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It is important that leaders and ordinary people come together in a remarkable effort to confront the hate that pervades our communities. It’s not just minorities that are at risk, writes Naz Shah, but so is the Western world and our shared values of freedom, justice and equality.
advertisementEarlier this month, a conspiracy between AfD party officials and neo-Nazis to deport millions of ethnic minorities from Germany was uncovered.
But this conspiracy is part of a sinister undercurrent across Europe and the Western world, which is closely linked to the relentless rise of Islamophobia.
Islamophobia in the UK has soared by 600% since the October 7 atrocity and continued onslaught against Gaza residents.
But rather than promoting a message of unity, the British government responded by stirring up rhetoric.
Recently, Chancellor Rishi Sunak used an Islamophobic metaphor in response to another Muslim MP, and I couldn’t help but shout it on the floor of the House of Commons.
Meanwhile, the Conservative government has spent its time and energy pushing through a controversial Rwandan asylum plan that is the epitome of institutionalized xenophobia, rather than repairing deteriorated social relations or resolving the conflict in the Middle East.
But xenophobia is becoming normalized in the ranks of political power and becoming the key to winning elections across Europe and beyond.
It’s all about the power of fear
From Sweden to Greece, far-right groups and populist leaders are not just participating in elections. They often win by record numbers.
Geert Wilders’ rise in the Netherlands, fueled by decades of anti-Muslim rhetoric, including pledges to ban mosques and the Koran, is a sign that Europe is moving toward a politics of hatred and exclusion rather than integration and acceptance. This example illustrates how we are facing this trend. .
And it could get even worse.
If Donald Trump is elected president of the United States this November, the Western world will take a disturbing new turn in which minorities become the scapegoats for the ills of Western society.
For example, President Trump recently said that immigrants are “contaminating our blood.” [of America]” and the crowd erupted in thunderous applause.
There is no doubt that his accession to the White House will usher in a stronger far-right resurgence and encourage the emergence of new populists from other EU countries.
But why does this divisive rhetoric, the key to electoral success, resonate with so many people? The answer lies in the power of fear.
Work tirelessly to humanize others
For example, the Great Replacement Theory, promoted by many far-right populists, argues that Western civilization faces an existential threat from a culture war against Western values.
Its narrative of Western nations fighting for survival against an imagined onslaught of Islamization is designed to tap into deep existential fears.
And to some extent it’s working.
Europe is gravitating toward far-right ideology on a scale reminiscent of the precursors to World War II.
advertisementIt’s not just a political trend. It is a dangerous slide into an era of division and hostility that threatens to undermine the very foundations of our democratic values.
So how do we respond to trends that threaten to engulf Muslims and other minorities in the West and its core values of empathy, tolerance, and mutual respect?
First, we must work tirelessly to humanize the other. History shows that increased persecution and violence against minorities is always accompanied by their dehumanization.
A set of values to counter the divisive rhetoric of the far right
That is why education must play a vital role. Schools must incorporate a curriculum that promotes understanding of Islamic culture through exposure to and knowledge of people from different backgrounds.
However, education in schools must complement broader education in society.
advertisementThat’s why my participation in the European-British Muslim Leadership Conference last year was a pivotal moment for the British Muslim community.
The rally, organized by the Islamic World League in London, brought together hundreds of Britain’s most influential Muslims. The centerpiece of the conference was the Mecca Charter, a comprehensive bill of Islamic rights and values endorsed by more than 1,200 scholars from 139 countries, demonstrating Islam’s commitment to modern ideals. There is.
For example, the Charter emphasizes environmental stewardship, religious tolerance, and women’s rights.
But these values are more than abstract ideals. They are essential to the daily lives of British Muslims. Importantly, they are in direct opposition to the divisive rhetoric of far-right extremists.
It’s time to put out the fires of extremist ideology
This is very important. Recognizing the shared values between British Muslims and wider society cuts to the roots of extremism. And such gratitude strengthens the fabric of our society and makes it more resilient to divisive forces.
advertisementBut resilience doesn’t just come from us. Media, society and government also have an important role to play.
For example, policy interventions remain important. Political obsession with Islamophobia has increased by at least 320% over the past decade, distracting policymakers from the rise in white supremacist terrorism targeting young people.
Ironically, the rhetoric spewed by far-right parties against Muslims is the very fuel this extremist ideology relies on.
This is why governments need to run information campaigns about the dangers of the far right, alongside legislation to protect communities from hate crime and hate speech.
This particularly concerns social media and the online world, where the far right feels they have a free pass to spread hate.
advertisementIt is also time for the UK government to adopt an all-party parliamentary group on the definition of Islamophobia for British Muslims. After all, how can you grapple with what you can’t define and understand?
At the end of the day, it is critical that leaders and ordinary people come together in an incredible effort to confront the hate that pervades our communities.
Because it is not just minorities that are at risk, but also the West and our shared values of freedom, justice and equality.
Naz Shah is a British Member of Parliament for Bradford West, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Muslim Women and Deputy Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Race and Community, British Muslims and more. Ms Shah was also Shadow Minister for Crime Reduction, Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities.
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