Muslim-friendly homestay platform Muzbnb launches in response to discrimination on Airbnb

[Varun]

A FAITH-BASED homestay platform for Muslim travellers has attracted more than 3000 subscribers in just over a month.

Founded by a group of US entrepreneurs based in Washington DC, Muzbnb’s goal is to give Muslim travellers an alternative to Airbnb, where they often face discrimination.

“Muzbnb was born out of a desire to create something innovative to serve our community,” founder and chief executive Hadi Shakur said.

“These are trying times for Muslims in the US and abroad and this company can serve as a beacon of light and hope that we [Muslims] are still here, still creating, still thinking about the sanctity of faith — not just ours, but faith in general.”

Muslims have often reported difficulties using sharing economy platforms like Airbnb.

In 2015, a traveller from Brunei sent a query to a Malaysian host, only to be told, “NO MUSLIM IN MY HOUSE”. In a series of messages, the host told the man to “find a Muslim home, don’t disturb our homes” and that “people are afraid of you”.

While Airbnb’s official policy is that it does not tolerate discrimination of any kind, others have reported similar experiences.

Last year, Daily Life columnist Zeynab Gamieldien reported receiving eight consecutive rejections on Airbnb, while The Guardian’s Iman Amrani wrote of being rejected while attempting to book a room in Paris.

“We’ve heard stories from Muslims of discrimination and difficulty they have faced when travelling,” Mr Shakur said. “Our goal is simple — to encourage travel, adventure, and the building of a global community where Muslims feel comfortable and accepted while travelling.”

Muzbnb is one of a number of businesses tapping into the booming “halal tourism” industry, fuelled by a growing middle-class with higher disposable incomes.

According to MasterCard’s 2016 Global Muslim Travel Index, an estimated 117 million Muslims travelled internationally in 2015, and that figure is expected to grow to 168 million by 2020, accounting for more than $280 billion worth of travel expenditure.

While Muzbnb is similar to Airbnb, it offers a number of unique features such as search filters highlighting homes that are close to mosques or halal eateries, have dedicated prayer spaces or are stocked with Korans or Islamic literature.
Travellers can also filter to see homes that are men and women exclusive, drug and alcohol free, safe for women travelling alone or child-friendly.

“Our feedback has been amazing,” Mr Shakur said. “We’ve received 3000 subscribers to our platform, worldwide news coverage, partnerships and numerous endorsements from community influencers.”

According to the 2016 census, there are 604,200 Muslims in Australia, making up 2.6 per cent of the total population.

Currently Muzbnb only has one Australian listing — a $100-a-night home located in the Western Sydney suburb of Mt Druitt, close to the Rooty Hill Mosque — but Mr Shakur hopes Australia will be a popular destination.

“We have received a good amount of interest from Australian Muslims,” he said.
“Australia has a growing Muslim population and as we get the word out more, we are confident Australia will be one of our most promising locations.”

http://www.news.com.au/finance/busi...b/news-story/a7ba0216e6b075f8ad79216273bf00fd

Do these services ever hit escape velocity? There was a Muslim-oriented Facebook equivalent a few years ago and it sunk without a trace.

 

[troodon]

What is a Muslim friendly home stay? All people need a kitchen, a bed and TV/Internet to live for a day or a few days when they are traveling.

 

[Varun]

What is a Muslim friendly home stay? All people need a kitchen, a bed and TV/Internet to live for a day or a few days when they are traveling.

Refer:

While Muzbnb is similar to Airbnb, it offers a number of unique features such as search filters highlighting homes that are close to mosques or halal eateries, have dedicated prayer spaces or are stocked with Korans or Islamic literature.
Travellers can also filter to see homes that are men and women exclusive, drug and alcohol free, safe for women travelling alone or child-friendly.

And let's face it - even in India there is an unfortunate reluctance to house Muslim tenants / guests and people just get away with it. Technology used in this manner is one way to blunt the resultant lack of choice for Muslims.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

They need to launch a similar service in Mumbai, I can imagine it would be really useful there as a way round religiously discriminating landlords. Famous Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi was one of a few celebrities who complained of difficulties in finding accommodation in the city.

