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“Every Muslim became a person of suspicion” following terror attacks in London and Manchester, a woman targeted by trolls for wearing a hijab has said.

Female Muslims spoke out about against a sharp rise in Islamophobia following several deadly attacks in the UK this year.

They described how those who practice the religion were “just as worried” about attacks and said “suspicion of all Muslims” is causing a cultural divide on Britain’s streets.

Dr Fariha Khan, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim women's association in the UK was among those who stood on Westminster Bridge just days after Khalid Masood's terror attack in March, in which five people died.

The 40-year-old GP, from Surbiton, south-west London, accompanied dozens of others at the event, organised by the Women's March On London, to openly condemn the murderous rampage.

"People have to consider that fear of these attacks is as real for us as it is for them. We are also out there commuting to work or out with our families and children," she said.

"Being suspicious of ordinary Muslims, and the majority of Muslims are peaceful members of the society, will only create divisions among the society."

Westminster Bridge vigil - In pictures 20 show all Westminster Bridge vigil - In pictures 1/20 Schoolgirls on Westminster Bridge during the vigil today Jeremy Selwyn 2/20 An injured man holding a rose is wheeled on to Westminster Bridge during an event to mark one week since a man drove his car into pedestrians then stabbed a police officer in London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 3/20 Police officers hold flowers at the event on Westminster Bridge Matt Dunham/AP 4/20 Communities across London unite one week on from the attack in which four people died Metropolitan Police‏ 5/20 Police officers stand guard on Westminster Bridge ahead of the vigil Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 6/20 Imams honour the victims of the attack on Westminster Bridge Carl Court/Getty Images 7/20 Muslim men pray during an event to mark one week since a man drove his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge Hannah McKay/Reuters 8/20 A group of Muslim men hold banners on Westminster Bridge Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 9/20 Superintendent Jon Williams (centre) joins a vigil held on Westminster Bridge in London, exactly a week since the Westminster terror attack took plac Yui Mok/PA 10/20 A vigil is held on Westminster Bridge in London, exactly a week since the Westminster terror attack took plac Yui Mok/PA 11/20 Memorial Service on Westminster Bridge today a week on from the terror attack last week Jeremy Selwyn 12/20 Memorial Service on Westminster Bridge today a week on from the terror attack last week Jeremy Selwyn 13/20 People arrive to take part in a vigil on Westminster Bridge in London, exactly a week since the Westminster terror attack took place Yui Mok/PA 14/20 Police block Bridge Street outside the Palace of Westminster as a vigil on Westminster Bridge is held a week since the terror attack took place Victoria Jones/PA 15/20 People pay their respects and hold roses on Westminster Bridge as they attend a vigil to remember the victims of last week's Westminster terrorist attack Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 16/20 People walking across Westminster Bridge in London after a vigil to mark a week since the Westminster terror attack took place BBC 17/20 Police officers hold white roses on Westminster Bridge during a vigil to remember the victims of last week's Westminster terrorist attack Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 18/20 Members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association pay their respects in Parliament Square, London David Mirzoeff/PA 19/20 Memorial Service on Westminster Bridge today a week on from the terror attack last week Jeremy Selwyn 20/20 People hold posters on Westminster Bridge during an event to mark one week since a man drove his car into pedestrians then stabbed a police officer in London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 1/20 Schoolgirls on Westminster Bridge during the vigil today Jeremy Selwyn 2/20 An injured man holding a rose is wheeled on to Westminster Bridge during an event to mark one week since a man drove his car into pedestrians then stabbed a police officer in London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 3/20 Police officers hold flowers at the event on Westminster Bridge Matt Dunham/AP 4/20 Communities across London unite one week on from the attack in which four people died Metropolitan Police‏ 5/20 Police officers stand guard on Westminster Bridge ahead of the vigil Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 6/20 Imams honour the victims of the attack on Westminster Bridge Carl Court/Getty Images 7/20 Muslim men pray during an event to mark one week since a man drove his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge Hannah McKay/Reuters 8/20 A group of Muslim men hold banners on Westminster Bridge Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 9/20 Superintendent Jon Williams (centre) joins a vigil held on Westminster Bridge in London, exactly a week since the Westminster terror attack took plac Yui Mok/PA 10/20 A vigil is held on Westminster Bridge in London, exactly a week since the Westminster terror attack took plac Yui Mok/PA 11/20 Memorial Service on Westminster Bridge today a week on from the terror attack last week Jeremy Selwyn 12/20 Memorial Service on Westminster Bridge today a week on from the terror attack last week Jeremy Selwyn 13/20 People arrive to take part in a vigil on Westminster Bridge in London, exactly a week since the Westminster terror attack took place Yui Mok/PA 14/20 Police block Bridge Street outside the Palace of Westminster as a vigil on Westminster Bridge is held a week since the terror attack took place Victoria Jones/PA 15/20 People pay their respects and hold roses on Westminster Bridge as they attend a vigil to remember the victims of last week's Westminster terrorist attack Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 16/20 People walking across Westminster Bridge in London after a vigil to mark a week since the Westminster terror attack took place BBC 17/20 Police officers hold white roses on Westminster Bridge during a vigil to remember the victims of last week's Westminster terrorist attack Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 18/20 Members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association pay their respects in Parliament Square, London David Mirzoeff/PA 19/20 Memorial Service on Westminster Bridge today a week on from the terror attack last week Jeremy Selwyn 20/20 People hold posters on Westminster Bridge during an event to mark one week since a man drove his car into pedestrians then stabbed a police officer in London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

For hijab-wearing women the attitude has become more hostile, according to two who said they have heard comments in the street and have both had to report online trolls.

Mother-of-two Navida Sayed said: "I've definitely felt the coldness in the sense, you know, no-one smiles anymore."

The 49-year-old Hounslow resident, whose mother came to the UK from Pakistan in the 1960s, said she had never felt such Islamophobia.

"We were all born and brought up here so, apart from the odd racist comment, we've never ever experienced this," she said.

"It's bad. When these attacks happen we feel double the pain. I feel double the pain - one for the loss of any innocent lives and then, secondly, (that it is carried out) wrongly in our name."

She said the fear of attacks is the same for everyone, as is the onus on reporting suspicions.

"Being Muslim doesn't make us be off guard. I think it (security) is everyone's duty and responsibility," she said.

"So, even as a Muslim woman, if I saw something that wasn't right I would report it straight away."

Social media allows trolls to spread anti-Muslim hatred more easily, said Slough-born Sarah Ward Khan.

The mother-of-three, who grew up in Cornwall and now lives in New Malden, said: "It's become acceptable to say things which are in the main Islamophobic or coming from an Islamophobic viewpoint, and it's become acceptable to voice those opinions in public. That would be my perception."

Asked about attitudes in the wake of attacks this year, the 37-year-old trainee teacher, whose parents converted to Islam in the 1970s, said: "I think people became worried. Every Muslim became a person of suspicion - you know, 'Are they dangerous, they might look normal but could they do this? Is it something in their beliefs that's going to make them do this?"'

She described it as particularly "scary" that US President Donald Trump, who was widely condemned when he retweeted three anti-Muslim videos posted by a member of right-wing group Britain First, has often made sweeping statements about Islam.

"If he is the role model and he is leading the way and he is not understanding the nuance or he is not differentiating between the terrorists' ideology and Islamic teachings, then that's a scary thing and it becomes a scary world," she said.

Additional reporting by Press Association.