Islamophobia: Then and Now
By Azher Quader
Chicago, IL
Muslim bashing aka Islamophobia has been a life-threatening sport ever since the dawn of Islam. Today it has become big business too. Back then the Islamophobes were called Abu Jahal and Abu Sufyan. Today we know them as Milosovik and ORiley. Back then it was Hind. Today it is Geller. Back then they came as crusaders and left a trail of blood and terror in the name of God. Back then history recorded it as Badr and Uhud. Today we record it as ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, genocide in Burma, Hinduvta mayhem in Gujrat.
Back then they overcame it, through patience and endurance, through building capacity and building connections, living lives of integrity and compassion, never wavering from walking their talk. Success did not come easy to them but with enormous cost and sacrifice. But in overcoming the bigotry of their times, they were able to show a better way to live and let live for the world to see. They eliminated the prejudice of race and color, embraced the despised, protected the oppressed, guaranteed the rights of all without regard to their faiths and their beliefs. What resulted was a civilization where peace and prosperity flourished, where tolerance and dignity thrived, where freedom and liberty blossomed.
Today we dare not equate what previous generations of Muslims endured to the political realities we face. The pain and suffering they bore were infinitely more than the troubles from job discriminations we face or the media hate we experience or the civil right abuses we litigate. We may be profiled but we are not persecuted, we may be hated but we are not hunted, we may be depressed but we are not dying. To be sure in a world which has overcome apartheid and slavery, embraced gender equity, learnt to accept cultural diversity, there can be no place for religious intolerance. And so our struggle to free society from the scourge of religious bigotry and intolerance is a just and needed one. This is a necessary fight that we cannot refrain from. The question to ask however is: How do we engage in this fight? If the lessons of history teach us, there is much for us to learn from. The Prophetic (pbuh) example shows us to endure with patience and build resilience when we are victims, but gain power and build resistance through partnerships, when we are independent. The hate and hostility of Mecca was overcome by the intimidating force of a Muslim army whose ranks were manifestly multiplied, by many a tribal partners, who chose to march alongside them. Such is the power of partnerships.
So here are some lessons from history to remember. Islamophobia is not new and not a novel challenge we face. It has existed throughout history and probably will continue to haunt our community far beyond our times. The best way to overcome it is through forging partnerships and alliances with as many partners as we can, socially, economically and politically. No one cares to partner with others who have no strengths to share. Which means we will have to work on our own strengths and capacities as well. This fight has much less to do with education and much more to do with relationships. The money we throw on bill boards and marketing campaigns, the time we spend on debates and dialogues, may not obtain for us what we seek. Building capacity, when our knowledge is sought, when our services are needed, will open the paths for new alliances and new partnerships to be made, that will eventually silence the hate speech of our detractors. Only when we cease to complain about the problems we have and start contributing towards solving the problems others have, will victory finally embrace us. We cannot win this through living in isolation and in our comfort zones either. We cannot defeat this evil by staying in the security of our sacred spaces. Oh yes, we cannot overcome this also by remaining obsessed with the problems of the old country. This work demands engagement and involvement domestically. It requires for us to engage in the issues of our times that impact the daily lives of our neighbors: health care, education, minimum wage, environment, immigration, energy and infrastructure, to name a few.
Of course the world is ablaze. There are too many fires to put out. We all want to grasp a hose and become fire fighters. That is the emotional response. Understandably it is not easy to focus on the happenings at home. But in a world linked together with so many competing interests, can we doubt the power and influence of Washington to light a fire or to cool another? Can we ignore the need for engagement here at home, to not only better our lot, but better the lot of the world we care for?
