“When Arab and Muslim culture becomes popular in the West”, according to the British media Dazed Digital

In an article published on May 8 by the British cultural magazine Dazed Digital, Arab and Muslim culture is taking more and more place in Western popular culture, particularly among younger generations, despite a context still marked by Islamophobia. Founded in London in 1991 by photographer Rankin and journalist Jefferson Hack, Dazed Digital is a British media outlet dedicated to fashion, culture, social issues and new cultural trends. The magazine is particularly known for its focus on younger generations and subjects linked to identities, social movements and contemporary creation.

The phenomenon was recently illustrated by a video that went viral in which American actress Anne Hathaway uses the Arabic word “inshallah” (“God willing”) during an interview. The natural use of this Muslim expression by a non-Muslim celebrity was widely praised on social media. The article explains that Arabic words like “Inshallah”, “mashallah” or “habibi” are now more present in the media, series and on the internet. Personalities like the actor Riz Ahmed, the comedian Ramy Youssef and the Muslim mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, also participate in this new visibility.

For several young Muslims interviewed by the magazine, this development is important after years when Islam was often associated with negative clichés in Western media, especially after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Some say that it is now easier to talk about their religion or their culture without embarrassment or judgment. The article also highlights that conflicts in the Middle East, particularly the war in Gaza, have pushed more people to become interested in Arab and Muslim cultures through social media.

Some accounts also speak of a broader change in Western progressive circles, where religion and spirituality are now better accepted than before. Young Muslims say they feel more free to assume their religious, cultural or even dual identity in spaces that were previously more suspicious of religious practices. But this growing popularity also provokes criticism. Some fear that this culture will become a simple trend in certain Western progressive circles, without real change in the face of racism or Islamophobia. Despite this, several interviewees consider this visibility to be a positive development and a more normal form of cultural recognition in Western societies.