British Muslims Joining Islamic State in Syria

Former Member

Three sisters from Bradford have taken their nine children to live under the Islamic State in Syria. They aren't the first to leave the UK for the Islamic State. Several young Muslims made the move, including the youngest ever British suicide bomber, Talha Asmal from Dewsbury.

Why do you think some British Muslims would rather live under the Islamic State than live here?

When you hear about young British Muslims leaving the UK to live under the Islamic State, do you feel shocked, or can you understand why they would make that choice?

Former Member

I watched East is East at the theatre the other day and realised that the situation has done a one-eighty: it's the older generation who are now the more integrated and the younger generation who are regressing, turning to a politicised and unsavoury version of an ideology not even their parents' generation adhered to.

Former Member

CptCoatHanger wrote: »

I watched East is East at the theatre the other day and realised that the situation has done a one-eighty: it's the older generation who are now the more integrated and the younger generation who are regressing, turning to a politicised and unsavoury version of an ideology not even their parents' generation adhered to.

That's an interesting p
oint, because it would have been harder for the older generations to integrate and adapt, whereas many of the younger generation have been born here. Why do you think younger Muslims are more radical than their parents?

Former Member

I think that's over-generalising; I know plenty of liberal Muslims with more traditional parents. The vast majority are pretty well integrated, but there's a small number who aren't - whether that's because they're marginal and find it easier to fall back on certainties, dislike the liberalism of UK society or are just so deeply religious that it trumps all else.

Former Member

I sounded more sweeping than I intended to in my above post. I just meant to say that the subject matter of a younger more liberal generation trying to extricate themselves from their conservative parents runs starkly in contrast to the news of young Muslims - many of whom seem to be women, which utterly boggles my mind - upping sticks to fight with, or live under, ISIS.

There are also some interesting/worrying polls conducted by Pew which asked British Muslims about their views on subjects like apostasy and homosexuality and which put paid to any notion that that there's some tiny minority holding illiberal views.

I've just finished reading Radical by Maajid Nawaz which is a fascinating autobiography on the mechanics of how young Muslims, many of whom you could call liberal, are radicalised. Well worth a read for anyone interested in the subject.

Former Member

The Muslims who go to Syria are often portrayed as impressionable. Do you think they are capable of making such a big decision?

CptCoatHanger wrote: »

There are also some interesting/worrying polls conducted by Pew which asked British Muslims about their views on subjects like apostasy and homosexuality and which put paid to any notion that that there's some tiny minority holding illiberal views.

So why is that notion spread by politicians and the media? Are young Islamic extremists being perceived as moderate Muslims if they don't call for or threaten violence?

Former Member

WayneS wrote: »

Why do you think some British Muslims would rather live under the Islamic State than live here?

Because they canny be asked staying here?