7 - Facing Hostility Graciously

Summary

The uplift ideology of French Muslim leaders directly impacts the ways in which they respond to stigmatization. In the wake of rising Islamophobia, leaders of the UOIF encourage their coreligionists to react politely to stigma, stressing the value of nonconfrontational responses. For them, the destigmatization of Islam is best achieved through strict policing of Muslims’ conduct and constant attention to self-discipline. This anti-racist repertoire is aligned with color-blind republicanism, in a society where the social reality of Islamophobia is regularly denied and which regards group-based claims-making with suspicion. Correspondingly, UOIF leaders tend to distance themselves from contentious means of action, such as legal action or direct protest, and chastise what they consider a victim mentality. Once again, their approach is primarily guided by pious considerations. Practicing the Prophetic model of patience and perseverance (ṣabr) is part of their effort to fashion pious subjectivities. However, this approach remains costly. Constant self-regulation exacts a psychological toll on individuals while the promotion of behavioral exemplariness tends to obscure power structures, teaching worshippers to police their behavior rather than question postcolonial hierarchies.