For many Western observers, it is initially incomprehensible to think that some of the most egregious Islamophobic incitements to violence could come from Buddhist monks in an Asian country. But a closer look reveals how anti-Muslim hate can take root in virtually any country or culture.

QUESTION: What specific historical and economic conditions allowed anti-Muslim sentiment to take root in Sri Lanka, a predominantly Buddhist nation?

QUESTION: What specific dynamics allow anti-Muslim sentiment to appear even in cultures with strong Buddhist values of compassion?

Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Gl…, loc. 135