Islamophobic attacks and negative attitude towards Muslims or any brown-skinned people have been on the rise in recent years, primarily in European and American societies- The question is does this signal the failure of Muslims to present their true potential and integrate into the West, or the insistence of those societies to not accept the Other?
In order to have a comprehensive overview of the challenge facing Muslims residing in the West, let them be indigenous inhabitants or immigrants, we’ve got to address the bigotry against Muslims that developed and aggravated throughout history on one hand, while considering the responsibility befalling Muslims themselves in trying to justly assimilate themselves into these countries.
Adherents of Islam, the fastest growing religion in the world, are growing in numbers forming greater number of communities worldwide. So unless they’re active and productive, such communities remain dependable on governments and state organizations, which lays an immense burden on such nations in trying to cater for the needs of their societies and impeding any efforts aimed at prosperity and potential development.
Part of the subject has to do with rejection of Muslims’ attempts and efforts to integrate, and part has to do with the failure of some Muslims to fully integrate and prosper in those countries.
Academic review of available survey-based data in 2001, supported by information provided by Muslim organizations and mosques, put the total number of Muslims living in the United States at 2.8 million.
On another note, what’s perceived by Americans themselves to be a more realistic number, supported by some surveys and compared to what has been used to calculate the sizes of other religious groups, suggests that the size of Muslim population in the States is less than 2 million, or about 0.5% of the total population.
On the other hand, estimates of the U.S. Muslim population of 6 million, 8 million, 10 million and may be more are also endorsed by many analysts, even through they are not supported by empirical data.
This remains a good size of Muslim population.
What about Europe…
In France for example, Muslims comprise an estimated 5 to 10 percent of the national population, and two-thirds (68.5%) of all new immigrants to the country, according to 2010 statistics.
Also Islam is believed to be the second most widely practiced religion in France.
And in the UK, statistics put the total Muslim population at 2.4 million.
So we cannot ignore the sizeable population of Muslims in Western countries, which necessitates a fair representation of those communities in the Parliament and policy making, in a way that would ensure fair address of their needs, while abiding by the law ruling those nations.
Over and above, Islamophobes should heed that time has come to show tolerance to all races and followers of all faiths, this in order for Muslims to feel part of Western nations and thus feel more encouraged to work on their development, something that would bring forth prosperity that all citizens benefit from, immigrants and original inhabitants alike.
We should give credit to positive representation of many Muslim figures and enterpreneurs in the West, many of whom managed to score great successes in many career fields and specialties.
A fair analysis of the matter shouldn’t only consider the attitude of a few bad apples and take it as representative of the entire Muslim communities in the West.
Wassalaam,
Maha Youssuf
