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What is Islamophobia? A phobia can be described as an irrational fear of something, like spiders, confined spaces, heights, etc. So, could one assume that Islamophobia is simply an irrational fear of Islam and Muslims? The term Islamophobia can be somewhat problematic, as it assumes there’s an irrational or unexplained component related to the fear or distrust of Muslims. Islamophobia, is not an irrational fear, rather it is one of the many iterations of racism that exists in society today. Like all forms of racism, it is rooted in relationships of power, which enable it to be systemic and embedded in society. To further understand how Islamophobia is mediated through relationships of power, lets first examine how Islamophobia manifests.
Broadly speaking, expressions of Islamophobia emerge in two domains; the public sphere and through private actors. What is meant by the ‘public sphere’ is how Islamophobia is structural in nature and perpetuated by the state through law, legislation, and those in positions of privilege and power, like political elites, media figures, and lobbyists. Islamophobia in the ‘private sphere’ relates to Islamophobia as enacted by individual actors or groups of individuals not acting on behalf of the state. This occurs through hate crimes, harassment, the desecration of Muslim spaces, and through acts of violence, such as the Christchurch mass-shooting in New Zealand earlier in 2019.
When examining Islamophobia in the public sphere, political discourse is where we see Islamophobia most strongly promoted and perpetuated. One may assume that within the realm of politics, Islamophobia emanates from the political Right and is virtually non-existent on the Left or amongst self-proclaimed liberals. This view is not entirely accurate. Expressions of Islamophobia manifest differently across the political spectrum. Conservatives and individuals associated with the Right promote Islamophobia through cultural discourse. This occurs through advocating the notion that Islam and Muslims are diametrically opposed to the West, arguing that Muslims are culturally incompatible with Western values, and the ‘clash of civilizations’ thesis, which holds that the ‘East’ is fundamentally at odds with the ‘West’. This cultural gap will result in an inevitable clash between these civilizations. Underlying cultural Islamophobic discourse are fantasies of white supremacy and the view that Muslims are distinct/inferior—almost at a biological level—from those who represent white, Western, normative culture.
Liberal expressions of Islamophobia manifest through ‘good Muslim’ and ‘bad Muslim’ posturing. The logic embedded in this view is that not all Muslims are bad, some are actually good. Liberal Islamophobia promotes the notion that ‘bad Muslims’ are tainted by radicalized ideologies and are a threat to the state. Therefore, overt expressions of ‘Muslimness’ (i.e. long beards, head veils, face covers, etc.) are viewed as potential indicators of sympathies, vulnerabilities, or adoption of ‘radicalized’ views. ‘Good Muslims’ on the other hand zealously embody the Western archetype in dress, culture, values, and politics. Liberal strands of Islamophobia view radical Islamic ideology as infectious. It’s a ‘virus’ that Muslims are predisposed to. As such, until Muslims can prove their credentials and loyalties to the state they are viewed with distrust and as a potential fifth column trying to undermine Western values and freedoms.
The key difference between conservative and liberal Islamophobic views is that conservative articulations of Islamophobia are more overtly racist in nature, whereas liberal expressions of Islamophobia tend to be more sanitized and insidious. In some ways, these distinctions are meaningless, as both liberals and conservatives, and multiple actors from the political spectrum from the Right and Left, help to perpetuate systemic Islamophobia through legislation, laws, and policies. As such, the supposed ‘War on Terror’ spearheaded by George W. Bush, the targeted laws it instituted and the conflicts it exported to Muslim majority countries, was upheld and expanded throughout the Obama Presidency.
Private Islamophobia is typically how Muslims experience racism in their day to day lives. The more sensationalist examples of this include acts of violence and vandalism, but for most Muslims, Islamophobia is a lot more subtle. It can be through Islamophobic jokes at the work place, being called a ‘terrorist’ by your classmates, dirty looks in the subway, or unintended offenses by colleagues and friends through insensitive passing comments. However, in the past few years, there has been a surge of private Islamophobia. It has become more organized, more vocal, and more vitriolic. Throughout Europe and North America there have been a growing number of street protest movements focusing on Muslims as a primary area of concern. Examples include the English Defense League in the UK, the Bloc Identitaire in France, PEGIDA in Germany and Netherlands, the growth of the Alt-Right in the US, and La Meute in Canada. These groups have thousands of members and openly call for drastic measures to deal with the ‘Muslim problem’ facing their nations. This includes mass deportations, desecration of Muslim spaces, and in some instances promoting violence towards Muslims.
