How to React To Islamophobia (Qur’anic Guidance)

Do not Fall into the Trap

“Indeed, this Qur’an guides to that which is most upright.” Qur’an 17:9

“You shall certainly be tried in your possessions and your lives, and you shall certainly hear many hurtful things from some of those who were given the Book before you and from some of polytheists.  But if you persevere patiently and guard yourselves against evil, that is a matter of strong determination.”
Qur’an 3:18

The philosophy behind Islamophobia is to plant the seed of fear of Muslims and Islam in the hearts of non-Muslims by depicting Muslims and Islam as an imminent danger to Americans, America and the Western world. In these hate mongers’ minds, Islam is an unacceptable religion and Muslims are strangers who do not belong here.

Is there any hospital in the USA without Muslim physicians?  Is there any educational institution in the USA without Muslim professors teaching? Is there any auto industry without Muslim engineers? The list goes on.  American non-Muslim fellows entrust their well-being to Muslim physicians in hospitals, the minds of their children in colleges and universities to Muslim professors, and their vehicles to Muslim engineers in the auto industry.  Have Muslim physicians purposely killed patients, sabotage automobiles or pollute the minds of young students?

Their accusations are not new.  It’s an old game.  Since the time of Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) to the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), their contemporaries accused them of spreading dangerous ideas in their respective societies.  They launched uncompromising attacks and conspiracies upon them. Some of the prophets were torched, persecuted and even killed.

Having said this, let us proceed by asking a couple of questions: how should we behave towards those who are planting seeds of hatred and Islamophobia in the hearts of fellow Americans?  Is there any instructions or examples in the Seera of the Prophet (pbuh) to emulate?  Before answering this I must say there is no question that the guidance of Allah and His Messenger is perfect. This guidance is so comprehensive that it covers all aspects of human life.
​
Verse 186 of Chapter 3 in the Holy Qur’an shows how to deal with Islamphobia.  The Ayah simply states in explicit terms that Muslims will certainly be tested in their possessions and lives, and that some non-Muslims will definitely hurt Muslim ears with very painful words. The ayah then directs Muslims on how to handle the situation.

Elaboration on the Guidance
 
According to this Ayah, without any doubt, past Muslims, Muslims of today and of subsequent generations will be verbally hurt by some non-Muslims.  There are two things that we should do in confronting this challenge:

1. Tasbiru
2. Tat-taqu.

Tasbiru does not mean passiveness.  It means to confront the challenge without being emotional or by overreacting. Respond to accusations wisely, intellectually and in a convincing manner.
Tat-taqu.  I do not disagree with you if you understand the word tat-taqu as to fear Allah by obeying His command which means to exercise SABR.  But the tat-taqu here, to me, means to protect yourself against the evil that may result from the spreading of Islamphobia. Educate your non-Muslim fellows with these means:

1. Your possessions. Allah has told us that we will be tested in our wealth. Spending our wealth to confront Islamphobia is spending FI SABEEL ALLAH.
2. Physically engage in the operation or action of refuting Islamphobia.  This is also a part of the meaning of Allah’s word mentioned above (wa fi anfusikum).
3. Use your friendships and alliances in fighting against this discrimination based on our constitutional rights. We have a lot of non-Muslim friends, locally and nationally, in Interfaith Groups, Civil Rights organizations, the House of Representatives and the US Congress.
   
   

Reacting to Islamaphobia patiently, intellectually and constitutionally will definitely, in sha Allah, yield a pleasant result.  The Seera of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was full of excellent examples. How many Makkans warned against listening to Muhammad (pbuh), talking to him or even getting near him?  How many attempted to kill Muhammad (pbuh) but later became Muslim?

It’s needless to say that those who spread falsehood have their own agenda and will always try to set up traps for Muslims to fall in.  We must be wise not to fall for their evil allurements.
 
We should pray for those who burnt the Qur’an and who are planting seeds of hatred in the hearts of our fellow Americans. Perhaps there will be from among their offspring those who will not only be supporters of Islam, but those who will carry the banner of Islam.

Finally, Allah says “Good and evil are not equal.  Repel evil with what is better, you will see that he with whom you had enmity has become your dearest friend.”