The Islamic Society of Britain initiated Islam Awareness Week in 1994, to raise awareness and remove misconceptions surrounding Britain ’s second largest faith group. In 1997 the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia by the Runnymede Trust confirmed the existence of widespread prejudice and discrimination against Muslims in Britain . Their report, 'Islamophobia - a challenge for us all' (1997), launched by the Home Secretary at the House of Commons, proposed sixty recommendations, one of which was the desperate need for awareness and understanding of the true teachings of Islam. This was confirmed by the Commission’s second report on Islamophobia launched in 2004.

Sadly, Islam and Muslims are often portrayed as unreasonable, fanatical, intolerant, violators of human rights and anti-women. These popular images come down from age old myths and fears, often fuelled by political and economic interests and sometimes reinforced by the publicity given to extremists on the margins of Muslim society. They have led to prejudices and negative feelings about Islam and Muslims. These misunderstandings breed suspicion, discrimination, racism and even violence. We believe that these misconceptions must be removed if we are to see the development of a truly multi-faith Britain . Only then can we experience the joy of living together. We believe that through awareness and understanding we can create better relations, develop tolerance, respect and harmony in our society. The national Islam Awareness Week (IAW) is an opportunity for all of us to come forward and show our solidarity in addressing the threat posed by Islamophobia in the UK .

The UK ’s 1.6 million Muslims consist of a diverse community, representing many backgrounds, colours and languages. They can be found in every field and walk of life, and play their part in contributing to Britain 's wealth and culture at all levels. Indeed, Islam is no longer a foreign and strange religion practised by people living in other countries. It is very much a part of every day life for many Britons. In fact, the majority of Muslims in Britain were born here. Islam commands its followers to respect, preserve and strengthen all that is good in British society. Furthermore, it gives them the sense and inner strength to resist and change those aspects of the society which weaken its human character.

Islam is not a new religion. It is not specific to any people or region. It is a message to all to live in service of their Creator, of good and virtue and in service of each other. In Islam, there is no compulsion or coercion in matters of faith and religion. Tolerance of differences is an essential part of this paradigm. During Islam Awareness Week Muslim communities throughout the country will be organising a range of activities and events aimed at giving information about their way of life, developing contact with individuals and institutions, promoting social interaction and celebrating art and culture. We believe it can make a significant and historic contribution to community relations. There are many things that you can do and some ideas are listed on this site. Why not get involved. IAW aims to create an awareness of Islam in our society by involving everyone throughout Britain , irrespective of their school of thought or group affiliation. Everyone is invited to come forward and join hands in practical efforts to rid Britain of Islamophobia.

The theme for last year's Islam Awareness Week was 'Your Muslim Neighbour' and highlighted the often unnoticed contribution made by Muslim neighbours, co-workers and citizens in enriching British society. At the heart of last year's activities was the desire to bring British communities together in neighbourliness and understanding.

These projects aimed to build bridges and break down misconceptions, harnessing the very strong ethos within Islamic teachings relating to taking care of one's environment and one's neighbours - our common concerns.

Last year’s launch was at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre where, as part of the theatre’s Shakespeare and Islam season, there were readings, recitals, lectures a souk and other special events.

The focus of IAW 2003 was Muslim heritage and culture. Societies advance through the combined efforts of diverse people, past and present and IAW 2003 demonstrated the part played by Islamic civilization in influencing contemporary ideas about science, medicine, mathematics, architecture, music and the arts. Through the use of diverse media, the week highlighted Islam's contribution to a wide variety of subjects, from the construction of language with words such as rice, coffee, magazine, sandal and castle all originating from Arabic terminology, to the role played by eminent Muslim figures in advancing mathematics, developing the concept of the zero, algebra, geometry and trigonometry. Key inventions that changed the way people lived were also featured; the astrolabe and the quadrant, both essential tools for navigation, as well as some of the earliest surgical instruments. Architectural ingenuity and creativity was illustrated through images of Spain's al-Hambra palace and the Taj Mahal.

The reason why this theme was chosen was because this challenges the notion that some hold about Islam being a religion of frustration, anger, violence and backwardness. It shows how Muslims contributed to the lives of people around them and left a mark for centuries to come. By giving Muslim youth positive role models, this also gives them the confidence to believe in their heritage and faith and it is hoped that it will give them much needed inspiration to excel and contribute to modern day life. The Muslim Heritage Education Resource site (www.virtualclassroom.net) was launched on 3rd November 2003 by Rt Hon Charles Clarke (Secretary of State for Education and Skills).
Also present at the launch in the House of Commons was

Dominic Grieve (Shadow Minister, Home Affairs)
Phil Willis (Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Lib Dem)
Trevor Philips (Chair, Commission for Racial Equality)
Representative of HRH The Prince of Wales
Iqbal Sacranie (Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain)

In addition, to coincide with IAW 2002, the Islamic Society of Britain commissioned a public opinion survey by the respected pollsters YouGov on attitudes towards Muslims. The poll found that 74% of Britons said that they knew 'nothing or next to nothing about Islam' while another 64% of Britons said that there main source of information on Islam and Muslims was from the media.

Special guests at the launch event included:

IAW 2000 sought to highlight the disturbing conclusions of the report by the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia of the Runnymede Trust and the urgent need for more action on the part of Muslims to explain the true teachings of Islam to others and help dispel age-old myths and misconceptions

Guests at the launch event included: