Islamophobia is fear of Islam or hate against Muslims. This fear stemmed majorly from radical terrorist organizations that have been acting brutally in the name of Islam, and some ruthless practices seen widely in the Islamic world. These practices include suicide bombing, oppression against women, forced conversions, blasphemy, child marriages, low quality, and backwardness in science & technology. This all creates a negative perception of Islam which is against the humanistic and modern democratic notions of western society. Because of this negative perception of Islam, Muslim minorities living in western countries are usually discriminated, and frequently subjected to verbal abuse and physical assaults which often result in their murder. Now with all these qualities that come to mind when a person in the west thinks of Muslims and Islam, one cannot but dislike such a religion, and no respect for any adherent or propagator would remain in the eyes of people. And that is also why provocative people in the west make fun of Muslim sacred values.
But is it really the case that Islam which is known as a peaceful religion propagates such ruthlessness and backwardness?! One main problem that both Muslims and western countries fall into is learning about Islam from the actions of people than from its genuine source. Even, the majority of Muslims are unaware of Islam presented in Quran, they just know Islam from the mouths of people or superstitious traditions accepted as part of Islam and never study the authentic source which is why they are unable to defend themselves against the misinformation prevalent in the western world.
The authentic and the only valid source for understanding what Islam really preaches is Quran alone. What Muslims do is take a secondary source of Islam also known as HADITHS above the Quran. And try to understand and interpret Quranic verses in the light of those hadiths which were gathered by Muslim scholars 3 centuries later when neither prophet nor his companions were alive. Some of these hadiths go against the teachings of the Quran and are cruel, ruthless, misogynistic, oppressive, anti-Semitic, and propagate every ill that cannot be accepted by logic, reason, and conscience. These fabrications are given the same value as the verses of the Quran by Muslim scholars and are considered as part of Islam and are practiced throughout the Islamic world without ever reflecting upon its authenticity or caring about the violation it does against Islam. These fabricated hadiths are slanders against the prophet Muhammad whose good morality and great character are praised by God. A good number of young Muslims who like to be modern, stylish, and have secular minds alienate themselves from religion but have to silently accept these fabricated hadiths merely out of respect that these words are of Prophet Muhammad. The Muslim world has so wholeheartedly accepted all the hadiths as true that any person rejecting them is immediately considered a disbeliever and punished or executed. The verdict for that again comes from these fabricated hadiths.
On the one hand, these fabrications and distorted interpretations based on them are causing Islamophobia and on the other hand, certain groups hostile to Islam, are using the opportunity to depict all Muslims as terrorists and therefore legitimizing their slaughter., hypocrites who have no connection with Islam are paid to carry out attacks in the name of religion so people lose every sympathy for Muslims and Media is extensively used to further anti-Islamic campaigns. State leaders are also using hate against Islam in their speeches as a way to gain more votes, this, in turn, makes the general population hateful of Muslims as a result of which even the most peaceful Muslims living in their countries are seen as a threat
The responsibility of correcting this misconception about religion and clearing the image of Islam, first falls on Muslims themselves. And the only way out they have is the Quran itself.
Quran encourages Freedom, tolerance, forgiveness, justice brotherhood, and scientific advancement.
Quran is entirely against the bigotry practiced in the Muslim world. It strongly condemns the killing of innocent people and urges people of conscience to struggle to save oppressed ones. It encourages freedom of thought, democracy, secularism, modernity, respect, tolerance, brotherhood, art, science, and technology, in short everything reasonable and good for society is encouraged by the Quran. If Muslims had practiced true Islam of the Quran, they would have become exemplary in upholding morality, human rights, women's rights, freedom, art, and beauty, and they would have been highly advanced in science and technology. A society based on the teachings of the Quran would be a society with no poverty, injustice, or any inhumane treatment. Everyone regardless of their faith, colors or state would be in peace, joy, and abundance, and everyone would be taking care of others as their own family members. Such a long-dreamed Muslim society would not be feared or frowned upon. It would be readily accepted by everyone in the West and east and the world will dramatically and positively change with the positive change in the Islamic world.
And it is only possible if Muslims return to the actual teachings of the Quran and purify Islam from radicalism that has damaged the reputation of Islam worldwide. It is an urgent duty incumbent on Muslims to tell the difference between bigotry and true Islam to the western world. Muslims should carry out a wide-ranging educational campaign that replaces radical indoctrination with the true enlightened quranic perception of Islam. Meanwhile, Muslim states must fully abide by the morality of the Quran and show the world with their modern, tolerant, compassionate, democratic, scientific, and civilized lifestyle the positivity Islam brings about in society. And to maintain peace and harmony, the western world should introduce legal measures to prevent anti-Islamic activities and approach all faiths unbiased and equally with love and equal democratic values for all.
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