- The prayer ban at Michaela School discriminates against Muslims, irrespective of the judgement at the High court.
- The Muslim prayer serves as a crucial necessity for children and young people, especially amidst the increasing prevalence of mental health issues.
As a Muslim secondary school teacher, the prayer ban at Michaela Community School in Brent was as unsurprising as Monday morning traffic – disappointing, but par for the course.
This article delves into my extensive experiences with Muslim students praying in UK schools and speculates on what the future may hold. So, if you’re not primed for a thought provoking debate, you might want to get out of the kitchen because it’s about to get hot.
Multiculturalism in the UK has been thriving in my opinion. I mean, having said this, social cohesion isn’t necessarily the stuff of John Lewis Christmas adverts. However, London, my home, has always been a vibrant mosaic of ideas, cultures, religions- fostering mutual respect, understanding, intellectual dynamism and growth.
This sentiment is certainly mirrored among the youth in schools throughout the nation.
The High Court ruling yesterday, however, has contradicted all of this.
In the written judgment dismissing the student’s case, Mr Justice Linden said:
“The claimant at the very least impliedly accepted, when she enrolled at the school, that she would be subject to restrictions on her ability to manifest her religion.”
However, beyond the legal wrangling over a school’s rulebook lies a deeper inquiry: Why do institutions such as Michaela adopt such a rigidly secular stance when it comes to Muslim students being able to practise their faith? Why is it that schools up and down the country are now accommodating for LBTQ toilets yet not a prayer which takes 5 minutes at lunchtime?
Is it justifiable for a school in Brent, where half of the students are Muslim, to zealously uphold a secular vision that overlooks a fundamental aspect of the identity of their large demographic?
Across the nation, young ones are contending with a mounting wave of mental health hurdles, a pattern corroborated by a multitude of studies. The cure? Research highlights the profound therapeutic benefits of Muslim prayer in nurturing mental well-being.
The study, ‘Effect of Muslim Prayer (Salat) on α Electroencephalography and Its Relationship with Autonomic Nervous System Activity’ concluded that during salah, parasympathetic activity increased and sympathetic activity decreased. Parasympathetic activity entails the part of the nervous system that slows the heart, dilates blood vessels and decreases pupil size. The study found how salah promotes relaxation, minimizes anxiety, and reduces cardiovascular risk.
In light of this, I invite you to explore with me through personal anecdotes, the grim reality facing young people in our schools today:
I have spent some of my working days waiting anxiously outside the girls’ toilets, concerned about a former sixth form student battling bulimia and severe body dysmorphia. She frequently fainted there, once requiring an ambulance. I recall her tearful confession: “Miss, I can’t look at myself in the mirror; I vomit every time I see myself.” Despite her striking beauty, this young girl struggled with profound mental health challenges, instigated by comparisons to social media influencers.
Katharine Birbalsingh of ‘Britain’s strictest’ school is, without a shadow of a doubt, not exempt from having her students face such issues. Having worked in outstanding schools of similar standing myself, the issues young people are facing today are widespread.
In the current climate, stripping away prayer is like snatching away breathing from many young Muslims who rely on it for solace and strength.
Moreover, prayer is mandatory for Muslims and safeguarding freedom of religion is a fundamental right.
In Islam, it is the responsibility of parents to encourage their children to pray at the age of 7. This is then to be reviewed by the age of 10, as stated in ahadith.
Consequently, the decision at the high court prohibits Muslim parents from parenting according to their faith.
During a live call-in on LBC yesterday, I reluctantly tuned in to Shelagh Fogarty’s show on the matter (who, let’s just say, isn’t exactly my idea of a radio delight).
A caller named Nazanin, hailing from Afghanistan, expressed support for the decision as a Muslim parent. What struck me as amusing was how subsequent right-wing callers suddenly rallied behind Nazanin, ignoring the droves of Muslim parents voicing their concerns. It was a moment of absurdity that I couldn’t help but chuckle at. It’s important to note that Nazanin does not represent the majority of Muslim parents in the UK, who have been diligently advocating for their rights on various issues, including being pro-Palestinian and issues pertaining to LGBTQ being taught to their children.
