Britain is once again embroiled in a debate surrounding the definition of “Islamophobia,” as reports of hate crimes targeting Muslims continue to rise across the country. The renewed discussion follows the submission of a report last month by a government-appointed committee, formed in February, tasked with formulating an official definition of the term. Authorities are currently reviewing the report’s findings before announcing a final version.
The concept of Islamophobia has undergone several iterations. It first emerged in 1997, initially defined by an anti-racism organization as “unjustified hostility towards Islam and the resulting discriminatory practices.” However, a parliamentary committee proposed a different definition in 2018, characterizing Islamophobia as “a form of racism directed at expressions or manifestations associated with Islam.” This definition was rejected by successive Conservative governments but adopted by some municipalities, universities, and the opposition Labour Party.
Misha Islam, a researcher at the University of Southampton, notes that the past year witnessed the highest recorded rates of hate crimes against Muslims in Britain. Despite this, “we are still waiting for a definition promised by the government since 2019.” Islam suggests that the delay in establishing an official definition of Islamophobia stems from a lack of political will.
She argues that the absence of a formal definition makes it difficult to accurately count the number of attacks perpetrated against Muslims, explaining that many incidents go unreported and therefore unrecorded. Islam believes that verbal and physical assaults against Muslims in the streets and mosques, coupled with the rise of far-right activities, have become a daily reality for British Muslims.
While emphasizing that any effective definition of Islamophobia should encompass both the individual and institutional dimensions of the phenomenon, Islam concludes by highlighting the need for the definition to include individual acts and systemic discrimination within institutions, as their impact on the daily lives of Muslims is very tangible. The lack of clarity on this definition is seen as a major impediment to addressing the issue effectively. Activists and community leaders are urging the government to prioritize this matter.
