewish people for muslims to compare themselves with such an intelligent, learned people who have never offered violence to their western domiciles. What sick thinking - their envy and hatred of the Jews is appalling - and all written in the 'Noble Quran', plain for all to see. There is only take - no give and certainly no tolerance for inferior non-muslims.

Its about time that non-muslim immigrants who want and have integrated into British society and more importantly embraced British values and culture (that's why we came here in the first place, right?) to stand up an be heard. My family came to Britain to embrace the British ideal and Western secularism, not to be surrounded by religious zealots who's faith without reason know no bounds.

Enough already.

Riding on the back of the Jewish persecution is disgraceful. Honour killings are barbaric, gender apartheid together with the four wives practice does not fit into present day Britain. We are all expected to value their presence whilst they will not assimilate and integrate. Jews however, did integrate and were vital to all aspects of British society through learning and reasoning. We've now got nurses shifting beds to face east five times a day....what next? Male doctors in France have been beaten trying to deliver their babies because this doesn't suit the husbands. Ridiculous. Why are we bending over backwards to accommodate this worse than terrible ideology whilst they leech off the benefit system ONLY demanding more. Get rid of the 38 Islamic Councils, stop building mosques and give child benefit to ONLY the first child and let the families be responsible for the rest. These people are free to join their fellow Islamists in a variety of countries....why don't they just go! UK tolerance is wearing thin. Jews through education have produced a wide variety of Nobel prize winners, what have the one billion Muslims produced, maybe seven and one of those, Arafat was given it for Peace...hmmmm...I rest my case.

Many of the comments seem to prove that the Islamophobia they say doesn't exist is indeed alive and well. . At the same time, the muslim world seems to do it's best to assist--just when things simmer down, some
idiots want to have a teacher arrested because she allowed a kid to use the prophet's name for a bear.
At the same time, people have forgotten how xenophobic the British are--the muslims are the last off the boat and are getting the traditional British welcome for foreigners. As some muslims --especially some women--keep aspects of their dress, this makes them easier to identify.
At the same time, those who have problems with headscarves should consider that we don't fault nuns, orthodox Jewish women, older Mediteranean area women of a certain age, from wearing head coverings. Call it a babushka and leave it be.
However the muslim community needs to understand that those in their ranks most quoted are perceived as illogical, having moved to a culture they wish to tut-tut about--well, if you didn't like the culture why move to it? The muslim community doesn't seem to have taken a strong stand against honor killing. Let's face it, if they ostracised those that did it, pronto, and
made sure other muslim commuities gave no sanctuary for those who committed them, it would stop. But can some other communities say they are better?
To the culture bashers, muslims have given us algebra, Nobel winning Naquib Mafouz, some great music, foods that are good and good for you. Not every western culture--especially today--is producing great culture. Think the Qu'ran is violent? Read the Old Testament--more than one Biblical scholar has agreed that if an individual carried out some of the acts the deity allegedly did--killing not only the offenders but women, children, their animals, sowing the ground with salt, etc--they'd be up for war crimes or presidency of Serbia (or both). OK, employment by Blackwater.
Let's face it, those that have committed massive racial violence have more likely been WASP's, Germans, Catholics, Shintoists, or communists, than muslims. Not to say muslims are incapable of acts of genocide--ask the Armenians-- but the non-muslims don't have much to be smug about. Stopped genocide in Darfur, have we? Who was at the rape of Nanking--muslims? Don't think there were muslims at Katyn woods, the enslavement of the Congo, the killing of American Indians or Pacific aborigines, etc. (However Muslims also need to realize they have done a truly lackluster job of investigating and apologizing for the enslavement of Africans and their abject failure to halt the slavery that still exists today in the muslim world, which often tends to be slavery of darker skinned by lighter skinned--in short racist as well as oppressive).
So enough of finger pointing. Each group needs to turf out our extremists. Let them go to Sudan, Serbia, or somewhere similar. The rest of us should learn to tolerate the other--that means non muslims tolerating muslims, and muslims not getting bent out of shape by mini skirts and the like. Don't like 'em? Go to a country that's burquified, but please, please muslims, do NOT bring back the maxi, or moderates will join the opposition en masse!

I am not a fan of religions, but even I can see a difference between them in terms of acceptability. If I were to rate Islam on a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it a -20, for it excels at making people arrogant, ignorant and obnoxious. Why are Muslims surprised that they are disliked in the West? They don't belong here.

I'd like to think that collectively we are aiming to raise our consciousness. But, when I see the intolerance and some of the vehemance in the comments posted, I find it very sad.
We all have different viewpoints, and attitudes, some come from our backgrounds, faith, family or just trying to reason and experience the truth of the situation.
When I look at the numbers killed in Iraq, and the times a country has gone to war for religion, wealth, or percieved injustices I realize that our consciousness is actually being lowered, we are basing our comments from a state of fear, when in fact you are more likely to die from a bee sting than a terrorist bomb, or in Australia where I live, from a falling branch.
Try and look for the essence of the person you really are, don't react from fear, or ignorance.

