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SearchToday in Islamophobia: As China claims the release of Uighurs held in camps, a Muslim boy is allegedly set on fire in India after refusing to chant a Hindu slogan. Hussein Kesvani explores the nuanced ways in which British Muslims use the internet, rejecting the narrative of Islamic radicalization as its singular purpose. Our recommended read of the day is an op-ed by Peter Beinart on the correlation between Republican obsession with Israel and white supremacy.
United States
Op-ed | The Real Reason So Many Republicans Love Israel? Their Own White Supremacy. | Recommended Read
“America, love it or leave it,” has been a conservative slogan since the 1960s. What’s virtually unprecedented is demanding that an American politician leave America because they’ve expressed insufficient devotion to a foreign country. Can anyone imagine Republicans defending Trump’s calls for expelling Omar and company by accusing them of hating Canada, India or Japan? Of course not. The reason is that Republicans no longer talk about Israel like it’s a foreign country. read the complete article
WA Muslims Fight Islamophobia with Personal Stories
Muslims in Washington state are building bridges with their neighbors in a new series launching today in Tacoma. Muslim organizations, alongside the Associated Ministries of Tacoma-Pierce County, hold the first "Sharing Our Stories - Meet Your Muslim Neighbors" event at Skyline Presbyterian Church. read the complete article
Trump's attacks on Ilhan Omar echo his 'lock her up' chants. Here's how they differ.
It is also imperative to understand what those chants don’t have in common. Hillary Clinton is a former first lady, former secretary of state and former senator who has long enjoyed the support of the Democratic Party establishment. Lucrative book deals and speaking engagements solidly position Clinton in the ranks of the elite, financially and politically. Ilhan Omar is a former child refugee, one of the first two Muslim congresswomen in the U.S., and a low-ranking member of the House who has nonetheless been singled out for criticism by the leader of her own party. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Muslim Council Of Britain Slams The Daily Telegraph For 'Inaccurate' Flu Vaccine Story
In Monday’s edition an article by Bill Gardner reported that the MCB, Britain’s leading representative body for Muslims, had issued guidance to parents encouraging them to shun flu vaccinations due to the presence of gelatin derived from pigs. “Muslim parents are refusing to allow their children to take part in a nationwide flu vaccine drive after the Muslim Council of Britain ruled the treatment was forbidden by Islam,” The Daily Telegraph story reads. read the complete article
The many ways British Muslims use the internet
Hussein Kesvani is a journalist and author whose new book ‘Follow Me, Akhi’ explores the way the internet is changing the lives of British Muslims. Drawing on extensive interviews the book injects much-needed nuance into a narrative that too often focuses on the internet as a tool for Islamist radicalization. How has social media been used by Muslim communities to counter Islamophobia? read the complete article
International
The Abuse of Religion to Foster Extremism Is a Universal Phenomenon
When Americans express concern about religious extremism and violence, they almost always are thinking about Islam. The problems posed by the politicization and weaponization of religion, however, are deeper, more widespread, and more dangerous. Several years ago, I moderated a panel discussion on "Using Religion to Justify Violence." The panelists, which included former government officials and prominent media analysts, focused their remarks exclusively on Islam. read the complete article
Europe experienced a surge in government restrictions on religious activity over the last decade
From national laws regulating religious dress to local laws banning public worship by Muslims, religious restrictions have in recent years become more common in Europe. Indeed, while the Middle East-North Africa region had the highest levels of religious restrictions in the world, Europe saw some of the biggest increases over the last decade in certain types of restrictions. In one of these categories – government limits on religious activity – Europe’s score doubled over a 10-year period. This was one of the largest increases in any of the five global regions analyzed. read the complete article
India
Muslim teenager set on fire in India ‘after refusing to chant Hindu slogan’
The 15-year-old boy said he was kidnapped by four men who poured kerosene on him and set him alight after telling him to chant “Jai Shri Ram”, Outlook India reports. The Indian magazine said the boy was left in a critical condition with 60 per cent burns over his body. read the complete article
China
China Says It Has Released Most Muslims Held in Camps. That’s Difficult to Prove.
Alken Tuniaz, vice chairman of the government of the region of Xinjiang, said 90 percent of people held in what the government calls vocational training centers had been returned to society. It was a contention that would be nearly impossible to independently verify in the tightly controlled region and flew in the face of accounts of disappearances and detentions that have been compiled by relatives abroad and human rights groups. read the complete article
Myanmar
Video | What is Myanmar offering the Rohingya to return home?
Since their escape, the mostly Muslim ethnic group has been crammed into the world's largest refugee camp in Bangladesh, but Myanmar's government is under pressure to take them back. A high-level delegation from Myanmar visited Bangladesh's southern Cox's Bazar district on Saturday to persuade the Rohingya they should return to Rakhine state. But so far the refugees have refused, demanding guarantees about their safety and for them to be granted citizenship. So, what exactly is the Myanmar government offering? read the complete article