IOUCRIS111

VIOLE Against Mosques

and Islamic Symbols as a Measure of
NCE
INTERNATION
AL
By Mohammed Mizanur Rahman BAIS

ISLAMOPH International Open University

 2.The incident sparked
global condemnation
and public opposition
1. On 15 March 2019,
to Islamophobia by
two mosques in
political leaders, with
INTRODUCTIO Christchurch, New
Zealand suffered a
calls from the United
3.Targeting of
Mosques is an overt
N symbolic far-right
Nations for global
cooperation to hold
act of Islamophobic
hatred.
marauding terrorist
perpetrators to
attack.
account (Delattre,
2019).
GLOBAL INEQUALITY
1. Khalfoui (2015) identifies Islam as the common denominator in the low rates of literacy and
employment (Islam and Economic Growth, 2015, pp. 62-69).

2. This inequality is better explained by Islamophobia resulting in disenfranchisement, hostile policies to

weaken Muslim economies and stifle growth

3. Rich Muslim history ended with colonialism

4. Sikander (2021) cites rampant Islamophobia as an Indian political strategy responsible for the
deliberate disenfranchisement of Muslims

5. Exclusion of Rohingya from citizenship, economic and social participation (Afroza, 2018, pp. 91-95)

6. Repression of Palestinian Muslims in Israel, exclusion from land, political rights and economic
activity (Molavi, 2013, pp. 147-182)

7. Islamophobia comprehensively suffocates Muslim economies

 Reluctance to define Islamophobia

Desire to protect free speech

ISLAMOPHOBI Indiscriminate?
A DEFINITION
Racism?

Definition hinders policing

A UK Home Affairs Select Committee rejected a definition proposed by
All-Party-Parliament Group on British Muslims (APPG),

“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets

expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”

Proposed revision:
PROPOSED
“Prejudice or hostility towards
perceived Muslimness, toward the
DEFINITIONS
religion of Islam, or its
proliferation.”
 VISIBLE ISLAMIC SYMBOLS
AND HERITAGE
This research focuses on 2 symbols as measures of Islamophobic cultural erasure
1. Hijab - Islamophobia is the biggest cause of negative lived experience among hijab
wearing Muslim women. Rahman (2023)
2. Mosques - Mosque destruction represents the height of Islamophobia leading to
social sabotage, desecration, cultural erasure and genocide. Malji (2021)
 HISTOR
Y
• Orientalism & Feminism
• Misportrayal of Hijab and Niqab
• War propaganda to incite war to 'save
women'
• French colonization of Algeria
• Iraq & Afghanistan
WAR CRIMES
1. Destruction of places of worship is a war crime
Islamic scripture mentions the phenomenon as a war crime, “Those who have been expelled from their homes
unjustly only because they said: "Our Lord is Allâh." For had it not been that Allâh checks one set of people by
means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allâh is mentioned
much would surely have been pulled down.” (al-Qur’ān, p. 22:40)

2. After widescale destruction of cultural heritage during the great wars, a United Nations convention in 1954
declared harming, vandalizing, and misappropriating cultural property as a war crime.
3. UN inaction against state sanctioned destruction of Mosques
GLOBAL DESTRUCTION OF MOSQUES
1.Bosnia
2.Iraq
3.India
4.Uyghur Mosques in China
5.Rohingya Mosques in Myanmar
6.Ethiopia
7.Palestine
8. …more …
India, Babri Masjid
 Residents of Banja Luka stare at the remains of the
16th century Ferhadija Mosque deliberately
dynamited by the Bosnian Serb authorities in May
1993, more than a year after the Bosnian War
began. There had been no fighting in Banja Luka.

In 2018 Korla Jama Mosque’s minarets, domes and

Islamic script were removed and a sign saying
“Love the Communist Party, Love the Nation” in
Chinese and Uyghur was added.
 Rafah, Isreali strike on mosque

China, Kargilik Mosque

Keriya id kah. China

China, Kargilik Mosque. Before and After Palestine, Masjid Al-Aqsa

Palestine, Masjid Al-Aqsa

Myanmar Rohingya
 BEFORE

ISRAEL – 2023 GAZA

ASSAULT

AFTER

7 October 2023 – Israeli

airstrikes destroyed 4
mosques in Gaza with
worshippers killed
inside
Sousi Masjid, Gaza Yassin Masjid, Gaza Gharbi Masjid, Gaza
LIMITATIONS
Anomolous cases that undermine use
of “mosque destruction” as a measure
of Islamophobia.
1.Europe: less mosque destruction,
despite high measures of
Islamophobia
2.Terrorism & Sectarian violence
among Muslims also attack mosques
COUNTER ARGUMENTS
1.Sectarian violence supports the thesis - as sectarian violence against
Mosques is still driven by hatred and seeking religious erasure
2.European history typically saw violence in colonized nations and ‘non-
violent’ discriminatory policies at home.
3.European wars in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Support for Israel:
mirrors historic colonial policy.
4.European Mosque destruction is prevalent in foreign wars and
Islamophobia is expressed differently at home in Europe.
5.Civilian violence against mosques are prevalent in Europe mirroring
state sponsored violence abroad.
Iraqi Masjid – US unprovoked attack
 CONCLUSIO
N
1. Government backed Mosque destruction is widespread in
the world
2. The international community is indifferent to this
destruction
3. Both government and civilian Islamophobia is
widespread globally.
4. UN is ineffective in deterring or punishing this
destruction
5. Islamophobia should be treated as a significant factor in
the current global inequality in the Muslim world
6. Violence against Hijab and Mosques is an indicator of
wider Muslim disenfranchisement and forewarns against
inequality and future escalation in violence.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Implementation of Islamic laws on a state-level to preserve the
religion, lives, wealth, social lineage, and mental health of Muslim
populations.
2. Political and military pressure by Muslim states in response to state-
backed destruction of Mosques by other nations.
3. International cooperation to prevent the destruction of Islamic
mosques and heritage sites.
4. Greater education on Islamic heritage, free from historic orientalist
stereotypes, starting in early education.
5. Greater economic collaboration between Muslim states, to reduce
reliance and interference by former colonial masters.
6. Promoting a clear consistent definition of Islamophobia.
7. International accountability of Islamophobic state activity, including
for Israel and USA.
 THANK
YOU FOR
LISTENIG
Q&A