The mass killing of Muslim worshippers in Christchurch in New Zealand on Friday shocked the entire world and all peoples belonging to all faiths.

 

Besides being condemnable in the strongest possible terms, the massacre that took the life of no less than 50 people and injured scores of others is alarming because it suggests that Islamophobia, hate crime and white supremacists are on the rise in many Western countries, despite desperate efforts to contain it.

 

No one in their wildest dreams ever thought that New Zealand of all countries would be the crime scene of yet another manifestation of Islamophobia in its worst barbaric form. Yet, it happened and similar attacks on Muslims can be expected to occur in many Western countries in the future.

 

The hate and animosity towards Muslims is deep rooted in the West and can be traced to the birth of Islam. What is worse is that Islamophobia in many Western nations is projected to rise because of several reasons and not only historical in nature, but also due to the rise in the number of Muslims immigrating to Western countries.

 

The higher the number of Muslims emigrating to the West, the higher could be the hate and animosity towards them, especially when Muslim identity is visible. No amount of pious hopes is going to change this alarming projection. As long as peaceful coexistence between religions and cultures is not attainable in many parts of the world, the crisis is going to continue.

 

Muslims would be well advised to stop seeking new homes in nations whose culture is deeply and irrevocably hostile to Islam. Meanwhile, Western countries must endeavour more seriously to combat Islamophobia and hate crime. Whatever these countries are doing in this direction is simply not enough.

 

All international human rights conventions speak loudly against hate crime and call for religious and ethnic tolerance. Admittedly, this mission is hard but more effort can make the difference until mankind at large becomes more tolerant towards one another.