Islamophobia (Part One)
Islamophobia – the fear of the religion of Islam and anyone that is Muslim or Middle Eastern (in my words; expanded definitions below) is a very personal topic for me. Growing up in New York, I lived among and knew many people who practiced different faiths. I was taught to respect and honor all people, their cultures and religious observances. In our diverse community this meant that whenever someone was observing their cultural tradition, we were to protect and defend their right to practice their freedom, unless they were hurting themselves or another. Then, we would intervene, but those situations were few.
I carried this way of being into all areas of my life into adulthood until someone in my family began practicing the Islamic faith about 25 years ago. I challenged their choice, and they challenged my long-held traditions. Our conversations deepened over the years. Understanding the depth and roots of my biases has grown, and my respect for their faith has become more reverent.
Upon reflecting on those early days of our conversations, my biggest hang-up was that I did not understand the Islamic faith. I respected the people who practiced Islam, but I learned an unconscious “us and them” bias from my faith community (Christianity). It felt like we were in different worlds. Those practicing Islam were doing their thing over there, but we were the ones that really “had” God. Upon realizing the disparaging oppression in my beliefs, I began examining my biases within my faith.
This is not an easy journey. I have wrestled and re-wrestled numerous times over concepts, but I always end up at the same place: if I see anyone as less than me and I see myself as superior to anyone, then I have only scratched the surface of anti-oppressive work. The work continues and remains unfinished, as it should be.
With great love and hope, I personally invite you to begin the journey of learning about and unpacking Islamophobia – your personal Islamophobia and our collective Islamophobia. There are no expectations for you to become an expert. The hope is to begin interacting with yourself, your thoughts and feelings and responses. In future blogs, we will focus on different aspects of Islamophobia and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) voices and concepts. We hope these continue to stretch you.
For this blog you are invited to interact with the definition of Islamophobia and watch a video (below). A Digging Deeper section is provided with other videos to support the main video. There are many resources to use. If you have interacted with a resource you have found helpful, please share it in the comments or send a private message.
Embodied Practice
We invite you to explore the following resources on Islamophobia through Embodied Practice. Embodied Practice is using “the body as a tool for healing through self-awareness, mindfulness, connection, self-regulation, finding balance, and creating self-acceptance. (Positive Psychology)” So as you review the following, we invite you to begin by focusing on your breathe, regulating it so your inhale matches your exhale, or your exhale is a bit longer. Then, look inward to notice what arises in your body, mind, and heart. Take note of these things, but try not to judge them. Self-awareness is the first, simple goal (See some examples of practices here if helpful).
Watch the following video of Suzanne Barakat, MD. sharing her personal experience with Islamophobia. Take note of the feelings, thoughts and responses that rise up within you mentally, emotionally, physically. What resonates with you? What challenges you, and why? (15 min video)
Read the two definitions of Islamophobia. What feelings, thoughts and responses rise up within you mentally, emotionally, physically? What personal fears would you add to the definition, and why?
Islamophobia is a fear, prejudice and hatred of Muslims that leads to provocation, hostility, and intolerance by means of threatening, harassment, abuse, incitement, and intimidation of Muslims and non-Muslims, both in the online and offline world. Motivated by institutional, ideological, political, and religious hostility that transcends into structural and cultural racism, it targets the symbols and markers of being a Muslim. (United Nations)
Islamophobia is a system that redeploys stereotypes of Muslims deeply rooted in the collective American imagination and endorsed by formative case law, foundational policy on immigration and citizenship, and the writings and rhetoric of this nation’s founding fathers. Islamophobia is a modern extension and articulation of an old system that branded Muslims as inherently suspicious and unassimilable and cast Islam as a rival ideology at odds with American values, society, and national identity. Failing to frame Islamophobia as a system of bigotry not only endorsed and emboldened by law, but also carried out by government actors, severely underestimates the scale of its menace and the process by which it inflicts injury and authorizes popular behavior. Failing to account for the law’s role in authorizing and executing Islamophobia overlooks the relationship state actors have to the hateful violence of individual bigots, and it ignores the reality that the state enlists private citizens to partake in the national project of identifying and punishing individuals stereotyped as presumptive terrorists. (Khaeld A. Beydoun, American Islamphobia: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Fear; available as a free audiobook with an Audible membership.)
Digging Deeper
The following videos introduce the victims, Deah, Yusor, Razan from Suzanne’s video. Try to imagine them, their lives and their relationships with each other and their family members as best as you can. Take note of the feelings, thoughts and responses that rise up within you mentally, emotionally, physically (engage in embodied practice again).
Remembering Deah Barakat (Suzanne’s brother; 3:15 min)
Remembering Yusor (Suzanne’s sister-in-law; 3:42 min)
Remembering Razan (friend; 2:57 min)
