(13) Islamophobia.

By Sodium

Islamophobia is an unfamiliar word, even to millions of Muslims. Therefore, it is imperative to ask the following two fundamental questions:

~ What is exactly the meaning of Islamophobia?

~ Does Islamophobia exist in the real world?

In order to provide clear answers and in order to adhere firmly to objectivity in this attempt in answering the two questions,the discussion or rather the treatment of Islamophobia will be done under two titles: (A) The Meaning Of Islamophobia,and(B) The Existence Of Islamophobia:

(A) The Meaning Of Islamophobia:
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It is obvious that Islamophobia is made of connecting two different words to each other through the alphabet "O" between them. Therefore,in order to obtain the correct definition of Islamophobia,one must deal with the meaning of the two different words,meaning "Islam" and "Phobia".

* Islam means obviously the religion of Islam. Hence no need to dwell any further on its definition.

* Phobia is a word that belongs to the realm of psychology and most likely that's why it needs a special treatment here,since the vast majority of the world's population is not familiar with the field of psychology. Thus,an exact definition of the word,"Phobia" is the minimum requirement for better comprehension of Islamophobia.

The American Heritage Dictionary Of The English Language provides the following definition of the word,Phobia:

"Phobia: 1. A persistent,abnormal,or illegical fear of a specific thing or situation. 2. Any strong fear,dislike or aversion."

The person who suffers from a "Phobia" is called a "Phobe",and The American Heritage Dictionary provides the following definition to the word "Phobe":

"Phobe-indicates one who fears or averse to something,for example xenophobia."

In a similar arrangement of words to Islamophobia,the word "Xenophobia" is made of two different word connected to each other by the alphabet,"O". The same dictionary provides the following definition for the word "Xen":

"Xeno indicates the presence of or a reference to that which is strange or different,for example xenolith,xenophobe."

What can be understood from all of the above is the following:

# Islamophobia means not only fear of Islam but irrational,abnormal and illegical fear of Islam. Such kind of extreme fear can be attributed to human ignorance of the essence of Islam.

# Islamophobia can also stem from the evil side of the human nature,meaning: bigotry and hatred of Islam,Muslims,Jews,Illegai Immigrants, Atheists, Homosexuals, Pro-choicers, Socialists, Communists, Lefties and Neoconservatives. Since time immemorial, humanity could not get rid of its own side of evilness. Always and always,the evil side of the human nature has to find a minority to hate and to express its own bigotry.

# Islamophobia can also be instigated by politicians against an already discriminated minority in their communities,in order to win the votes of the bigoted voters.


(B) The Existence Of Islamophobia:
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It is safe to say that Islamophobia cannot exist without persons who allow abnormal, illegical and irrational fear to dictate their behaviors towards "something"-in this case; the "something" is Islam. And those persons who hate Islam, for variety of reasons,are called Islamophobes.

Of course,Islamophobes deny that they are Islamophobes just like the Anti-Semites deny that they are Anti-Semitic. In fact,the more the Islamophobes hate Islam and Muslims,the more they claim that Islamophobia is a myth. As one examine is the social and personal behaviors and the violence or calls for violence or unacceptable and unconstitutional against Islam and Muslims make their entire claims as the real myth. Reasons:

+ If Islamophobia is a myth why then physically attacking Muslims just because they are Muslims? Such behavior is not different from attacking Jews by the Anti-Semites,  just because they are Jews. No difference except substitute the word,"Jews,by the word "Muslims".

+ If Islamophobia is a myth,why then demonizing Islam,on daily basis,by the Islamophobes to a point of calling it,not a religion,but a cult on national TV,by a well known Christian preacher?

+ If Islamophobia is a myth,why then violently attacking Mosques by the bigoted Islamophobes?

+ If Islamophobia is a myth,why then stupidly burn the Qur'an,the Muslims' Holy book?

The above questions and many more similar to them are the proofs that Islamophobia not only exists but encouraged by those who are the most Islamophobes.

Denying the existence of Islamophobia by the most Islamophobes does not make it a myth. And claiming it to be a myth does not make it so either, because the evidences are overwhelming, indeed, that Islamophobia does exists because of the existence of those who are Islamophobes.

If the Islamophobes do not like being described as having abnormal,illegical and irrational fear towards Islam and Muslims,all they have to do is stop being haters of Islam and Muslims and try to truly understand the essence of Islam,as it should be understood correctly. Period. If they can do that, they will be free of their horrible obsession with Islam and Muslims.

Next topic will be topic number (14),the last topic of this series about Islam and it will be posted shortly,as time and health permit to do so.