A recent survey has shed light on the growing issue of religious intolerance faced by Brazilian Muslims, particularly in the wake of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The survey, conducted by the Anthropology Group on Islamic and Arab Contexts at the University of São Paulo, revealed that approximately 60 percent of Brazilian Muslims have experienced some form of religious discrimination. The study also found that incidents of harassment and intolerance have increased since the war in Gaza began on October 7.
The survey, which included 310 Muslim Brazilians, highlighted the conflation of Palestinian and Muslim identities, leading to incidents of religious intolerance. Professor Francirosy Barbosa, who led the survey, noted that insults directed at Muslim women often reflected tensions arising from the Gaza conflict. Many Muslim women reported being called derogatory names such as “Hamas daughter” or “Hamas terrorist”. The survey also revealed that approximately 60 percent of respondents had personally experienced religious intolerance, either online or in their daily lives.
One incident that brought the issue of Islamophobia into the national spotlight involved a video showing a Muslim woman being attacked by a neighbor in Mogi das Cruzes, a suburb of São Paulo. The altercation allegedly started over a dispute between their children, but the Muslim woman, Karen Gimenez Oubidi, claimed that the attack was also motivated by her hijab. The video was widely shared on social media and even featured on news outlets.
Religious intolerance in Brazil extends beyond the Muslim community, affecting individuals of African, Indigenous, Roma, immigrant, and converted backgrounds, as well as atheists and agnostics. However, Brazil’s predominantly Christian population has seen the rise of evangelical Christians as a significant political force. Their growing numbers and influence have contributed to an “us-versus-them” mentality, which has led to increased antagonism against the Muslim community.
Mahmoud Ibrahim, who heads a mosque in Porto Alegre, highlighted the derogatory language and insults directed at Muslims by Evangelical Christians and Bolsonarists. He mentioned incidents of physical attacks, including an instance where a woman was injured while attackers attempted to remove her hijab forcefully. Girrad Sammour, from the National Association of Muslim Jurists (ANAJI), reported a significant increase in reports of Islamophobia since the Gaza conflict began, attributing some of it to inflammatory remarks made by far-right evangelical pastors.
Experts and advocates believe that increased media representation and raising awareness about the experiences of Muslim Brazilians are crucial in addressing religious intolerance. Professor Barbosa emphasized the importance of denouncing such incidents to the authorities, as only through awareness can appropriate measures be taken to combat religious intolerance, including investing in education against it.
The survey’s findings serve as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by Brazilian Muslims amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The rise in religious discrimination calls for proactive efforts to foster understanding, respect, and tolerance among different religious communities in Brazil.
