Muslim audiences in Ireland: Perspectives from below on racialized media representation and their impact

Illegitimate: When Moderate Muslims Speak Out

The aim of this research is to determine the implementation of Qanun Number 11 of 2018 concerning Sharia Financial Institutions, the response of the non-Muslim community in Kualasimpang regarding Qanun Number 11 of 2018 concerning Sharia Financial Institutions and the obstacles faced by the community with the implementation of Qanun Number 11 of 2018.This type of research is field research with a qualitative descriptive approach. This research was conducted in Kualasimpang City District, Aceh Tamiang Regency. The subjects in this research were non-Muslim communities in Kualasimpang with a total of 10 informants. The data sources in this research are primary and secondary data. Primary data is data obtained directly from research informants, while secondary data is data obtained from literature reviews such as journals and books related to the title of this research. The data collection instruments in this research were observations and interviews conducted with all informants in the research. The data analysis technique in this research uses the Miles and Huberman model with stages of data reduction, data display and verification/conclusion.From the research results it can be explained thatThe implementation of Qanun Number 11 of 2018 has pros and cons, especially for non-Muslim communities. The obstacle felt by non- Muslim communities when using transactions at Islamic banks is that they often go offline, which hinders their activities, especially for non-Muslim communities who work as business people. They also think that conventional banks have never experienced such problems, but they feel that this is currently happening to Islamic banks.Some non-Muslim communities in Kualasimpang object to the implementation of Qanun regarding sharia financial institutions. They argue that by using sharia banks it is difficult for them to make transactions.The opinion of the Qanun designer regrets the implementation of Qanun Number 11 of 2018 because it has a big impact on transactions for both Muslim and non-Muslim communities, especially in Kualasimpang City District, Aceh Tamiang Regency.

Participation of the Muslim community in the celebration of the Panghuni Uthiram Ritual (case study in Banda Aceh). In 2014, to be precise on Sunday, April 20 2014, the Hindus of Banda Aceh celebrated a religious ritual called Maha Puja Panghuni Uthiram Triruvila at the Palani Andawer Temple, Gampong Keudah, Kuta Raja District, Banda Aceh City. The religious procession received widespread attention from the majority Muslim Banda Acehnese, so they came in droves to witness the ritual up close. The formulation of the problem is to find out how the form and level of participation of the Muslim community in Banda Aceh City in the celebration of the Panghuni Uthiram Ritual and what are the factors that encourage and prevent the Muslim community in Banda Aceh from participating in the celebration of the Panghuni Uthiram Ritual. To answer the problems that arise and the achievement of objectives, this research is a field study (Field Research), the method used in the preparation of this thesis uses qualitative and descriptive methods and for data collection is done by interviewing several respondents who are in accordance with the discussion, observation, and documentation. . Judging by the current phenomenon, both Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Gampong Keudah have been able to form a good participation in the celebration of the Panghuni Uthiram Ritual in Hinduism. The form of participation that occurs in Gampong Keudah is in the form of personnel participation. This happens because energy is considered the easiest and most effective form of participation. The participation of energy also prevents the Muslim community from directly interacting with the Panghuni Uthiram ritual celebration activities.

The political controversies surrounding Muslim veiling today involve specific rhetorical elements deriving from long histories of colonialism, post-colonialism and neo-colonialism, and Muslim responses to these. A number of different languages – political, religious, patriarchal, feminist, sectarian, aesthetic – often get mixed up when Muslim veiling is talked about by diverse types of people, both Muslim and non-Muslim. Sartorial fashion is also spoken about in multiple registers: in terms of aesthetics, commercial considerations, social distinction and stratification, art, design and creativity. Both veiling and fashion have non-verbal languages, too. This chapter looks into the relationships between languages of veiling and languages of fashion. What happens when veiling becomes fashionable? What happens when fashionable forms of veiling appear, and an Islamic fashion industry emerges? There are three relevant types of language use here: those within Muslim communities, those outside Muslim communities, and those operating between Muslim and non-Muslim communities. These are shaped by power struggles of many sorts. As Foucault recognized, languages shape, hide and (re)produce power relations, such as in Orientalist forms of representation (Said), and in localized forms of silencing subaltern groups like lower-class women (Spivak). Such struggles become more complex when fashion languages and veiling languages meet. Fashionable veiling, or veiling fashion, can be a powerful tool for a Muslim woman, but it can also be rejected as oppressive or demeaning. These contradictory and intertwined elements of veiling languages and fashion languages are subjected here to cultural-historical sociological analysis.