Muslims should get used to the idea that the UK is NOT a Muslim country. If any Muslim doesn't like the way the UK is, they should go someplace else, even those who were born in the UK.

All immigrants should assimilate. Why else would you have migrated?

I'm an ex-pat living in the US, where my family has assimilated. It helps that the locals speak something approximating English, though even after 40,years, there are still occasional misunderstandings.

Frankly, even though I'd like to repatriate, I suspect the England I knew is long gone, so we'll stay where we are.

A comment from my UK-based sister when she last visited us in Anacortes was that this particular corner of Washington State was where "God went on his holidays". We think it's good enough for that.

THE DISGUSTING RACIST,IGNORANT,BIGOTED FILTH DIRECTED AT MUSLIMS ON THIS SUBJECT CLEARLY SHOWS THE AMOUNT OF WORK MUSLIMS HAVE TO PROMOTE THE TRUE MESSAGE OF ISLAM TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND TO EDUCATION AND OBTAINING KNOWLEDGE.THE RELIGION OF ISLAM HAS BEEN HIJACKED BY PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE MUSLIMS MISGUIDED BY UNLEARNED BIGOTS WHOSE ACTIONS HAVE FUELLED THE TABLOID MEDIA FEEDING LOW INTELLIGENCE READERS WITH INACCURATE INFORMATION (LIES) .THIS RESULTING IN COMMENTS THAT WE ARE WITNESSING ON THIS BOARD. I ADVISE THE ANY NON MUSLIM TO TRAVEL TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND VISIT COUNTRIES LIKE ,ISRAEL PALESTINE,SYRIA,YEMEN YOU WILL FIND CHURCHES SYNAGOGUES,OVER 1400 YEARS OLD (YES DURING THE REIGN OF ISLAMIC EMPIRE).ARE YOU AWARE THE KEY HOLDER TO THE CHURCH OF NATIVITY IN BETHLEHEM THE HOLIEST PLACE TO CHRISTIANS IS HELD BY A MUSLIM WHO PROTECTS THE SITE.THIS HAS BEEN THE TRADITION FOR OVER 1400 YEARS.THIS IS THE EXAMPLE OF THE TRUE ISLAM WHICH STILL EXISTS.

Come on. When Muslims blow up innocent people around the world and proclaim it is done in the name of Islam, do not call the people who take them at their word bigoted or Islamaphobic. I hear the quote from moderate Muslims "Why do they hate us". They shouldn't hate you, but it is a stupid question. They hate you because other Muslims, in the name of their religion blow people up, slit throats,are outraged at a picture of a puppy, and you, the moderate muslims don't make much of an effort to convince us that most of you do not condone these actions. A picture of a puppy on a police advert causes Muslim outrage, but demonstrations calling for the death of the Kaffir, or posters for sale in Muslim shops lauding the "magnificent 19" who destroyed the World Trade Center do not arouse any apparant outrage from you at all.Your problems are being caused by your own people, and unless you make it clear where you stand, things will become much worse for you when the next truly horrific attack occurs in Britain.

Well it's no wonder the UK is getting Islamophobia, the courts are releasing known terrorists back out into the population and the chief Judge thinks Sharia Law is a good idea in the UK. It's about time the UK gets a good case of Islamaphobia!! Get some spine and tell the panty-waist liberals that you do not want to become part of Eurabia, keep your terrorists locked up or execute them, and maintain your countries' English based law. If others want Sharia law then let them go to some place that has it. Adopt to English ways if you want to live in England.

We are having similar problems in the U.S. with immigrant assimilation....but good Lord, the UK is off the deep end and loosing it's identity if you believe half of what we read in the papers.

If the Muslims feel like jews it's their own fault. I grew up in a multi national community in B'ham. The law in Britain is British law not Sharia, the Muslims do not integrate so if they want Sharia law go and live in an appropiate country. They are anti-Christian, when can anyone tell me was a Christian church built in a Islamic country. No more Mosques should be built in Britain until a church is built in a islamic country. Christians stand firm. Ex-pat Brummie

Anyone who has seen Muslim families from the inside knows that they oppress women and girls, who are constantly made to feel inferior to fathers, brothers and other males, forced to defer to them, wait on them, vote as they are told by them, choose educational and career goals according to their demands. Muslim women are prevented from learning English, learning to drive, gaining access to family money,taking a full, or indeed any, part in society and are made to wear unsuitable, impractical Islamic dress while their men wear Western clothes.
Why on earth we should not object to this backward, primitive way of life, which has nothing in common with our society or civilisation I have no idea. And as for the comparison between Jews and Muslims, it's laughable - as far as I know, we are not killing Muslims, though they have several times managed to kill or maim many of us. I don't think it's possib;le to be both Muslim and British, since any Muslim's allegiance is first to Islam. So if life here is incompatible with their beliefs, their laws and their customs, they should go somewhere they find more congenial and leave us to live in the way we chose long before they arrived.

