Islamophobia

Definition
Islamophobia is the most used term to describe prejudice, negative sentiments, and hostility toward
Islam and Muslims. Islamophobia can be based on ideas about Islam as a religion and on ideas
about Muslims as a cultural and ethnic group. Islamophobic ideas portray Islam and Muslims as
an existential threat to non-Muslims.
Contrasting views on Islam
The Runnymede report contrasted "open" and "closed" views of Islam, and stated that the
following "closed" views are equated with Islamophobia

1. Islam is seen as a monolithic bloc, static and unresponsive to change.

2. It is seen as separate and "other". It does not have values in common with other
cultures, is not affected by them and does not influence them.
3. It is seen as inferior to the West. It is seen as barbaric, irrational, primitive,
and sexist.
4. It is seen as violent, aggressive, threatening, supportive of terrorism, and engaged
in a clash of civilizations.
5. It is seen as a political ideology, used for political or military advantage.
6. Criticisms made of "the West" by Muslims are rejected out of hand.
7. Hostility towards Islam is used to justify discriminatory practices towards Muslims
and exclusion of Muslims from mainstream society.
8. Anti-Muslim hostility is seen as natural and normal.

Prevalence of Islamophobia
1. 9/11 Attacks and attack in Europe
The causes of Islamophobia are also the subject of debate, most notably between
commentators who have posited an increase in Islamophobia resulting from the September
11 attacks the rise of the militant group Islamic State, other terror attacks in Europe and
the United States by Islamic extremists,[8] those who associated it with the increased
presence of Muslims in the United States and in the European Union, and others who view
it as a response to the emergence of a global Muslim identity.
2. Clash of civilization
Anti-Islamic activists see themselves as part of an ongoing civilizational clash stretching
back to the historical strife between Muslim and Christian states, such as the Umayyad
invasion of present-day Spain and France in the 8th century, Ottoman conquests of
Constantinople in 1453, and the siege of Vienna in 1683. Since they view Islam as a
totalitarian ideology that threatens Western civilization, they seek to control and limit the
practice of Islam and halt Muslim immigration. Some advocate for expelling all Muslims
from Western territories.
3. Rise in Muslim Population

The Muslim population in some European countries could triple by 2050 while it will
barely change in others, according to new projections released by the Washington-based
Pew Research Centre. The report, Europe’s Growing Muslim Population, shows a stark
west-east divide. The Muslim share of Germany’s population could grow from 6.1% in
2016 to 19.7% in 2050 if high migration continues, whereas over the border Poland’s share
would change from 0.1% to 0.2% in the same scenario. Even if all current 28 EU members,
plus Norway and Switzerland, closed their borders to migrants, the Muslim population
share in the west would continue to grow owing to a younger age profile and higher fertility
rates, but remain very low in the east.

4. Identity Politics

It has been suggested that Islamophobia is closely related to identity politics, and gives its
adherents the perceived benefit of constructing their identity in opposition to a negative,
essentialized image of Muslims.

5. Opposition to Multiculturalism

According to Gabrielle Maranci, the increasing Islamophobia in the West is related to a

rising repudiation of multiculturalism. Maranci concludes that "Islamophobia is a 'phobia'
of multiculturalism and the transruptive effect that Islam can have in Europe and the West
through transcultural processes.

6. Media Portrayal

 In British press from between 1994 and 2004, Muslim viewpoints were
underrepresented and that issues involving Muslims usually depicted them in a
negative light. Such portrayals depict Islam and Muslims as a threat to Western
security and values.
  expressions used in the media such as "Islamic terrorism", "Islamic bombs" and
"violent Islam" have resulted in a negative perception of Islam
 85% of mainstream newspaper articles treated Muslims as a homogeneous mass
and portrayed them as a threat to British society.
 The Universities of Georgia and Alabama in the United States conducted a study
comparing media coverage of "terrorist attacks" committed by Islamist militants
with those of non-Muslims in the United States. Researchers found that "terrorist
attacks" by Islamist militants receive 357% more media attention than attacks
committed by non-Muslims or whites. Terrorist attacks committed by non-Muslims
(or where the religion was unknown) received an average of 15 headlines, while
those committed by Muslim extremists received 105 headlines. The study was
based on an analysis of news reports covering terrorist attacks in the United States
between 2005 and 2015
 In 2009, Mehdi Hasan in the New Statesman criticized Western media for over-
reporting a few Islamist terrorist incidents but under-reporting the much larger
number of planned non-Islamist terrorist attacks carried out by "non-
Irish white folks".

