A brief history of Islam and Britain - Asalaamualaikum

Asalaamualaikum - I was bored and put this together, first time sharing something like this. If you spot mistakes or omissions please tell me (sources appreciated). I’ll answer questions as best I can, insha'Allah. 600–1000 CE The earliest reliable signs of Islamic influence in these islands date from the 700s, though some hints from western Celtic areas suggest links might go back to the 600s. Early Islamic geographers in the 700s mention Bratiniya (Anglo‑Saxon England), showing awareness between the Muslim world and Britain. In 714 CE it’s recorded that a coin issued under King Offa of Mercia carried a form of the shahada, though with errors. Syrian ceramics and glass from the 900s–1200s found across Britain point to ongoing trade links. 1000–1250 CE The Crusading era shaped relations. During the Third Crusade (late 12th century), Richard I fought Saladin’s forces in campaigns including Acre and Arsuf. After the fall of Acre in 1191 heavy violence followed when Richard ordered the execution of a captured Muslim garrison; Saladin in turn ordered reprisals against Christian prisoners. Richard won at Arsuf and defended Jaffa in 1192. Ultimately Richard and Saladin agreed the Treaty of Jaffa in 1192, a truce allowing Muslim control of Jerusalem while permitting Christian pilgrims access and leaving Crusader control of the coastal strip. Back in England Richard’s capture on his return and the huge ransom demanded strained royal finances. Heavy taxation and resentment contributed to the tensions that eventually produced the Magna Carta in the early 13th century. 1250–1500 CE Many English words for imported goods - like sugar and crimson - came via Arabic through French. Works by Islamic scholars such as Al‑Razi and Ibn Sina were central to medical teaching at Oxford and Cambridge. Geoffrey Chaucer’s writing shows a distant awareness of the Muslim world. Architectural ideas seen by Crusaders, such as pointed arches, helped influence the Gothic style that became widespread in England. 1500–1750 CE Elizabeth I, seeking allies against Catholic powers, opened diplomatic ties with the Ottoman Empire and Morocco. Moroccan envoys visited London; their religious practices were observed by Londoners. Encounters at sea with North African privateers and European captors meant some English sailors ended up in North Africa and some North Africans in England, with conversions occurring on both sides. The first English translations and discussions of the Qur’an appeared from the 17th century onward, with John Locke arguing for civil toleration regardless of religion. From the mid‑18th century the East India Company began recruiting lascars from South Asia; many settled in British port towns, forming early Muslim communities and often marrying locally. Coffee houses inspired by Ottoman culture also became central to English social life. 1750–2000 CE In 1889 Abdullah William Henry Quilliam established the Liverpool Muslim Institute, and the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking became one of Britain’s first purpose‑built mosques. In the world wars hundreds of thousands of Muslim soldiers fought for the British Empire; many were wounded or killed while serving in Europe, Africa and Asia. After World War II Britain recruited labor from former colonies to rebuild the country. Migrants from South Asia and elsewhere settled in cities like London, Birmingham, Bradford and Manchester. The Muslim population grew from around 21,000 in 1951 to several hundred thousand by the 1980s and about a million by 2000. Mosques and community centres developed from small rented rooms to larger purpose‑built buildings. In 1997 the Muslim Council of Britain was formed to represent Muslim interests nationally, and a distinct British Muslim identity became stronger. 2000–2025 CE The 9/11 attacks and the 7/7 bombings increased suspicion and negative public discourse about Muslims in the UK, with rising Islamophobia reflected in hate crimes and media rhetoric. By the mid‑2020s Muslims make up roughly 6% of the UK population, with a majority born in the UK for the first time. Many British Muslims express strong attachment to Britain, but communities continue to face higher rates of deprivation, unemployment and health inequalities in parts of England and Wales. If you want sources for specific points I used museum records, histories of Richard I and Saladin, works on medieval trade and medicine, translations of the Qur’an into English, and modern demographic studies. JazakAllah khair for reading - open to corrections and questions.