Factors Contributing To Muslim Phobia: Islam And The West Essay.

Introduction to Islam Phobia

Discuss about the Islam and the West for Muslim Culture.

Islam phobia is considered to be an aspect in which the Muslims across the globe stop practicing what is prescribed by their Muslim culture and traditions. In this case, studies indicate that Muslim phobia is caused by various factors that prevent an individual from continuing to practice what is expected of him or her by the Muslim tradition. In this case, the paper, therefore, going to shade more light on the aspects that are contributing to Muslim phobia across the world (Nanji 2002, p.12). For instance, the influence of western culture, anti-Muslim as well as other more factors are the ones that are contributing to Islam phobia. In relation to western culture, most Muslims who are in the west consider their culture, tradition as well as religion to be outdated therefore fearing to practice Muslim culture while in the west. In addition, the perception that other people have towards Muslim tradition is another aspect that is contributing to Muslim phobia.

The major intention of this article, therefore, is conducted an analysis of the factors contributing to Islam phobia amongst the Muslim individuals who lives in the west countries. Previous studies indicate that factors like, lack of adequate mosques, enough teachers who have adequate skills and expertise in relation to Muslim culture and tradition. In addition, lack historical book that talks about Muslim culture in the Western libraries are another major factor that has been considered to be contributing to Muslim phobia in the western countries. In addition, previous records that have been recorded conducted by the terrorists across the world is another major aspect that has been considered to be contributing to Muslim phobia to the Muslim living in the western countries because they fear being treated as a terrorist. Therefore, based on the above factors, Muslims in the western countries have been featured to be having Muslim phobia because of the negative perception that they receive from the non-Muslim community.

Perception is one of the major factors that is contributing to Muslim Phobia in western countries. Most people relate Muslims with the terrorist activities that are destroying people’s lives as well as properties. In this case, people, believe that what is being tough in Mosques does not have any intention of preaching peace and love amongst all the people without putting into consideration various factors like age, gender as well as religion.  In this case, most people perceive it to be a religion that teaches people on how to be in-human. That is, the terrorists who have conducted various terrorist activities across the globe in the name of Muslim culture are the ones making people perceive Muslim religion with negative attitude thus discouraging an individual from joining or practicing Muslim. Therefore, in this case, the negative perception of the Muslim religion is one of the major aspects that has been considered to be a major factor contributing Muslim phobia across the globe.

Factors Contributing to Muslim Phobia in Western Countries

The phobia towards the Muslim religion and the Muslims in the west nations have contributed to social challenges to the entire Muslim community living in the western countries (An-Na?im 2013, p. 560). In this case, most of the people consider them as enemies of peace thus trying to avoid them as much as possible. Therefore, basing on this aspect, Muslim finds hard to practice their religion or socialize freely with other people around them.

Islam phobia is the prejudice or dislike of the Muslims or Islam’s mainly as a political force. There has been a negative motive concerning the cause of the Islam phobia in the West as most residents thought of it a terrorism that had been carried out by the Muslims (Arifin 2016, p.5). However research indicated that Islam phobia is not an organic result of the bad Muslims conducting bad things, but it was a public manipulation tool that had a role of manufacturing consent for disastrous votes and wars (Bartels, & De Jong 2007, p.20). In the United States of America, most Americans had no idea of the Muslims and that they only get their information from media in which they regarded as to being biased. Most news almost all concerning the Muslims in the United States was negative and in other states such as the New York they even preferred Cocaine or cancer than the Muslims.

Also, irrational worries were some of the Islam phobia causes in the United States since as compared to other residents in the United States; the Muslims were the odd one out in everything they did. For instance, the dressing code of the Muslims was much weird as compared to other people despite the fact that the owners considered it to be the best (Bartels and De Jong 2007, p 33). Also, their customs were much different from other religion and dominions thus this increased the negative motive in the resident's minds concerning the Islam religion. This was therefore seen as one of the great causes of the Islam phobia in the United States of America.

Dressing code is another aspect that is contributing to Muslim phobia amongst the Muslim in western cultures. Most people in western countries believe that beauty is based on how an individual dresses or style that one puts on his or her head. Therefore, most Muslim ladies in a western country are trying to copy what is being practiced by the western ladies to ensure they also get along with what is being practiced within their neighborhood. Therefore, basing on this aspect, most Muslims in western countries are experiencing Muslim Phobia based on the contribution of their surroundings (Akbarzadeh, 2013).  The Muslims believed that their daughters had to cover themselves not even a part of their body should be viewed and they should also marry from their own religion a thing which was hated most by the residents in the united states. No Muslim daughter was allowed to mingle with men from any other dominion if not one from the Islamic religion. This was the main cause of the so-called Islam phobia as people were disgusted by their behavior thus creating the negative motives towards the Muslim community.

