Islamophobia means hate speech, disliking Muslims, and rejecting Islam, according to David Munir, the Imam of the Central Mosque of Lisbon, Report informs.
Speaking on the second day of the international conference themed “Islamophobia in Focus: Unveiling Bias, Shattering Stigmas” in Baku, Munir noted that Islamophobes dislike both Muslims and Islam.
"Until 2019, I proudly said that there is no Islamophobia in my country. Then, a new right-wing party emerged that tends to discriminate both religiously and ethnically. We are Muslims, but our national identity is also Portuguese. Our spiritual and religious identity is Islam. If I lived in an Islamic country, I probably wouldn't see Islamophobia. However, today Islamophobia is observed in Europe.
Therefore, I express my gratitude to the Azerbaijani government for organizing such meetings, as such events are important to discuss Islamophobia in the West," he said.