Opinion | Against Islamophobia: the importance of living out justice and peace
Editorial: As featured in issue 12 of The Collegian.
Extreme fear, hostility, dislike and prejudice of and against Islam or Muslims — Islamophobia. This is a nightmare for Muslims who can’t get a job or house because of their religion — who can’t live out their beliefs in freedom and peace and must be scared to get their hijabs pulled off in public, who walk outside with constant anxiety — scared of discrimination.
The Othering and Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, conducted research regarding the pervasiveness of Islamophobia in the United States in 2022. They concluded that out of the 1,123 participants, two-thirds of them (67.5%) had personally experienced Islamophobia in their lifetimes. Additionally, results suggested that women are more likely than men to experience a personal confrontation with Islamophobia (women: 76.7%, men: 58.6%). These numbers are indicative of the widespread issue that is Islamophobia in the United States.
In high school, I was the only Muslim student. Some of my teachers treated me differently due to my religious background. For example, one teacher faulted me for getting bullied by my entire class. She couldn’t care less about my anxiety surrounding going to school. Another awarded me a D on an exam, simply because she thought I deserved it (though my answers were exactly the same as my white friends). Yet another teacher was hesitant to award a better grade than a C, because he thought my German skills weren’t good enough. He told me it was a “brave“ decision to take German as my final exam class before graduation. I graduated with one of the highest grades in my class.
Living with daily anxiety about Islamophobia is not okay and we must work towards solutions. Firstly, educate yourself. If you are curious about Islam and don’t know if what social media portrays is correct (which is often the case), do your own research! Do not only educate yourself, but your peers also. If you confront someone with an obviously skewed image of Islam, engage in a kindly conversation with them and share your knowledge. In my initial months at Bethel, I met a girl who really didn’t know much about my religion and her assumptions were false. We had a long conversation during which I taught her about Islamic rules and values. At the end of our conversation, she thanked me for improving her knowledge and changing her mindset in so many ways.
Speak up and don’t look away. If you ever encounter somebody facing discrimination, don’t let them stand alone and speak up for them. Often, they cannot speak out for themselves. Use your voice, in any way. This could include talking to a friend or even sharing a post on social media. Islamophobia is an unfortunate reality, but we can make significant change if we all work together for a better future. Islam is about love and peace. Every human being deserves to get treated equally.
Well written Dilan! Thank you for your voice.