Islamophobia as racial discrimination
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Rana addresses the question of whether Islamophobia can be considered racism given it is a form of discrimination based on religion. She explores several perspectives, highlighting the importance of culture in religious identification. Essentially Rana agrees that Islamophobia is a form of racial discrimination because race has become a marker of it. As Hussain mentions, the basis of Islamophobia is no longer confined to Muslims, it has expanded to a greater generalization for those who look Muslim. This perception targets a greater diversity of religions, ethnicities, and nationalities, specifically “Arab, Muslim and South Asian migrants” (Hussain 2). Therefore the impact of islamophobia extends beyond the Muslim community, contributing to a racialization of islamophobia where Islamophobia is understood as racial prejudice.
Heem's Soup Boys discusses the racialization of Islam, and its effects on the non-muslim community, specifically Hindus. At the beginning of the song, Heem raps, “they threw stones at the mosques” symbolizing violent acts of Islamophobia. He later restates this line, “They threw stones at the temple” demonstrating how Islamophobic sentiments extend beyond the Muslim community. Heems further explores how this has personally affected him stating “They throwing stones at the temple / Got me drinking too much, got me going mental”. Anti-muslim hatred has manifested into violent acts aimed at killing Muslims. As Hussain mentions, these radical acts of violence have often targeted the greater profile of Muslims, Arabs, and South Asians. Heems “going mental” reflects the fear that violence imposes on both Muslims and non-muslims. It is clear and it is evident that the racialization of Islamophobia transcends any religious identity and should be considered as racial discrimination based on the western profile of a Muslim.