Islamophobia

Islamophobia is a combination of hate, fear, and prejudice against Islam, against Muslims, as well as against anything associated with the religion, such as Mosques, Islamic Centers, Holy Qur’an, Hijab, etc. It also constitutes hatred, stigmatization, racism and discriminations in daily life, on Media, at workplace, in political sphere, etc. It rests in the mind and it reflects in attitudes, and could be manifested through violent actions, such as burning mosques, vandalizing properties, abusing women wearing scarf, or insulting Prophet or sacred symbols of Islam. That is more or less, how Islamophobia identifiable, how it manifests, which can be seen not only from incidents, but also through perspectives, statements, behavior, and gestures. Since the last two decades, Islamophobia keeps growing in some parts of the world, through intensive campaigns and public discourses disseminating fear of Islam, and through significant number of incidents targeting Muslims, mosques, Islamic attires, and Islamic most-revered figures.

The OIC has been given a mandate to monitor Islamophobia trend and to provide periodical reports to Member States; while being encouraged to take necessary measures to address the phenomenon in coordination and cooperation with Member States, international communities and the UN Human Rights mechanism, as well as with other international entities whenever it is possible. Through a dedicated unit within the OIC General Secretariat which is the Islamophobia Observatory, such mandate is being implemented mainly by monitoring events and incidents on daily basis; scanning the minds, public feelings, incidents, and everything that serves as possible indicator of Islamophobia; by reporting to Member States on regular basis (Monthly, Three-monthly, Annually), by initiating counter-measures against Islamophobes/Xenophobes; by initiating dialogue for projecting the true/peaceful values of Islam; by raising global awareness of the phenomenon; by spreading the basic tenets of moderation and modernization in Islam; and by empowering communities around the world to meet the challenges related to the Islamophobia. Such endeavors are undertaken through multiple ways and tools, including through this page
within the OIC official website.

• Declaration by the Annual Coordination Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of OIC Member States on Countering Islamophobia (UN Headquarters, New York 24 September 2010)
• Final Communiqué of the Meeting of the Permanent Representatives of the OIC Member States to examine the developments pertaining to the Swiss ban on Minarets (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - January 31, 2010)

Reports

• 14th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia
• 13th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia
• 12th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia
• 11th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia
• 10th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia
• 9th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (May 2015 - September 2016)
• 8th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (May 2014 - April 2015)
• 7th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (October 2013 to April 2014)
• 6th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (May 2012 to September 2013)
• 5th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (May 2011 to September 2012) 
• 4th OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (May 2010 to April 2011)
• 3rd OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (May 2009 to April 2010)
• 2nd OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (June 2008 to April 2009)
• 1st OIC observatory report on Islamophobia (May 2007 to May 2008)

Monthly Bulletins

Polls and Reports on Islamophobia

• The EU Code of conduct on Countering Illegal Hate Speech Online
• CTED Member States Concerned by The Growing and The Increasingly Transnational Threat of Extreme Rights Terrorism
• European Islamophobia Report 2019
• Countering the Islamophobia Industry Toward More Effective Strategies

Further Reading

• Addressing Islamophobia: Building on Unused Opportunities for Mutual Respect and Inclusion new
• Warren J. Blumenfeld, “Islamophobia Has No Place in the United States of America”, published on 26 January 2012 in The Huffingtonpost new
• Jonathan Laurence, “How to Integrate Europe’s Muslims”, published on January 23, 2012 in The New York Times new
• Christopher Dickey, “Geert Wilders Says There's No Such Thing as Moderate Islam”, published on 16 January 2012 in Newsweek new
• New York Times’ Editorial “The Truth About American Muslims”, Published: April 1, 2011
• Robert Lambert’s “Tackling Islamophobia”, published on 05 December 2010 in New Statesman
• John Feffer’s “The Politics Behind Misunderstanding Islam”, published on November 8, 2010 in CBS News
• David Miliband’s OP-ED “Stay With Obama's Opening to Muslims”, published in November 05, 2010 in The New York Times
• Stefan Theil, Europe's Extreme Righteous , www.Newsweek.com , February 27, 2011

Contact:

The OIC Islamophobia Observatory
OIC General Secretariat
Madinah Road, P.O. Box 178
Jeddah   21411
Saudi Arabia
Tel. +966 12 6515222 Ext: 1211
Email: dariyanto@oic-oci.org