THE BROTHERHOOD

Figures of knife crime are nowhere near being slashed, with the sharp rise of stabbings contributing to ‘more than 100 serious knife crimes being committed every week in Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire’ with a ‘90% rise of knife crimes from 2012’ and it being ‘75% higher overall than what it was over a decade ago with the only fall due to COVID restrictions’ (BBC & Youth Endowment Fund). Often instigated by gang culture and linked with drug use and dealing, it is a path which, sadly, many Muslim youth have taken; Muslims make up 18% of the prison population, as per statistics published in 2021 (Ministry of Justice). The Save Our Boys organisation in South London stated, “Part of the problem is a lack of preparation and resources in Muslim communities” (MCB). At the same time, Dr Mohammed Qasim attributed these criminalities to ‘deprived communities, low education levels, lack of job opportunities and institutional racism’ (The University of Bradford). 

However, these are all symptoms of a root cause that has not yet been explored. No research looks at manifestations of masculinity as the problem and considers what Islam says about that. The question of manhood and how it manifests today compared to previous generations confuses many men regarding their identity and the masculine frame within which one should operate. One particular solution from a faith community is to put forward our own Islamic normative views on masculinity by interviewing various Imams such as Sheikh Mohammad Ismail in Sheffield, involved with Mums United in ‘preventing youth from gang-related and anti-social behaviour’ (KAICIID), and how they respond to this observation. By the end, through this research, we will have gained an understanding of what is happening with masculinity discourses in young Muslim men, and, as an academic and classically trained Islamic scholar, I will be able to look at knife crime in certain areas and relate that to gangs, masculinity, and Islam.

With no grounding of faith and masculinity, the psychological impacts too are evident with mental health difficulties on the rise in men; they lack purpose and resort to criminalities to establish so-called dominance as they compete in their masculinities. My work as a psycho-spiritual coach involves helping people rediscover their purpose. For men, in particular, the purpose is linked to their masculinity. This research will help to plug this gap and potentially restore the natural balance first given to us by the Divine, or at least learn to navigate the complexities of modern definitions of man while still maintaining a certain manliness that allows men to flourish as themselves. The psychology of how we identify ourselves is critical. Thus, a PhD level of research is integral to my vision to help young Muslim men understand social realities and provide a gateway to addressing issues at a deeper subconscious level and a concrete, practical solution and framework.