It is no longer secret that the industry of Islamophobia is an “integrated project” that sets several targets; including degrading values, principles, sanctities, and identities. It builds its strategies on multiple aspects, political, economic, and societal, “enacting laws” and even security ones in some areas and in certain circumstances. The “manufacturers” of the Islamophobia industry seek to obliterate, subjugate and weaken societies and civilizations that have a pivotal role in human development for over one thousand and four hundred years.

“The owners” of these hate-based projects seek to divide society and “create” a state of tension between its components and stir up fear among its segments; believing that it may let them win more electoral votes that may lead to their formation of governments that implement ideological supranational policies.

The variety of methods that the “makers” of Islamophobia follow is not a matter of their lack of consensus over the end goal, but, is a difference of visions about the most appropriate way to reach the declared goals and the unannounced ones.

In the midst of their many “intends”, women come as a primary and a pivotal target for the various perpetrators of Islamophobia . Women besides sharing life with man since the creation of Adam and Eve, she has an influential and a deep role in human civilization, especially the Eastern ones. She is “architect” and guider of the societies. In addition to the universal role of women as educators of youth generations throughout history until the present days, she is political leader and thinker, she is researcher and entrepreneur, she is teacher and producer in all fields, and she is decision-maker.

The fact that women are among the most prominent victims of Islamophobia and discrimination is not an arbitrary matter, but, an intentional and unambiguous act of the civilizational dimension. Targeting women is nothing new under two different headings; Including what Europe witnessed in the Middle Ages in terms of targeting women under the name of religion. And then, in what is known as the Renaissance era, a new targeting campaign against women was launched under the name “Modernity and Enlightenment”. In the current periods, women have been targeted, intimidated, and there have been attempts to destabilize their entity by violating their freedom and choices, depriving them of their most basic rights through unfair “text laws”, denying them work opportunities, violent attacks, and endless smear campaigns of their convictions and beliefs.

Some may think that the whole concept of Islamophobia hate form results from a “religious” or an ethnic war. Although some extreme right-wing and populist currents have intellectual dimensions, this conclusion contradicts the reality of the countless facts and evidence. The proponents of Islamophobia are present in the East and in the West, speaking different languages. The victims of Islamophobia, women being the center of sufferers, have no geographical boundaries.

On the other hand, those who confront Islamophobia are of multiple races and “faiths”. In this respect, our experiences in Canada are the best evidence that those who believes in human values ​​and principles and defend women’s rights, regardless of their backgrounds, are hand in hand on one front that confronts hatred and discrimination.

 The fight against Islamophobia and racism comes as one of the most important moral duties for each of us, regardless of the size of effects and influence we may have in our societal environment. The very serious dimensions of hatred, targeting women, and discrimination require thoughtful collective action to combat these destructive phenomena .

*Samer Majzoub

*photo; Facebook images