Indonesia: Three motives behind the escalation of the “Islamophobia” phenomenon in the West

Indonesian experts, academics and thinkers attributed the causes of the rise of the “Islamophobia” phenomenon to three reasons, the most prominent of which was the persistence of the Western media misleading about Islam.

Indonesian experts, academics and thinkers attributed the causes of the rise of the “Islamophobia” phenomenon to three reasons, the most prominent of which was the persistence of the Western media misleading about Islam.

Experts, academics and thinkers in Indonesia expressed concern about the rise of the “Islamophobia” phenomenon in Western countries.

The Turkish “Sita” Center for Research and Studies (based in Ankara), in the report “Islamophobia in European Countries 2019, last Sunday, monitored the different aspects of discrimination suffered by Muslims in those countries.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, in its annual report, stated that the elections to the European Parliament and the parliaments of European countries “witnessed a new increase in the popularity of extremist national parties.”

Hamid Fahmy Zarkassi, Vice President of the Indonesian University of Dar Al Salam, said that the media clearly contributes to the consolidation of anti-Islam and Muslims in the West, explaining, “Although the leaders in Western societies have a better understanding of Islam, they are sometimes affected by the discriminatory media discourse.” 

Zarkassi affirmed that there is mutual understanding between the different religious sects regarding freedom of worship and the practice of rituals, but the crisis lies with non-religious (atheists) because they do not know anything about Islam, according to his opinion. 

He cited the experience of Indonesia, as it is the largest country in terms of the number of Muslims, but it respects diversity and diversity, and is keen to communicate and understanding with different religious communities.

Ali Mneinef, Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the Islamic University of Syarif Hidayat Allah, said, “The rise of Islamophobia in the United States and Europe indicates that the West “was not prepared to accommodate immigrants with their different backgrounds and cultures.”

He explained that the absence of dialogue in Western countries is behind the identity crisis, which has resulted in violence against society, race and religion. This then formed the “Islamophobia” phenomenon.

He continued that Western societies have a culture of knowing the truth of Islam, but most of the new generations arose on discriminatory and anti-Islam ideas and Muslims for political reasons.

Mneinef called for the importance and necessity of opening channels of communication and religious dialogue with Western countries, to correct the misconceptions that fuel this conflict.