Controversial French writer Michel Houellebecq is a revered literary genius in his hometown. His latest work titled "Suomission," which visualizes France in 2022 run by Islamic law. There, women are veiled and extracted from offices and into their homes.

The book was made even more divisive when its official release coincided with the murder of 12 people in Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine that published caricatures of Prophet Muhammad. Before his book was put out, The Guardian says that it was deemed a promoter of Islamophobia.

Back in 2002, Houellebecq said in an interview that Islam was "the stupidest religion," as quoted by Yahoo. He was acquitted of the charges that were instigated by this statement and in his The Guardian interview, he said that he may have already changed his mind about it after reading the Qur'an.

But as for "Soumission" or "Submission" in English, being an Islamophobic novel, the author maintained that it is not in any way. Many intellectuals accuse Houellebecq for stirring up tension in France against Islam and one that invited more extremists and terrorist attacks.

He was being pushed to apologize, but he insisted it wasn't his responsibility. He says he doesn't feel responsible too and that he "[doesn't] feel like apologizing" owing to the fact that Islam is already all over the news way before he released "Suomission."

The acclaimed writer of deity status also says that publications utilizing fear of Islam "has effectively become obsessional." And he admits that his book is "certainly" one of those. "The role of a novel is to entertain readers and fear is one of the most entertaining things there is," Houellebecq told The Guardian. In lieu of this, he says he "[pleads] guilty" for using the mood of fear in France on his novel.

When he was asked if he is Islamophobic, he replied "Yes, probably. One can be afraid." But he stands to reason that fear of Islam is not racism and the fact that he was accused of his statements back in 2002 says a lot about that.

He reasoned that his fear comes from the possibility that, pertaining to terrorism, "it all goes wrong in the west; you could say that it's already going wrong." He elaborates that a tiny number of terrorists still have what it takes to make this fear realized.

This is the same premise he argues in his book and the same one academics have been bashing. These critics point out how improbable Islam can reign over France by 2022 knowing that there isn't a lot in the place that practice it.