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'''Islamophobia''' is, literally, "fear of Islam" though the term can be used for a variety of purposes, and is sometimes used to criticize people opposed to Islam.  

'''Islamophobia''' is, literally, "fear of Islam" though the term can be used for a variety of purposes, like: ''fear or hatred of [[Islam]] and Muslims'', and is sometimes used to criticize people opposed to Islam.  

Islamophobia is a neologism which defines hatred of Muslims and Islam as an irrational fear.

Islamophobia is a neologism which defines hatred of [[Muslims]] and Islam as an irrational fear.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first known use of the term Islamophobia  was in 1976, though it has become more frequently used since the 1997 publication of ''Islamophobia: A Challenge For Us All'' by the Runnymede Trust, and even more so to describe the backlash against Muslims following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/16/national/main563594.shtml</ref><ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4102389.stm</ref><ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_42_37/ai_79339769</ref><ref>http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=127fe2880e48951b564ac2f3e171242e</ref>

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first known use of the term Islamophobia  was in 1976, though it has become more frequently used since the 1997 publication of ''Islamophobia: A Challenge For Us All'' by the Runnymede Trust, and even more so to describe the backlash against Muslims following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/16/national/main563594.shtml</ref><ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4102389.stm</ref><ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_42_37/ai_79339769</ref><ref>http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=127fe2880e48951b564ac2f3e171242e</ref>

==Examples of Islamophobia==

==Examples of Islamophobia==

In a May 2001 interview, British politician Nick Giffen stated "Muslims are the biggest problem at present, for several reasons, because they have the highest birth rate, which means their communities need living space - that's what the ethnic cleansing is about. They have political corruption in their own countries, and when they have a chance to get council places they are there for graft. Most important of all is that Islam is an aggressive religion." <ref>‘Far right aims to gain foothold in Oldham’, Jeevan Vasagar, May 30, 2001 The Guardian"</ref>

In a May 2001 interview, [[British]] politician Nick Giffen stated "Muslims are the biggest problem at present, for several reasons, because they have the highest birth rate, which means their communities need living space - that's what the ethnic cleansing is about. They have political corruption in their own countries, and when they have a chance to get council places they are there for graft. Most important of all is that Islam is an aggressive religion." <ref>‘Far right aims to gain foothold in Oldham’, Jeevan Vasagar, May 30, 2001 The Guardian"</ref>

On September 15, 2001 a [[Sikh]] man (known for wearing distinctive beards and turbans) was mistaken for a Muslim and murdered at a gas station in Mesa, Arizona. His murderer, Frank Silva Roque, was convicted and initially sentenced to death, but this was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole by the Arizona Supreme Court. <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3154170.stm</ref>

On September 15, 2001 a [[Sikh]] man (known for wearing distinctive beards and turbans) was mistaken for a Muslim and murdered at a gas station in Mesa, Arizona. His murderer, Frank Silva Roque, was convicted and initially sentenced to death, but this was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole by the Arizona Supreme Court. <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3154170.stm</ref>

In November 2006, Jerry Klein, a Washington DC area radio talk show host suggested, in parody of Islamophobic views, that "identifying markers. ... I'm thinking either it should be an arm band, a crescent moon arm band, or it should be a crescent moon tattoo. ...If it means that we have to round them up and do a tattoo in a place where everybody knows where to find it, then that's what we'll have to do." <ref>http://cair.com/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=2415&theType=NR</ref>  Although some callers believed that Klein was "off his rocker" for suggesting such a thing, other callers believed Klein had not gone far enough, and suggested that Muslims should be placed in concentration camps, or deported en-masse.  Klein exposed the parody at the close of his show, and chastised those who has called in to support extreme views.

In November 2006, Jerry Klein, a [[Washington, D.C.]] area radio talk show host suggested, in parody of Islamophobic views, that "identifying markers. ... I'm thinking either it should be an arm band, a crescent moon arm band, or it should be a crescent moon tattoo. ...If it means that we have to round them up and do a tattoo in a place where everybody knows where to find it, then that's what we'll have to do." <ref>http://cair.com/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=2415&theType=NR</ref>  Although some callers believed that Klein was "off his rocker" for suggesting such a thing, other callers believed Klein had not gone far enough, and suggested that Muslims should be placed in concentration camps, or deported en-masse.  Klein exposed the parody at the close of his show, and chastised those who has called in to support extreme views.

==Criticism of the concept of Islamophobia==

==Criticism of the concept of Islamophobia==

Rowan Atkinson, a British comic-actor has likewise stated that although criticizing another person based on their race is ridiculous and irrational, criticizing another's religion, which is a voluntary belief, is a right.  He further stated that laws should not be created which protect certain types of ideas from criticism and not others.

Rowan Atkinson, a British comic-actor has likewise stated that although criticizing another person based on their race is ridiculous and irrational, criticizing another's religion, which is a voluntary belief, is a right.  He further stated that laws should not be created which protect certain types of ideas from criticism and not others.

Stephen Schwartz, an American writer and critic of [[Wahabbism]], has stated that although the charge of Islamophobia is sometimes leveled too quickly against an opponent, that it is still a real phenomenon<ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=17874</ref>, which he defines as:

Stephen Schwartz, an American [[writer]] and critic of [[Wahabbism]], has stated that although the charge of Islamophobia is sometimes leveled too quickly against an opponent, that it is still a real phenomenon<ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=17874</ref>, which he defines as:

:1) Attacking the entire religion of Islam as a problem for the world;  

:1) Attacking the entire religion of Islam as a problem for the world;