Legitimate criticism of Islam must target beliefs Muslims actually hold.

Evidence

How do we address this dilemma? What standards should apply when differentiating Islamophobia from legitimate, critical discourse about Muslim beliefs and practices? Let me suggest three overlapping criteria for making this crucial distinction. First, criticisms of Islam should be based on aspects of the religion that many Muslims recognize as a part of their faith and should avoid guilt by association. For example, disagreeing with the belief that the Qur’an is God’s fullest self-disclosure to humanity does not qualify as Islamophobic. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 79

Categorization

• DEFINE: Gives the first of three boundary criteria separating Islamophobia from legitimate criticism — a core definitional rule for the reader’s orientation.
• XREF: connects to: Fighting Islamophobia need not stifle legitimate criticism of Muslims — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 696; The report separates legitimate criticism from closed-view Islamophobia — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 51