In Honour of Faith, Strength and Resilience

For the last two decades September 11 has been a difficult day. A day of mourning, commemoration and loss. On this day we grieve for the many lives lost in a series of despicable terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001. These attacks also serve as a marker for a radical change in the lives of Muslims around the world. They caused a seismic shift in Muslim identity and perception globally and twenty years later we are still dealing with the brutal aftershocks.

Religious intolerance and hate towards Muslims rose sharply after the attacks. Anti-Muslim rhetoric was also boosted, given credibility and legitimized by populism, right wing politics and the media. In the years since, Muslim communities around the world have faced relentless hate, racism and discrimination.

Islamophobia has today permeated every aspect of our society and it exists in many forms. It is taking place in our cities everyday: on the street, in the workplace, in schools and in public. It is systemic and overt, it exists in domestic and foreign policies, in political and media rhetoric, in discrimination and every day microaggressions, in physical and verbal violence and in deplorable hate crimes, such as the London, Ontario attack just a few months ago. From surveillance, profiling and incarceration; to discrimination in employment, housing and justice systems; to dirty words, stares and threats; to physical attacks, violence and killings. Muslims around the world have experienced it in all forms on a recurring basis. Islamophobia is a real threat and it has harmed too many in our communities.

The lives of Muslims haven’t been the same ever since. Two decades on, the hatred hasn't stopped and anti-Muslim sentiment fuelled by 9/11 continues to affect us on a daily basis.

Today we choose not to view Islamophobia through the lens of Muslim victimization. Instead, we focus on the unquestionable and unshakeable strength and resilience that this hatred has engendered. We recognize our fellow Muslims who have stood tall in the face of relentless hate and persevered, maintained their dignity and continued to practice their faith against all odds. We stand in solidarity with these Muslims and with everyone who commits to fighting hate in all its forms.

We also choose to look towards our religion and to explore the teachings of the Quran and Hadith, using them as examples to lead our lives and to respond to hate. We choose to take responsibility for the Islam of peace and to demonstrate how it is expressed in our lives. We choose to elevate the brand of Muslims by setting a good example with our lives and to defend our faith with virtue and compassion. This can help us shift the narrative against Muslims and make people understand the faults of stereotyping a whole religion of 1.8 billion people.

We take solace in the fact that no matter how much hate we face and no matter how much fear and pain we see in our communities, we have submitted to God. We choose to take pride in the very part of our being that is used against us through Islamophobia - our identity as Muslims. The word Muslim is not just a magnet for hate or a prefix to be used before the words 'victim' or 'suspect.' It means to submit ourselves to God. This is our greatest strength. We know what Islam means, what it represents and stands for, the peace, pluralism and justice it promotes and the peace, comfort and strength it brings us. We know how it completes us, protects us and guides us. Our faith is our single greatest strength. As Muslims, we have submitted to God and we know with absolute certainty that He alone is sufficient for us. To Him we belong and to Him we shall return. All the hate, the attacks and injustices, and the resulting fear and pain are all transient. They too shall pass.

Systemic racism and anti-Muslim hate may be relentless and the fear among Muslim communities may be palpable, but we have to always work towards restoring our faith in humanity and maintain our belief that God is the judge of all actions. All we can do is to do good, to practice our faith and fight evil wherever we encounter it. We pledge to stand up to injustice wherever it may be, so that regardless of our experiences today, we can hope for a better tomorrow. The ultimate goal in countering Islamophobia should be to create a fair and just society for all, one that values and safeguards the citizenship; safety and well-being of all its members - Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Without justice and equality for all, there can never be peace.

CCMW is committed to raising awareness about the devastating impact of Islamophobia and we stand with all individuals and organizations serving Muslim communities in their fight against hate and Islamophobia. We encourage anyone impacted by Islamophobic violence to seek support.

We are also spearheading a national campaign called Digital Anti-Racism Education 2 (D.A.R.E.2) Project to start conversations around racism and train communities across Canada, equipping them with tools and resources to effectively counter Islamophobia and cyberhate. For more information about D.A.R.E.2 Project, please visit: daretobeaware.ca

Recognizing the strength of storytelling, CCMW will also launch a unique anti-hate social media campaign next month to mark October’s Islamic Heritage Month. The campaign titled Hate2Healing comprises 10-15 videos from diverse Muslim women, girls and non-binary people coming together to speak about their lived experiences of hate, racism and Islamophobia and how they overcame these with sheer grit and determination. You can read more about the campaign here.

CCMW encourages all communities to engage on this important project to help expand anti-racism footprints across Canada