How This Viral Post Woke Me Up to the Rise of Islamophobia

If you have been on social media within the last week, you may have seen this go viral:

Farad Afshar originally posted the above picture with caption on Instagram, which was reposted to Muslims of America’s Facebook and @muslimsoftheworld1 on Instagram.
His mother was targeted by a group of men after leaving her local Walmart. Why did this group of Islamophobes smash eggs on this innocent woman? You guessed it! Because she was wearing hijab.
We all know that Islamophobia is not a new thing. However, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a “spike” in hate crimes since the Orlando shooting. This incident is sadly just one of many.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a “spike” in hate crimes since the Orlando shooting. 

CAIR has conducted a survey after studying hate crimes over the last twenty-two years, concluding that “Islam is unfamiliar to most Americans, and unfavorable to many.”
The last twenty-two years! This is before the 9/11 attacks, and longer than I lived!

CAIR has conducted a survey after studying hate crimes over the last twenty-two years, concluding that “Islam is unfamiliar to most Americans, and unfavorable to many.” The last twenty-two years! This is before the 9/11 attacks, and longer than I lived!

This incident is just one example of how the biases against Muslims can rear their ugly heads. Try applying for a job while wearing hijab and having an “unconventional” name. Try not to “look suspicious” at the airport. Try inventing something for an engineering class only to end up in handcuffs. Try to go the movies only to have an ignorant customer ask box office “Why didn’t you check her bag? She might have a bomb!”

Try applying for a job while wearing hijab and having an “unconventional” name. Try not to “look suspicious” at the airport. Try inventing something for an engineering class only to end up in handcuffs. Try to go the movies only to have an ignorant customer ask box office “Why didn’t you check her bag? She might have a bomb!”

What I cannot comprehend is how people allow themselves to be completely ignorant. Why rely on Fox News and CNN for information about Islam?  Why not, instead, actually ask a Muslim?
When I saw this post, I thought What if someone so cruel assaulted my mother just because of a piece of cloth covering her hair? The thought of someone taking offense to the cloth on my mother’s head–or anyone else’s for that matter–is straight out vile.
This woman has an outstanding personality, but when some people look at her, it doesn’t matter because all they see is “OMG, Muslim!” and Islam “…is unfavorable to many.”
It has been a month since the Orlando shooting.  Instead of making progress towards building stronger communities, it seems that we’re violently drifting further apart.  
Author’s note: Muslim Girl contacted Afshar and others, but we haven’t gotten a response.
Written by Ahlam Abdelkader