Islamophobia: Vigilance is Essential

Praise be to Allah and blessings on Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

O believers! Do not associate closely with others who would not miss a chance to harm you. Their only desire is to see you suffer. Their prejudice has become evident from what they say—and what their hearts hide is far worse. We have made Our revelations clear to you, if only you understood. [Ali ‘Imran, 3:118]

In the context of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, on the 15th of March, as decreed by the UN General Assembly, Muslims need to reflect on how far the tentacles of Islamophobia have reached around the world. Reflection is also needed on the evolution of Islamophobia as an organised strategy to impose an Islam devoid of its fundamental concepts on the Ummah.

Since the genocide in Gaza has started, we have observed, on the one hand that numerous people have returned to Allah (SWT), inspired and influenced by the resilience and faith of the Palestinians, in the midst of their tragedy. On the other hand, Muslims around the world have witnessed a new wave of Islamophobia. Whether in Germany, France, England or the USA, attacks against Muslims have multiplied.

Additionally, the media has utilised the strategy of exaggerating minor incidents to feed Islamophobic reactions. An official study has revealed that in Leicester only, tens of audio-visual media have broadcasted more than 6,000 false reports depicting Muslims as terrorists, in one year.

What is a Phobia?

It is an irrational, illogical, more often than not, an unjustified fear of something. The term Islamophobia has been coined by the West to create a false fear of Islam and Muslims. They started with allegations, then labels, such as terrorist, Islamist, or radical. We now witness physical assaults, with the aim of ethnic cleansing through physical elimination. Today, it is not only Uighurs in Xinjiang, or Rohingyas in Burma, or Muslims of Assam and Kashmir who are victims of Islamophobia; the movement has reached Europe and the USA.

It is important to recognise that Islamophobia is supported by political ideology. The new wave of Islamophobia coincides with the rise of the far right, in France, USA or Germany. The American billionaire of South African origin has not hesitated to openly support Islamophobia.

O believers! Do not take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Would you like to give Allah solid proof against yourselves? [An Nisaa, 4:144]

Islamophobic attacks can take different forms such as openly abusive language against someone who is visibly Muslim, or covert, such as the refusal to recruit a person based on the perception of being Muslim. They can also take the form of violent physical assaults and go as far as murder. The attacks have moreover been in the form of the destruction of Muslim homes, such as in India, or the destruction of mosques, in India also, as well as in Leicester, England or France.

It is relevant to remember that the movement against Islam goes as far back as the times of the Prophets. The revelation of the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) brought another type of hostility. The Quraish opposed the message La ilaha illa Allah, as they knew that their authority and dominance were threatened.

Since, history has shown us Crusades against the Muslim people, the genocide in Bosnia, in Myanmar, as well as that in Xinjiang and Kashmir. We have also seen the destruction of mosques in France, India, and in Leicester, last year. It revealed the rise of a right-wing supremacist ideology.

We need to understand that Islamophobia is a well-thought strategy to physically eliminate Muslims who find themselves in minority, but mostly to impose a form of Islam that is acceptable to them on the Ummah.

The ideological dimension of Islamophobia goes back to the 70s, when President Carter of the USA, started the alleged Abraham Accords, with the aim of creating a new religion, the Abrahamic Religion. This was a mirage to hide the true intentions towards Palestine. That was carried out with the complicity of Muslim heads of state, such as Mohammad Bin Zayed of the UAE, or Bin Salmaan of Saudi Arabia or Sissi in Egypt.

Islamophobia is supported by right-wing groups and political parties, who promote a racist supremacist ideology. The Hindutva in India is a racist ideology, advocated by the BJP, which is the political arm of the RSS. Hindutva, as an ideology, is exported to numerous countries with an Indian diaspora, for example in Leicester, England or Jersey, USA. The latter country also houses right-wing political parties, of which Trump is part, which support Islamophobia. Starmer and Trudeau, are not left behind, having openly supported Zionists. The number of right-wing groups in the USA has trebled. The violence caused by supremacists in the USA has become the number 1 terrorist threat.

Islamophobia has also become an industry financially backed by the right-wing. The Islamophobia industry produces an arsenal of products to discredit Islam: publication of anti-Islam material, production of audio-visual clips, the presence of staunch Islamophobes, self-proclaimed experts in Islam, with their hollow research, in TV studios.

Social media has a significant impact on the depth of the Islamophobic movement. Let’s remind ourselves of the story of decapitated babies. The unconditional support of England and the USA to the cruelly discriminatory politics of Israel against Palestinians has contributed to the Zionist narrative of Muslims and Arabs as enemies. The internet is an obvious source of Islamophobia, thanks to its tracking of Islamophobic trends, allowing NGOs to decide counter actions. The channel The Thinking Muslim, has declared Musk, whose name masks his foul character, has become the Great Priest of Disinformation.

Are We Safe?

We should not deny that extremism disguised as religion is well and alive in Mauritius. Supported by the previous regime, several extremist groups have sprouted, with some MPs as allies. Let’s not forget the Hindutva promoter who had access to the national television, whose discriminatory and communal habits have been revealed.

In the face of such a situation, we should not be alarmed, but vigilant. Islam imposes us to adopt the attitude of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as long as the attack is not directed against our ideology. He (SAW) never responded to personal attacks or the meanness of the Quraish.

Allah (SWT) teaches us to be courteous, but firm, and to respond to incomprehension with information and arguments which appeal to reason. To this end, we need to be documented, and adopt a critical and not irascible attitude.

Let’s remember Allah’s (SWT) words: “

And whose words are better than someone who calls others to Allah, does good, and says, “I am truly one of those who submit.” [Fussilat, 41:33]

We need to remember that Islamophobia is a strategy to impose such a version of Islam on the Ummah that is acceptable to them, an Islam which abandons hisbah, political engagement for a better society or intellectual or military jihad.

May Allah (SWT) help and guide us.