March 2021


International Day of Happiness
On the International Day of Happiness, which falls on March 20 of each year, Sawt Alhikma Center shares its hopes and dreams for peace and security to prevail, and for roads to happiness for everyone to be based on coexistence, tolerance and acceptance rather than extremism.


UK School Apologizes to A Muslim Student
After a widespread criticism by the media, A UK school retracted the threat of legal action against a Muslim student over “too long skirt” and apologized to her family as she was prevented from attending school for months, which was considered as persecution.

“Drinking Water Is not a Crime”
A Hindu temple in Ghaziabad, India, witnessed a shocking incident after a disciple of the head priest’s assaulted a Muslim boy for drinking water from the temple’s tap, prompting police to arrest the aggressor and the person who recorded the video of the assault.


Commemoration of the First International Day to Combat Islamophobia
The UN showed an implicit response to OIC and Sawt Alhikma Center’s call to declare March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia, after SG António Guterres joined an OIC event at the UN headquarters in NY on Wednesday, to commemorate the first anniversary of this day.


Face Masks Are Mandatory and Burqas Are Banned!
Foreign Policy Magazine noted that the ironic timing of the new Burqa ban in Switzerland proves that it was not due to security concerns, but to normalize anti-Muslim discrimination. The number of Muslims wearing Burqas is no more than 37 in Switzerland.


France.. Prayers Are Forbidden during Work Hours
A French Muslim expects the court’s judgment in a lawsuit he filed in France after being fired from his job at CDG Airport for praying at work, which the officials viewed as a “serious radicalization”. His lawyer said that anti-Muslim campaigns led to the decision.


“Sawt Al-Hikma” Calls for Declaring March 15 as International Day of Solidarity against Islamophobia.”
Sawt Al-Hikma Center of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) calls on the OIC member states, all states of the world, governmental and non-governmental organizations and all human rights and religious freedom activists, to urge the United Nations to declare March 15 of every year as International Day of Solidarity against Islamophobia.


Second Anniversary of Christchurch Shootings
On this day 2 years ago, an alt-right gunman unleashed gunfire at two mosques in New Zealand, killing and wounding dozens of worshipers, an incident that shocked the world and provided a heartbreaking example of what hate speech and Islamophobia can cause.


Sri Lanka Is targeting Muslims Again
Activists decried the Minister of Public Security’s plans to close 1000 Islamic schools in Sri Lanka, and ban the wearing of niqab, under the pretext that it is "a sign of religious extremism", a move that was considered an explicit targeting of the Muslim minority.


Cambodia Shows Respect Towards Islamic Traditions
Representatives of the Muslim community in Cambodia welcomed PM Hun Sen’s decision to exempt Muslims from the mandatory order to cremate the bodies of COVID-19 victims. Muslims will be allowed to bury their victims according to their own traditions and customs.