Weaponization of Islamophobia

The exploitation of accusations of Islamophobia, especially to counter anti-Islamist and criticism of Islam, may be described as weaponization of islamophobia, instrumentalization of islamophobia, or playing the islamophobia card. Bad-faith accusations against Islam's critics have been called a form of smear tactics. Some writers have compared them to playing the race card.

The charge of weaponization has been raised in context of the Islamic terrorism, in related discussions of Islamic terror, in various organizations' adoptions of the controversial working definition of Islamophobia, and in the controversy surrounding Islamic terrorism in Europe

Critics have argued that the charge of weaponization amounts to an Islamophobic ad hominem attack whose use fails to address Islamophobia as the issue at hand. The charge has also been criticized as a "testimonial injustice", rooted in presumption rather than evidence.

The term Islamophobia has proven problematic and is viewed by some as an obstacle to constructive criticism of Islam. Its detractors fear that it can be applied to any critique of Islamic practices and beliefs, suggesting terms such as "anti-Muslim" instead.