Negative Perception of Muslim Religion

Civilization is another aspect that is being featured to contribute to Muslim phobia amongst the people who lives in the western countries. In this case, Muslims in western cultures view their culture and traditions as being outdated basing on how the western people perceive their culture and traditions (Wachtel 2009, p. 2). In this case, Muslim culture is always criticized thus demotivating young Muslims will grow up in fear of their culture and traditions thus contributing to the existence of Muslim phobia. Therefore, basing on this aspect, Muslims who are in the west are currently adopting the culture and traditions of the western people in the name of civilization. Most of the Muslims are neglecting their traditional beliefs and mode of dressing as well as their changing their daily activities just to be in line with the west culture (Arimbi 2009, p. 8). Muslims across the globe always value their religion a lot. They are considered to be among the strongest believers in the world in that most of them train their children from younger age on the principles that they hold dearly in relation to their religion and practices. On the other hand, civilization is considered to be changing this aspect. That is, in the current situations, Muslims in the West do not give much consideration the attendance of Madrasa by their children thus leading to a generation that that does not believe in what their culture and traditions say about their culture and traditions and more so the religious beliefs thus contributing to Muslim phobia amongst the Muslims who lives in western countries.

It is good to know that through assimilation related to trade Islam had dominated Buddhism and Hinduism in the 16th century. In the earlier stage of processes, Muslims were in a certain place, and their lifestyles were affected by the new religion. This showed how deeply the societies were affected by the cultural and linguistic styles which made most Muslims to undergo De-ethnicisation due to the social distance of their own culture thus contributing to Muslim Phobia.

Social life is one of the aspects is contributing to Muslim Phobia. In this case, Muslims initially were considered to be people who believe in the unity of the family (Ma?rtensson 2011, 16). They identified themselves with their religion, culture, mode of dressing as well as food and decorations that they used both in their houses as well as temples. Therefore, due to the introduction of western culture, most of them are currently adopting the social life of the western people thus generating Muslim Phobia amongst themselves. Most of them are now practicing what the western people do because of erosion of their culture, tradition, and region as well as believe (Nanji 2002, p. 14).

Impact of Social Challenges to Muslims in Western Countries

In relation to the what has been installed to the young Muslims in western countries, they have been made to believe that Muslims religion is self-centered religion as one is expected to conduct  activities on their own not even involving any other communities or not even to allow intermarriages which were prone at that time (Foody 2016, p. 712). Therefore, this aspect has contributed to Muslim phobia amongst the Muslims who lives in western countries.  

Another aspect that has contributed to Muslim phobia is the aspect of contemporary media in the West. In this case, a historical reflection that shows how the Muslims have been able to fit into the society. That is, they have been able to adjust to the social life of the people around them thus finding it enjoyable. Therefore, those Muslims who are in western countries are generating Phobia of their culture and traditions because of the positivity that is being said of other religions. In this case, other religions across the globe are being praised for being in front line in preaching peace love and unity whereas Muslim religion is being criticized as the one of the religion in the world that is attacking humanity and destroying peace love and unity across the globe because of the terrorism activities.  Therefore, based on this aspect, the majority of the Muslims in western culture get afraid and do not want to associate themselves with Muslim culture basing on how its activities and teachings are being perceived thus contributing to Muslim phobia.

Muslims in western countries are finding it hard to take their children to Islam teachings because of distance to their Mosque as well as security reason (Nanji 2002, p. 18). Therefore, Young Muslims in the western countries are currently experiencing Muslim phobia because of lack of adequate teachings to their culture and traditions. Also, lack of adequate teachings on the younger generations in the West is another aspect that is contributing to this aspect. Mosques are rare to find in the west countries thus making the younger Muslim generation to lack adequate teachings which will boost their motivation and be proud to be a Muslim (Mussap 2009, p.121). It is clear that lack of adequate Mosques, as well as skilled Muslim teachers, is an aspect causing Muslim phobia amongst the Muslims who lives in western countries. Furthermore, government policies, as well as regulations that have been imposed on Muslims I western countries, is another factor contributing to Muslim phobia in western countries. In this case, they perceive Islam to be related to Terrorism thus imposing tough measure towards Muslim community as a result contributing Muslim phobia to Muslims residing in Western countries. 

In conclusion, Muslim phobia is contributed by various factors that making the Muslim community living in western countries not to be proud of their culture and traditions. In this case, aspects of government rules and regulations towards the Muslim community in western countries is an aspect that has been considered to be contributing to Muslim phobia. In addition, the social life of the Western people is another factor contributing to Muslim phobia (Ozzano 2016, p.402). In this case, most religions consider Islam region as a danger to other communities thus creating phobia to Muslim communities amongst the Muslim communities in western countries. In addition, civilization, as well as the lack of adequate resources like historical books and adequate teachers who understand Muslim religion, is another aspect that contributes to Muslim phobia amongst the Muslim communities who lives in western countries. Therefore, based on the above aspects, it is clear that Muslims in western countries are experiencing phobia and are afraid to practice their culture and tradition.

List of References

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