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The latest row over Sharia courts in Britain has brought all the stereotypes of Muslims flooding back - women in the hijab, bearded clerics passing judgment and so on.
As a British Muslim and a second-generation Bengali, it's important to me that these stereotypes are challenged.
At the same time, however, I'm aware of the preconceptions that Muslims in other parts of the world may have about Britain - especially the idea that Muslims over here get a rough ride.
So I recently went to Bangladesh, as part of a Foreign Office programme aimed at changing mindsets overseas.
Wherever I went, from madrassas to liberal universities, people seemed genuinely proud of the fact that a British Bangladeshi has had the opportunities that I've had.
Some were surprised that I'm on television. Some thought the streets here are paved with gold. Others, however, wondered whether, post-9/11, Muslims in Britain are being made to suffer - for instance if women are banned now from wearing the hijab.
The reality, I told them, is that many Asian and Muslim women have benefited from the opportunities they've had and have been successful in many walks of life.
It's impossible to pretend that Britain isn't often seen in the Muslim world through the prism of the Iraq war, and that many Muslims both in Britain and abroad aren't angry at the plight of the Palestinians. Far from it.
Some people in Bangladesh asked me questions such as: "Why is it that the West took out Saddam Hussein but not Robert Mugabe?"
Perhaps if Britain took a real lead over the rights of Palestinians, the ground would begin to be cut from under the feet of the fundamentalists.
But only a few young men - and it is men, not women - are seriously disaffected or have Palestine as their starting point.
An even smaller number have been attracted to fundamentalism. Similarly in Britain, I don't want British Muslims to be tarnished by the extremist actions of a very few.
Fortunately we live in a pretty tolerant society, and many of the misconceptions I once came across growing up here have vanished.
Not so long ago, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs were often lumped together. Well, as a Muslim, I have never really celebrated Diwali - but in common with most people, I'm entirely relaxed if others do, or go to church or pray at the synagogue.
I actually feel that my backgrounds - Bengali, Muslim and British - have in many ways made me better rounded and more accepting as an individual.
Intolerance can be found on the fringes of all religions, and in the case of Islam, which never underwent a great Reformation, a few choose to interpret it in a hugely literal way.
But historically in the Middle East, as in Europe, different religions have always co-existed, which is why today you can still find Assyrian Christians living in Iraq and Iranian Jews living in Tehran.
People in Britain and elsewhere should get behind the headlines and accept that other cultures and religions are just different.
Anyone should be able to have a view about how people live their lives, as long as they don't become censorious and intolerant.
The hijab looks out of place in parts of Britain simply because it is not the norm - just as in some Muslim countries it is uncommon to see women without any head cover at all.
By the same token, while no one would bat an eyelid at a woman walking down the street in a bikini in Rio de Janeiro, I can imagine some raised eyebrows if that happened in central London.
Well, a few, at least. But we can surely live with such differences of behaviour and belief.
Reader views (31)
Nice to see all the reactionary, Daily Mailesque armchair pundits getting enraged over Konnie Huq's article in the comments section. That, alone, is enough to heighten my respect for someone.
It's all about perception, and how the media bend it, for people. It's easier to homogenise the image of Muslims, into whatever, so it becomes a mundane debate of whether Muslims are peace-loving, or extreme fanatics.
The reality is: no answer is applicable. Every Muslim, just like anyone else, are their own person, subject to any belief that you or I may hold. Homogenisation in image, or of thought, is the real problem.
Interesting article, though, Konnie.
- Eramus Hall, Affetside, England
Although the racial, linguistic, and religious discriminations are gradually disappearing, the mentality behind them as deep rooted as ever. However, democracy teaches us to get rid of such menace from our life and society. In 21st century, almost all the people are moving with progressive minds. Life is momentary. We have to live it with harmony. For that we always need positive thoughts. Otherwise the negative thoughts which seem to rule the world will conquer us. Dear Konnie, you are in the right path. I appreciate the way you take up challenges in your life. And love is the only key to open any hearts.
- Prem Nizar Hameed, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
I find konnie as a role model for a lot of women from muslim background to make choices of what they want to do. I would try not to create any difference whether a women is wearing hijab or bikini (though it doesn't seem easy) Its about making choice and having an option; if someone wants to play truant & promiscuous, one could do that even in the highly constrained environment. Even in the so called liberated western environment, someone could remain celibate. Its ones choice.
- Rajiv, Berkshire
I am not sure Konnie with her Cambridge education can be reflective of the average Muslim in Britain. In many areas of London ie. Tower Hamlets, most Bangladeshis cannot even speak english or want to speak english - and very much stick to their own. Unfortunately, Islam and muslims in general will always be stereotyped if this continues, but unlike me, most people will not voice their opinion for fear of being 'racist' or 'prejudiced'. Sad!
