Fear vs. Faith: A Manufactured Divide?!
Islamophobia: a word created by fascists, and used by cowards, to manipulate morons. - Christopher Hitchens
Introduction
Islamophobia is defined as fear, hatred, and discrimination against practitioners of Islam or the Islamic religion as a whole. The term appeared as “Islamophobie” in French literature in the early 20th century as a designation for anti-Muslim sentiments and policies, and was popularized in English in the late 1990s.[1]
Source: www.euractiv.com
Islamophobia historically can be traced back to the perception of Islam's expansionist ideals threatening other religions. Founded in the seventh century, Islam is an Abrahamic religion, like Judaism and Christianity. These three monotheistic faiths recognise and worship Abraham, and their shared origins have often led to interfaith conflict. Modern Islamophobia has its roots in medieval anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim sentiment propagated by the Christian Church before and during the Crusades (1096–1291).
Historical Context
Islamophobia in the West:
After its founding in 610, Islam spread across North Africa and the Middle East, growing its followers and conquering territory that was part of the Christian Roman Empire during the Early Muslim Conquests. At the end of the eleventh century, the Christian Church orchestrated a military campaign against Islam and Muslims to reclaim territory and to strengthen its control over monarchs in Europe.
In 1095, Pope Urban II delivered a speech that sparked the beginning of the Crusades, referring to Muslims as ‘the enemies of the Lord’ and portraying them as distinct from Christians. By the end of the Crusades in 1291, Muslims had been demonised for two centuries and firmly established as the ‘other’ in the minds of European Christians. This impacted how they were viewed and treated. In addition to muslims being treated as the “other”, European colonialism reinforced this bigoted notion of the superiority of white, Christian Europeans. This ultimately led to the creation of the concept of race to justify power inequalities, slavery and the mistreatment of those who had been colonised. That being said, Muslims had already been racialised and depicted as biologically and culturally inferior before this concept emerged.
Source: www.meisterdrucke.ie // The Capture of Jerusalem by the Crossings on 15/07/1099
During the period of European colonialism, there were large Muslim empires, notably the Ottoman Empire (1299–1922), which sought to expand into Christian Europe. The threat of territorial expansion, combined with long-established prejudice concerning the Islamic ‘other’, impacted how Muslims were written about, spoken of and most importantly how they were viewed.
“Islam doesn't promote violence or peace. Islam is just a religion, and like every religion in the world, it depends on what you bring to it. If you're a violent person, your Islam, your Judaism, your Christianity, your Hinduism, is going to be violent.” - Reza Aslan
Islamophobia in the India:
Islamophobia in the West is mainly driven by the fear of the “unknown.” This is seen when Hindus and Sikhs are mistaken for Muslims and are attacked in public places. Islamophobia in India is very different. It is based on the sentiment of “historical injury” rather than the fear of the unknown. The histories of Hindus and Muslims are too entangled in India for either to be considered “unknown.” There is hatred and prejudice against Muslims, and an organised political process of ‘othering’ them. The nature of this violence in India, unlike in Western nations, is neither random nor episodic; it mostly takes the form of an organised rise and fall in conjunction with the election cycle.
Understanding Hindu Perspectives in India
Like many other broken aspects of today's world, the blood is on the hands of the British Empire. Despite the history of conquest, and the continuous changing of rulers in the north, relations between them in the south remained peaceful. During the early period of the Mughal Empire, religious tolerance was at its peak, with Hindu scholars, musicians, authors, poets, and artisans enjoying the same rights as their Muslim counterparts. Religious intolerance became a facet of the Mughal Empire during its downfall in the Aurangzeb era.
Yet there were periods when the political ambitions of Islamic rulers took strength from questioning aspects of Muslim teaching and led to the devastation of many major Hindu temple complexes while other temples were converted to mosques. Episodically, since the 14th century this history has provided rhetorical fuel for Hindu anger against Muslim rulers. [2]
Source: rsilpak.org
This anger was exacerbated by the British, who implemented a divide-and-rule policy to maintain their control over the country. Some of the major ways this was accomplished included policies like separate electorates, the organisational structure of the army, and the partition of Bengal.
