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| Christian Theologian ] has argued that the website should be seen as an Islamophobic web portal, noted that it commits selective bias by collecting only negative or critical material, and characterized the website as "strongly anti-Muslims and anti-Islam."<ref name="CIWI"/>{{rp|59|quote=Compared to Muslim homepages, i.e. those set up by believing Muslims, WikiIslam contains only negative and critical examples. This bias is clearly represented in the section called laughing with the prophet, which presents stories and reports from the life of prophet Muhammad (i.e. hadith reports).}}{{efn|Larsson's view was summarized by Ruth Tsuria, an expert on Islamophobia and digital media: "Larsson argues that WikiIslam takes a closed attitude in its understanding of Islam, and so should be seen as an Islamophobic web portal." ''See'' {{Cite journal |last=Tsuria |first=Ruth |date=2013-01-01 |title=The video Three Things About Islam: Islamophobia online or a religious dialogue?|url=https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67442|journal=Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |volume=25 |pages=225 |doi=10.30674/scripta.67442 |issn=2343-4937 |doi-access=free}}}} His article in ''Contemporary Islam'' states that "In relation to the criteria set up by the ] ... it should be quite easy to label most of the material published on WikiIslam as expressions of Islamophobia."<ref name="CIWI"/>{{efn|Larsson references the criteria established by Runnymede Trust's 1997 report. ''See'' {{cite web |author1=Runnymede Trust |title=Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All |url=https://www.runnymedetrust.org/companies/17/74/Islamophobia-A-Challenge-for-Us-All.html |website=www.runnymedetrust.org |access-date=28 November 2020 |page=5 |language=en |date=1997}}}} Larsson adds that "my impression is that the stories reported by WikiIslam have merely been selected to show that Muslims are ignorant, backward or even stupid."<ref name="CIWI"/> However, because WikiIslam linked to other websites, such as that of ], the article notes that "it becomes much more difficult to argue that all information posted on WikiIslam is Islamophobic by nature."<ref name="CIWI"/> | Christian Theologian ] has argued that the website should be seen as an Islamophobic web portal, noted that it commits selective bias by collecting only negative or critical material, and characterized the website as "strongly anti-Muslims and anti-Islam."<ref name="CIWI"/>{{rp|59|quote=Compared to Muslim homepages, i.e. those set up by believing Muslims, WikiIslam contains only negative and critical examples. This bias is clearly represented in the section called laughing with the prophet, which presents stories and reports from the life of prophet Muhammad (i.e. hadith reports).}}{{efn|Larsson's view was summarized by Ruth Tsuria, an expert on Islamophobia and digital media: "Larsson argues that WikiIslam takes a closed attitude in its understanding of Islam, and so should be seen as an Islamophobic web portal." ''See'' {{Cite journal |last=Tsuria |first=Ruth |date=2013-01-01 |title=The video Three Things About Islam: Islamophobia online or a religious dialogue?|url=https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67442|journal=Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |volume=25 |pages=225 |doi=10.30674/scripta.67442 |issn=2343-4937 |doi-access=free}}}} His article in ''Contemporary Islam'' states that "In relation to the criteria set up by the ] ... it should be quite easy to label most of the material published on WikiIslam as expressions of Islamophobia."<ref name="CIWI"/>{{efn|Larsson references the criteria established by Runnymede Trust's 1997 report. ''See'' {{cite web |author1=Runnymede Trust |title=Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All |url=https://www.runnymedetrust.org/companies/17/74/Islamophobia-A-Challenge-for-Us-All.html |website=www.runnymedetrust.org |access-date=28 November 2020 |page=5 |language=en |date=1997}}}} Larsson adds that "my impression is that the stories reported by WikiIslam have merely been selected to show that Muslims are ignorant, backward or even stupid."<ref name="CIWI"/> However, because WikiIslam linked to other websites, such as that of ], the article notes that "it becomes much more difficult to argue that all information posted on WikiIslam is Islamophobic by nature."<ref name="CIWI"/> | ||