Reis Kash comments reflect his simple mentality in believing the political propaganda emanating from the likes of Bush. Very naive man/woman.

Basically Reis, Muslims are sitting on oil. The 'Christian' West wants it. The 'Christian' leaders denigrate those who are sitting on the oil in order to ''soften'' them up for war.

(I put 'Christian' in apostrophes as I don't want to malign the faith, which is a sister religion to Islam and has common principles)

As an Iranian woman I am appauled by behaviour of some of these Muslims in western countries. These people should remember that they are here to respect the culture if they can not change themselves they should not be here. They should be reminded that in their own countries like where I come from the western culture is not tolerated. And for the love of God I don't understand these young Muslim girls wearing tight tight jeans, tight tops and that rediculous scarf that is not allowing one hair out. It just does not make sense. And any woman covering her body from head to toe with cloth is an insult to humanity and womanhood.
I was consumed with anger when fundamentalists in Canada were forcing shariat law for Muslims. We got lucky that the Parliment did not approve it.
I came to west to be away from all that and I don't like it when I see it here. I am hoping for progressive Iran. And I know it will happen because of her brave women.

My resentment is not directed at Muslims per se, rather at the liberal establishment which continues to pander to extremists. We tend to forget that there are many other minority groups in the U.K. living happily and minding their own business. Why radical Muslims are given so much air time never fails to baffle me. Frankly, I'm sick to death of being told how I should feel about / treat Muslims, and yes you - The Independent - is one of the biggest offenders in this respect.

Jews are like Muslims! I don't recall Jewish suicide bombers. I don't recall Jews threatening to kill non-believers. I don't recall Jews actively seeking converts. Jews are as much like Muslims as the Sahara Desert is like the Arctic

Muslim minister says the Muslims feel like the Jews of Europe???and how many Jewish ministers were ther in Hitler's Germany?

Racism? Islam is not a race. It is a religion, a creed, a belief. Humans are endowed with the capacity to think critically. They are responsible for what they believe and the consequences of acting on their beliefs. I have read the Koran 3 times, from cover to cover, in two languages, since I was 18, I am now 60. I re-read passages regularly. Similarly to the Bible, but more viciously, the Koran calls for the murder of non-believers, forced conversion and the subordination of women to men, repeatedly, amongst a heap of other incantations. If you are a muslim you accept the Koran as the word of god and it is your duty to follow it. Those who say differently have simply never read the Koran or are liars. Muslim fundamentalists are in fact those who take the Koran seriously. The majority of muslims who let their natural humanity come through over the fanatic and toxic religious belief, are, according to the Koran, not better than other kafirs. To those who let their natural humanity and intelligence triumph over the noxious religious creed, I say: welcome to our common humanity. To those who choose to define themselves first and above all as muslims, christians, jews, calathumpians or other religious belief, and deem that those who do not believe like them are damned, may they themselves be damned. Wearing ostentatiously religious dress or signs, is a declaration of contempt for other people, an insult to our common humanity. As such it deserves the, peaceful but clear, expression of our contempt and disapproval. There are several countries which are safe for fanatic muslims and do not tolerate other religions. They are an example of the application of the Koran. Recently in France, muslims complained of racism when some coucils had forbidden the closure of some swimming pools to all but non-muslim women at certain times. Racism? who is discriminating? Let's begin to respect decency, humanity, reason, reasonableness and tolerance for all except the intolerants, such as "real" followers of the Koran, the Bible and the Torah. Abrahamic religions are a cancer of the mind and a perversion of the spirit, among others, which we must overcome quickly if humanity is to progress.

Well it looks like that's it then. You'll be leaving soon? We need you like a hole in the head. Good riddance!

One reason muslims face hostility is the unwillingness of many to respect the cultural values of Britain. When British women visit muslim countries (or mosques in Britain) they show respect for the local culture by covering their heads.
Many Muslim women refuse to show(or are prevented by their male relatives from showing) the same respect by removing their head coverings when they come to a secular society that believes in gender equality.
If you ask me to respect your values, but do not respect mine, resentment rises.

all this whingeing about religions really is boring,we all know that religion is the root of all evil regardless of what faith.from the crusaders to the fantics of today,they all love to kill things in the name of their faith.when the leaders of these faiths start pulling themselves into line then perhaps the slow minded followers will copy them.But as long as my backside looks downwards this will never happen,because all religions cannot preach without condemming other faiths