Recent leaks to the media worryingly suggest that the government will water down advice from the Islamophobia Working Group, and strip back vital elements of a new definition to protect Muslim communities.

The leaks suggest that the term ‘racialisation’ is likely to be omitted from a government adopted definition of Islamophobia. This term emphasises that discrimination against Muslim communities is a form of racism, and would offer Muslims the same protections afforded to other religious groups, including Sikh and Jewish communities, who are protected as both ethnic and religious groups under the Equality Act 2010.

To remove reference to racialisation would represent a serious breach of care, treat Muslims differently to other religious minorities, and fail to recognise that the discrimination and violence directed at Muslims is a form of racism. To be clear, race is a social construct and racialisation is the way that certain groups are categorised and treated as homogenous, inferior and/or dangerous. The discrimination against Muslims is entirely within this widely accepted understanding of racism, and should not be controversial.

Concerns that a definition would stifle free speech are misplaced, ignoring the established and necessary limits that already exist in democratic societies. Ultimately, a clear definition strengthens democratic discourse by protecting individuals from hate, while explicitly preserving the right to robust debate about faith, policy, and power.

The leaked definition, verified by two members of the working group, already moves us away from the term ‘Islamophobia’, which has wide currency both domestically and internationally, towards the term ‘Anti-Muslim Hostility’. This is in itself a downgrading of the way in which discrimination towards Muslims and people perceived to be Muslims is understood, risking over-emphasising direct and intentional behaviours, and obscuring indirect and structural forms of discrimination. 

All of these points are made clear in the submission of evidence we presented to the working group in the summer.

Muslims, along with other faith groups, are experiencing intensifying forms of racism and violence as shown by a 19% increase in hate crimes targeting Muslims, as reported earlier this year. But this direct violence is very likely the tip of the iceberg, and a strong definition is urgently required as a first step to help detect, monitor and address racism towards Muslims. 

Regrettably, the government has overseen a process that has been obscure and lacked transparency. The consultation process was far from adequate and failed to engage with key Muslim civil society organisations. The leaked definition is already limited and the government must not limit it any further. It should honour its responsibility to finalise a strong, responsive and helpful definition of Islamophobia that understands it as a form of racism, and enables the work that needs to be done to protect Muslims in the UK.