 

[troodon]

Refer:



And let's face it - even in India there is an unfortunate reluctance to house Muslim tenants / guests and people just get away with it. Technology used in this manner is one way to blunt the resultant lack of choice for Muslims.

Thanks. So for practicing Muslims, it will be easy perhaps to find a Mosque and pray.

 

[Varun]

They need to launch a similar service in Mumbai, I can imagine it would be really useful there as a way round religiously discriminating landlords. Famous Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi was one of a few celebrities who complained of difficulties in finding accommodation in the city.

It happens everywhere bar perhaps Hyderabad. An unspoken truth.

 

[Gilly]

How do people know if a customer is a muslim?.

 

[troodon]

They need to launch a similar service in Mumbai, I can imagine it would be really useful there as a way round religiously discriminating landlords. Famous Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi was one of a few celebrities who complained of difficulties in finding accommodation in the city.

There are lots of Mosques in every city in India. You do not have to travel too far to find one.

This service might be helpful for the Muslim travelers who want to rent from Muslim home owners.

 

[Varun]

How do people know if a customer is a muslim?.

The name would be the most obvious identifier you would think.

 

[CricketCartoons]

They need to launch a similar service in Mumbai, I can imagine it would be really useful there as a way round religiously discriminating landlords. Famous Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi was one of a few celebrities who complained of difficulties in finding accommodation in the city.

Hindus in India can't even practice their faith. If my faith doesn't allow beef, or any meat to be cooked in my house, I should forego my religious right and allow everyone to do anything in my property. If I politely refuse, I will be called a bigot and accused of discrimination. A good hindu is one who bends over backwards to please others, but a muslim tenant will not foregot meat to honour my faith.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Hindus in India can't even practice their faith. If my faith doesn't allow beef, or any meat to be cooked in my house, I should forego my religious right and allow everyone to do anything in my property. If I politely refuse, I will be called a bigot and accused of discrimination. A good hindu is one who bends over backwards to please others, but a muslim tenant will not foregot meat to honour my faith.

If you are renting out your house then presumably you aren't going to be living there, so if the Muslim tenant cooks meat then it's not going to affect your religious sensibilities. If you are renting out a room only and you live in the house yourself, then yes you should object to the non-Hindu polluting your surroundings with their carnivorous cookery.

So if someone else is offering the Muzbnb then presumably that will be good for you in that you will get less Muz tenants applying to live in your sanctified veg house. it seems like a win win situation.

 

[CricketCartoons]

If you are renting out your house then presumably you aren't going to be living there, so if the Muslim tenant cooks meat then it's not going to affect your religious sensibilities. If you are renting out a room only and you live in the house yourself, then yes you should object to the non-Hindu polluting your surroundings with their carnivorous cookery.

So if someone else is offering the Muzbnb then presumably that will be good for you in that you will get less Muz tenants applying to live in your sanctified veg house. it seems like a win win situation.

You are just patronizing me now. Dictating what should hurt my faith and what shouldn't. Sooner or later, I will be staying in that property and I don't want any beef cooked there. Where is the discrimination?

Why no one asks a muslim tenant to forego his love for meat, to respect my faith? But the hindus faith is like a doormat, and everyone must walk over it. If the hindu allow that, he is good, else is an extremist.

 

[Gilly]

So I take it a muslim airbnb would not discriminate against guests that wanted to drink alcohol or eat pork.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

You are just patronizing me now. Dictating what should hurt my faith and what shouldn't. Sooner or later, I will be staying in that property and I don't want any beef cooked there. Where is the discrimination?

Why no one asks a muslim tenant to forego his love for meat, to respect my faith? But the hindus faith is like a doormat, and everyone must walk over it. If the hindu allow that, he is good, else is an extremist.

So Muzbnb would work out well for you in any case as they would take the polluting Muz tenants, leaving you to keep your home for vegetarian tenants/empty depending on demand. Of course this would only be a partial fix if you lived on an apartment block and the next door dwelling was let by Muzbnb to a non-conforming Muslim tenant. Now I can see why in Mumbai whole neighbourhoods are segregated to prevent any cross-contamination. Partition 2.0 is starting to make more and more sense.