- Rochelle, London
We shold of course note that those jews in Iran and those assyrian christians are paying the dhimmi tax and are denied full equality before the law and in society. This is exactly what we do not want for ourselves.
- Sailor1031, Topping, VA, USA
Konnie, darling, do us all a favor and go back to making things out of yoghurt cartons on children´s TV. You were so much better at it.
- Mexicano, Yucatan, Mexico
Very few minorities with a grievance resort to random violence and terrorism. The people who create a negative view of the Muslim community in Britain are the minority of hateful radicals who bite the hand that feeds them. Ms Huq should challenge the intolerant culture that condones and encourages them rather than blame the liberal culture of their victims.
- Lacherie, Adelaide, Australia
"Operation Black Vote" - Stephen Carter
I though Brown had Operation any Vote. Konnie is a BBC PC drone, she is only repeating the BBC brinwashing she thinks every wants to hear and what she needs to say to keep her job, no logical person could think such rubbish.
- Gary, Brentwood
This is the sort of propaganda being pushed by the BBC in schools. Check out the BBC Education website, unless you have high blood pressure!
BTW I noticed Connies sister is over on Labour List today. Ever heard of something called Operation Black Vote?
- Stephen Carter, Witney, Oxfordshire
I'm from a Hungarian immigrant family living in England for 36 years. We were settled in the same area as those Hungarians who had come here in 1956, after the Hungarian uprising against the Russians.
We all started penniless and grateful for the opportunities this country so generously had given us. The UK is not only where we live and work, it is our home and most of all our country. We are proud to be British.
It is incomprehensible to us to see Muslim men demostrating against our troops coming home ceremony. Same with women wearing the face-veil. How do they get a job with only the eyes showing? One of them here, in Newcastle, wouldn't shake hands with a community rep. Why live in a country where native customs are alien and unacceptable to them?
You also mention the Palestinians but not the fact that they have been evicted from Lybia, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait. During the 1st Gulf war they turned against the Kuwaitis in Kuwait.
Can't you see a parallel between the IRA and Hamas and Jihad? Should we only react to bombing and terrorism by pleading 'pleeease, stop killing our people'? Would they ever stop killing us?
Today is 7th of July.
- Antonia H, Newcastle
@Philip, London, England
I couldn't agree with you more.
As an ardent feminist, it irritates me immensely when women in the media propagate an essentially misogynistic viewpoint; it took us more than a hundred years to gain our current level of equality in society and law and we hoped our daughters and sons would go even further on the road to enlightenment.
Now we get female apologists explaining how "privileged" they are, how we don't "understand" etc. We live in a “pretty tolerant society”, because our suffragettes fought and suffered for it, because they did not pay lip service to imams determined to send us back into the 7th. century.
Please, READ THE HANDBOOK. Where muslims rule, there is no tolerance and women are certainly not permitted your level of education.
Pat Condell asked what this country’s feminists are doing. Obviously not enough! Let us hope that the suffragettes did not suffer in vain!
Gsw.
Manumission not submission!
- Gsw, Surrey, England
Konni seems like a nice middle class girl. She has got her job in the beeb due to her being young, attractive and wears the voice of political correctness. Sad to see she is paid from our tv licence fee to make pointless trips to Islamic countries. I think that religion is based on superstition, my view, and whilst it does control the masses. The control of women by covering them up in case they go to the hell fire (taught to children as early as possible to form the mind set) is out of touch with British free society and insulting to women in Britain. It is not about love and peace and hiding beauty....it is about control.
- Mary, england
It's all very well to blame the global love affair with the Palestinians -it makes a convenient sound-bite but lets not forget that the global Jihad movement is entirely disconnected from this and have proven by their words and actions that they want to slaughter their way to a global caliphate. The only method that history has shown to work with these types of movements is strangth- not appeasement, especially on tax-payer funded junkets.
- Ces, london
Bikini walk "I can imagine some raised eyebrows if that happened in central London." You be lynched if you did it in most moslem countries.
- Never Eat Tuna Again, London
Konnie Huq must have a very supportive family to have been able to take advantage of all the opportunities that have come her way. Unfortunately, I know from experience that not all young Muslim women are as fortunate. Many are forced into arranged marriages and cannot go to university. Hopefully, Konnie can be a role model to the Muslim community.
