saw some twitter replies stressing the fact that munawar faruqui is being targeted for his name, not because of his muslim identity. in other words, his muslim-sounding name is enough for his persecution. +

and while this is true, and a muslim name is often made the scapegoat regardless of practicing/non-practicing status, please do not overlook the fact that muslim hatred stems from islam. +
any muslim practicing islam is far more under threat when they do/say something against the injustices meted out to them on a daily basis by the present government. +
people refusing to acknowledge this basic truth are only choosing to believe in a lie, rather than clearing up their misconceptions about islam and muslims, which they should do instead of repeating the age-old prejudices against islamic practices. for example, the hijab. +
this is also the reason why, if muslims don't assert their islamic identity, they are welcomed by liberals into their circles, but the minute they start asserting their identities (like recently during the CAA protests with the islamic assertion of faith - la ilaha illallah), +
liberals, including the "progressive" shashi tharoor had a problem with it. the entire muslim identity is under attack, and a muslim name is just a facet of that identity. having a problem with the muslim name is just one aspect of this deep-rooted anti-muslim bigotry, +
but it is not the whole picture. the whole picture BEGINS with the otherisation of muslims based on how they dress and look ("identify them from their clothes"), how they eat (the halal food debate), how they live (the systematic building of muslim ghettos), etc. +
therefore, saying that muslims are targeted for their names alone is dishonest, as it doesn't portray the complete picture. it erases the complicity of islamophobic liberals (and others) who have no problem with muslims - until they start looking/eating/living "like muslims". +
muslims who assert their islam are a problem for them, and this is where their anti-muslim bigotry stems from. so, saying "just the names are enough", while partly true, does not portray the whole picture, and further whitewashes the complicity of libs in anti-muslim discourse.

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