As the show unfolded, it became apparent that Fogarty lacked insight into the significance of prayer for Muslims. This brought to mind an incident where I observed a member from the senior leadership team at a previous school I worked in, reprimanding a Muslim student whilst he was in sujood. This highlights the importance of non-Muslims in education to cultivate a deeper understanding of the role of prayer in our lives.
Interestingly, before this case emerged, I, as the sole Muslim in the room, was once consulted during a departmental meeting regarding children asking to pray during lessons. “Prayer can be accommodated during lunchtime for most of the academic year.” I said. “During changes of prayer times, it’s important to know that the performance of prayer only takes 5 minutes,” I said. This is a similar length of time when allowing children to leave the classroom to use the toilet. Moreover, Muslim students in my experience, never feign prayer to evade class; they consistently respect their faith, regardless of their level of practice.
A study reveals that 96% of Headteachers in the UK are White
One of the many problems with UK schools is that Headteachers and those in Senior leadership positions don’t understand who their students are.
In a 2022 study conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), Ambition Institute and Teach First, findings revealed that 86% of publicly funded schools in England have all-white senior leadership teams, with 96% of headteachers being white. Additionally, 60% of schools in England have an all-white teaching staff. BAME middle managers often face challenges in advancing to senior positions. Consequently, decisions made at the highest levels are often by individuals who may not fully understand or resonate with the multicultural student demographic. Sadly, there is often a lack of effort to comprehend the needs of these students.
But Birbalsingh is mixed race I hear you say!
This fact is rendered somewhat inconsequential when we consider figures such as Sunak, Sadiq Khan, and Suella Braverman, who have shown little effort to cater to the needs of minority communities.
Those who support the court’s ruling have suggested that these parents should send their children to Islamic schools. In that case, I would argue that the UK government must allocate funding for improved and increased faith schools catering to Muslims.
We are witnessing a troubling trend where all expressions of Muslim identity are unfairly labelled as extreme or anti-British. The endorsement of Michaela’s ban only serves to perpetuate the notion that, as Birbalsingh herself suggests, certain aspects of our identity must be sacrificed in the name of Britishness. However, for Muslims, Islam is not merely a belief system but a comprehensive way of life. Moreover, if a child can identify as a cat in the classroom, Muslims should certainly be afforded the freedom to embrace their identity. Religious freedom is a principle which has long distinguished us from many European nations for decades. In the UK, there is an absence of hesitation for Jewish, Christian and students of other faiths, philosophies, and creeds to freely practice their beliefs.
Perhaps it’s envy?
I previously worked at a Catholic school that boasted a designated chapel/prayer room, with the school’s priest as the sole keeper of its keys. Although the school had purportedly declared that the room could be used for students of all faiths (much like the multi-faith rooms we see in hospitals, shopping centres, and airports), it was unsurprising that only Muslim students ever availed themselves of it. Consequently, the priest became increasingly irked by the lack of Christian students using the room and deliberately began locking it to prevent student access.
Secular liberalism dominates the global stage, and Britain’s Christian identity has now become largely symbolic, serving as little more than a facade. Muslim youth on the other hand, are increasingly embracing and strengthening their faith, Alhumdulillah, much to the chagrin of many in the West.
This is a development we should take pride in!
The Muslim youth of Great Britain are a formidable presence, engaging passionately in discussions about Islam and other faiths while showing a genuine interest in their surroundings.
“Miss, you know Akhi Ayman yeah! He’s a G!” said a student of mine this week.
“Miss, the Christians, they are closer to us than they know. Isn’t it such a shame that they don’t know that!,” said another student of mine.
The Muslim youth of Great Britain integrate into diverse communities and respect people from all walks of life whilst staying true to their beliefs. Local masjids consistently attract a substantial turnout of young worshippers., and since the Palestine issue, school prayer rooms I have witnessed have been consistently bustling. In addition, this academic year, with a playful wink, I’ve warmly welcomed many of my Muslim students to the “Hijab Club.” This isn’t to say that we don’t have massive issues with our youth. Of course we do. However, it could be the culmination of all the aforementioned factors that has truly ruffled the feathers of Birbalsingh. Therefore, the circumvention of the issues she created in her own mind, were cloaked by a guise of secularism.
Prayer rooms in UK schools are not a luxury; they are, in fact now, more than ever, an indispensable increasing necessity.