Hindu Anxieties Over Muslim Ascendancy
Modi’s allusions echoed an old refrain of Hindu nationalists and a theory they have developed, “the Great Replacement theory” also known as "love jihad." His party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, argues that Muslims, around 200 million people in India – pose a demographic threat to Hindus, as they are said to have a strategy to take control of India, by having children and overtaking Hindus demographically. They seduce Hindu women with the sole aim of converting them.
Since Modi came to power in 2014, several BJP-ruled states have thus passed anti-conversion laws, highly stigmatising and threatening religious minorities, Muslims and Christians, whose members can find themselves in prison on mere accusations of wanting to convert Hindus. [3]
Source: theprint.in // Polygyny trends in India
In February 2023, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) published an article titled “Why growing population of Muslims in India should be a matter of concern?” The published article highlighted several points about the growth in the number of Muslims in India since Partition, warning how it could be dangerous for “Bharat” if sections of this population took up arms or engaged in “jihad.” However, a closer look at statistics can alleviate this fear. According to the Census of India, 2011, of the total population of India in 2001, 80.5 percent were Hindus while Muslims accounted for 13.4 percent. When these numbers are viewed in the context of factors like literacy rates, the growth rate of Muslims doesn't seem alarming anymore. Hindu communities with similar literacy rates have equal if not higher growth rates compared to Muslims. Another major concern is that Muslim men may marry multiple women and have numerous children. However, according to the NFHS-5 data, 1.9 percent of Muslim women reported that their husbands had more than one wife, compared to 1.3 percent of Hindu women who admitted to being in a polygynous marriage in 2019-21.[4]
Understanding Muslim Perspectives
Hindu nationalists have been appointed to top positions in key government institutions, granting them the authority to enact sweeping legislative changes that rights groups claim unfairly target Muslims. Textbooks have been revised to downplay the history of India’s ancient Islamic rulers, cities and streets with Mughal-era names have been renamed, and authorities have demolished Muslim properties for illegal encroachment on government land and as punishment for alleged rioting.[5]
The truth of the matter is that muslims in India are scared of the police and have no faith in the judiciary. One such recent example is of the Bilkis Bano case. In August, the BJP government approved the early release of 11 men who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for gang rape and murder during the 2002 anti-Muslim riots, a decision publicly celebrated by BJP affiliates. The convictions were secured after a Muslim woman, Bilkis Bano, testified in court. Opposition lawmaker Mahua Moitra filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the early release, which is typically not allowed in gang rape cases, stating, “This nation had better decide whether Bilkis Bano is a woman or a Muslim.” [6]
Post 2014 era:
Since Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014, India's approximately 200 million Muslims have faced a turbulent journey. Hindu vigilante mobs have lynched suspected cow traders and targeted small Muslim-owned businesses. Petitions have been filed against mosques, and internet trolls have orchestrated online "auctions" of Muslim women. Right-wing groups and sections of mainstream media have fueled Islamophobia with baseless accusations of "jihad," such as "love jihad," falsely claiming that Muslim men convert Hindu women through marriage without any substantial evidence.
Source: www.dailyexcelsior.com
Anti-Muslim hate speech has surged, with three-quarters of incidents reported in BJP-ruled states. Ziya Us Salam, author of “Being Muslim in Hindu India,” asserts that "Muslims have become second-class citizens, an invisible minority in their own country." [7]
Prior to the 2024 parliamentary elections, Narendra Modi, leading the campaign for his party, went on an openly Islamophobic rant, accusing the Congress, of wanting to distribute national wealth "to those who have the most children, the infiltrators," claiming that the government of Manmohan Singh, his predecessor, had declared that Muslims had "the first right to the nation's resources." "That means they will collect all your wealth and distribute it to whom? – To those who have the most children. They'll redistribute it to the infiltrators. Do you think your hard-earned money should be given to the infiltrators? Do you approve of that?" [3]
Case Study
Delhi 2020
Background and Context:
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India, passed by the Parliament on December 11, 2019, is a law that amends the Citizenship Act of 1955. The CAA provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for individuals from certain religious minority communities—Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians—who have fled persecution from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. These individuals must have entered India on or before December 31, 2014, to be eligible under this law.[8]
By providing citizenship based on religion, the CAA marks a departure from India's traditional secular principles that do not differentiate based on religious identity. The CAA is often discussed in conjunction with the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). Critics worry that the combination of CAA and NRC could lead to many Muslims being declared non-citizens if they fail to provide adequate documentation, while non-Muslims could be protected under the CAA.
