MuslimMatters.org Discourses in the Intellectual Traditions, Political Situation, and Social Ethics of Muslim Life
Islamophobia is stupid: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allāh, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allāh. For Allāh is well-acquainted with all that you do.” - (Qur'an 5:8)
As established in Part 1, Muslims are not monolithic at all. To further evaluate the term Islamophobia we must look to the concepts of race, ethnicity and culture.
Using the label Islamophobe in politically correct or in activist terms is calling out bigotry. However, many non-Muslims, often see it as something else, something unjust. To see this from their perspective we have to digress for a moment.
Before we do, consider the words of one of the most successful political communication strategist of modern campaigning, Dr. Frank Luntz. In his book Words that Work: It's not what you say it's what people hear,
THANK YOU! I seriously hope other Muslim thought leaders will take this article seriously as well as read Dr Luntz’s book. Islamophobia is a seriously weak, victimish term that doesn’t describe the reality of our situation properly.
Great series, Iesa! I agree that fear of Islam and racism are inextricably mixed right now in the public’s view, and they ‘re not even aware of it. I don’t see a lot of the current “Islamophobia” directed at the African-American Muslim community, for example, which reinforces my belief that current fears aren’t based so much on theology but borne of a wound incurred on Sept. 11 that simply hasn’t healed. Middle Easterners or South Asians are “Islamophobe” targets because they “look like”, at a subliminal level, the perpetrators of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Excellent points and I hope Muslims leaders in US get to read it.
JazakAllahu Khairan ya Sheikh!
It means a lot that you are reading the series…
Iesa
As Salamu Aleykoum
Agree with you Islamophbia is stupid. Good and very nice point of view
jazakAllah Allah Kheyran for this article
Islam de France
Walaikum Asalaam,
Thank you so much for the perspective… France seems to be the hardest “western” nation for Muslims.
Iesa
Islamophobia (I hate that word) is alive and well on Fox News?
Juan Williams should have checked himself before making his biased statements about Muslims. Even though I believe he should have been fired, it’s time we Muslims do more (yes, we’ve done a lot) to decrease Islamophobia.
Inshallah, this article will help.
Nice ending to your article:
“But here’s a test. What if a white commentator has said: “I get nervous when I see black people enter a store I’m in wearing hip-hop garb.†How does that sound?”
Salamu Alaykum from toronto, Canada
MashAllah great points and article. Everyone should read it. I have used the word “Islamaphobia” and i always understood it that it means somone who is anti-islam or anti-muslims.
We have a lot to learn, inshAllah
wa salam
Yes we do. May Allah guide us to beneficial knowledge and beautiful conduct. May Allah forgive my mistakes and allow any good in my work to be understood, accepted and implemented.
Good News to Islamophobo,
Tony Blair’s sister-in-law converts to Islam.
Say Allahu Akbar.