-- The idea of a clash between Islamic and western civilizations suggested by some prominent sociologists, served the enemies of Islam and instigated Islamophobia in the West, a Turkish sociologist told IQNA.

Kadir Canatan, professor of sociology at Balıkesir University in Turkey, said that Islamophobia was an ideology created by so-called intellectuals and academics in the Western society. “With the cooperation of media, they spread false ideas about Islam.

Referring to the negative propaganda against Islam by the enemies of Islam, he said that they look for weaknesses and flaws in the life of Muslim immigrants and misuse these flaws to accuse Islam.

Emphasizing the influence of the Islamic Revolution in Muslim countries, author of "Islamophobia and Anti-Islamic Movement in the West" said, “However, in the West anti-Islamic activities are developing particularly among racist and extremist groups who threaten Islam and who consider the Revolution as a threat to their influence in the Middle East.”

"After the fall of the Soviet Union, western countries tried to find an alternative to pose as a threat to the western civilization and what they came up with was Islam. In addition, western espionage organizations which needed to justify their existence after the collapse of the Communist developed the idea of Islam being a threat to the West. Later, the ideas of Samuel Huntington about the clash of civilizations boosted the idea. And since the September 11th attacks, the enemy has openly attacked Islam and developed a fear of Islam in the western society, "he said.

He stressed that diplomatic efforts, training preachers who are knowledgeable and aware of religious and cultural issues, and conducting cultural and social activities to correct public opinion about Islam, could mitigate the effects of the propaganda campaign against Islam in the west.

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