| In 2013, both Daniel Enstedt and Göran Larsson wrote that the apostasy testimonies on WikiIslam were characterized as being part of a "negative and biased" representation of Islam and "an important element in an Islamophobic world view that presents Islam and Muslims as diametrically opposite to all other world views."<ref name="CyberOrient">{{cite journal |last1=Enstedt |first1=Daniel |last2=Larsson |first2=Göran |title=Telling the Truth about Islam? Apostasy Narratives and Representations of Islam on WikiIslam.net |journal=CyberOrient |date=2013 |volume=7 |issue=1 |page=64, 88 |url=https://cyberorient.kreas.ff.cuni.cz/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/04/CyberOrient_Vol_7_Iss_1_Enstedt_Larsson.pdf |accessdate=12 July 2020}}</ref>{{efn|While the testimonies are no longer available on the main site, they are available for review at WikiIslam's archive and the ]. ''See'' {{cite web |title=Category:Former Muslims - WikiIslam |url=https://archive.wikiislam.net/Category:Former_Muslims |website=archive.wikiislam.net |access-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323060224/wikiislam.net/Category:Former_Muslims|archive-date=23 March 2018}}}} The authors remarked that the material presented on WikiIslam was presented as "authentic," |
In 2013, both Daniel Enstedt and Göran Larsson wrote that the apostasy testimonies on WikiIslam were characterized as being part of a "negative and biased" representation of Islam and "an important element in an Islamophobic world view that presents Islam and Muslims as diametrically opposite to all other world views."<ref name="CyberOrient">{{cite journal |last1=Enstedt |first1=Daniel |last2=Larsson |first2=Göran |title=Telling the Truth about Islam? Apostasy Narratives and Representations of Islam on WikiIslam.net |journal=CyberOrient |date=2013 |volume=7 |issue=1 |page=64, 88 |url=https://cyberorient.kreas.ff.cuni.cz/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/04/CyberOrient_Vol_7_Iss_1_Enstedt_Larsson.pdf |accessdate=12 July 2020}}</ref>{{efn|While the testimonies are no longer available on the main site, they are available for review at WikiIslam's archive and the ]. ''See'' {{cite web |title=Category:Former Muslims - WikiIslam |url=https://archive.wikiislam.net/Category:Former_Muslims |website=archive.wikiislam.net |access-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323060224/wikiislam.net/Category:Former_Muslims|archive-date=23 March 2018}}}} The authors remarked that the material presented on WikiIslam was presented as "authentic," derived from Islamic sources and Muslim spokespersons, but that the selection of material was "very one-dimensional" with "alternative interpretations seldom represented."<ref name="CyberOrient"/> | ||
| In a 2014 survey of "anti-Muslim websites," WikiIslam's apparent aim was described as "present Islamic history, theology, and practitioners in a way which leaves the reader with an exceedingly negative image of the faith, discouraging them from either taking up or continuing its practice. The focus, in other words, is on violence, sexuality and gender conflicts, leaving WikiIslam's potential visitors without easy access to material that might counterbalance its narrowly-focused view and/or convey the fact that Muslim theologians hold differing opinions about many of the site's topics."<ref name="Breivik"/> | In a 2014 survey of "anti-Muslim websites," WikiIslam's apparent aim was described as "present Islamic history, theology, and practitioners in a way which leaves the reader with an exceedingly negative image of the faith, discouraging them from either taking up or continuing its practice. The focus, in other words, is on violence, sexuality and gender conflicts, leaving WikiIslam's potential visitors without easy access to material that might counterbalance its narrowly-focused view and/or convey the fact that Muslim theologians hold differing opinions about many of the site's topics."<ref name="Breivik"/> | ||
Revision as of 12:00, 23 January 2021
Wiki about Islam | |
| Available in | English Turkish French Italian Polish Azerbaijani Uzbek Russian |
|---|---|
| Owner | Ex-Muslims of North America |
| URL | wikiislam |
| Commercial | No |
| Launched | 4 September 2006; 18 years ago (2006-09-04) |
| Current status | Active |
| Content license | CC-BY-NC 3.0 |
WikiIslam is a "community-edited" wiki that has been described by scholars and writers as Islamophobic and anti-Muslim. The wiki's mission statement is "to provide accurate and accessible information from traditional and critical perspectives on the beliefs, practices, and development of Islam."
