November marks Islamophobia Awareness Month, a time where we celebrate the positive contributions of Muslims in society, but equally, a time to raise awareness of the very pertinent presence of Islamophobia that British Muslims continue to face daily. At a time where the conflict in the Middle-East is having a grave impact on faith communities here in Britain and a direct impact on hate incidents against Muslims, it’s important we take a stand to make sure British Muslims feel safe in their work, lives and right to practice their religion freely.

As a fierce advocate for better safeguarding of British Muslim communities and against Islamophobia, I have been working throughout the month to raise awareness about Islamophobia in Parliament.

I marked the beginning of the month, as I have done for the past 3 years, by writing to the Prime Minister to urge him to adopt the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims definition of Islamophobia to show that the Government is committed to tackling hatred against Muslim communities.

Today is the start of Islamophobia Awareness Month. Most victims of religious hate crime are Muslim – more desperately needs to be done to tackle this.

I'm urging the PM to adopt to @APPGBritMuslims definition of Islamophobia as a first step to tackling this type of racism 👇 pic.twitter.com/hfiDJ3DHFX

— Afzal Khan MP (@Afzal4Gorton) November 1, 2023

For the second week of IAM. I hosted an event in Parliament for MPs from all political parties to come together to learn more about Islamophobia. I was pleased to be joined by dozens of parliamentary colleagues from all parties including Anneliese Dodds MP (Chair of the Labour Party, Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities), Sarah Owen MP (Shadow Minister for Faith), Nickie Aiken MP (Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party), Steve Tuckwell MP (new Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip) and Anum Qaisar MP (SNP spokesperson for Levelling Up).

During Business Questions, I asked the Leader of the House, Penny Mordaunt, for an update on the Government’s work on tackling Islamophobia. You can read my full question to the Leader of the House and her response here, or watch the clip here.

On the penultimate week of IAM. I presented a petition in Parliament on on behalf of my constituents and British Muslims across the UK, calling on the Govt to formally adopt  the APPG definition of Islamophobia. The Government has repeatedly refused to engage on adopting a definition, let alone laying out a plan to tackle it so I pressed them to act urgently. Watch me present the petition below.

Islamophobia Awareness Month may be drawing to an end but that does not mean the work to inform, educate and stamp out Islamophobia in society for good is complete. Defining Islamophobia is a crucial first step in tackling the problem, without it, abuse towards Muslims can be distorted by the media or dismissed by people in power. That is why this Islamophobia Awareness Month and beyond, I will continue to push for the Tories to adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia and call for better safeguarding measures to be put into place for British Muslims. Muslim communities deserve better and it is the Governments responsibility to ensure this.