The History of the term Islamophobia
Islamophobia has changed over time—and continues to evolve.
Islamophobia can be traced to the earliest Muslim community in 7th-century Arabia. They faced hostility and persecution for its beliefs.
As Wilfred Laurier Professor Jasmin Zine notes,
Islamophobia did not remain in the past. Islamophobia continues to shape how Islam and Muslims are perceived and understood today.
Across historical periods, Islamophobia reappeared in new forms.
During events such as the Crusades, the expulsion of Muslims from Spain, and European colonial expansion, negative narratives about Islam were used to justify political and social objectives.
The Runnymede Trust (1997)
The modern 21 century concept of Islamophobia is traced to a report published by the Runnymede Trust in 1997
Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All.
The report defined Islamophobia as hostility toward Islam and Muslims resulting in discrimination and exclusion.
This document became a foundational reference for later academic research and public policy.
This marked a shift—from individual fear to identifying broader social patterns.
September 11 and Expansion of the Term
Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, public debate about Islam and terrorism intensified across Western countries.
During this period:
- the term Islamophobia became widely used in media
- academic research on anti-Muslim discrimination expanded
- advocacy organisations began documenting hate crimes against Muslims
The concept increasingly came to include not only prejudice, but also negative representations of Islam in public discourse.
These developments show how Islamophobia evolves—and how it continues to shape perception, policy, and power in the present.
Islamophobia in Canada
In 2016, a parliamentary petition calling on the Government of Canada to condemn Islamophobia gained national attention.
Petition e-411 called on the government to:
- condemn Islamophobia
- recognize systemic racism and religious discrimination
- develop a national strategy
The petition brought the concept of Islamophobia into formal political discussion in Canada.
This marks a shift—from description into policy and institutional use.
Motion M-103
Following the petition, e-411, Motion M-103 was introduced in the House of Commons in December 2016.
The motion called on the government to:
- condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination
- study the issue through the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage
- propose policy responses
M-103 was passed in March 2017 and marked a significant moment in the institutional recognition of the term.
Here, the term enters formal political recognition.
Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia
In January 2023, the Government of Canada appointed Amira Elghawaby as Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia,
The role includes:
The role formalizes the term within government frameworks, extending its application into policy and institutional practice.
The appointment followed sustained advocacy from organizations such as National Council of Canadian Muslims, which emphasized the need to address Islamophobia at a policy level.
The term now operates within government frameworks.
The meaning and application of Islamophobia have continued to evolve as the term has moved from academic discussion into political and institutional use.
Its development reflects not only changing social conditions, but also changing frameworks for interpreting those conditions.
The line between criticism and prejudice is unclear.
From description to classification,
and from classification to policy
the meaning of Islamophobia has not remained fixed.
