A Push to Deny Muslims Religious Freedom Gains Steam

#religion

Once a fringe argument restricted to extreme anti-Muslim corners of the internet, the idea that Islam is not actually a religion, and therefore does not qualify for religious liberty protections, has rapidly gained salience in mainstream public discourse in the U.S. among activists, media commentators, and lawmakers alike. source

Similarly, a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2024 revealed that 56 percent of U.S. Muslims reported experiencing discrimination due to their religion, highlighting the prevalence of Islamophobia in America. source

The European Islamophobia Report 2023 exposes the deep-rooted and systemic nature of anti-Muslim racism across Europe, revealing its impact through discriminatory laws, hate crimes, and the erosion of fundamental rights, while calling for urgent action to dismantle these entrenched injustices. source

It’s very much rooted in this idea that Muslim Americans have a very fundamental allegiance to something other than the U.S Constitution,” Uddin said. “It could be to Muslim governments abroad, but more likely the claim is that you have loyalty to shariah. source