“The fear of Islam, or Islamophobia, persistently spread by the West, is nothing new. In earlier centuries, many books were written in the West against our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in order to cultivate anti-Islam sentiment within their societies. However, in today’s age, when modern media has made it easier for the message of Islam to reach wider audiences, concern has grown in some Western circles. For instance, in the United States, translations of Mawlana Rumi’s Masnavi remained among the best-selling books for a long time, something Western leaders could not easily ignore. One reason behind the rapid spread of Islamophobia today, therefore, may be an attempt to slow the growing interest in Islam, because it is difficult for people not to be influenced by Islam’s message of peace.”
These remarks were made by Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören of the Institute of Sufi Studies at Üsküdar University, Istanbul, while discussing the reasons behind the spread of Islamophobia in Western societies.
Professor Öngören also emphasized that Muslims should make greater use of modern media to communicate Islam’s humanitarian message, its emphasis on mercy, compassion, and care for the environment, to the world. He noted that academic and research-based work can be the most effective and lasting way to do this. For that reason, the Institute of Sufi Studies at Üsküdar University is planning to launch long-term research programs that can serve as a reference for future scholars and researchers.
You can read the full remarks of Professor Öngören here:
Islamophobia, the result of an effort to prevent the spread of Islam