History
The website was registered on October 27, 2005 and launched on September 4, 2006 in collaboration with individuals from Faith Freedom International. In December 2015, the Ex-Muslims of North America took over ownership and operation of WikiIslam.
As of 2007, the website was focused on the criticism of Islam and differentiated itself from Misplaced Pages on the basis that "opinions critical of Islam are not censored on WikiIslam for political correctness."
Reception
Christian Theologian Göran Larsson has argued that the website should be seen as an Islamophobic web portal, noted that it commits selective bias by collecting only negative or critical material, and characterized the website as "strongly anti-Muslims and anti-Islam." His article in Contemporary Islam states that "In relation to the criteria set up by the Runnymede Trust ... it should be quite easy to label most of the material published on WikiIslam as expressions of Islamophobia." Larsson adds that "my impression is that the stories reported by WikiIslam have merely been selected to show that Muslims are ignorant, backward or even stupid." However, because WikiIslam linked to other websites, such as that of MEMRI, the article notes that "it becomes much more difficult to argue that all information posted on WikiIslam is Islamophobic by nature."
In 2013, both Daniel Enstedt and Göran Larsson wrote that the apostasy testimonies on WikiIslam were characterized as being part of a "negative and biased" representation of Islam and "an important element in an Islamophobic world view that presents Islam and Muslims as diametrically opposite to all other world views." The authors remarked that the material presented on WikiIslam was presented as "authentic," derived from Islamic sources and Muslim spokespersons, but that the selection of material was "very one-dimensional" with "alternative interpretations seldom represented."
In a 2014 survey of "anti-Muslim websites," WikiIslam's apparent aim was described as "present Islamic history, theology, and practitioners in a way which leaves the reader with an exceedingly negative image of the faith, discouraging them from either taking up or continuing its practice. The focus, in other words, is on violence, sexuality and gender conflicts, leaving WikiIslam's potential visitors without easy access to material that might counterbalance its narrowly-focused view and/or convey the fact that Muslim theologians hold differing opinions about many of the site's topics."
Notes
- Larsson's view was summarized by Ruth Tsuria, an expert on Islamophobia and digital media: "Larsson argues that WikiIslam takes a closed attitude in its understanding of Islam, and so should be seen as an Islamophobic web portal." See Tsuria, Ruth (2013-01-01). "The video Three Things About Islam: Islamophobia online or a religious dialogue?". Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis. 25: 225. doi:10.30674/scripta.67442. ISSN 2343-4937.
- Larsson references the criteria established by Runnymede Trust's 1997 report. See Runnymede Trust (1997). "Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All". www.runnymedetrust.org. p. 5. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
- While the testimonies are no longer available on the main site, they are available for review at WikiIslam's archive and the Internet Archive. See "Category:Former Muslims - WikiIslam". archive.wikiislam.net. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
References
- ^ Larsson, Göran (2007-06-01). "Cyber-Islamophobia? The case of WikiIslam". Contemporary Islam. 1 (1): 53–67. doi:10.1007/s11562-007-0002-2. ISSN 1872-0226.
- ^ Enstedt, Daniel; Larsson, Göran (2013). "Telling the Truth about Islam? Apostasy Narratives and Representations of Islam on WikiIslam.net" (PDF). CyberOrient. 7 (1): 64, 88. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ Mays, Christin; Deland, Mats; Minkenberg, Michael, eds. (2014). In the Tracks of Breivik: Far Right Networks in Northern and Eastern Europe. Berlin: Lit Verlag. p. 162. ISBN 9783643905420. OCLC 881140905.
- "WikiIslam - the online resource on Islam". WikiIslam. 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
- "Ex-Muslims of North America takes ownership and operation of WikiIslam". Ex-Muslims of North America. 2015-12-03. Retrieved 2020-05-26.