 

[troodon]

So Muzbnb would work out well for you in any case as they would take the polluting Muz tenants, leaving you to keep your home for vegetarian tenants/empty depending on demand. Of course this would only be a partial fix if you lived on an apartment block and the next door dwelling was let by Muzbnb to a non-conforming Muslim tenant. Now I can see why in Mumbai whole neighbourhoods are segregated to prevent any cross-contamination. Partition 2.0 is starting to make more and more sense.

People are not considered pollutants. Its the food that they cook is supposed to cause it.

Yes, MuzBNB should work well in India. Only secular and Muslim owned houses could be rented out to Muslim travelers and tenants. There won't be any confusion.

 

[CricketCartoons]

So Muzbnb would work out well for you in any case as they would take the polluting Muz tenants, leaving you to keep your home for vegetarian tenants/empty depending on demand. Of course this would only be a partial fix if you lived on an apartment block and the next door dwelling was let by Muzbnb to a non-conforming Muslim tenant. Now I can see why in Mumbai whole neighbourhoods are segregated to prevent any cross-contamination. Partition 2.0 is starting to make more and more sense.

I haven't said a word either for or against muzbnb. You called hindus who refuse to rent out property to muslims as discriminating. Do you think that hindus should forego their faith to please others. Would you also call the muslim tenant as intolerant if he cannot respect the hindu landlord faith. Yes Partition 2.0 makes sense, but not because muslims are persecuted..they got two homelands in neighbourhood and will get a third soon. It is needed because hindus are persecuted and are blamed for discrimination if they want to practice their faith.

 

[www787]

So I take it a muslim airbnb would not discriminate against guests that wanted to drink alcohol or eat pork.

plenty of Muslims I know who had put up their house on Airbnb, get out of your ignorantville.

 

[Varun]

plenty of Muslims I know who had put up their house on Airbnb, get out of your ignorantville.

Can you elaborate on the discrimination as stated in the article, if you're aware of the circumstances from your contacts?

 

[Gilly]

plenty of Muslims I know who had put up their house on Airbnb, get out of your ignorantville.

So it would be acceptable to drink alcohol and cook pork in a Muslims airbnb, I did not know that, in fact it never crossed my mind until I read this thread and I would never have thought about it if I did rent a airbnb that belonged to a muslim.

 

[KingKhanWC]

So it would be acceptable to drink alcohol and cook pork in a Muslims airbnb, I did not know that, in fact it never crossed my mind until I read this thread and I would never have thought about it if I did rent a airbnb that belonged to a muslim.

Do you think they are stupid?

People who put up their properties for rent know people will do all sorts including eating pork, drinking, drugs, parties etc..

When I have put up properties for rent, I dont care what happens inside as long as the property is maintained. Once tennants leave, simply clean it properly and rent it out again.

You really are ignorant about Muslims and Islam.

 

[Gilly]

Do you think they are stupid?

People who put up their properties for rent know people will do all sorts including eating pork, drinking, drugs, parties etc..

When I have put up properties for rent, I dont care what happens inside as long as the property is maintained. Once tennants leave, simply clean it properly and rent it out again.

You really are ignorant about Muslims and Islam.

Of course I'm ignorant, I'm white and have never read the Koran or entered a mosque, I don't know much about islam or muslims in general apart from a few moderate ones here.

 

[JoniInsafian]

So it would be acceptable to drink alcohol and cook pork in a Muslims airbnb, I did not know that, in fact it never crossed my mind until I read this thread and I would never have thought about it if I did rent a airbnb that belonged to a muslim.

Depends on the host obviously.... Some will say yes some no... Its choice of host... But if a muslim host says no white person whether they drink or not then thats racism and sadly happens very often against muslims in all walks of life...

 

[www787]

Can you elaborate on the discrimination as stated in the article, if you're aware of the circumstances from your contacts?

Plenty of people I know have rented out their property to people of all race and religion for days and obviously those who have rented cooked and celebrated events in the rented property. None of them had any issue.

I personally haven’t but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s true. There have been documented cases where people who rented were discriminated on the basis of their race.

