IN their latest act of Islamophobia, the leaders of PEGIDA, an Islamophobic group, has torn copies of the Holy Quran in front of the embassies of some OIC states on September 25, 2023. This shameless act by the so-called civilized western world has shaken the sentiments of billions of Muslims all around the globe. “Tearing down more copies of the Holy Qur’an outside the embassies of Pakistan, Türkiye, Indonesia and Denmark in The Hague, Edwin Wagensveld also insulted Islam and Muslims.” Pakistan strongly condemned this act of racism and Islamophobia and emphasized that “National governments should actively prevent racist and Islamophobic acts, which incite religious hatred.”
Unfortunately, the Western world is considered as the architect of Islamophobia. They considered Islam as a threat for their racist system. Moreover, as per statistics of religious progression in the West, Islam is most popular and fastest growing religion in the European and American continents. The followers of racism see this spread of Islam as a rejection of their callous philosophy which is based on supremacy of Whites. Following the West, India is taking a lead role in this unholy anti-Islam and anti-Muslim campaign. The blasphemous remarks against the Holy Prophets (PBUH) by the top leaders of ruling BJP in India in June 2022 were provocative and insulting.
Indeed, Indian leadership, while following the ideology of Hindutva, has already devised strategies and acts of Islamophobia. These strategies include; (a) ridiculing Muslims through communal riots, (b) depriving Muslims from citizenship through Citizenship Amendment Act-2019, (c) Ghar Wapsi Programme and (d) forceful conversion of Muslims into Hinduism and brutalizing, torturing and genocide of Muslims in India. These acts of so-called democratic and secular India are clear indications as to how India is reshaping and marginalizing the Muslims which constitute 17% of total Indian population.
There are perceptible nexus between those campaigning against Islam and Muslims in the West as well as in India. The primary objective of both is to contest and stop the rising popularity of Islam and increase in the number of Muslims world over, portraying them as the existential threat for non-Muslims. This is an un-natural and irrational fear, devised, moulded and disseminated among the non-Muslims to unite and steer hatred against Islam and Muslims through all possible ways and means of defamation.
The Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV) in its report on Anti-Muslim Hatred and Discrimination to the 46th session of the HRC clearly stated that “Islamophobia is an exaggerated fear, hatred and hostility toward Islam and everything associated with it such as Muslims, Mosques, Islamic Centres, Holy Qur’an, Hijab and the like. It rests in the mind and reflects in attitudes, and could be manifested through violent actions, like burning mosques, vandalizing properties, abusing women wearing scarves or insulting the Holy Prophet or sacred symbols of Islam.” This all is going on all over the globe including in the civilized societies of the West.
The incidents of burning of the Holy Quran in many western countries and the United States represent a prejudiced mindset which has developed in the traditionally tolerant societies of the West. The Muslim immigrants in Europe, Scandinavian countries and the US have largely contributed towards further enrichment of traditional values of this region with a visible uplift of economy and homogeneity. On their part, these countries assimilated and accepted the Muslims in their societies. There were indeed, more room for excellence and talent development in the national discourses of western societies. Since the population is the same, the traditional values and culture are the same, what has impacted the people who rose to the level of Islamophobia.
It is a well-planned strategy and wilful act, aiming at a wider and longer design to create hatred against Islam which is the religion of peace and love. Alas! Those who burnt the Holy Quran could have read it; the message it carried and the teachings it imparts. The teachings of Islam began with an abiding message of peace. Peace brings harmony among human beings. The harmony in turn purges hearts of hatred, fear and biases. Once a society reaches such a level, it would end the conflicts and wars and foster love among the masses.
Indeed, there developed an adversely negative mindset against Muslims and Islam in the Trans-Atlantic region after the unfortunate happenings of 9/11 and thereafter. The Incident of 9/11 neither benefitted nor conceived by any Islamic State or Muslims, rather it harmed the Muslims and defamed Islam. According to American and Western scholars, the incident was part of a greater game, hence well planned and executed with a lot of perfection and professionalism to harm the Muslims and defame Islam.
Despite the fact that the United Nations has condemned these acts of Islamophobia, there are rising incidents of Islamophobia and racial discriminations against Muslims and Islam. On a resolution, presented by Pakistan, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared March 15th as a day for Combating Islamophobia. The outcome of the Islamophobia is prejudices and a discriminatory attitude against Muslims and Islam which includes media trials of Islam and Muslims, targeting mosques, burning of the copies of the Holy Quran, discriminatory travel bans, hate speech and the targeting of girls and women for their dress. Indeed, “Islamophobia builds imaginary constructs around Muslims that are used to justify state-sponsored discrimination, hostility and violence against Muslims”. There is a dire need for conduct of dialogue for promotion of inter-faith harmony at the level of UN, OIC and EU.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
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