Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I have never had a problem praying in school , in the United Kingdom. Alhamdulillah. In fact, often the teachers were encouraging.
I was perhaps the only Muslim in primary school. So at age 5, I remember Miss Seymore making me read Arabic and then English, and asking how I could manage reading Right to Left and then Left to Right. - To be honest, I had not noticed! lol I used to tell them about Islam at such an age. When I was around 9 I was going to another school where again, out of around 500 children I was one of the only Muslims. - For around 3 weeks, I was given a time to teach about Islam and the Muslim way of life in the class. I thought that was awesome. Also, I had each Friday Afternoon off for Jumah. I was able to go to the Masjid, and did not need to return. - This was after my parents presented a letter, where they showed that by law, they had to accomodate my time for religious observations. I understand that having half a friday off is something pretty unique, and most people do not have such opportunities. But, hey the school was cool and my teacher drove a red porsche. lol
Secondary school was easier, there were more Muslims. But, in the first year (age 11), I remember the sixth formers (Who were around 18) were mostly from the Hizb Tahrir group. - Back then, Hizb Tahrir were different from today. - They used to be clean-shaven, they had no proper Islamic grounding, and major problems in Aqeedah too following Matrudi beliefs where they do not believe in punishment of the grave or matters of the unseen.. and they also did not believe in certain types of Hadith. - They were really political, and were spreading their leaflets and newsletters... calling what were kids to the wrong way. Putting hatred into them. I remember sitting in the Juma khutbah (which we had in the drama studio, lol) and thinking this is a khutbah, no ayah, no hadith, nothing about Islam, just pure politics... So, I would take all the leaflets and rip them up, put them in the bin. - Which led to some confrontations. - Would have been fine, except I was 11 and they were around 18 years old. Alhamdulillah, we debated, and by the following year I was incharge of the Islamic society.
That was a great time in fact, it was all pre-9/11.. The only major thing from my childhood was perhaps the Iraq war in the 1990s... and the Iranian stuff to do with Salman Rushdie..... the war in Bosnia.. Apart from that, there wasnt much Islamophobia. Although, people did not know much about Islam. It was very much something "exotic" and different. - A lot of Muslims I knew, including myself would wear scarfs and even military style clothing, like camoflaged jackets and trousers (for fashion and not because they were militant) openly in the UK.
I remember I passed my driving test the first time I took it.. The instructor was not Muslim. He was Christian but not religious. As often goes, people want to break the ice, so he asked me what I did with my time. Obviously, I started talking about how on Fridays I go to the masjid and how I like studying Islam and helping people to learn more about it. - I did not think twice that this man would be some racist zealot who would fail me on my test because I was a religious Muslim. - I know that some people may be weary and not openly talk about Islam. I have never been like that, even in front of "important" people such as business men, or members of royal families that I have met. Anyhow, so I am doing the driving test, but we just were talking about Islam and Christianity whilst making turns or stopping with the occassional direction given by the instructor.
At the end of the test, he went over my test and pointed out that I did not look at my mirrors enough.. (oops!) . He said that on a bad day other driving instructors or even himself might have failed me, but that he had never spoken to someone as he did on this day (meaning the subjects talked about) and he felt confident he could pass me and that I will go and learn from the problems he had outlined.
Things did not always go well though. I remember when I was 6, the teacher Mrs Ashfield used to get all the other kids in the class to make fun of me. She encouraged them to bully me. I remember one time, whilst i was sitting on my little chair, at my little desk, she leant over.. her nose almost touching mine.. her eyes glaring with hate.. and she screamed telling me that I would not pass any of my exams, that I would not pass my GCSEs and would never go to university. - It was horrible, I didnt understand why she did that. At that time, all I thought was that I must have been stupid. -- Now, I look back, I realise she was most probably a racist and was upset at the fact I was an intelligent kid. Nevertheless, it made me want to go to a different school..
There was also an incident with a Jewish teacher, who in front of the class pulled my hair... for no reason except I was speaking to someone behind me. It hurt a lot - I complained to another teacher, who said it was nothing, because my hair did not come out..
I guess with 9/11 there has been a lot of negative coverage about Islam, but also this has given rise to more information. -
I have not had problem at university or at work. Islam always comes first. If somoene does not like it, then tough.
Its important to be confident and proud of being a Muslim. - Go to the headmaster (principal) of your school, tell them you have rights, such as to pray. Say you will be reasonable and it will only take up a few minutes. Better is to find some other Muslims, make a letter or petition and go together. -
If you are applying for a job, make sure your employer knows that you might need a few minutes off work. Maybe even you need a lunch break at a different time than other people to accomodate the time for Zohr or Asr. You can make up for that missed work time. -
Find an office or room that is free,... work hard to get yourself accomodated into the work environment. -
And remember, if people are being highly unreasonable by not accomodating you because you are a Muslim, because you wear the hijab or have a beard, or ridiculing, pressurising, or even harassing you, then they may well be breaking the law. - If your boss does not give you a raise or promotion, whilst others with lesser qualifications or experience do, then this also may well be unfair discimination. -- Morale of the story? Find out and know your rights!
