To veil or not to veil? That is the question.

The French government responded by banning the public wearing of the niqab, or face veil worn by Muslim women. This legal action underscored an alarming trend of institutional Islamophobia in Europe and the United States, particularly during election cycles. Only through genuine education and participation in these societies, can Muslims stem the rising antipathy towards their faith and promote “Ta’ayosh” or co-existence.

The niqab issue in Europe is a symptom of a greater ailment afflicting various Western societies: Fear—not of the niqab (also called burqa) itself, but what the veil has come to symbolize, namely Islam. Few Muslim women even wear the niqab in Europe--of the 5 million Muslims in France, only about 2,000 don the full veil.

So why make an issue about a non-issue?

Because French politicians’ underlying fear is of the growing number and rising influence of Muslims within their borders, now estimated at 5 percent of the population. Right-wing politicians, facing tough local elections, figured the best way to gain votes is to construct an enemy and spread fear. That enemy was Islam via the artificial flagship of niqab. Municipalities in Germany, Spain and Belgium have made similar moves.

This mid-term elections in the US, the enemy was Park51 project to build a mosque and community center two blocks from Ground Zero in New York City, which drew the ire of many conservative politicians, pundits and bloggers. In August, US President Barack Obama spoke in support of building the mosque.

The far right tied Park51 to radical terrorists and painted President Obama and the Democratic Party as being soft on security. The scare mongering worked, leaving many Americans wary of Islam and Muslims, and helping Republicans regain influence as well as recapture a majority in Congress.

Even media personalities joined the fray. Juan Williams, former National Public Radio commentator, said on FOX News Channel, "I'm not a bigot…But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous." NPR fired Williams after making that comment.

Bill Maher, an American talk show host, recently commented on the fact that the name Muhammed had become the most popular for babies in England last year.

“Am I a racist to feel I am alarmed by that, because I am,” he said. “And it’s not because of the race it’s because of the religion. I do not have to apologize, do I? For not wanting the Western world to be taken over by Islam in three hundred years.”

Later, Maher reiterated his remarks on CNN. “I don’t feel I have to apologize for being a proud Westerner, And when I say Westerner, I mean someone who believes in the values that Western people believe in that a lot of the Muslim world does not.”

If current institutional intolerance towards Muslims continue, they will contribute to the gradual erosion of the very Western values that Maher holds so dear. By denying Muslims the right to practice their faith freely, the West has turned its back on the very French motto ‘liberty, equality, and fraternity.’

Such systematic discrimination opens the way for further government intervention of religious practices. Last year, 57% of voters in Switzerland, which prides itself as a bastion of tolerance, backed a referendum proposal to ban the building of minarets. This, in a country with only 7 minarets.

In this year’s US mid-term elections, Oklahomans passed an amendment to prohibit the courts from considering Islamic law, or Shariah.

If Muslim communities and individuals do not address the continued attacks against Islam and its followers, then Muslims will become further disenfranchised while eroding Western democratic values.

How, then, do Muslims stem the tide of Islamophhobia?

Engaging interfaith and political communities opens the door to dialogue and allays fears about minority Muslim communities. But just as Islamophobia becomes more institutionalized in the West, Muslim participation and engagement must become more standardized.

On a personal level, I have tried to provide a more balanced view of the faith and its followers through my work as a journalist and producer.

“Ta’ayosh” or co-existence can only be accomplished when Muslims are better educated in their faith and fully engaged in their communities. Civic engagement is incumbent upon all members of society; alienation and fear mongering are only effective if ignorance prevails.

The time has come for Muslims to perform our civic duty of eradicating ignorance so knowledge and “Ta’ayosh” can prevail.

Souheila Al-Jadda is a journalist and Peabody awarding winning producer. She produced Mosaic: World News from the Middle East and the Who Speaks for Islam? series on Link TV.

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