Date: 20-22 September 2020

Venue: Doha, Qatar (or online)

This seminar aims to explore the current growing hostilities towards migrants, asylum seekers and refugees around the world from the perspectives of Islamic ethical principles, legal and political challenges.

Given the scope of this seminar, questions may be raised about the religious and ethical impact of the COVID19-related religious discourse upon different categories of migrants and other vulnerable groups inside the Muslim world and with Muslim migrants in the non-Muslim world. For example:

• How do Muslim governments deal with their foreign population and workforce – and to what extant are their practices in line with policies based upon Islamic principles?

• How have Muslim citizens interacted with the foreign workers and isolated/supported them, in the context of the call to maintain social distance from alien residents as well as each other?

• How have Muslim migrants in non-Muslim countries dealt with this dilemma? For example, have they isolated themselves, or have they attempted to prove themselves a beneficial asset to the wider society?

• How have first- and second-generation immigrant Muslims networked with other civil society groups?

• How has the virtual world been seen and addressed by Muslims generally (Muslim migrants and refugees as well as Muslims in migrant receiving countries), and what impact have Internet communications had on their lives in the COVID-19 context and beyond?

Source: CILE Center