- Cate Pycock, Montreal, Canada
Aah, and the debate goes on. I think Connie Huq should become the new ambassador for "us lot" you know the islamists (i swear islamist was a term conjured up by sky news) Its pathetic really why does she feel the need to portray muslims in a good light. Any person with a ayota of intellect can tell you that you get bad apples in all communities. I think as the world inevitabely gets smaller and the dawn of a new era arises (twitter) there is going to be friction with these two culture types. On that matter what we need to do is look at our similaraties not differences. You will notice we have more in common than differences of opinion. If Ms Huq wants to do this than fine, i just am a little peeved that one must defend thousands of years of history and culture for 10 years of unstability. You cant impose a culture onto a culture that is older than your own. We here in the west automatically think we have superior intellect and a way of life. Why is know one mentioning the Lost centuries when Muslims were opening up huge universities in the arab world whilst europe was sleeping. If only easy jet did a return ticket through history i would pay for everyone to go and have a damn look.
- Adil Abbas, Bolton, Greater Manchester
As a second generation British Bangladeshi Muslim who was born and privately educated here but now based in Bangladesh because of my work, I feel that I am in an excellent position to comment on Konnie Huq's article.
I do appreciate that the Foreign Office felt that a trip by a select few BB's to Bangladesh would help to bridge the gap between the local Bangladeshi community here in the UK and their country of origin.However if one really wanted to connect between the British Bangladeshi community here and their origins,then one would only need to visit the East End of London where the community is based.
Travelling to Bangladesh for a week and spending the major part of time in the capital Dhaka, which is alien to the majority of the BD community here was a waste of time and taxpayer's money.Most people that they would have met would not have much in common with the BD community here in the UK.
Konnie Huq is in a position where she is a role model for the British Bangladeshi community here, but she is not a typical Muslim because of her education and celebrity status.This puts her in a difficult position when it comes to commenting on Muslim Britain.
The crux of the problem is that majority of the local Muslim community do not feel part of mainstream British society here and at the same time when they go back to their homeland they are not accepted back in their own country.
Konnie Huq is not really in a position to comment unless she is from that background.
- Kamran, London,England
I thought that Konnie Huq's article was excellent. I found most of the comment very insulting, to her and the readers,and depressing at the same time for the attitudes portrayed particularly Sid's. Shame on you Sid. There are many attractive women who are also intelligent. Because she has had the luck and the privilege of a private education does that make her a lesser person??
- Simon Wells, BRENTWOOD ENGLAND
I support what Konnie Huq is trying to do. She may not be 'representative' of all Muslims in the UK, and yes she may have had a privileged education within a Western environment. But at least she is trying to get the message across that Islam is not all about Wahabiism, or Deobandiism or what the Taliban believe or don't believe in.
There is so much misunderstanding about Islam, its teachings and way of life. When I was young, I was educated in a nominally Christian Boys School. A few of the boys were Roman Catholic by Faith, and they had their own separate assembly each morning with a local Catholic Priest. Many of the boys, me included were deeply suspicious of Catholics in the school. In plain English, we were prejudiced against Catholics. The same could be said about Islam within Western Society, especially post '9/11'.
Suspicions against minority groups in UK society need to be worked on for better understanding. Then and only then will improved community relations occur. If what happened over many years in Ulster is not a salutary lesson of what could happen, then what is?
So anyone in the Media and of reasonably high profile such as Konnie Huq who is trying to dispel this prejudice, then I for one support this.
It is true what Nabil H, London says - the Prophet Muhammad is but a man, and that is what He himself stated. He is a Prophet like all those Prophets who went before him.
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK
'Some thought the streets here are paved with gold'...
very true indeed, but in the form of the many various benefits offered on the system.
- Cheung, hardworkingtaxpayer
Konnie you are hardly an average Bengali woman.
Private school, Cambridge educated, and now, living ummarried with your kaafir boyfriend, which would be considered scandalous among some muslims andd warranting severe punishment
Oh and as far as the Iranian jews and Assyrian Christians are concerned - Iranian jews are virtual prisoners in their own land, living in fear of reprisals each time there is a clash with Israel. Meanwhile the Assyurian church in Iraq is expected to become virtually extinct with 10 years as Christians flee to the west to escape persecution.
Mind you, I wouldn't want to be censorious or intolerant of all that vibrant diversity.
- Andrew, Edinburgh, UK
Connie is privately educated- then to Cambridge. She is not the most typical Bangldeshi. Why do we have to pay for her to have a holiday and then lecture people on what to think. Where I live in Tower Hamlets mst bangladeshis live in their own world and do not mix in mainstream community- unless they are collecting benefits or visiting the local hospital. Even the schools are almost 100% bengali
- Christine, London
Konnie Huq. She surely is not under the impression she got into the BBC other than she is a very attractive female and not for her intelligence. However most importantly she fulfilled the beebs lefty establishment hierarchy of having the correct quota. Ignoring her Islamic baggage helped her in her career. The BBC could hardly employ someone who intended to frighten the children with their medieval superstitious practices and punishments. I suggest she gives careful thought to how she made it before treating the rest of us to her pearls of wisdom.
