Canada must resist dangerous ‘Islam versus the West’ narrative

Terror groups like ISIL have nothing to do with religion, writes Ahmed Sahi.

Since the rise of ISIL and the growing number of attacks in western cities such as Paris, Brussels, Sydney, Orlando and others, there’s been a sharp rise in anti-Islamic sentiment, suggesting that perhaps it’s time to declare societal war with Islam; that there is now a clear-cut “clash of civilizations” between the two.

In the United States, we’ve seen a drastic increase in antiIslamic rhetoric and even a travel ban to some Muslim-majority countries; in Europe we’ve seen the rapid rise of right-wing parties squaring off against Islam as Public Enemy No. 1.

This week’s tragic attack in Manchester only fuels the notion that it truly is “Islam versus the West” now.

But for Canadians, after the recent Quebec City mosque attack — killing six and wounding many others — we must know better than to let that become our narrative also.

The fact is, the attack in Quebec — just like the Manchester attack — was due to a misguided person falling for the “Islam versus the West” narrative that even in Canada has been proliferated by some.

Because of headline-dominating groups like ISIL, terrorism by so-called “Muslims” has become the most widely known. But in reality, terrorism has no religion.

The FLQ, the Ku Klux Klan, ISIL. They’re all the same: Terrorists motivated by sociopolitical goals, not spiritual aspirations. Militants, not men of faith.

So our real enemy, plain and simple, is not Islam. Rather, it’s the extreme-leaning people of all backgrounds. And it’s the ignorance that breeds them.

Ironically, it is Muslims who are suffering most from the ceaseless fighting between ISIL and others in the Middle East, which has wreaked havoc on millions of innocent Muslims.

According to a U.S. government study, more Muslims than nonMuslims are victims of terrorism — a staggering 82 to 97 per cent of all terrorism victims were Muslims.

That’s why in the West, in line with the dictates of justice, and in pursuit of totally neutralizing ISIL’s ability to draw foreign recruits, we now must acknowledge the separation between ISIL and Islam, because attacks like the Manchester bombing result from the hatred that grows out of the ignorance that associates the two. ISIL is merely a mercenary group fighting for oil and political goals, while recruiting ignorant people under the guise of religion.

Recent protests following the anti-Islamophobia Motion 103 show that anti-Muslim sentiment is growing even here in tolerant Canada. Promoting harsh attitudes toward Muslims isn’t a solution.

In fact, it’s the anti-solution, because that will only further fuel the arguments used — that the West is out to get Muslims — to recruit the minute handful susceptible to radicalization, creating an atmosphere where more Canadian Muslims feel alienated and frustrated by constant blame. This is a vicious cycle that we must break.

The fastest way of doing that is to put an end to the narrative that groups like ISIL have anything to do with Islam. It’s time to restore to Muslims the dignity that we’ve let groups like ISIL snatch away. When will the question of whether Islam is a peaceful religion be supplanted by the questions about how Islam fosters spirituality in more than a billion people?

At a time when the U.S. has tried to ban Muslims travelling from six countries, and Europe is seeing a rise in right-wing anti-Islamic sentiment, Canadians should take the lead for the whole western world to follow.

We must remember that the reason people from so many cultures across the world integrate into Canada so well — unlike anywhere else — is because of the magnanimity and dignity with which this country — from government, to common people — treats all newcomers.

As an Ahmadi Muslim whose family migrated here, I know that this warm embrace from the Canadian people melts the hearts of all immigrants, including Muslims, and imbibes a spirit of gratitude, loyalty and love for this country within their hearts, making them proud to be Canadian.

We give everyone respect, and that’s what makes it work here like nowhere else. Ahmed Sahi is former chief editor of Muslim Writers of Canada.