Islam is being viewed as “a crisis” around the world, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. Following a series of attacks in France, the uproar of prejudice against Muslims has been surging once more.
Islam is considered the second-most widely practiced religion in France, behind only Christianity. Today in France, the Muslim population accounts for 8.8% of the total population.
Calling for a modernization of Islam, Macron wishes to change key practices of the Muslim religion in order to allow a more westernized version of Islam to exist in France. This policy seeks to promote open and equal interaction in French society, as if this redefinition of Islam would somehow eliminate the unrest in France.
The French government seeks changes in the Muslim religion, both symbolic and significant. The hijab, a scarf that wraps around one’s head, is an item of clothing worn by Muslim women. It symbolizes the principle of modesty, which includes behavior as well as dress for both males and females. The hijab is perhaps the most distinguishable form of clothing worn by Muslims.
The French president has already banned the wearing of hijabs in schools, work places and the beach. He now calls for the banning of this specific article of clothing, among other headwear, across all spaces in the country. Since the hijab was banned in 2010, Muslim women have endured a significant obstacle in order to freely to practice their religion.
As COVID-19 cases surged in France and around the globe, 2020 has proven a struggle for effective national leadership in desperate times. In May, France began to emerge from its COVID-19 lockdown and French officials made it mandatory for citizens to wear a mask in public spaces. The mask policy shows a juxtaposition between these two laws, though the French government does not see the conflict.
The increased Islamophobia that is fueled by the French government and the media has encouraged hate crimes against Muslims. As a result, Arab countries and Muslims around the world now boycott many French products.
On Sept. 1, the republishing of Prophet Muhammad cartoons produced increasing anger among Muslims, as France defended the right to publish these cartoons. A horrific attack, committed by a Muslim student shortly after the cartoons were published, is in no way encouraged in Islam. These acts of terror are prohibited in the Muslim religion and the French government is choosing to demonize the entire Muslim population in its country based on the actions of a few radicalized groups. This will not only cause more havoc, but will bring about another wave of rhetoric and violence against Muslims globally, especially women, who are the most visible to their faith.
Saha Salahi is a UNLV sophomore majoring in communication studies with a Brookings public policy minor. Salahi is also a student researcher with Brookings Mountain West and the Lincy Institute.