- Sid, london
I do not believe everyone classified as British Muslim are singing in harmony with Konnie. I suspect they are more diverse than any other community within these shores. The only truth is we are not a Muslim nation and like every other religion across the world Muslim have brought unease and tension trying to tell what they are about whilst failing to accept what the majority are about. Lets be honest the English have never been strong on the religion ever since the formation of the CoE, I suspect we have long since come to understand religion is nothing more the mechanism of control and power rather than future in the after life.
- Gary, Brentwood
Only problem is there are very few religions where the "small minority" kill other people as part of their beliefs. Think of a conflict in the world, 90% seem to involve muslims complaining about a/ Injustice b/Independent Territory c/ Religious freedom d/ All of the above. A small minority of British Muslims want to kill us. That's still a good few thousand. I'll bet their wives wear hijabs.
- Jon, london
Konnie Huq had her trip to Pakistan out of our taxes. What exactly was the point of going there to talk about the way Muslims are seen/treated/regarded here? What is the point of her article? How much do we care about what foreign Muslims think of us? Most of us are Christians. Most of us speak English. Most of us are believers in democracy, freedom, equality of the sexes and are racially tolerant. Overcoming the fact that others are none of these is not something which can be dealt with by someone being paid out of taxpayers' money to Big Up Britain.
- Jilly, London
Konnie Huq, I happen to be in the direct blood line of the Prophet (on both side of my family). This leads me to be very keen to find out about my ancestors, Mohammed, Ali, Hassan, and Fateema Zahra.
I am British like you but with other mixed background (including arabic/nabatean of course).
What I am finding out are the big lies and myths told about Mohammed who was just a Prophet, and that both Sunnis and other Muslim sectarians have ended up worshipping him and their scholars instead of understanding the Message that was revealed to him to convey in the Quran.
There is also the issue of Mohammed's date and place of birth, and you will be shocked by the answers...
Islam = Peacemaking, and it is not a religion, but a Deen, which means a System.
- Nabil H, London, UK
Konnie, FYI you will not find any Brazilian women walking through Rio wearing a bikini. The bikini is very acceptable on the beach but not away from the beach. Just a quick example of how easy it is to stereotype people and get it wrong. Brazil is a very Catholic country and the people have certain ethical standards in public, for instance topless sunbathing is not practiced but string bikinis are perfectly acceptable.
- Dannyp, Egham
Konnie alludes to the false premise that Islam could go through a 'reformation' - when, as a good Muslim, she should know that Ijtihad, or reinterpretation on the Qur'an, can be punishable by death in Sunni Islam. The Qur'an and the Sunnah are immutable.
Christians living in Muslim lands are treated extremely badly. I notice she makes no mention of Pakistani Christians, nor Egyptian Copts, both of whom are violently persecuted.
She attempts to position herself - a Muslim who works in the media - as representing typical Muslim views - when in fact, she is very far from a typical Muslim, even a British one. Her liberal, pluralist attitudes come from her Western-educated, liberal background and outlook - certainly not from Islam.
Why should we accept the Hijab? A lot of Britons actually think that it symbolises the chattel-status afforded to women in Islam. Sarkozy is absolutely correct to wish to discuss banning this oppressive garment in France.
Palestinian journalists have been threatened with beheading for not wearing the hijab on television - yet you appear to be claiming that women wear it by choice!
People in Britain accept other cultures are different - possibly more than in most other nations - but that doesn't mean we have to import repressive 7th Century legal systems.
If her mission is to tell the truth about Muslim Britain then let her do so - this piece is merely happy-clappy spin.
- Philip, London, England
Stereotypes of Muslims are mostly true, it's just the non muslims are not allowed to say anything and the Muslims like to pretend it is not so unless they are with peers then the truth exposes them.
- Jerry, Chiswick
Surely it’s the constant display of overt sexualisation, the domination of body image over mental ability that is the problem in our society, not the subject of sex or liberation itself.
Take any TV ad nowadays, whether it’s feminine bladder problems or foot infections - all use naked flesh to sell the product - to women!
And what about the effect on male motorists if "ladies" walked down the street in bikinis (even if we had the weather for it) - they’ve already enough distraction, without the obvious - or shouldn’t they be allowed to look ?
How do they know they shouldn’t look until it’s too late?
What if the "wrong type" ogles the innocent in the bikini?
Yes, we should all live with differences in behaviour and belief, but sometimes the "flaunter" should consider the "flaunted" - reasonable behaviour IN PUBLIC at least must work both ways.
- Darius Midwinter, London UK
