Now picture this real life scenario. You grow up Muslim in America, never once concearned about what they call Islamophobia. Living more than half your life before they even invented the word. Always used to having Intelligent, open and educated dialogue with your non-muslim family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers about Muslims and Islam.
If anyone had a question, criticism, or even an disparaging remark about Muslims or Islam, you answered it if you could or if you felt like it, or dealt with it intelligently, and sanely, on a case by case basis. And if they made a good point, or were justified in their criticism, you simply owned up to it. After all, Muslims aren’t perfect, so it’s completely plausible that a person could have a valid critique about a Muslim or Muslims, or a misunderstanding about Islam.
If it was an unwarranted criticism or bigoted remark, no big deal. No petty name calling, or getting all hyped. This is America, people are entitled to their opinions. And if you had a question about their religion, religious practices or their co -religionists, they gave you the same respect and didn’t call you anti-Christian or anti-Jewish or anti-Buddhist.
Now all of a sudden, Islamophobia takes center stage and becomes the big bad wolf. So after having a great two way understanding with your family, friends, neighbors, classmates, and coworkers about Islam, you, following the national Muslim narrative, start referring to those same people, whom you have known for decades, as islamophobes and bigots, or look them in the face and tell them something insane like Islamophobia and racism are one and the same, so now they’re racists as well.
You end up looking and sounding like a complete idiot to people you’ve known all your life. There you are, making an utter fool of yourself, parroting Muslim immigrants who are new to the country you and your family have known for generations, and you end up throwing years of common ground, understanding and getting along with your own neighbors, coworkers, and countrymen, down the drain. Why? For what? In the name of piety? In the name of sheer stupidity? In the name of fear? In the name of political Islam? In the name of defending Islam?
How does this make any damn sense? How is this civilizationally responsible? Or morally mature? This is why foreign based political Islam in America, is the anti-islam. Godless, senseless, counterproductive, and useless.
Imam Abu laith Luqman Ahmad
Imam Luqman Ahmad Mosque Without Borders 