Europe, a continent that prides itself on human rights and whose nations collectively aim to be one of the superpowers of our time, should realize the potential consequences of such reckless and disrespectful actions. American Muslims however, should not be surprised by the growing wave of Islamophobia that has swept the world since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, particularly in Europe.
Anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe is neither new, nor is it benign.
Have we forgotten that during the early 1990s, Europe stood by silently as thousands of Muslims were slaughtered by Serbs during the Balkan War? Even the UN designated "safe haven" of Srebenica was surrendered to the Serbs, after the UN Protective Forces request for military support was rejected by European members of NATO, leading to the massacre of 8,000 unarmed Muslim men and boys.
It was also in Europe (England) that Salman Rushdie was able to find comfort and protection after writing "The Satanic Verses." In recent years, Rushdie has continued to insult Islam by speaking out against the hijab, saying that "veils suck," and warned against "Islamic totalitarianism" after Muslims protested the publishing of derogatory cartoons in a Danish newspaper.
Defenders of the negative caricatures and Salman Rushdie are quick to point out that the right to freedom of expression is guaranteed in Europe, and takes precedence over the feelings of Muslims worldwide. Yet, none of these individuals are ever seen on television protesting the ban on wearing hijab in schools and government institutions in several European countries. Holocaust denial is a crime in at least a dozen European countries, yet hypocritically, many of these same countries are also the ones that have been the most outspoken against Muslim women wearing the hijab.
Muslims should not remain silent in the face of such extremist sentiment in Europe or anywhere in the world. Yet, protests against the demonization of Islam or the Prophet Muhammad should never be clouded with violence. Muslims should take to the streets in a dignified manner, through silent protests or candlelight vigils, for example, and call for government action against the rise of Islamophobia.
Muslims should counter the hideous degradation of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad by displaying stickers, signs, and buttons saying "I love Muhammad" and "I love Islam." Muslims in these countries should protest women not being allowed to wear the hijab and men not being allowed to wear prayer caps. By doing so, they will be sending the message that "Muslims will not be intimidated."
Protests and criticism alone, however, will not stop the spread of anti-Islamic sentiment. European Muslims should make a concerted effort to integrate into European society without compromising their Islamic values. They should play a greater role in shaping European society and politics. European Muslims need to be vigilant against members of their own community that resort to violence to protest bigotry or events in the Middle East.
Islamophobia in Europe has existed for as long as Islam itself has existed in Europe, and is unlikely to disappear completely. As more European newspapers publish caricatures that malign our beloved Prophet Muhammad, we should remind them of the words of the famous Irish playright and Nobel Laureate George Bernard Shaw who once said, "If a man like Muhammad were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness."
