In this age of material progress, where human society is enjoying innumerable benefits, this progress has led to divisions and hatreds among humanity, and hypocrisy, intrigue, and conspiracies are rapidly increasing their grip on society. Because the way this approach of progress has killed human beings is a place of sorrow for everyone. It is as if human values seem to be declining all over the world at the moment. There is a fierce conflict between nations, countries, and civilizations, and sectarian tensions are on the rise. In Islam, killing one human being is considered as the assassination of all humanity. The fact is that Islam is a universal religion, who has elevated all human beings in the world to a high place of respect, dignity, and greatness. It has incited people against discrimination and hatred and has inculcated mutual love and affection. Man is by nature peaceful and just, but when the enemies of humanity kindle the fervor of hatred, man departs from his nature. The people of the West are unfortunately using hateful propaganda against their opponents as a weapon in different periods. This passion for hatred has become a stronghold that has made the people of the West a victim of Islamophobia. ‘Phobia’ is a modern form of Neologism. It is a mental illness in which the patient feels fear and dread when he sees something strange. The ailment of Islamophobia is intensifying in the West due to fear of Islam and Muslims. The term Islamophobia is 40 to 50 years old but its widespread use came after 9/11. The western media launched an organized campaign against Islam and portrayed Muslims as terrorists. In this regard, the western print and electronic media portrayed Islam in a horrible and barbaric manner, and taking advantage of the opportunity, the other anti-Islamic organizationsall over the world also followed this ire. After 9/11, news and reports were published which portrayed Muslims as enemies of the West. However, all this is very baseless and fabricated propaganda based on lies, prejudice, and hatred, which has been deliberately spread against a civilized, pacifist, creative and cheerful religion like Islam by the enemies of humanity who are afraid of the traits of Islam. It hurts the desires and habits of the libidinous and sensual people and is the source of peace and tranquillity for all mankind. How can a religion that promotes brotherhood, fraternity, unity, and reconciliation in every prospectus of life, encourage terrorism and extremism? Undoubtedly, all religions in the world not only accept this extraordinary feature of Islam but also openly acknowledge it. Originated from the rugged deserts and barren plains of Arabia, Islam has become the second-largest religion in the world today, covering more than half of the world’s land area and with more than 30% of the world’s population. Behind this lies hundreds of stories of human well-being, service, and the exaltation of mankind.One of the main reasons for Islamophobia anda matter of concern for the western imperialists is the influx of non-Muslims into Islam and the rapidly growing number of Muslims.
According to census analysis in England and Wales, and the Office for National Statistics, one in ten children under the age of five is Muslim, and the rate of Muslim children is 09%. According to the data of Professor David Coleman of Oxford University, England has been sheltering Muslims for a long time before Muslims used to come here from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India but now Muslims from African countries and the Middle East are also turning to England. According to the Runnymede Trust Report 1997, “Islam is considered a foreign thing in the West”. This is because of the anti-Islamic propaganda of the western media, which is pursuing a particular agenda and is exaggerating anti-Islamic propaganda. Islam was portrayed as the enemy of western civilization, culture, and the enemy of the western world. It was propagated in such a way that any individual or group of individuals was presented as the whole Muslim world. White Terrorism, on the other hand, has been portrayed as an individual’s fault. The disease of spreading Islamophobia is heading towards the clash of civilizations. The offensive conduct of the Qur’an at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib prisons was the result of Islamophobia. Also, how Muslims were targeted inside mosques in New Zealand was not a trivial matter but a step towards a clash of civilizations. Every day in some parts of Europe, abusive action against Muslims and offensive cartoons and sketches of the Prophet of Islam (Pbuh)is also paving the way for a clash of civilizations. UN Secretary-General Guterres called Islamophobia a threat to world peace during a visit to Saudi Arabia. This is because the people of the West have gone so far in Islamophobia that they do not realize the persecution of unarmed Muslims. From the Rohingya to Palestine and in other parts of the world, there is no sympathy for the unarmed Muslims who are being persecuted. Some Muslim leaders, while addressing the United Nations, repeatedly urged the people of the West to come out of Islamophobia and wake up for the welfare of humanity, but the result was not satisfactory. The people of the West will be afflicted with the disease of Islamophobia and the negligence of the international community will surely lead to a terrible world war and will inevitably come to the fore as a clash of civilizations. One of the main objectives of the United Nations is to ensure the promotion and respect of fundamental self-determination and rights for all, irrespective of race, sex, language, or religion. In the past, different religious and ethnic groups were segregated and had little in common, so the minority was almost non-existent, but the evolution of democracy led to the emergence of multi-religious, multi-lingual, and multi-cultural societies. And as the existence of minorities increased, the importance of the rights of minorities was strongly felt in the world, due to which the rights of minorities were enshrined in international law. The world has shrunk because of social media, and human interactions and circumstances have become much easier. The world must now recognize the fact that terrorism has no religion. The world must unite and fight against terrorism, not against religion. The time has come to resolve this issue at the international level without giving it a regional, ethnic or religious complexion, and Muslims have to prove by their words, deeds, morals, and their high values that Islam is all about security; a religion that is also a defender of rights of other creations. The image of religions that draw the line between humanity must be erased. All the religions of the world teach the good of humanity. So, there is a need to move forward with the notion of peace and justice, which is more beneficial and prosperous for the whole world.
(The author is a Senior Researcher of Islamic Studies at the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir. Views are exclusively his own)
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