Islamophobia is the term used to describe the fear, hatred and anxiety people have for Islam and consequently Muslims.
The United Nations Organisation first adopted the term during the period of Kofi Anan as Secretary General and he used it severally in his speeches.
However, the phobia for Islam was started right from the times of Muhammad (SAW) and there were so many reasons for this:
The pagans fear the death of their ritual practices and the ascendancy of Islam which will also imply the demise of their social - cultural ways.
The Jews were aware of the coming of a prophet which they hope would be from them. Coming from the Arabs meant serious envy and attempts on his live.
The Roman and Persian empires, the two reigning powers, saw Islam as a threat. They abandoned their mutual hostility to face Islam and it was the Romans that initiated hostility first
Despite all these, Rasulullah dealt with them kindly and they had a swell time under Islam in our various histories. However, They remained obstinate. This should not Le a surprise as Allah warns thus
i. Never take them as your best friend (A1-Maaidah)
ii. They cannot love you until you abandon faith (Al Baqarah )
iii. They will love or wish that anything descends to from Allah (Baqarah)
ATTACKS
The pagan and Jews initiated wars were crushed decisively in-Arabia, some were expelled while others were forgiven.
The Romans initiated war from the Battle of Mutah and eventually lost. The empire to Islam
They came with colonialism enshrouded in trade missions and followed by the world wars. With victory came the balkanisation of Muslim lands
Then this translates to suppression of Islamic economic and socio-cultural activities. This tells us the power of victory in wars as victory on the battle field is often translated to the economic and socio-cultural fields.
THE MEANS: -
The means is propaganda. This has however given birth to wars also, For example: Painting the picture of Muslim horde destroying holy places and Muslim horses desecrating such places by urinating on them. This led to the Crusades.
Reconstruction of history to reflect that Muslim conquerors waded through the earth Iiterarily with ‘Qur’an in one hand and sword in the other.
Ingrain in the public mind that Jihad means only Qitaal, fighting and killing, a merciless killing of even the innocents.
That Shariah means nothing other than cutting of hands and it is primitive, archaic, even unjust.
Therefore, that Islam and Muslims are violent, love bloodletting and are always too eager for war.
THE RESULTS:
The result of the attacks and the propaganda is phobia for Islam and Muslims. This is manifested as below
Phobia for Islam by non-Muslims who even have enjoyed or are even enjoying the benevolence of Islam. Look at the Middle Belt of Nigeria and their attack on Islam today.
The 2011 elections in Nigeria is a reflection of this. Evolvement, through colonialism, of a set of nomenclature Muslims who hate Islam like non- Muslims or even worse.
A combination of the above have also produced compounding effects. Attempts to redefine Islam to suit the purposes of non-Muslims
Attempt to limit Islam to the heart and the Mosques without any outward expression.
Practice of Islam without its culture because the culture speaks loud and it is very infectious, even as it speaks no words. Talk of the implication of Hijab and turban
Evolvement of pseudo-Muslims who are used in the media and are more acceptable to Governments as representatives of Islam and Muslims
Making the pseudo-Muslims the de facto leader of Islam as they become acceptable to leaders of Mosques because of their access to wealth- power and influence
Failure of all Islamic institutions to function optimally and thus move from the ‘the level of effected to effective.’ This is manifested in the Mosques and Madaris which are pillars of Islamic resurgence.
Near absence of Da’wah Support Institutions and ineffectiveness of the few that existed.
Enactment, by government, of laws and pronouncements in addition to statements and actions of government officials, that hinder the growth of Islam. For example, insistence on sectarism, removal of Hijab for data capture, arrest and killing of Muslims under various pretends - today it is Boko Haram in Nigeria
Pervasive ignorance of Islam by Muslims and non-Muslims alike because the avenues to learn Islam are few and incapacitated
Bias media and public that are ready to listen to pseudo-Muslims and seek their opinion of issues affecting Muslims rather than known authorities on Islam. And cry out against anything Islam without even looking at the positive values therein (Islamic banking system, OlC for examples).
EXAMPLES OF THIS PHOBIA
The OIC debate in Nigeria. It was made to look like Nigeria was to be Islamised.