Islamophobia is not a post-9/11 phenomenon. Rather, it is a systemic form of racism that manifests in both the public and private sphere. Private and public Islamophobia go hand and hand. Islamophobic messaging in the public sphere feeds the masses racist anti-Muslim political rhetoric and normalizes street protest movements that target Muslims. Furthermore, the growth of anti-Muslim sentiment in the private sphere enables nativist and white supremacist political figures to gain popularity and promote anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant platforms. By understanding these variant forms of Islamophobia it enables us to develop holistic, contextualized, and informed understandings of this phenomenon. As with all forms of systemic racism and bias, a starting point for change lies in developing a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the relationships of power that undergird the subordination of underclasses and marginalized groups. Furthermore, through these deeper and contextualized insights, suitable approaches for dismantling and challenging the structures that perpetuate inequalities can be developed. This can take the form of grass-roots activism, collaborative organizing with other marginalized groups, and engaging in inter-communal dialogue to further encourage mutual understanding and acceptance.
This is the Equation Between Islam And Judaism - Do Islam and Judaism have anything in common? Are they two religions that are radically different and at constant odds? There is a common perception that Muslims and Jews have been at odds for hundreds of years. Consequently, it is often stated that the “Muslim-Jewish conflict” can never be resolved. However, this is historically inaccurate. People mistakenly conflate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Islam and Judaism. Even then, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict started in 1948, prior to that there were very few wars between Muslims and Jews. This is not meant to downplay the conflicts that do occur, but to contextualize them historically. These two faiths share more in common than many might initially think. With the rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia around the world, it is important to understand what these two faiths have in common.
The Qur’ān refers to Jews and Christians as people of the book. This means that they have a special place and treatment because of their similar beliefs with Muslims. Many might be surprised to know that Islam allows Muslim men to marry Jewish or Christian women. Further, Islam allows Muslims to eat meat that was properly slaughtered by a Jew or Christian. The two faiths are not as radically different than some might expect. The purpose of this article is to dispel the myth that Islam and Judaism are completely at odds by highlighting some of the similarities between the two religious traditions.
They worship the same God
Islam and Judaism are resolutely monotheistic faiths. Allah is the Arabic name for God. The Arabic name Allah has linguistic connotations that are not shared with the English term God. For instance, the word Allah cannot be made plural like the word God. Nevertheless, Allah is the same Creator, Sustainer, and Provider that Jews and Christians worship.
Jesus
Because these two faiths are strictly monotheistic in nature, they both do not consider Jesus to be divine. They both consider it blasphemous to attribute a literal son to God. The idea that God has a son is inconsistent with the uncompromising monotheistic message found both in the Qur’ān and Torah. However, unlike Jews, Muslims believe that Jesus is a great Prophet of God who delivered the message of Oneness to the Children of Israel and that his mother Mary was the greatest of all women.
Prophets
Muslims and Jews share beliefs in certain Prophets. They both believe that God sent Prophets to mankind to deliver the message of monotheism. Jews believe that Moses is the greatest of all Prophets who was sent to mankind. Muslims also believe in Moses, who is in fact the Prophet most mentioned in the Qur’ān. Muslims and Jews also believe in Abraham, Noah, David, Solomon, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Because Muslims believe in all Prophets and Messengers, they also believe in the scripture they delivered. Therefore, Muslims believe that Moses was given a book called the Torah. However, they believe this book was not preserved in its original form. For Muslims the Prophet Muhammad, God’s final Messenger to mankind who delivered the final book, the Qur’ān.
Jerusalem
Historically, many of these Prophets resided in the city of Jerusalem. Both Islam and Judaism consider Jerusalem to be a holy city. Prophet Solomon established the first Temple in Jerusalem which made it the religious center for Judaism. Jerusalem is Islam’s third holiest city after Mecca and Medina. Prophet Muhammad was taken on a miraculous journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and then ascended to the heavens.
Circumcision
Islamic law and Jewish law share many things in common. In the Bible, Abraham was commanded to undergo circumcision. This practice has been established among Abraham’s children. The Torah instructs that newborns be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. The command for circumcision is not in the Qur’ān, but the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him required it for his male followers.
Dietary Restrictions
Jews only eat kosher and Muslims only eat halal. There are many similarities between kosher and halal, and in some cases, kosher is considered halal for Muslims. Some kinds of foods, such as pork, are prohibited in both Islam and Judaism. Other kinds of foods must be prepared in a certain way for them to be permissible for consumption. The animal must be slaughtered properly, mentioning the name of God, and for Jews, the person must be Jewish. However, Muslims are allowed to consume an animal if it is slaughtered by a Muslim, Jew, or Christian.
