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Toronto Star - March 28, 2006
Faint signs of Islamophobia
By Imran Syed
A few days ago while entering a big-box store, I encountered what I thought was "Islamophobia."
The man in front of me was dressed in flowing robes, had a beard and was wearing a prayer cap. Accompanying him was a woman who was also wearing a flowing black robe that covered her entire person except for her eyes.
I had to show my membership card to a young woman who barely noticed I was there because she was engrossed in conversation with her colleague regarding the odd-looking couple that had just passed by: "Can you believe that? Why does she wear that? Because she's Mus-lum and she has to wear that."
As discreet as the two young women were trying to be, I could see the level of discomfort in their eyes and body language. They were right, the people who had just entered were, in fact, Muslim.
While I was in the electronics aisle, the same couple walked by. Another shopper who was walking by with her son in the opposite direction quickly grabbed her son's arm and pulled him closer to her. That was odd, I thought, but this must be a protective mother who always keeps an eye on her son.
With some lingering doubt in my mind, I continued on to pick up what I needed and headed to the checkout.
As I drove home I couldn't help but wonder if this was an example of Islamophobia. Are we really that paranoid about Islam and Muslims here in Canada?
As an educator, I pride myself on the work we do in schools educating our children about the rich mixture of people that make up Canada. Increasingly, I find that far too many Canadians don't know enough about Islam other than what they see on television or hear in the news.
I don't have the telltale signs, such as a beard or flowing robe, but there still exists a degree of awkwardness in people when they first realize I'm Muslim.
The need for others to ascribe a label to me or other Muslims as being "liberal, conservative or fundamentalist" is something I find odd because I simply see myself as a Muslim. The labels seem to be something used by people as a means of alleviating their own concerns or fears about Muslim identity.
Sure, you can argue that two employees uneasy with traditional Muslim appearance do not constitute a valid litmus test warranting grave concern. The mother who pulled her child aside while "that" couple walked by is also not a big deal. Passengers singled out in airport lines for fitting a "profile," such as Muslim attire, names or ethnicity, are simply part of a routine security check.
Individually, such incidents seem small but together they are contributing factors that promote discrimination of those who identify themselves as Muslims or appear to be Muslim. This is no different than someone taking a tighter grip of their purse as a young black man walks by. They are subtle gestures that have concrete implications of mistrust and fear.
The recent global uproar (albeit disproportionate) with respect to the Danish cartoons, the ongoing fiasco in Iraq and the "global war on terror" have many Canadians taking a jaundiced view of Islam and Muslims. The common thread in each of these global events is the lack of understanding of Islam and Muslims.
More alarming to me is that a growing number of Canadians believe Muslims deserve this treatment.
As Canadians, we pride ourselves on our tolerance and acceptance of all the cultures that make up our society. We spend enormous amounts of money to observe and teach about occasions such as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Unfortunately, our daily practice does not reflect what we preach. I know I cannot fix how people view Islam or Muslims but as a teacher and a Muslim I can fix in my own small way how they see me and, by extension, broader Islam.
As for that little boy in the store, I last saw him running carefree in the aisles far from the "Muslim"-looking couple and his mother.
Maybe I read too much into what I heard and saw in the store that day, but my gut feeling tells me otherwise.
Combatting our perceptions of others can only truly be corrected when we are honestly willing to listen and understand each other.
With an unhindered attitude, we can share with our children events like the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to help eradicate all forms of fear and prejudice.
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