Why are so many Pakistani subreddits Islamophobic?

[u/ArTrailfanRaf214]

Assalam-o-alaikum dear brothers and sisters. Can you tell me why are there so many Pakistani subreddits so obsessed with religion even ones that don't look like they are political subreddits? I know our country have so many problems like cousin marriage, racial superiority complex, child abuse etc but why are so many Pakistani redditors so obsessed with blaming Islam for all the problems caused in this country?

May Allah save our misguided ummah, Ameen.

[u/Chobikil]

Wa'alaikumassalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

As a non-Pakistani I want to provide an insight:

Many, if not all the subreddits of Muslim majority countries, have an unusually high number ex-Muslims and non-Muslims. This is because Reddit is a mostly western platform and isn't popular in Muslim countries.

It takes one random recommendation from a subreddit that would be bad for a Muslim to view (like ex-Muslim subreddits) to drag a one down a rabbit hole of doubt, so it's not that safe either.

It's also a refuge for them to gather with other ex-Muslims online, as alot of these people are only Muslim by appearance. Some countries even have subreddits that start with "ex" that are targeted towards ex-Muslims of that country.

For example, here in the UAE, the Muslim population percentage is around 75%. But, when I browse in r/UAE (r/dubai is likely worse as that's targeted towards outsiders), it feels like 40%-50%. I honestly avoid writing Salam as I usually do in my posts here, because it might deter people away when I'm asking a question unrelated to religion. People aren't that friendly to Muslims either and there isn't a rule for Islamophobia.

Reddit as a whole is quite anti-religion as well, so it's gonna target people of those background. From a pinned poll on r/polls, Atheism/Agnosticism is actually the biggest single group on Reddit, which aligns with what you will experience here.

But as Muslims we shouldn't assume all of these people come from a place of malice. Most ex-Muslims are gonna come from a background of:

• Being influenced by the west.
• A background of non-practicing/Cultural Muslims.
  
• And one of the most common reasons: Trauma.

People will process this and either react sadly about it, or react angrily. We shouldn't tolerate the latter and step away, but we should show sympathy for the former and do our best to, if possible, even slightly fix their view of Islam.

We do that by being kind, and I feel like a good chunk of Muslims online aren't good at that.

[u/Simple-09 → u/Chobikil]

Yes correct just check the turkish and bangladeshi sub its way way worse because of the same reason.

[u/Madchett666 → u/Chobikil]

As someone who lived there for 7 years, I would say their younger generation is predominantly atheist or agnostic.

[u/Chobikil → u/Madchett666]

As someone currently living there, I can confirm, Islam is disappearing rapidly among the youth here. Westernization is rising rapidly too, you'd think the youth here worship the west 😭

It's the worst in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which is to be expected.

[u/Madchett666 → u/Chobikil]

Unfortunately our governments in the middle east are helping this process with their incompetence and corruption and doing this stuff in the name of islam. 😑

Allah (stw) will help Islam or Islam is in big danger in MENA and no one cares and even denies that it is happening.

[u/Signal_Pepper_6786 → u/Madchett666]

We are in great danger of losing a whole generation of Muslims in Pakistan. We have let down the uhmah.

[u/Chobikil → u/Madchett666]

I have a crazy theory that, relatively soon, Islam will become a minority religion percentage wise in one of the countries in the MENA region. Maybe Palestine would be first since that's an important location for 3 religions so I expect it to be varied, but other than that, maybe the UAE seeing as it's the most influenced by the west?

For a bit the percentages will stay high, but the moment ex-Muslims don't have to worry about their families, they'll answer honestly.

[u/Username998823]

This on all subreddits of Islamic nations and a part of the Pakistani subs are Hindus who act as Pakistanis and the most people who use this app are more western Pakistani.

I remember how some people said to in the main sub that my parents are cousins for a insults 🤣

[u/Signal_Pepper_6786 → u/Username998823]

Maybe but there is also something else going on with young muslims. They are drifting away from Islam sadly, this was never the case in the past. It is like they have bevome fed up if Islam. You try to tslk to them about the beauty of Islam and they just switch off or shut you down.