The deliberate distortions of Yerimah’s introduction of Shariah. The lies that banks were folding up and that Doctors have withdrawn their services, non-indigenes were migrating. Yet Igbos patronised Shanah in Zamfara
The noise about the introduction of Islamic Finance and non- interest banking
In July, 2006, A British Muslim police officer, Amjad Farooq, 39 an experienced firearms officer was removed from an elite protection squad responsible for guarding senior figures including Prime Minister Tony Blair, AFP reported. He was removed because of his faith.
The Oklahoma bombing in USA was first blamed on Muslims before the reality that a non-Muslim did it.
The recent Netherlands disaster followed the ‘blame Islam’ approach until it was discovered that a blonde did it. In fact he did it with the intention to put the blame on Muslim
When a Muslim commits a wrong, he or she is describe has a terrorist and fundamentalist. If it is a non-Muslim, the language is soft.
Recently, Muslims properties were stolen, vandalise and burnt in Benin City, including the Benin Central Mosque in Igun Street, no media establishment in the state condemned the evil act against the Muslims.
But if the reverse was the case, by now the Muslims would have been labelled with all kinds of negative names. These are the kind of double standard Islam and Muslims are facing particularly in Nigeria.
In Iraq an American sniper used copy of the Quran for target practice, the military said Sunday, a day after a U.S. commander held a formal ceremony apologising to Sunni tribal leaders. The USA promptly removed him.
A student at Pace University in New York was arrested on charges of criminal mischief and aggravated harassment (both felonies) for twice throwing a Qur’an into university toilets. Posted on Yahoo News on 08/03/2007.
CONCLUSION -THE WAY FORWARD
When Rasulullah (SAW) was commissioned to deliver the message of Islam, Allah gave him (SAW) three instruments that gave birth to the ‘best community ever evolved for mankind’. They are: Faith, Brotherhood and Struggle
Whoever heeds Allah, He will create a way out for him (from any difficulties), and provide for him even from sources he could never have anticipated. And whoever relies on Allah, He shall suffice him. Certainly, Allah will accomplish His purpose. For Allah has created everything in due proportion.
A combination of these three factors will produce the following effects and they will energise the Ummah.
i. Firm and deep undiluted faith
ii. Detail and clear Understanding
iii. Unceasing rightly and correctly directed effort
A combination of all these will produce the results that will eliminate the problems we face and also take care of the pseudo-Muslims.
As for the non-Muslim attacks, once we take care of our own end then we can recall that for every Fir’aon there is a Musa:
When the Romans came to attack the Muslims in Mutah, they did not know that the result would be the end of Roman Empire.
When King Ja’afar plotted the death of Usman Bn Fodio in their Fulani domain, he did not know that it will produce the 1804 Jihad that led to the conquering of the whole of the Hausa Fulani lands and spread Islam across the Niger.
When the Yoruba warriors gathered in Oshogbo to checkmate the storm of Jihad coming from the North, they did not know that the warriors would be the one to return with Islam to the different nooks and crannies of Yoruba land.
In Ijebuland, the pagans’ struggle to eliminate a single preacher who rushed into the house of Balogun Kuku but it led to several of them reverting to Islam.
Nigeria was to be declare for Trinity in the year 2000 but Yerima launched Shariah in 1999 thus putting the year 2000 agenda asunder.
What should be our focus?
We should try hard and continuously to study and understand Pristine Islam even if the enemies create hindrances as it had been.
We try hard to understood and practise Islam to the best of our ability not allowing derailment but remaining focussed.
We try as much to present Islam correctly through our good disposition and deliberate speech continuously without looking at the blame of the blamers anywhere and everywhere.
We must be wisely and intelligently outspoken at all times, offensively and defensively and avoiding chaos as much as possible because that is their aim to give Islam and Muslims bad names through their media power.
We must cooperate always and don’t allow the divide and rule approach they have been using between the north and the south.
We must pay attention to making ourselves real Muslims with all that is necessary modernwise, then inviting people to it and not being only reactive to the plots of the enemies.
We must remember that Allah does not change the condition of a people whether good or bad until they change what is in their hearts (Ra’ad 13:11) MayAIlah help us.
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