The rise of Islamophobia, antisemitism, and racism over the last couple of years have been a very worrying trend.  To combat these, interfaith dialogue and action are more relevant and urgent now than ever before. Too much time has been wasted in presiding over our differences and it is time now to focus on attributes that bind and unite us. Interfaith dialogue efforts serve two important purposes – first, a deep understanding of each other’s faiths and second, an opportunity to build synergy using the commonalities of our faiths.

Over a week ago, we witnessed the removal of the thorn in many of our sides and the inauguration of a newly elected president that, in theory, might just be what we need. An event some might consider coated in elitism and wrapped up in a tiny bow labeled “unity,” plastered across our screens while thousands of Americans mourn the deaths of loved ones, thousands more await the COVID-19 relief that was promised to them, and millions hanging on to a semblance of hope that day provided to them. Yet, very little do we recognize, that this election was never about Biden or Harris, and whether we like it or not, there’s still a whole lot more to do.

As social media becomes a more integral part of our lives in terms of communication and expression, Muslim teens and young adults have turned to online spaces to engage with religious content. Social media for young Muslims is not a facetious interaction but bred from the alienation that many young Muslims feel in the U.S. and Europe as a result of Islamophobic environments. It is difficult to find mainstream relatable content for young Muslims; a lot of social media content is grounded in the sexualization of women, the romanticization of drug/alcohol consumption, and materialism. The values of mainstream social media are often not in line with Islamic values.