Article

Generally, fears about Muslim supplementary schools or 'madrassas' are not based on rigorous research but rather on intermittent reporting and speculation in the media. We present here preliminary findings based on a review of the available literature and an extensive analysis of the way that madrassas have been portrayed by national and local media over the past decade.

The debate around faith schools in the UK has always been polarised. Moreover, since the events of 9/11 in the United States and 7/7 in London, madrassas have come under additional scrutiny for the role that they may be suspected to play in facilitating the radicalisation of young Muslims towards violent extremism.