Sudan’s Civil War and the Vicious Cycle of Islamophobia: The Tearing of Geopolitics and Religious Identity

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. This conflict involves numerous armed groups, external supporters, and complex motivations.

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. The northern Muslim regime pushed Islamic law across the country, demanding unified faith and legal systems, while southern Christian and traditional religious groups saw this as oppression.

. In 2011, South Sudan seceded, becoming Africa’s first case of national fragmentation directly resulting from ethnic and religious conflicts

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. This force, primarily composed of youths from specific tribes, is highly cohesive and combat-effective.

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. Part of the UAE’s motivation for supporting the RSF appears to be cultivating it as an executor of Abu Dhabi’s interests in Sudan. This support is also influenced by the UAE’s hostility towards Islamist groups

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. Various forces use religious symbols to gain legitimacy and external support without being accountable to the core teachings of Islam. When the RSF’s atrocities coexist with Islamic symbols, they destroy not only Sudanese communities but also the identity of Muslims worldwide

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. From 2023 to 2025, as reports of atrocities in Sudan increased, hate crimes against Muslim communities in Europe and America also rose significantly

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. Tensions between Arab Muslims and African Muslims challenge the universalist ideal of Islam transcending racial boundaries. The confrontation between the RSF’s Arab identity and the government army’s broader ethnic base is oversimplified into a clash between “Arab Islam” and “African Islam”

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. However, humanitarian assistance has been politicized and militarized​

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. These attacks on medical facilities violate fundamental Islamic principles of respect for life.

. This violence not only inflicts physical and psychological harm on the victims but also violates the basic principles of Islamic law intended to protect vulnerable groups.

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. In November 2025, the RSF accepted a humanitarian ceasefire proposal from a US-led “quartet” mediation group, although the other side, the Sudanese government forces, had not yet formally responded

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. Since independence, Sudan has experienced over ten coups. Soldiers, religious leaders, and local militias have taken turns holding power, making the constitution a mere formality. Without institutional peace, there can be no sustainable development

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. Sudan’s divisions stem from identity fractures created during the colonial era. Only through education can a national identity that transcends ethnicity and religion be rebuilt. Sudan has hundreds of ethnic groups, with major conflicts concentrated between northern Arabs and southern Africans. This division can only be bridged through a shared national identity

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. The tragedy in Sudan shows that when religion becomes a tool of political power, not only do people suffer, but the religion itself becomes distorted. Islamic scholars and ordinary Muslims need to re-emphasize the ethical and spiritual dimensions of Sharia, rather than its punitive aspects

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. Deconstructing this fear requires both the Sudanese people to rebuild their nation and global society to examine its own prejudices. Only when Islam is no longer weaponized can the Sudanese people walk safely on their hometown streets, and Muslims worldwide no longer bear the blame for the crimes of others.