 

[Gilly]

In 2015, a traveller from Brunei sent a query to a Malaysian host, only to be told, “NO MUSLIM IN MY HOUSE”. In a series of messages, the host told the man to “find a Muslim home, don’t disturb our homes” and that “people are afraid of you”.

Maybe I'm missing something here but isnt Malaysia a muslim majority country, well it was the three times I was there.

 

[Slog]

Maybe I'm missing something here but isnt Malaysia a muslim majority country, well it was the three times I was there.

yes 100% of people in Muslim countries are Muslims

 

[SandyB]

And let's face it - even in India there is an unfortunate reluctance to house Muslim tenants / guests and people just get away with it. Technology used in this manner is one way to blunt the resultant lack of choice for Muslims.

It doesn't just happens for Muslims too, there are quite a lot of instances of people denying accommodation/lease for a person based on caste / ethnicity, even in the Biggest cities.

 

[the Great Khan]

Once again Muslim entrepreneurs are finding ways to get around the discrimination now quite prevalent in many societies. Have users on this forum used airbnb? a friend of mine booked from the states for a few days in london and had no problems, but then its london not paris..

 

[prakash]

Congrats for moving away from the mainstream and encouraging the islamophobics. Instead of getting closer and become friendly this attempt (if it is successful) will drive a wedge.

 

[Varun]

Congrats for moving away from the mainstream and encouraging the islamophobics. Instead of getting closer and become friendly this attempt (if it is successful) will drive a wedge.

An interesting point. Admittedly there is no Sikhbnb / Jewbnb / Hindubnb. That would just be weird.

 

[CricketCartoons]

An interesting point. Admittedly there is no Sikhbnb / Jewbnb / Hindubnb. That would just be weird.

If only hindus were united and cared for each other like Muslims. Instead they will ape the west and follow western cultural while being ashamed or ignorant of their own culture. will quote milton keats and shelley but haven't read a single book by tagore or sangam literature. Even the casual muslim knows important verses and can quote ayatul kursi but hindus feel ashamed to chant hanuman chalisa. A muslim condoles by quoting verse from sura al baqarah, hindu feels ashamed to say hare krishna, or ram naam satya hai. Muslims love their religion and have pride in their culture and defend it. Hindus are so ashamed that they pretend to be atheist so that they don't have to defend anything. And then these same hindus have the gall to mock muslims for taking care of their own, in the face of discrimination. I could say more but many won't be able to digest it, and anyway why am i trying to wake up a quam which revels in servitude.

 

[Slog]

Once again Muslim entrepreneurs are finding ways to get around the discrimination now quite prevalent in many societies. Have users on this forum used airbnb? a friend of mine booked from the states for a few days in london and had no problems, but then its london not paris..

honestly i dont see it as a big more and this is unnecessary step towards marginalization

in airbnb its not like you are randomly paired with someone. You can do a thorough check and read reviews and see ratings. Ditto for the guest

 

[Varun]

If only hindus were united and cared for each other like Muslims. Hindus are so ashamed that they pretend to be atheist so that they don't have to defend anything.

That's the way I like to be. I admire many on this website for being so hardcore about their religion, but I simply can't bring myself to be the same. While [MENTION=253]the Great Khan[/MENTION] and [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION] of this world may score a 10/10 on that front, I'll score a big fat blob.

In airbnb's context, as long as the host doesn't overcharge for the heck of it and is alcohol friendly that'll be good for me.

 

[the Great Khan]

That's the way I like to be. I admire many on this website for being so hardcore about their religion, but I simply can't bring myself to be the same. While [MENTION=253]the Great Khan[/MENTION] and [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION] of this world may score a 10/10 on that front, I'll score a big fat blob.

In airbnb's context, as long as the host doesn't overcharge for the heck of it and is alcohol friendly that'll be good for me.

lol Varun bhai kyon shurminda kur rahay ho lol..

tbh I think Muslims will always look for an opportunity to make a buck..lol

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

lol Varun bhai kyon shurminda kur rahay ho lol..

tbh I think Muslims will always look for an opportunity to make a buck..lol

That's all it is at the end of the day. Like Medina Cola or whatever it was called, it's someone looking for a gap in the market and trying to make some money by plugging it.