Uniting the Muslim Ummah against Islamophobia

The Muslim Ummah has confronted three major problems over varying periods, which are lingering, the unresolved and burning issues of Kashmir and Palestine and the mounting threat to humanity in general and Muslims in particular in the form of Islamophobia in the name of so-called freedom of expression.

There is a marked difference in the respect which the believers of Islam and other regions and faiths have for their prophets. Muslim believers respect from their hearts all Messengers of Allah from Hazrat Adam to Last of the Prophets Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). Their faith remains incomplete if they do not respect any of them. They have the greatest respect and love for Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and cannot stand anyone showing disrespect and indulging in blasphemy towards him. Words are not enough to explain the highest esteem in which the Muslims hold their Holy Prophet (PBUH).As compared to this, the believers of other religions and faiths not only show disrespect their own prophets but also the Last of the Prophets (PBUH), thus indulging in blasphemy which has come to be known as Islamophobia, a menace which is increasing in the Western world in the name of freedom of expression. In doing so, they hurt sentiments and feelings of the Muslims the world over but they do not care anything about this.

Prime Minister Imran Khan talked about the menace of Islamophobia at least twice during last couple of days while addressing  a function and addressing the nation, calling for unity among the Muslim Ummah and suggesting to the heads of 50 Muslim states to unanimously give a call to boycott of trade with any Western country where blasphemy is committed and Islamophobia resorted to at the official level or privately in order to put a stop to blasphemy. Even boycotting products of any country promoting Islamophobia will be like hitting the economy of that particular country and will be more effective than merely breaking up diplomatic relations.

Apparently  this is a gigantic task which the PM has taken upon him. He also pledged to lead the campaign himself. Still it is a positive move in the right  direction as the collective voice of the Islamc world will certainly and surely will carry more weight and impact than Pakistan’s alone.

Imran can easily be ranked amongst the first leaders of the Islamic world to raise the issue of Islamophobia and who continues to forcefully raise his voice for effectively combating this scourge and calling upon the Western countries and their leaders to show respect to the sentiments of the Muslims who cannot stand blasphemy for Prophet Muhammad.

He continues to raise his voice unendingly, availing every opportunity when addressing an international gathering or forum.

Tackling the menace of Islamophobia was the main theme of his address at the 14^th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) held in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in June 2019, within months of his coming to power only in August 2018.

This was followed by his maiden address to the 74^th UN General Assembly  session in New York in September 2019 when he mentioned that trends of nationalism, increased global tensions and giving rise to racial and religious hatred and violence against vulnerable minorities had accentuated Islamophobia, Muslims continued to be targeted with impunity in many countries, their shrines destroyed, their Prophet (PBUH)  insulted, the Holy Quran burnt   and all this was being done in the name of freedom of speech. It was on this occasion that the PM called upon the world form to declare an “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” , build a coalition  to fight this scourge which most unfortunately splits  humanity.

In his virtual address to the 75^th UN General Assembly session in September 2020 (due to the pandemic of Covid-19), the Prime Minister of Pakistan had called for willful provocations and incitement to hate and violence to be  universally outlawed and repeated his demand declaration of an International Day to combat the menace of Islamophobia.

Continuing his efforts to highlight the evil impact of Islamophobia in the Western world mainly, Imran addressed letters to the leaders of all Muslim countries in October and November 2020 wherein he had listed an agenda for collective action by the Muslim Ummah against Islamophopbia. He had, as the record goes, also demanded a ban on Islamophobia in any form and manner on Facebook in his letter addressed to Facebook CEO Mark  Zuckerberg . It is appreciable that like he has been raising voice for the right of self-determination for the Kashmiris, the PM has also been raising  the issue of Islamophobia at all other international forums from time to time including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) .

Intense diplomatic efforts of Pakistan for months together have started showing positive response from the Muslim Ummah as towards end of last year, a key resolution was adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at Pakistan’s initiative.

The 47^th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting held in November 2020 in Niamey, Niger, a Pakistan-led resolution on Islamophobia was was unanimously adopted. The resolution among other things authorized the OIC Permanent Missions in New York to jointly table a resolution in the UN General Assembly for designating March 15 as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia”, urged the OIC members to organize and support various  high-visibility events aimed at effectively increasing awareness at all levels about curbing Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred,  reaffirmed that desecration  of the Holy Quran  and reprinting of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) were not legitimate expressions of the right of freedom of expression and opinion under international human rights law, called on the OIC Secretary General  to continue monitoring the phenomenon  of Islamophobia and also called upon the UN Secretary General to initiate a global  dialogue  on countering rising Islamophobia and promoting inter-faith harmony.

In accordance with   the mandate given by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers,  Pakistan is continuously pursuing quite actively with other Islamic countries and UN Members to table an OIC Resolution at the UN General Assembly on “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” .

Furthermore, Pakistan also joined the OIC Group in New York only last month to commemorate the OIC-designated  International Day to Combat Islamophia. Foreigtn Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, owing to the prevailing pandemic contributed  a video statement.

Needless to say, as pledged by the Prime Minister, Pakistan will continue to utilize all available avenues to persistently counter Islamphobia.

It is a long drawn battle. But a beginning in the right direction has been made at the initiative of Pakistan. Continuous efforts by the entire Ummah may start showing some signs of impact sooner or later.

Pakistan’s missions abroad, particularly in Western countries, must be actively involved in interaction with intelligentsia, public leaders, media people and elected representatives, telling them repeatedly emphatically that if Holocaust denial is not acceptable in the West, nor is Islamophobia to the Ummah and believers are ready to die rather than withstanding blashoemy by anyone in respect of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).