Female Head Covering
Both religions encourage modesty and require that women cover their hair. This is not meant to detract from women’s beauty, but to channel it to her marriage where it truly belongs. Many married Jewish women wear a scarf to cover their hair. Islam instructs that women wear a headscarf (hijab) after puberty. Along with the head covering, both religions encourage women to dress modestly. This includes wearing long and loose-fitting clothing. Although they both cover in very similar ways, after 9/11 Muslim women have been targeted for their hijabs more than women of other faiths.
North America has been home to Muslims for a long time
Muslims first arrived in North America centuries before Columbus due to trading expeditions with Native Americans. After Columbus, the slave trade transported African Muslim slaves, who retained their spiritual practice and religious identity, to the Americas.
Over the next few centuries, Muslim migrants from all over the world settled in the New World in search of personal goals, such as education or employment. While some dreamed of returning “home” one day, the subsequent generations largely knew no other place but the United States or Canada as their home.
Muslims in North America today
During the course of this timespan, many indigenous North Americans have studied Islam and adopted the religion; prominent among these are Africans and Hispanics, although individuals of all backgrounds are attracted to the simplicity and purity of Islam.
Today, there are approximately 7 million Muslims in the United States, with more than 2000 mosques across America. American Muslims actively contribute in a variety of professional fields, such as medicine, engineering, IT, architecture, education, and journalism. Muslims are also represented in the military and social service.
In Canada, the situation is similar, although there are only about a million Muslims. The greatest concentration of Muslim communities is located in the Greater Toronto Area and major cities, like Ottawa, Vancouver, Montreal, etc. Pockets of Muslims also reside in Mexico.
In this section, we explore Islam in North America, with a special focus on American Muslims – their history, challenges, and contributions.
The Nature Of Suffering - Too often when we face some difficulties or experience some sort of loss, we feel sorry for ourselves. We wonder why we are suffering, and what we did to deserve this particular hardship. Some of us who are more self-examining might retrace our steps in an attempt to understand where exactly we went wrong. We might think: “I pray five times a day (okay, so maybe I miss one sometimes), I fast in Ramadan and I give charity when I can. I might have a slight backbiting problem and somewhat of an addiction to a mind-blowing fantasy action show I watch. But, I am honestly trying to improve; I am sincere in my quest to become a better Muslim. Heck, I even make my parents take me to the Islamic convention every year because there are people there to help me along my way. So, why does it seem like God is striking me down with one difficulty or another?”
And people might tell us that it’s because God is testing us, or it might just be the consequence of some unjust act we had committed so we kind of deserve what we’re getting if we’re really honest with ourselves. Considering the first possibility, that God is testing us, we might ask why He would do that. And God answers this question in this verse: “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We have faith’, and will not be tested? And We indeed tested those who were before them. And God will certainly make known those who are true and will certainly make known those who are liars” (Quran, 29:1-3). And we should take into consideration that when the verse was revealed, God was addressing, in the first case, the greatest generation of Muslims – the companions at the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, who were physically and mentally persecuted in such atrocious ways just because they believed in the Oneness of God.
It’s just like in those epic fantasy action shows we watch. In order to become a part of an exclusive elite group who champion justice and protect the public, the protagonist has to prove his sincerity, his worth, and his dedication. This weeds out the coward or the blowhard who makes bold claims but shrinks at the first moment his conviction and endurance are required. So while we are suffering, we should remember that God is merely testing our sincerity and resolve, which He has every right to do. Muslims are to be people of their words and Islam is a practical religion. A Muslim is enjoined to testify to his belief and to act upon that belief.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has related that God said, “I was a Treasure unknown, then I desired to be known so I created a creation to which I made Myself known; then they knew Me.” Living in this world with its numerous distractions, sometimes God causes us to suffer to remind us of Him, so that we remember in the midst of all of our activities what truly is important and why we are here on this earth. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said “When God desires the redemption of His people, He causes them to suffer in this world. But when He is averse, He leaves them to transgress until death overtakes.”
So our suffering is merely a calling from The Reliever. The pain we are feeling is a reminder to turn to Him. And if we stray from the path, we are reminded by our difficulties to call upon The Guide. We must understand that God doesn’t want anything bad for us. What we’re experiencing as a test from God or as a consequence of some wrong doing on our part, is a reminder from God for His servants that, in the words of Yasmin Mogahed, a freelance writer and international speaker, “no matter how far they’ve fallen or strayed, He always awaits their return.”
