INTRODUCTION
Islamophobia is a term for prejudice or hatred or fear of Muslims or the preconceived or deliberate revulsion towards the religion of Islam. Islamophobia manifests itself through various forms, including hate-speech, literature and legislation that revile Islam and Muslims. The most dangerous and despicable manifestation of Islamophobia is of course violence against Muslims that cuts at the roots of civilization.
VIOLENCE
FICTION: Islam is a religion that preaches violence to its adherents and has spread across the globe using the sword.
FACT: Islam derives its name from the word ‘Salam’ which means peace and accords great importance to the sanctity of life. Muslims believe that saving a single life equals saving the entire humanity. Islam proclaims that there is no compulsion in religion. So there cannot be any forced conversion to Islam.
TOLERANCE
FICTION: Islam is an intolerant religion and makes its followers fanatical and uncompromising. This intolerance is the source of most conflicts in the world.
FACT: Islam preaches and practices tolerance. Muslims can be found living peacefully in almost all the corners of the globe. Muslim hospitality is legendary and is part of their faith to love and honour their neighbours.
MODERNITY
FICTION: Islam is a religion that is medieval in outlook, disapproves rational and scientific thinking and is opposed to modernity.
FACT: Islam is the most scientific and rational religion. During the golden era of Muslim rule, various Muslim scientists and scholars were pioneering new discoveries and inventions and their progress was ultimately responsible for bringing out Europe from the ‘dark’ ages into the ‘renaissance’.
TERROR
FICTION: Every Muslim is not a terrorist but every terrorist is a Muslim.
FACT: Islam condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Muslims who do acts of violence cannot be judged as representing Islam just as Christians or Hindus who commit crimes and acts of terror be judged as representatives of Christianity and Hinduism.
POLYGAMY
FICTION: Islam allows a man to have four wives and can divorce easily committing grave injustice to Muslim women and posing a serious threat to gender equality.
FACT: Polygamy is an allowance not a compulsion in Islam. If you ask a woman what she would prefer to be a second wife or a mistress; the overwhelming majority would prefer to be an honourable second wife to being a mere object of desire and utility that is discarded when no longer useful.
INTEGRATION
FICTION: Muslims like to live a segregated life and do not want to join the mainstream society. They resent other communities and cannot reconcile their religion to local traditions and values.
FACT: Muslims have been leading a peaceful coexistence in many countries where the majority of people are not Muslims. Their integration into their respective societies is undisputed and visible in every village and town of India.
FREEDOM of EXPRESSION
FICTION: Islam does not promote freedom of expression and does not tolerate dissent and disagreement.
FACT: The Islamic system of governance is based on consultation and Muslims are completely free to express their views on various issues. However, when Muslims protest peacefully as law abiding citizens against hate, venom and abuse against revered personalities, it is presented negatively by Islamophobes.
OPRESSING WOMEN
FICTION: Islam discourages learning and does not allow girls to get education. Muslims force their wives to wear the all enclosing ‘burqa’ and abuse them physically.
FACT: The first word taught to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) in the Holy Qur’ān was “read”. Islam enjoins seeking of knowledge even if one has to travel to China. If some Muslims discourage girls from attending schools, it is ignorance and an ethno-cultural influence on their part and nothing to do with Islam. Being modest is an Islamic virtue and Muslim women dress modestly on their own and not by force. The Blessed Prophet said that verily the best among you is the one who is best to his wife and family members.
COMMUNAL RIOTS
FICTION: Riots always take place in Muslim dominated areas and Muslims are always the source of mischief and instigation.
FACT: You just have to read all the commission of enquiry reports established by the government to get your answer. The number of Muslims killed, injured, arrested thus far in all communal flare-ups is very disproportional. Communal riots against Muslims in India have been a well thought out strategy by Islamophobes to keep Muslims under a fear psychosis and prevent them from their due share of India’s prosperity.
LOVE JIHAD
FICTION: Muslims have made a grand plan to increase their population in India by trapping Hindu girls by first faking love with them and then marrying them by converting them to Islam.
FACT: This is pure propaganda by Islam-baiters, aimed at garnering votes for electoral gains. The concept has been totally rejected by voters and this malicious campaign is also an indication of the political bankruptcy of these delusional jingoists.
LOYALTY
FICTION: Muslims love Pakistan more than India. They were responsible for the Partition of the country. They do not celebrate Indian sport victories and keep conspiring against India.
FACT: Muslims had been in the forefront of the freedom struggle against the British and their patriotism and nationalism is unquestionable. Just start counting how many Muslim sportspersons, scientists, doctors, architects, poets, artists, businessmen and political leaders have done India proud. Questioning Muslim patriotism is a diabolical strategy by Islamophobes and is aimed at dividing society on sectarian and religious lines and is bound to create rift and discord in society.
CLEANLINESS and PERSONAL HYGIENE
FICTION: Muslims are dirty and unclean. They do not pay attention to personal hygiene.
FACT: Muslims have been enjoined by Islam that cleanliness is half the faith. Muslims perform ablution 5 times a day before obligatory prayers. One of the biggest consumers of perfume and personal healthcare products, Muslims being dirty and unclean is a myth that has been perpetuated so widely and successfully that it will take some time to reverse the perception.
SLOW TO CONDEMN VIOLENCE & TERROR
FICTION: Muslims do not condemn violence and terror in the name of Islam.
FACT: Muslims have always been condemning violence and terrorism irrespective of faith and religion. That condemnation is not highlighted sufficiently by the media and thus this perception was created. Recently almost all Muslim organisations and personalities criticised the ISIS and distanced themselves from its ideology and policies.
CONCLUSION
There are many ways in which Islamophobia is being spread in the world. Some of which are listed above. The basic objective of Islamophobia is to create an image of Islam and Muslims that forces people to conclude that Islam is the worst religion on this planet and Muslims its worst species. They deploy techniques of lies, deception, cheating and fraud to create a myth or a certain fiction about Islam and Muslims. However, a little study of the facts easily demolishes this fiction and bogey created about Islam and Muslims.
Muslims must also be proactive and take initiative to dispel these myths and take a lead in promoting dialogue and communication between communities and cultures so that all threats and challenges to peaceful coexistence are put to an end.