BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 27. Islamophobia distorts the image of all of Islam, the deputy chairperson of the Board of Directors of the International Center for Interfaith Dialogue in Doha, Aisha Yousef Al-Mannai, told Trend.
She made the remark on the sidelines of an international conference on "Islamophobia in Focus: Unveiling Bias, Shattering Stigmas" in Baku.
“Islamophobia took root in international discourse after the events of September 11, 2001, and has since become a serious obstacle to dialogue between people of different faiths. It feels as if the West wanted to use it as an excuse - fear of Islam, branding Muslims as terrorists. It was after these events that this notion began to spread actively. The problem is not only bias against Muslims, but also blaming Islam itself,” she said.
According to her, Islamophobia is not just a fear of Islam, but a purposeful distortion of its image and accusation of violence against the entire religion
“So Muslims - and reasonable non-Muslims who look at Islam and Muslims fairly and objectively - wanted to show people that Islam is actually a religion of mercy, peace, and love. It calls people to unity, peace, brotherhood, and cooperation,” Al-Mannai noted.
She emphasized the significance of holding the conference in Azerbaijan, a country that in practice demonstrates inter-religious dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.
“This is not just a platform for discussions - it is a call to reconsider attitudes towards Islam, an attempt to convey its true essence and destroy dangerous stereotypes,” she said.
According to Al-Mannai, the conference is particularly focused on the role of women in combating Islamophobia. One session looks at how Islam views women, in contrast to stereotypes prevalent in the West.