Finally, let us contemplate the truly inspiring words of Imam Al-Ghazali which illustrate God’s immense love for us:
“[I]f a man ceases to take any concern in worldly matters, conceives a distaste for common pleasures, and appears sick in depression, the doctor will say, ‘This is a case of melancholy and requires such and such prescription.’ The physicist will say, ‘This is dehydration of the brain caused by hot weather and cannot be relieved till the air becomes moist.’ The astrologer will attribute it to some particular conjunction or opposition of planets. ‘Thus far their wisdom reaches,’ says the Quran. It does not occur to them that what has really happened is this: that the Almighty has a concern for the welfare of that man, and has therefore commanded His servants, the planets or the elements, to produce such a condition in him that he may turn away from the world to his Maker. The knowledge of this fact is a lustrous pearl from the ocean of inspirational knowledge, to which all other forms of knowledge are as islands in the sea.”
Next time, whether you have a common cold or a serious health condition, in the face of simple inconvenience or heartrending misfortune — whatever the difficulty or loss — find a moment to be thankful and know that God loves you.
Love Of God In The Quran - Often time there is a general misconception that the God of Islam is one of wrath and anger. There is a false image of God as being some Greek God of wrath seeking to hurt and harm those who disobey Him. This article will highlight the concept of God’s love in the Qurʾān and Islamic tradition. Every chapter in the Quran begins with “In the name of Allah the Rahman the Raheem” The terms Rahman and Raheem are often mistranslated as Merciful or Compassionate and these are not accurate translations. The problem with the term mercy is that it implies that one has the power to punish but withholds themselves. It implies that one has the power to harm but does not, and it is often used in the context of having mercy on one’s enemies.
The names Rahman and Raheem stem from the root letters r-h-m. These are the same root letters which the word rahim comes from. A rahim is a womb, and the names of God Rahman and Raheem connote a motherly love. No one would describe a mother’s love as mercy, but they would use terms like loving, caring, selfless, compassionate, and empathetic. Umar ibn al-Khattab relates once being with the Prophet with a group of women and children detained after a battle. One woman among them was searching for her child. Whenever she saw her child, she took the child to her bosom and began breastfeeding it. The Messenger asked his companions, “Do you think this woman would throw her child into the fire?” They said, “No, by Allah, unless she has no power otherwise.” He replied, “Allah has more rahmah (arham) for His servants than this woman for her child” (Muslim).
In another narration, the Prophet peace be upon him used to play with his grandchildren and then said: “O Allah, have rahmah for them (irhamhuma) as I have rahmah for them (arhamuhuma).” (Bukhari). A Bedouin in the time of the Prophet peace be upon him saw the Prophet kissing his grandchildren. In the patriarchal context of Arabia, the man said to the Prophet, “I have ten children and never kissed one of them” implying that it was not befitting of a man to show love. The Prophet replied, “What can I do for you if Allah removed rahmah from your heart?” (Bukhari).
The Qurʾān mentions two kinds of love, one is rahma and the second is hub. Allah has rahma on everything and everyone: My rahma has encompassed everything (Qurʾān 7:157). God has this level of love for all his creation. That is why He provides provision for everyone, even those who disbelieve in Him. Despite our sins, He gives us food, air, shelter, health, and life. This is why the Qurʾān often refers to rain as rahma. And were Allah to punish men for what they earn, He would not leave on the back of it any creature (Qurʾān 35:45). In Islam, God has 99 names. It is particularly interesting that He chose to open each chapter in the Qurʾān by reminding the reader of only two of his names, Rahman and Raheem. First impressions are extremely important and leave a lasting impression on people. Therefore, when God introduces Himself in the first chapter of the Qurʾān the names Rahman and Raheem appear four times in only seven verses. God could have chosen any other name, but He wants the reader to know that He is loving, compassionate, forgiving, and always willing to accept you back no matter how many mistakes you make.
The second level of love is hub. This love is reserved for those who obey God. There is not a single place in the Qurʾān that says Allah hates (yakrah) anyone. It only says that Allah does not have hub for certain types of people such as oppressors, arrogant people, and liars. To attain this level of love one must obey God and follow His teachings. Say, ‘If you love God, follow me, and God will love you and forgive you your sins; God is most forgiving, most raheem.’ (Qurʾān 3:31). The following verse reads Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger But if they turn away, then Allah does not have hub for those who disbelieve (Qurʾān 3:32).
This does not mean that love is the only meaning of rahma and hub. Both these words are much richer than the English term love. However, the notion that the God of the Qurʾān is not one of love is inaccurate. Allah is loving, compassionate, and gives people hope. He is not a God who is out to punish: Why should God make you suffer torment if you are thankful and believe in Him? God always rewards gratitude and He knows everything. (Qurʾān 4:147).
