Islam is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, universal religion which advocates the existence of a sole divinity and believes in Prophet Muhammad as the God's messenger. It is the world's second-largest religion with over 1.8 billion followers or 24% of the world's population . Islam is one of the world's fastest growing religions but along with its fast growth rate , Islam is also garnering a lot of hate from all around the world .
Islamophobia amongst the population has had an increase of 26% in the year 2017 and is on an alarming rate of increase . Islamophobia is a form of Xenophobia (dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries) .Thus discriminating people on the basis of their religion. People have been associating Islam with terrorism ever since the 9/11 attacks. The jihaadi terrorists have forced permanent fear in the hearts of the people of different races, ethnicities and religions. We are unable to overlook religion over terrorism. Illiteracy is often pulled up as the reason behind Islamophobia, but can we forget the fact that after the 26/11 attack ,the caretakers of the Mumbai graveyards refused to let the Muslim terrorists be buried there because they believed that terrorism had no religion except cruelty whereas many educated people still refuse to be associated with a person based on the fact that they belong to Islam . It is preposterous of other religions to undermine Islam and forcefully shame it's followers.
Most Islamophobic people would argue the fact that the major portion of terrorist attacks have been carried out by people belonging to Islam suggests that there is a higher probability of Muslims being terrorists. On their part, it's simply prejudice and consternation and on the part of the Muslims, it's simply the consequences of the reflection of Islam throughout the worldwide society.
Ranging from the common phrase " I am a Muslim and I am not a terrorist " , which depicts the social standing of Muslims who are in constant fear of their identity being associated with terrorism . Muslims are often mistreated at airports, often having to go through extra rounds of security checks and identity verifications just because of their religion and the appearances commonly associated with it. They are openly humiliated in public in which the insults are uncalled-for. The Muslims often are the victims of horrific lynching and hate crimes by fringe outfits.
Are the fears and concerns of people completely baseless? According to the figures that suggest that Islamic groups were responsible for 74% of all the deaths caused by terrorism in countries all across the world , the fear maybe justified but the maltreatment of Muslims and the slander of their religion cannot be excused .
Deep rooted Islamophobia exists all over the world .Other religious sites often put up articles impugning Prophet Muhammad which include phrases which hurt the sentiments of the Islamic school of thought. Often innocent Muslims face the wrath of the public as a consequence of the actions of terrorists who coincidentally belong to their religion. The extremist rationalisation of certain sects of Muslims have lead them to be often barred from following their religious customs in public and mocked at for being devours. Muslims are mocked for their prayers , their attires and somehow we end up mocking their faith . In public , they often face humiliation and discrimination just on the basis of their religion which is nonsensical and cruel. Their image of existence as a normal functioning society is often draped over by the false curtain of being a religious sect which encourages terrorism . A fraction of their society leads them all to be discriminated .
The discrimination the Muslims face due to Islamophobia , to the extent of blaming their existence for being the cause of terrorism is a shortcoming of the world as a community , we have forgotten their contributions and their basic human rights in our prejudice and trepidation leading to their sufferance. The main question confronting us is that who are the actual terrorists-whether the people who paint all Islamic people as terrorists or the radicalised people who spread terror, hatred and lies.
Comments