Hate-motivated graffiti, derogatory terms, in-person bigotry, vandalism, and much more have been besmirching the global news feed for months. These kinds of headlines implicitly brand violent behavior by normalizing it. We seem to live in an age of anxiety, anger and distrust as feelings and perceptions are underestimated. Those who dig deeply will find that most of these racist incidents are based on religion, particularly Islam, targeting victimized innocents. These hate incidents are called Islamophobia. Have you ever thought about the meaning of the term “Islamophobia”, and its repercussions, or searched for a path to keep off such a hate stream?
Common Definition of Islamophobia
There is a stormy debate on the definition of Islamophobia, which has not been settled yet. According to a lexical definition in Mariam Webster, for instance, Islamophobia means “The irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against Islam or people who practice Islam." Regarding the genuine daily-use meaning, Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism targeting expressions of Muslimness.
In this regard, a briefing paper for the 46th session of the Human Rights Council prepared by Professor Imran Awan and Dr. Irene Zempi recommended a definition of Islamophobia that should be adopted by the United Nations as “A fear, prejudice and hatred of Muslims or non-Muslim individuals that lead to provocation, hostility and intolerance by means of threatening, harassment, abuse, incitement and intimidation of Muslims and non-Muslims, both online and offline. Motivated by institutional, ideological, political and religious hostility that transcends into structural and cultural racism, Islamophobia targets the symbols and markers of a being a Muslim.”
Islamophobia Incidents
Once every while, Islamophobic incidents strike innocent individuals based on their faith. For instance, in the UK, a racist yelled abuse into a Muslim woman’s ear on a busy central line train, saying, “You are scum, coming here and taking our jobs, go back to your own country, and go back to where you come from.” Another incident occurred in British Columbia where a man said to a Muslim woman and her daughter, "Your hat shows that you are bad because you are following stupid rules. You are a liar and a hypocrite”. Moreover, according to the third Islamophobia in Australia report on the third anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks, most perpetrators of Islamophobia incidents were men “(74%) whereas victims were predominantly women (82%), mostly with hijab.
A way to Overcome
The first step lies in realizing that Islamophobia as a kind of hate crime is not an exclusive Muslim issue. Here, British writer Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan said that the most challenging point sticks around remaining “relegated to a Muslim issue.” She added, “The narrative around Islamophobia makes it seem like a problem Muslims alone deal with, but the Islamophobia story has justified repressive policies affecting everyone, like increased surveillance and policing." We are in an urgent need to admit that such racist incidents may contribute to rising rates of hate crimes that would eventually result in undermining the social fabric of any community.
Hence, have you ever thought about a way to overcome such troubles? Many follow the effortless path focusing on the missing points and arguing that the world should be as they want it to be. This way of thinking may feed greed, inequality and violence. However, the solution is not always governmental or institutional. According to the BBC website, a Group of Muslims launched Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM), held every November since 2012, aiming to "showcase the positive contributions of Muslims and raise awareness of Islamophobia in society.” It is “A tool to have ‘vigorous conversations’ about the issue.” If this step is a way of mobilization, it may lead to a considerable change.
In this regard, poet Alexis De Veaux wrote, “Motherhood is not simply the organic process of giving birth. It is the understanding of the needs of the world.” Here, have you ever tried to think a little like a mother to tackle your common life problems? To think like a mother means working in the present, believing in the future. The seeds of building a brighter future are planted in the direst circumstances, to live in a light one day. The power lies in the seeds of possibility we instill in ourselves. The core of thinking like a mother is philanthropy. It is a way to care for the whole world, carrying a particular responsibility for the most vulnerable people.
Professor of Philosophy Cornel West said, “Justice is what love looks like in public.” When we empower love in policy-making, we will stand for a different way of thinking regarding those who arrive at borders seeking support and those who suffer from civil war, as you prioritize the needs of the majority on the whims of oneself. The solution quietly lies in instilling a sense of the importance of community and serving others. As the African proverbs, particularly Yoruba, goes, “A single person gives birth to a child, but every other person looks after the child.” The moral crystalizes the importance of communal solidarity and its impact on individuals. Here, remember that the path to significant change is always achieved by raising consciousness.