There is a candidate on the ballot for mayor of New York City who is of the Islamic faith, Zohran Mamdani. Since winning the Democratic primary, Mamdani has surged in the polls and simultaneously been the target of cruel, prejudiced attacks. Many of these attacks come from an irrational fear and hatred of the Islam.
This is no accident, rather increasingly a systemic enterprise, as explained by Nathan Lean, author of “The Islamophobia Industry.” Historically, Islam is the latest in a long pattern of “monster stories” in the U.S., including communism, the Vatican and others. Right-wing think tanks and their designated “security experts” frame Muslims as potential radicals planning to takeover and portray Islam as being incompatible with Western values. Online bloggers and social media amplify this narrative. Mainstream media outlets often fail to challenge these Islamophobic frames and sometimes even echo them.
What is the motive behind the Islamophobia industry? The answer is money — and power. Fear sells — to the tune of a $1.5 billion market in the U.S. alone. Studies have found major U.S. charitable organizations funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to anti-Muslim organizations. Unfortunately, it pays to spread hate and fear, and with the decline of communism and other traditional “enemies,” Muslims have become the scapegoat to channel people’s anxieties about economic change and globalization, for the purpose of lining people’s pockets with hate money.
Politicians also use Islamophobia to try to garner political power. Sadly, there many instances of this, recent examples being congressional candidate Valentina Gomez burning a Quran and Congressman Randy Fine referring to fellow members of Congress Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib as “terrorists.” Muslim communities across the U.S. continue to experience Islamophobia in all realms of life. In recent years, this has only intensified, along with anti-Palestinian rhetoric. Non-Muslims such as the popular children’s YouTuber Ms. Rachel are not even safe from this. When Ms. Rachel spoke about the trauma and malnutrition faced by the children of Gaza on her show, she faced backlash, including even being accused of having ties to Hamas.
In Florida, state Rep. Hilary Cassel of Broward has introduced legislation, the “No Sharia Act.” This divisive attempt serves one purpose — manufacturing fear. At a time when families are struggling with housing, health care and the rising cost of living, some legislators are focusing on a problem that does not exist.
U.S. courts are already bound by the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which ensures that no religious law — Islamic or otherwise — can ever override American law. In addition, the authors of this bill clearly misunderstand what sharia means. Sharia is a moral and ethical code guiding Muslims in their daily lives. This includes not only the basic practices of worship like prayer and fasting, but also Islamic virtues such as feeding the hungry, speaking the truth, and caring for one’s neighbors. Moreover, a core principle of sharia is that Muslims must honor their contracts and obey the laws of the land in which they live — making this bill not only unnecessary, but entirely contrary to the very values it claims to defend.
The Muslim community in South Florida has built numerous institutions to manifest these Islamic teachings of service, compassion and charity. Started in Miami by Muslim students 20 years ago, Project Downtown feeds homeless people every week and now has 30 locations across the country. The local Muslim community also operates two full-time free clinics, providing care for anyone regardless of race or religion. Homeless shelters and food pantries also have been established throughout South Florida by Muslims. Some of them, such as the ICNA Relief resource center in Pompano Beach, feed around 2,000 people each week. Most of the recipients are not Muslims.
At this critical moment, we must come together — people of all faiths and none — to recognize that Islamophobia is not an isolated prejudice, but part of a broader pattern of hate and dehumanization that is marginalizing so many communities of color today, through racial profiling, disproportionate use of force and ICE raids. Silence in the face of such injustice only emboldens hate. Our shared safety and dignity depend on standing united against all forms of bigotry and fearmongering, and on building a Florida — and a nation — where every community is valued, protected, and free to live in peace.
Samir Kakli, of Coral Springs, is president of the South Florida Muslim Federation. Adam Abutaa, of Pompano Beach, is organizing manager of Emgage Florida.