Santri Mengglobal, Birmingham – A research team from UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang and PTIQ Jakarta University continues their data collection activities related to the research titled “Religious Literacy and the Narratives of Religiosity of Gen-Z Muslims in Indonesia and the United Kingdom” by conducting several interviews with both Muslim student (Gen Z) and parents of students in the cities of Coventry and Birmingham on December 24, 2023. The focus of these interviews is to gain a profound understanding for Muslim Generation Z in the UK regarding the importance of religious values in comprehending identity and ways of life amidst the dynamics of modernity, including Islamophobia.
Dr. Mahmud bin Sayyed, a researcher and scholar at the University of Warwick, emphasizes that Islamophobia is not the only significant today’s challenge for Gen-Z Muslims in the UK in practicing their Islamic activities. More importantly, it is about safeguarding and ensuring the sustainability of Islamic propagation and symbols in the UK by Gen-Z as the succeeding Muslim generation. Mahmud also underscores the central role of family and community in this issue.
Additionally, Zakariya Alanisi, a parent of Gen Z from Birmingham, stresses the crucial and even prioritized role of parents in the education and Islamic learning of Gen-Z in the United Kingdom nowadays. “If Muslim parents here already have sufficient knowledge and Islamic education, it will serve as a solid fortress and foundation for the education of Muslim families and communities in the UK,” he stated.
One of the Gen-Z Muslims, Hamzah Kapadia, highlights the importance of the role of the Muslim community in Islamic education. For him, the community serves as a platform where he and his friends can deepen their religious knowledge, share religious perspectives, and get to know each other more deeply. “The Muslim community I am currently part of serves as a space for the exchange of religious knowledge and experiences, creating an interactive environment that supports richer and more profound Islamic learning,” he expressed.
