By Caroiline Jaine

Last year I stood in London’s Frontline Club amidst a lively audience having just watched a short film about British extremists who pervert Islam to justify their violent acts.

Originally published by Muslim Voices

The people were unsettled, some angry.

A lot of them were Muslims themselves and challenged the film maker and the panel. The panel on the stage were defensive and the chair of the debate pointed to me and stammered, “something from the blond lady at the back”. I had had my hand raised for some time.

“This is not an Islam that I recognise”, I offered. “I have lived in Islamic countries, but this version of Islam does not feel commonplace or representative”.

After the event a few people came up to me and thanked me for offering my thoughts. I left feeling irked that my point was somehow more poignant than a Muslim Voice. And I didn’t understand at the time.

View From The OutsideI’m not a Muslim. Nor do I belong to any other faith –- but if you had to put me in a box I guess I would say I am a passionate and “fundamental” even about tolerance (irony intended). In describing “agnostic” Wikipedia suggests in some senses, it is a stance about the similarities or differences between belief and knowledge, rather than about any specific claim or belief.

I do have a belief system about prejudice however and I know it disturbs me. Often this is born out of a section of society being misrepresented or misunderstood. And whilst people put pressure on Muslims to denounce those who murder in the name of god – I also suggest that it is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that Islam – in all it’s diversity – is properly represented.

The hijacking of Islam by those bent on violence is something we should all respond to. I am beginning to see that as a neutral tolerant – of no specific faith (but no lack of spirituality) I may be well positioned to offer support.

A Journey Through IslamSo I had an idea. I’d like to go on a journey. I’d like to explore Islam through the eyes of a non-Muslim and share it on this blog. I’d like to specifically explore Islam in Britain – where I currently live. And I’d like to do this with the help of my many British/Pakistani friends.

Why with their help in particular? Well, to be honest, because I work on the Pakistan desk at the British Foreign Office, so this will support and not interfere with my day job, but also because these same friends have given me the impression that British Pakistanis in particular have issues with being misrepresented. I’d like to pick that apart some.

I hope I am going to dispel some myths on my journey (I might even dispel some myths about the Foreign Office at the same time!) and – as I am certainly no expert on Islam – I anticipate learning much about the faith and about the diversity in British society.

As a result of living in Muslim countries (and sharing time with Arabs growing up in Bristol), my language is already laced with salaams and insh’allas and I often tell my kids to yellah when I am loading them into the car. I am known to have a late night rant about the issue of hijab wearing and ensure I write contemplatively during Ramadan.

So in many ways this is a personal journey for me too, to find out what my own complex agnostic identity means.

I welcome your thoughts, however challenging and will try and respond to every comment on this blog.

Peace Be Upon You

Read Caroline Jaine’s World Bank blog or check out her visual art

Published on 12th July 2010