7. Movies

There are growing instances of Islamophobia in Hindi cinema, or Bollywood, in films such
as Aamir (2008), New York (2009) and My Name is Khan (2010), Kashmir Files (2022)
which corresponds to a growing anti-minorities sentiment that followed the resurgence of
the Hindu right
8. Organizations
 the Council on American–Islamic Relations estimated that $206 million was
funded to 33 groups whose primary purpose was "to promote prejudice against, or
hatred of, Islam and Muslims" in the United States between 2008 and 2013, with a
total of 74 groups contributing to Islamophobia in the United States during that
period
 Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) and the Freedom Defense Initiative are
designated as hate groups by the Anti-Defamation League[136] and the Southern
Poverty Law Center.[137][138][139] In August 2012 SIOA generated media publicity
by sponsoring billboards in New York City Subway stations claiming there had
been 19,250 terrorist attacks by Muslims since 9/11 and stating "it's not
Islamophobia, it's Islamorealism."[140] It later ran advertisements reading "In any
war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support
Israel. Defeat Jihad." Several groups condemned the advertisements as "hate
speech" about all Muslims
 In early January 2013 the Freedom Defense Initiative put up advertisements next
to 228 clocks in 39 New York subway stations showing the 2001 attacks on the
World Trade Center with a quote attributed to the 151st verse of chapter 3 of the
Quran: "Soon shall we cast terror into the hearts of the unbelievers."
  The English Defence League (EDL), an organization in the United Kingdom, has
been described as anti-Muslim. It was formed in 2009 to oppose what it considers
to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the UK.
Public opinion

Impacts (With Personal Experiences)

1. Discrimination
I feel sheltered in the Bay Area and I don’t usually expect people to be racist. But the day
after Trump’s election, a girl here got choked in the parking garage. Usually I’m used to
people shouting out – “you’re a terrorist.” But something that I found really offensive and
unsettling was when a man shouted out to me – “You should go back to Afghanistan so
you can get raped and molested.” In the beginning I was like, why are you so taken aback
by this? You should be used to this. You have heard it before. But then I got used to not
hearing it. Later on I reported it to UPD.
2. Issue of Protection of Children
We visited Boston for vacation and we went to an ice cream shop pretty late at night, where
we passed a bar. And a guy started yelling something. He started making comments about
me being oppressed. It really got to me but I was nowhere near home, my kids were around
 me, and this guy was probably drunk. So we just kept going because this is not the time or
the place and we did not want it to escalate. I’ve had this conversation with a lot of people,
but when my kids are around, the respond is totally different. Then, it becomes all about
protecting them.
3. Issue of wearing Hijab
I do wear a hijab. Challenges come with being visibly Muslim. As a person who is visibility
recognized as an ‘other,’ – there are unique challenges. Even if your skin color is different,
outwardly claiming your religion can have challenges. Within the Muslim Community,
there is a different set of challenges. One of not wearing it right, or acting a certain way.
Some people say that you shouldn’t even wear the scarf. You are opening up to crazy shit
that can happen. People have pressured me to take my scarf off all the time. I have been
wearing it since the 7th grade. 9/11 happened. Donald Trump was elected. All this
happened. But I seriously considered it after the San Bernardino shooting. I just thought,
what the hell is going on? It’s a conservative part of California but it is still California.
That’s really close to home. So yea, it felt a little unsafe and also, I wanted to think critically
about it. It was a bit of a snap judgment because it only lasted a day and then I was over it.
4. Additional Security checks at airports
Don’t get me started about the airport. It is an on going trauma that we have to deal with.
Every time we go to the airport, we have to go through the body scanner and you would
think that’s enough. But we need an extra pat down because of the hijab. It bothers me
when it happens around my kids. They don’t understand, why does my Mom have to stop?
Why does she have to go through this? And whenever we don’t get the additional screening,
and someone else gets randomly selected – you feel people start to stare at you. It feels like
people are wondering, ‘Why didn’t they get screened?’ I don’t know if that is something
we are putting on ourselves.
5. Hate crimes
6. Terrorist attacks by White terrorists
7. Psychological impacts like Isolation, Fear of being attacked, Anxiety and stress
There was incident that took place a little over a year ago where someone wrote a
discriminating phrase near my name. I did not feel that supervisors and those higher than
my rank really tried to understand why it was so bothersome to me. It made me feel very
alone. I felt like they wanted to sweep it under the rug. It also made me feel like if I
expressed my concern about the situation, I was wrong. Because they didn’t know how to
handle the situation, I felt like I should have just kept my mouth shut

I think the main fear is for my kids. I am always worried – especially when an event
happens where we know that there will be backlash on Muslims. I’m always a little hyper
vigilant. When you’re on your own, you are always a little cautious. When my kids are
with me, I am even more hyperaware. I know that wearing a hijab and being an outwardly
visible Muslim, there is some type of feedback you get. When I’m with my kids, I am
constantly asking – am I putting my kids in a harmful situation?
 8. Problems in Social Relationships
I have friends on Facebook – non-Muslim friends – who have made some discriminatory
remarks. I will bring it up with them if I’m close to them. But if not, I will delete them
because I don’t need that extra stress in my life. I know people disagree, but if people are
disrespectful – I’m not okay with that. I have less patience for people in my life like that.
9. Anti – Muslim Laws and Policies

Efforts to Fight:
1. Pakistan Raising the issue in UNGA and OIC and all possible international platform
2. Has become the major part of Pakistan’s foreign policy
3. The governments of Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia will launch a BBC type English
television channel to highlight the issues of Muslims and fight Islamophobia in the West
during 7th Session of UNGA
4. 15th March declared a day to combat islamophobia
Solution:
1. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on the Secretary General of the
United Nations, to hold a global dialogue to address the rising wave of Islamophobia and
promote harmony between religions, as a step to enhance international engagement
2. Role of OIC is very crucial

https://www.ispu.org/countering-islamophobia/ (Must read it)