With the development of Muslim minorities in the West, there has been an upsurge of Islamophobia, namely an irrational fear of Islam as a threat. A report on the failures of multiculturalism in 1997 described Britain as a society of ‘parallel communities’. It is also believed that there is a deep ‘clash of civilisations’ in the West in response to Islam. A more extreme view was the idea of ‘Islamofascism’. This negative attitude towards Muslim communities has been captured in the idea that Islam is ‘a warrior religion’. The conflict between Muslim minority communities and European host societies has often focused on the alleged influence of the Shari’a. Some of the tension has been mitigated by the development of arbitration courts based on the Shari’a for example over divorce procedures.

Abstract: Education is the lifeblood that provides knowledge to the community in various fields. The systematic beginning of education has now started from pre-school, primary school, secondary school and to higher level in college or university. All parties regardless of ethnic background, language and religion need the education to be able to live life more harmoniously, respect each other, build success and live based on humanity. At the same time in countries with diverse ethnic, religious and racial communities, the demand for education to understand religious beliefs is often heard. For more countries it is not a big issue to allow the community to provide religious education but not all countries are open and allow educational institutions other than those provided by the government. This is where various problems arise for communities to learn religious teachings, especially for Muslim minorities. Muslim minority communities face various challenges to obtain formal religious education facilities in government-owned schools. Therefore, there are several challenges that have to be overcome to ensure that the Muslim community is able to practice religious teachings while studying in schools owned by the government. This study examines the challenges faced by Muslim minority communities, especially Malays in Perth, Australia.
 Keywords: Education; Muslim Minority; Malay Community
 Abstrak : Pendidikan adalah nadi kepada kehidupan yang memberikan pelbagai ilmu kepada masyarakat dalam pelbagai bidang. Permulaan pendidikan secara sistematik kini telah bermula dari pra sekolah, sekolah rendah, sekolah menengah dan ke peringkat tinggi di kolej atau universiti. Semua pihak tanpa mengira latar belakang etnik, bahasa dan agama memerlukan pendidikan agar dapat menjalani kehidupan dengan lebih harmoni, saling menghormati,membina kejayaan serta hidup berdasarkan sifat kemanusiaan. Pada masa yang sama dalam negara yang mempunyai pelbagai masyarakat terdiri etnik, agama dan kaum tuntutan untuk mendapatkan pendidikan memahami anutan agama sering kedengaran. Bagi negara yang lebih terbuka ianya bukanlah satu isu besar untuk membenarkan masyarakat menyediakan pendidikan agama namun tidak semua negara yang terbuka dan membenarkan institusi pendidikan selain yang disediakan oleh kerajaan. Dari sinilah timbul pelbagai masalah untuk masyarakat mempelajari ajaran agama khususnya bagi golongan minoriti Muslim. Masyarakat minoriti Muslim menghadapi pelbagai cabaran untuk mendapatkan kemudahan pendidikan agama secara formal di sekolah milik kerajaan. Justeru itu terdapat beberapa cabaran yang terpaksa dilalui bagi memastikan masyarakat Muslim dalam melaksanakan ajaran agama semasa belajar di sekolah milik kerajaan. Kajian ini meneliti cabaran yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat minoriti Muslim khususnya Melayu di Perth, Australia.
 Kata kunci: Pendidikan; Minoriti Muslim; Masyarakat Melayu

Under transnational migration, migrant women are not confined by the new host society; the unbreakable attachments to the home society constantly affect and shape these women’s perceptions of their gender and position in the host society. As a result of the growing number of Muslim migrant women, both Muslim and non-Muslim communities have begun to be aware of and recognise the rights of Muslim women and the violence that occurs. Yet, unlike international experiences of Islamic feminist groups being established to promote Muslim women’s rights, an increasing number of local women’s rights groups have started to work with Islamic faith-based organisations to disseminate the idea of women’s rights in Muslim communities. With a lack of studies regarding Muslim migrant women in Hong Kong, this article draws on the significance of international studies on culture, religion and migration to understand the situation in Hong Kong. By analysing the social and political influences on minority integration, this article seeks to uncover the capacity of the Muslim women’s rights movement in guarding against gender-based violence in Hong Kong.

