Those who want us to stop using the term ‘Islamophobia’ state that the word stops us criticising Muslims and the religion.

There is a notion that those who support the use of this term want to do so in an underhand way of stifling debate and openness amongst Muslims.

But is this really the case? For instance you can be critical of Muslims and question aspects of the religion without being an termed as an Islamophobe. No one is stopping any individual or groups for that matter from criticising Muslims in this country.

The word Islamophobia only really comes into play when those criticisms are based on ill-informed facts or spread misinformation which in turn leads to hatred.

It is not Islamophobic to suggest there are elements of the religion which can be used to incite violence. It is not Islamophobic to suggest that that some within Muslim communities looks to demean women and other minorities. It is not Islamophobic to write about Islam and Muslims in the hope of encouraging debate. It is not Islamophobic to talk about Muslim culture. And you can’t call someone Islamophobic because you do not agree the political party they support.

It does not matter if that person is Muslim or not.

The truth is many Muslims agree with this and are the most ardent critics of their own community. But what we won’t stand for is those who willing to defend clear examples of bigotry to make a point and downplay the use of the word ‘Islamophobia’.

There are a whole host of individuals who wish to propagate the use of the term anti-Muslim hate rather Islamophobia. But they are missing a major point.

Why would you wish to criticise others for using a term that is doing exactly the same thing? Why have we become so obsessed with telling us what term is best to use when it comes to describe religious hatred? What is to be achieved by this?

One of the most ardent ardent supporters of this argument is Quilliam's Maajid Nawaz.

For someone who is keen to battle conspiracy theories it is strange he seems to suggest groups of ‘Islamists’ are intent on making Britain less tolerable. And will use Islamophobia in their quest for ‘total Khilafah’.

He isn’t alone in his this campaign to discredit the word 'Islamophobia'.

We have a number of people who sense that Muslims are using the word Islamophobia to stop criticisms of their religion.

This, essentially has more to do with groups wanting to criticise each other’s opinions more than anything else. You have individuals who simply do not like the fact that someone else is highlighting or criticising a writer or media personality who they themselves support.

Even when it is clearly obvious someone is only writing something for the sole purpose of encouraging hate against a religious group we just do not want the other side to revel in this anyway.

Much of the debate on Islamophobia is beginning to be dictated by this very feature.

We are being being labelled an ‘Islamophobe’ or an ‘Islamist’.

Ridiculous as it may sound we have had readers accusing this website's agony aunt column of being 'Islamophobic' because it dared to talk about Islamic culture.

Here is the point though.

By debating a term for hatred towards Muslims we are simply wasting valuable resources and time which could be used to highlight this very hate.

Anti-Muslim hate or Islamophobia - call it what you want. But let’s not get lost in the semantics in the hope that hatred and incitement towards Muslims will go away.