Source: www.bbc.com
Violence ensues:
On February 8th, Delhi held its legislative assembly elections. The days leading up to the vote were marked by highly inflammatory speeches from BJP members, including a call to “shoot traitors.” Anti-CAA protesters were labelled as anti-national and traitorous, resulting in several shooting incidents. The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party, the current ruling party at the centre) suffered a significant defeat, winning only 8 out of 70 seats. BJP politician Kapil Mishra gave a speech calling for the “clearing of protesters” which escalated tensions after 70 days of peaceful protests, sowing the seeds of violence.
Gunfire was reported, and the police imposed Section 144, prohibiting gatherings of more than four people. Despite this, large mobs of mostly young men chanting Hindu slogans confronted the protesters, leading to stone-throwing from both sides. The mob vandalised shops and homes, growing larger with people called in from other areas. Identifiable by Hindu symbols, flags, and slogans, they made provocative speeches, portraying themselves as victims and Muslims as aggressors. The police did little to stop them; on the contrary, some officers were seen assisting the mob by throwing tear gas shells in the same direction as the crowd, targeting the largely Muslim protesters.[15]
Gujarat 2002
Background and Context:
On February 27, 2002, the Sabarmati Express, travelling between Faizabad and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Western India, was halted and set on fire at a place called Godhra. An estimated 59 people, most or all of whom were Hindus, perished in the incident [9]. Even more than six years later, the exact details of the event remain unclear. However, it was widely portrayed as a Muslim attack on the Hindu community, leading to a fierce 'retaliation.'
Source: www.theweek.in
Narendra Modi declared that the attack on the train had been an act of terrorism, and not an incident of communal violence. BJP president Rana Rajendrasinh and Modi used inflammatory language which worsened the situation. Local newspapers and state government officials used the statement to incite violence against the Muslim community by alleging, without evidence, that the train attack was orchestrated by Pakistan's intelligence agency in collaboration with local Muslims. Additionally, false stories were printed claiming that Muslim individuals had kidnapped and raped Hindu women.
Gruesomeness of Violence:
According to official figures, the riots ended with 1,044 dead, 223 missing, and 2,500 injured. Of the dead, 790 were Muslim and 254 Hindu. These are relatively conservative estimates, other sources estimated the death tolls in excess of 2,000. It is estimated that 230 mosques and 274 dargahs were destroyed during the violence.[10]
At least 250 girls and women were gang raped and then burned to death. [11] Violence against women also included them being stripped naked, violated with objects, and then killed. According to Kalpana Kannabiran, the rapes were part of a well-organized, deliberate, and pre-planned strategy, and these facts categorize the violence as political persecution and genocide.
There are additional, highly distressing details that occurred, which may not be suitable for discussion in this public forum. For those seeking more information on these subjects, it is recommended to consult the following references.[12][13][14]
Aftermath:
It is estimated that Muslim-owned properties suffered losses including 100,000 houses, 1,100 hotels, 15,000 businesses, 3,000 handcarts, and 5,000 vehicles. In total, 27,780 individuals were arrested: 11,167 for criminal activity (3,269 Muslims and 7,896 Hindus) and 16,615 as a precautionary measure (2,811 Muslims and 13,804 Hindus).
Conclusion
In conclusion, Islamophobia, with its deep historical roots and contemporary manifestations, has resulted in significant harm and division. Case studies like Gujarat 2002 and Delhi 2020 in India underscore the severe impact of such prejudice, revealing the urgent need for ongoing awareness and education. Addressing Islamophobia requires a concerted effort from individuals, communities, and policymakers to foster understanding and tolerance; without such efforts, progress will be impossible.
Article by:
Rejith Kumar G,
Editor,
PES MUN Society.
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