The Roots of Islamophobia: Christian Polemical Texts and the Formation of Fear

Abstract

This paper explores the historical origins of Islamophobia by examining Christian polemical and apologetic texts produced between the 7th and 14th centuries. While the definition and contemporary application of Islamophobia remain debated in modern scholarship, this study contends that its conceptual and discursive roots can be traced to early Christian reactions to the rise and expansion of Islam. In response to the rapid Muslim conquest of traditionally Christian territories, Christian authors articulated a persistent image of Islam as a religious and civilizational threat. Through theological denunciation, cultural anxiety, and rhetorical hostility, these texts constructed Islam as the archetypal “Other.” Employing a comparative textual analysis, the study analyses central themes such as the denial of Islam’s legitimacy, the vilification of the Prophet Muhammad, accusations of idolatry, and depictions of Muslims as inherently violent or irrational. These representations functioned not only as theological critiques but also as cultural strategies of resistance, particularly in frontier regions such as 9th-century Al-Andalus, where Muslim dominance challenged Christian identity and authority. By situating medieval Christian discourses within a longue durée framework, the paper demonstrates how these early portrayals established narrative patterns that persist in contemporary forms of anti-Muslim sentiment. Drawing on key primary sources and interdisciplinary secondary literature, the study reveals the deep historical continuities that inform modern Islamophobia, underscoring its embeddedness in Western intellectual and cultural traditions. 

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