This research seeks to investigate the approach of Yusuf al-Qaradawi toward inter-religious encounters in the light of his teachings and writings. As a prominent Islamic scholar and intellectual, Qaradawi’s teachings and writings have had a significant impact on the relationship between the Muslim community and others. The goal of this research is to provide an analysis of Qaradawi’s writings and teachings to extract his approach toward inter-religious encounters and relations, drawing on a range of primary and secondary sources. Through a critical examination of his views on this subject, the approach of Qaradawi toward inter-religious understanding and cooperation is emphasized. The descriptive, analytical, and critical methods are used in the entire work. A brief description of Yusuf al-Qaradawi’s life, intellectual development, and works on inter-religious encounters and understanding is provided. Analysis of how he approached inter-religious encounters and relations, and how his views and thoughts on this subject have been received by both Muslim and non-Muslim communities. The study expects to provide new insights into Yusuf al-Qaradawi’s approach to inter-religious engagements, which are relevant to the contemporary context of inter-religious relationships between Muslims and adherents of other religions.

Chinese Muslim converts in Malaysia often face dual rejection, viewed as traitors by their Chinese families and as outsiders by the Muslim communities. This study examines how these individuals navigate family conflicts while balancing their religious beliefs with Chinese Cultural heritage. Through qualitative semi structured interviews with 15 Chinese Muslims, three key findings emerged. Firstly, the Chinese Muslims feel disconnected from their Chinese original community due to their new identity, Secondly, they strive to preserve their Chinese cultural heritage while embracing their Muslim identity. Thirdly, they constantly negotiate their ethnic and religious identities especially with their non-Muslim families. Despite these challenges, the Chinese Muslims play a vital role as cultural bridges fostering understanding between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities. This implication is significant as their efforts align with the Islamic concept of Figh al ta’Ayush (peaceful co-existence), contributing to social harmony. This study concludes that Chinese Muslims while facing identity issues, significantly contribute to intercommunal understanding. Future studies could explore Chinese Muslim parents’ perception of Islam and their reasons for rejecting their children's conversion, proving further insights into these complex cultural dynamics.

Communication is a social process in which individuals use symbols to establish and interpret meaning in their environment. Artifact is a valuable source of communication in our historical and everyday life. The Islamic artifacts use in daily life constantly support or contradict our beliefs, values and self identities. Muslim communities have traced the authenticity and legitimacy their customary practices of Islamic attire by the guidance of the Quran and Hadith. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine and explore the meanings, structures and the essence of the perceived experience of Muslim niqab wearing women within a phenomenological manner. Niqab wearing is women's individual choice and empowerment, and its expression is Islamic identity. Now a days niqab wearing is controversial issue due to misunderstanding among Muslim and non-Muslim community. The goal of this study is to investigate a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the Islamic concept of niqab wearing women. The expected result of this research will contribute to a critical discussion on the rationale of controversy of niqab wearing, especially in the perspective of abuse, and justify women's right in context of Islamic culture based on Quranic obligation that will not create political and cultural discrimination in the society.

This research aims to describe the assumptions of mountain communities (Tosari and Nongkojajar) in using Halal labeling products (HNI) during the pandemic. The research design employed in this study is quantitative descriptive research with an associative or relational approach. Data collection techniques utilized research instruments, and the data analysis is quantitative/statistical, with the objective of testing the predetermined hypotheses. The researcher determined a sample size of 65 individuals using the Slovin formula, who then became one of the research targets for obtaining several data points. The research findings indicate that both non-Muslim and Muslim communities in Tosari and Nongkojajar generally prefer HNI for their daily needs and health due to the sense of security and high trust placed by the community in the HNI halal label. The implications of this research extend to the development of the local economy, the creation of sustainable business models, and the formulation of policies for the government.

The new millennium has drawn renewed attention to Muslim presence in Australia despite the fact that the links between Muslims and the continent predate the European settlement. A complex set of informational, institutional, and political factors have shaped multiple identities of Muslims in the country with the set of views and identities ranging from orthodox to more modernist interpretations of what it means to be a Muslim in a majority non-Muslim state. The complexity is consistently being reinforced and rendered more complex due to the emergence of organizations, groups and forces that present what they assume to be the ‘definitive’ view of Islam. The phenomenon exists in both Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Australia. Among Muslims, this diversity has expressed itself, among other issues, with reference to national days that have come to symbolize Australian identity. This article will explore this diversity of views and responses with reference to Australia Day celebrations and the ANZAC Day. It argues that despite the presence of ideas promoting a global caliphate of Islam, as well as a tendency to present an essentialist nature of Islam and Muslims, the responses by Muslim communities in Australia have differed with respect to these national days—an indication of the flaws inherent in conceiving Muslim presence as a singular identity in Australia.