[u/Chobikil → u/Signal_Pepper_6786]

Internet and, for many cases, trauma.

[u/NiceSmilee]

Sell outs.

[u/Grand_Pomegranate981]

That's only Gen Z pakistani sub. The older Pakistanis have no issue being Muslim. It's just the new gen like being atheists and being "feminists" and chasing new trends. And because Pakistan has mostly Muslim people everyone has families that may have "forced" Islam on them or whatever. They probably have religious trauma.

[u/Mmm_360 → u/Grand_Pomegranate981]

Exactly this. Gen z who are the most active reddit users see Islam as a cultural thing from their parents, they have not been able to explore the spiritual realm and taken life seriously to understand the importance of religion.

People in the west live with non Muslims and therefore have to ask themselves what being Muslim means, people in Muslim countries do not have to look within 

[u/Chobikil → u/Mmm_360]

Exactly, your Iman isn't challenged at all for alot of your life, so the moment it's exposed to other views through the internet, it collapses. It has no shields or knowledge.

[u/Enough_Custard_8279]

Indian Hindus mostly who are always obsessed.. Burger kids.. uncs pretending to be Gen Z and other anonymous people who haven’t read Islam but have some personal beef with it somehow. Some of them are MODs too.

They’ll post things just to condition the minds of young people into believing that it’s the reality. It’s similar to the “Africa on the map” story.. where reality was distorted to serve colonial motives.

Their target is us.. the YOUTH mind and the principle is: “If you can’t convince them.. then confuse them.”

Most of their claims are either too shallow or taken from Western Islamophobic content. They can be easily debunked by anyone with understanding of Islamic teachings.

So alongside our usual studies.. acquiring religious knowledge is a must in these times.

[u/Proof-Sprinkles7826 → u/Enough_Custard_8279]

I think it's something like hindutivans, not hindus. But still

[u/Similar-Street-8247]

Mainly they are braindead teenagers and non Pakistani

[u/Chobikil → u/Similar-Street-8247]

Can't call them braindead, alot of them also have trauma which contributes to this problem.

[u/Proof-Sprinkles7826 → u/Chobikil]

Yes. A person who recieved a distorted version of islam is excused, generally. If I remember correctly

[u/Chobikil → u/Proof-Sprinkles7826]

If the clear message isn't received, yeah. That's after death though.

[u/FunnyAd9329]

Only Gen Z sub lmao, teens sub is fine you can join us there

[u/Chobikil → u/FunnyAd9329]

I highly doubt any teenager subreddit is friendly to religion..

[u/FunnyAd9329 → u/Chobikil]

They are a few off posts probably like once every 2 months but 99% of us are chill there😭

[u/Chobikil → u/FunnyAd9329]

I still find it hard to believe 😂

Teenagers, of a Muslim country, on Reddit, are chill towards *Islam*? I wouldn't believe it even if there were statistics

[u/FunnyAd9329 → u/Chobikil]

tbh Islam isn't our main discussion most of the time that sub is just vibes, memes etc. but most of the time I see it bought up in that sub its very positive,

people upload verses, prayer guides etc. and there are no negative comments bringing up Lady Aisha or whatever lol.

Gen z sub is a different matter tho lol

[u/Chobikil → u/FunnyAd9329]

How many members does it have though?

[u/FunnyAd9329 → u/Chobikil]

58k visitors and 23k members lol

[u/Chobikil → u/FunnyAd9329]

That makes it more believable then, I thought it was the primary subreddit for Pakistani teens

[u/FunnyAd9329 → u/Chobikil]

I think a lot of Islamic youth is still fairly Muslim, at most all the young ex muslims you see online are just a loud minority.

