The killing of Asad Shah in Glasgow which has been widely reported on was shocking and has left a deep impact on communities in Glasgow. Since the case is with prosecutors, we cannot go into further details, suffice as to say that intra-Muslim sectarian hate has for far too long, been brushed off as being ‘internal disagreements’ within Muslim communities and where anti-Shia and anti-Ahmaddiya rhetoric has been allowed to fester without being challenged.  Whilst people have the right to disagree on issues of theology and on core elements of it, creating the mood music by dehumanising one group or another through language should set off alarm bells for those who care about community integration and community relations.

Yet, we have seen time and time again, Ahmaddiya’s being regarded as being less than animals and some commentators within Muslim communities have made similar remarks on social media. Such dehumanization is unacceptable as are threats to minority communities.

The murder of Asad Shah may well be a turning point on intra-Muslim hatred and which we also record in Tell MAMA. If there is anything positive that comes out from this appalling murder, it is that behaviours change so that open hatred against certain groups within Muslim communities stops. As we have said before, people can disagree on theological elements and sometimes these discussions can be heated and passionate, since faith touches the core of some people. However, when it turns into the dehumanization of individuals and when terms are used which put at risk the lives of members of a certain community, then a line has been crossed.

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Two Glasgow based young female Muslims contacted Tell MAMA today. The young women are aged 16 and 21 years old and with the younger female wearing a Hijab and the older one, a Hijab and a Niqab.

On Saturday the 17th of October at 11 pm, the girls were waiting to enjoy some desserts in a restaurant and noticed a group of two white males and females. As they walked past the table of the sisters, one of the men was overheard saying, “why has she got that on her face,” at the Niqab wearing female. The sisters decided to ignore the comment and carried on looking through the menus.

A little while later the Niqab wearing female headed to the toilets and as she did, she noticed loud shouting coming from her table. She turned round and headed back to find the group harassing her elder sister and they stated, “get that f***** piece of s*** of your head you b****“. The group were swearing at the seated Muslim female and as the young sister approach the table, the group started abusing her. They stated, “and why has she got her f***** face covered.“

The women stated to Tell MAMA that none of the staff who heard the anti-Muslim abuse intervened. Both sisters did not react as the abuse continued in the restaurant with no bystander helping in any way.

The perpetrators it seems, decided to continue conversations with staff in the restaurant and as one of the females got up to order some food from the till, she was informed that the staff could not serve them. Hungry, angry and humiliated the young women left the restaurant and felt that the staff had acted in a manner which supported the actions of the perpetrators.

This case has been passed to Police Scotland for action.

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