Though India is no stranger to either epidemics or hate speech, the COVID-19 crisis brought to the surface many of the pre-existing schisms and prejudices that subsequently led to both the Muslim minority community and the Dalit community being cast as miasmic and constant agitators against the central government. In the case of hate speech against the Muslim community, it has led to a peculiar situation wherein the invisible but pervasive Islamophobia that has been plaguing the country from the colonial times has risen it ugly head particularly across regional news channels and social media networks, making the phenomena hyper-visible. The Hindutva 1 politicians from the extreme right parties have been indulging in spreading anti-Muslim propaganda, moulding the image of the Muslim community as not only disease-bearers and super-spreaders of COVID-19 virus but also as being anti-national, as the central government has proclaimed ‘a war against the COVID virus’ ( The Print, 2020, 26 April). During the initial spread of the virus throughout the country, there was an increasing tendency to show the Muslim community as intentionally spreading the disease or as being ignorant of current medical practices, with multiple TV channels airing the views that the Tablighi Jamaat event (a religious congregation held in March 2020) was marked as a super-spreader event, and with multiple politicians engaging in rumour-mongering and hate-speech against the Muslims, framing the community as a miasmic community that needs to be cleared from India. On the other hand, the hate speech against Dalits in India is much more nuanced, indirect and layered. It began as WhatsApp and Facebook messages extolling the caste system and justifying the discriminatory practice of untouchability 2 using the logic of social distancing and progressed to painting Dalits and Dalit spaces as unhygienic disease-scapes. This consequently led to the denial of livelihoods to thousands of domestic workers and unskilled workers who belonged to lower caste groups as they found themselves without jobs as most middle caste upper caste families and business owners fired their employees without notice. The study involves a hermeneutical analysis of news reports of the spread of COVID from newspapers and electronic media in English as well as interviews with at least 100 members of groups on social media (WhatsApp and Facebook) that propagate extremely communal and casteist material.

IntroductionDespite the well-documented benefits of engaging in physical activity (PA), preventing and managing a myriad of health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, anxiety, and depression, recent data shows that approximately 1.8 billion adults worldwide fail to meet the recommended levels of PA. Addressing this global public health crisis requires a comprehensive approach including contemplating cultural and religious factors especially within Muslim and ethnic minority communities in the Western world. For instance, despite the strong Islamic endorsement for PA, there is lack of faith-centred initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes within Muslim communities. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of Muslim scholars on the importance of engaging in PA for health and well-being from an Islamic perspective.MethodsA qualitative approach was deemed appropriate for exploring the views, knowledge, and understanding of Muslim scholars. A combination of purposive sampling of 14 scholars agreed to participate in this study. Thematic analysis was employed for analysing and interpreting the data.ResultsThemes highlight provide a comprehensive view of how PA and health promotion are woven into Islamic teachings and community practices, illustrating the unique role of religion and religious leaders in fostering healthy lifestyles within Muslim communities.Discussion and conclusionIslam advocates for PA participation, various barriers including cultural misconceptions, limited access to appropriate facilities, and societal shifts toward sedentary lifestyles hinder its practice, and scholars have the potential to drive meaningful behaviour change.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perception of Muslim and non-Muslim communities on the relationship between interreligious social interaction in Malaysia. Plurality or diversity is inevitable, one of which is religious diversity. Malaysia is a country with a high level of religious diversity, although most of its territory is dominated by Islam. This diversity is a challenge, especially for the government to unite it especially in that there are various differences that can cause conflict. Good interaction between religions is one way to reduce inequality or differences between religions, where with good interaction can eliminate misunderstandings that might occur. So, there needs to be research related to this. This type of research is a qualitative descriptive study, with cool research namely Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Malaysia where the sampling technique used is purposive sampling. The type of data used in this study is primary data with data retrieval techniques namely observation, interviews and documentation. Based on the results of the study showed that the perception of Muslim and non-Muslim societies on the relationship of social interaction between religions in Malaysia is very good, where both Muslim and non-Muslim communities say that they can live side by side, even though in a state life non-Muslim people still accept different treatment by the Malaysian government.