[u/Accomplished-Gate484]

As someone who grew up in Pakistan, our culture and traditions teeter on a lot of actions that aren’t Islamic in any consideration but painted heavily as so. If I didn’t learn Islam through reading it- I don’t think I would’ve doubted a lot of things told to us as ‘our elders told us’- and a lot of that is messed up and shouldn’t be accepted u know

[u/mbashs]

This usually happens due to lack of knowledge and understanding of the religion. Imagine being a young naive Muslim and some Islamophobe comes up to you with points that have answers but you can’t reply to them because lack of understanding of fiqh. You end up questioning things and next thing you know you tell your self they are right coz they are civilized and I am from a backwards country (seen that happen lol). Add to that emotional trauma or psychological issues where you start blaming God for everything and boom you have your answer.

[u/Impossible_Gift8457]

Are you new here? All the Muslim country subreddits I see are like that 

[u/CorrelateClinicallee]

Indians!

[u/RaajalofRajal]

It's easier for them to blame the religion (they don't follow) than themselves for the problem they caused by not following Islam.

Ask them basic questions about Islam and you will see how ignorant they are of Islam.

That and the fact that many social media platforms, including this one, is flooded with liberals, seculars, and deviants since they can't talk their trash in public in person.

From among these there are kuffar who post in Muslim reddits against Islam, Muslims, and Muslim countries.

[u/Chobikil → u/RaajalofRajal]

And what if they have trauma, and thus, will naturally not bother with Islam?

[u/KnowledgeNo4028]

Indian hindus larping as pakistani's. There you go. Anyone saying otherwise don't understand whats going on in this platform.

[u/Zxylix]

Because our ethnicity is still influenced by Hinduism, we may have separated from India but still the cultural and traditional ancestral practices are found within us or at least through elders. Hindustan Islam is stern (Unless appropriate knowledge is given) and therefore the “forced” religion from Grandparents to Parents, is what is provided to Gen Z. So that’s why you Either find Islamophobe or extremist Muslims within Reddit community of Pakistan. Also Ego plays huge role.

[u/Madchett666 → u/Zxylix]

The western part of today's Pakistan was always muslin since the 7th century and became part of the "british India" in the 19th century not India itself.

Unfortunately the problems with atheism in modern muslim countries are much deeper.

[u/ThreeLeafandSkyblue]

There is an Israeli project. They target Muslim youth. And remember lots of foreigners also act like fake.

[u/Signal_Pepper_6786]

I believe there is something close to a crisis of faith partiucular amongst those between 15- 30. This group seems to be doubting and questioning like never before or has left Islam alltogether .This was never the case on anywhere like this scale before. So we are in danger of losing an entire generation of Pakistani Muslims. We need to do better. May Allah guide them.

[u/Signal_Pepper_6786]

The young generation, (15- 25) seem to have become seriously turned off Islam. I would say its something around like 1 in 10 have left islam already. And 1 in 5 are seriously questioning Islam or doubting aspects of Islam.

[u/Aian11]

I've noticed the same in my local city's sub as well (Not PK, but Bangladesh), which is disappointing tbh. I know it doesn't actually reflect the whole city, but rather a minority, but still, the amount of Islamophobia there is depressing. I chalked it up to a mix of politics, frustrated non-muslims, Indians posing as locals & fear-mongering, etc.

I remember there was so much propaganda during the election that if the other political party won, the whole country would become radical like Afghanistan. 😭 (Both are Muslim parties, the other was just slightly more Islam-focused)

[u/ElectionFalse4388]

In a nutshell:

Basically a group of Indians and Pakistanis influenced by Western propaganda who dismiss evidence as 'extremism' or 'confirmation bias' and so and so. Most of the Pakistanis IRL aren't Ex-Muslims, the majority of Ex-Muslims on Reddit are non-Muslims pretending to have 'left' Islam.

[u/F_DOG_93]

It's because most subreddits from "Muslim" countries are full of liberal secularists.

[u/Rayguy77]

r/bangladesh is like that too

[u/truebelieverahad]

Democracy destroys everything