Tackling Islamophobia in the workplace
What employers can learn from Riz Ahmed’s anti-prejudice campaign by Katherine Godsmark
I’ve long admired the actor Riz Ahmed, not only for his onscreen talent but for his unwavering determination to speak out against Islamophobia and racism.
His new short film, The Long Goodbye, follows a south Asian family in dystopian suburban Britain, whose world is turned upside down when a group of white armed men violently burst into their home. It’s heartbreaking that in 2022 he’s having to explain in interviews how it was inspired by personal fears about rising intolerance and discrimination. "For many of us, this is very personal,” he told Reuters. “Smaller versions of this really impinge on daily lives... the bigger nightmare this film portrays is one that really keeps us up at night."
I’m sure it would have been easier for him to remain quiet, to not call out the “toxic portrayals” of Muslim characters on TV and Hollywood movies, or to say nothing about the difference in how the media portrays Muslim terrorists to white terrorists. He could have remained silent about the aggressive interrogations he’s received by airport security or questioned why Muslim groups who provided so much help in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy weren’t hailed as heroes.
Yet the performer, who last year became the first Muslim to receive a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars, understands that saying nothing won’t bring change.
Last summer, he announced an initiative to combat the “problem of Muslim misrepresentation. “I’m not trying to attack anyone personally, it’s just about trying to call out a collective blind spot,” he later told the Observer.
He also co-commissioned research which showed how Muslims are either “invisible or villains” onscreen; something that not only lost audiences but “lost lives” because of the “dehumanising and demonising” ways that Muslims were often depicted.
Home Office statistics show that in the year ending March 2021 there were 124,091 hate crimes recorded in England and Wales, of which 92,052 were race hate crimes and 6,377 religious hate crimes. While the latter was the second annual consecutive drop – down 18 per cent on the previous year – it feels remiss to celebrate what is still a horrendously high number of incidences.
In 2017, Darren Osborne killed Makram Ali, 51, and injured nine others in a terrorist attack outside Finsbury Park Mosque in north London. Shortly after, Ahmed wrote a series of tweets. “When crazy Muslim kills, it’s MUSLIM TERROR… When Muslims save lives and lead relief at Grenfell where’s the MUSLIM HEROES headlines? And when non-Muslims shoot American politicians and drive a van into Muslims, why isn’t it called TERRORISM? where are the calls for white males or American gun-owners to answer for all others? Prejudice, extremism, supremacism is all the same.
“Language matters. By emphasising some violence over others or focussing on one extremism over others we fail to see how they’re connected. Violence is a cycle from people feeling under threat or their suffering undervalued. A first step is to use calm, and balanced language.”
It's not just Hollywood or the tabloids that need to think about the harm they are causing. I believe every organisation has a duty to promote inclusivity within the workplace and to their customers. That commitment should come from the top, with CEOs and boards leading the change and not just leaving it to an HR manager or an internal focus group.
In January, Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani reported that a party whip told her she was sacked from her job in government because her Muslim faith was “making colleagues feel uncomfortable”. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Ghani, who lost her job as transport minister in 2020, also said she was told there were concerns that she was not doing enough to defend the Tories against allegations of Islamophobia.
I’m reminded of the definition of Islamophobia that was drawn up four years ago by the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
A spokesperson for the Tory whips’ office called Ms Ghani’s allegations “categorically untrue… Ministerial roles are appointed on merit and rewards for hard work… The Conservative party does not tolerate any form of racism or discrimination.”
How can we begin create inclusive work environments for our Muslim colleagues?
Have a dedicated prayer room with an Arabic Quran that is not handled by any non Muslim employees. This gives Muslim colleagues the option to pray privately and without interruption.
Consider how dress codes and uniforms can incorporate headscarves. Do you know the difference between a hijab and a shayla, or a niqab and burqa? Or can you grasp the cultural origin of an individual by observing how they wear their thawb? Thawbs are a matter of huge pride where individuals can make a statement of where they are from, so tune in.
Look into whether halal food and vegetarian dishes are offered in canteens or when snacks are offered to staff. (Kosher is also permitted for Muslims to eat, the report advises.)
Dogs in the office are great for some but are a controversial topic for Muslims as dogs can be viewed as impure and against Islamic belief.
Offer a range of social and team-building activities that are designed to appeal to everyone. Some Muslim colleagues may not want to socialise in a pub.
Be aware of cultural differences around handshaking and direct eye contact. The placing of hand on heart (instead of a handshake between genders) in greeting is practised in many Muslim communities and seen as a highly respectful act, as is Muslim men lowering their gaze when interacting with women.
Discuss Ramadan with Muslim staff ahead of time to gain an understanding of their routines during the holy month, and explore simple adaptations like holding meetings in the morning or early afternoon and/or letting staff finish earlier if Muslim staff are working through any breaktimes. And remember to wish Muslim colleagues ‘Eid Mubarak’ when Eid comes.
Consider how staff can use two days’ annual leave to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha festivals.
Explore leave options for Muslim staff who wish to travel to Saudi Arabia to partake of an Umrah and/or the Hajj pilgrimage.