|
    
|
Unfortunately, there are many Misconceptions, Misunderstandings and even Deceptions linked to Islam. The first of these is the many Misconceptions associated with Islam. Many people hear the word Islam and the think TERRORISM, SUPPRESSION VEILING etc. Let us look at the concept of Terrorism.
The following definitions deal with Islamic terms. Qur'an: The book of Allah (SWT) as revealed by the angel Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Hadith: A collection of sayings and actions of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that is a compliment to the Qur'an. Jihad: An Arabic word meaning struggle. This could be a personal struggle or a war. It is a misnomer to call a Jihad a holy war in the context of terrorism. For some reason the word terrorism and Islam vis-à-vis Muslim have come to mean one and the same thing to the western mind. Terrorism and Islam are not synonymous. Why should I, a believer in Islam be considered a terrorist just because a group of people who claim to be Muslim prefer to announce their political agenda to the world by the means of bombings, hostage takings, and assassinations i.e. the term Muslim terrorist. The Qur'an expressly forbids the taking of life in this manner. A person who claims to be a Muslim and then bombs a market center has violated one of the fundamental precepts of Islam. It is stated in the Qur'an and through Hadith that the only allowed form of war is soldier against soldier, (killing old men, women, or children or destruction of property is unacceptable). Then why is the word Muslim and terrorist linked in these cases? Should not the word , Baptist, Catholic, Mormon, or Christian be linked to a terrorist who commits an abortion clinic bombing or a church bombing. A question I have asked my self is why weren't the people who were involved with the activities of the Irish Republican Army, not called Catholic terrorists? The use of the term Jihad in connection with terrorist acts is against the fundamental concepts of Islam. May Allah (SWT) grant these misguided souls enlightenment in this respect. We each deal with our own Jihad (struggle) day by daySUPPRESSIONThe second point I would like to address is that of Suppression. It is perceived by the western mind that to be a Muslim is to be suppressed. A lot of this has to do with the way the media portrays the Muslim. We have all seen the pictures of the women i.e. Saudi Arabia who are cloistered and veiled of extremes in poverty and wealth etc. These are the practices of culture not Islam and occur throughout the world. It is a duty of all Muslims to avoid those things which are contrary to the Qur'an. We have all heard the axiom, it only takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch. Well, we are all human and therefore subject to human frailties. We, as Muslims, are subject to the same trials as anyone else. The problem lies not in the Qur'an and what it teaches, but in the follower and what he practices. VEILINGThe third misconception I would like to address is Veiling. It is believed by many people, who have no knowledge of Islam, that women are required to veil. Women are admonished to wear HIJAB. What is Hijab? It is a form of dress where the body, of the women, is covered to their wrists and ankles and wear loose fitting opaque clothing. They are also admonished to cover their hair. Hijab is not only a way of dressing but it is also a way of conducting oneself. The point I wish to make here is that this is their choice and what is often practiced is culture not religion. I have gone into more depth on women's issues under Women in Islam . Here is a link for more on misconceptions: Misconceptions about IslamTerrorism,etc.
MISUNDERSTANDINGI believe the biggest misunderstandings are from the lack of knowledge. We have all been guilty of jumping to conclusions based on little or no facts. This leads to misunderstandings. I have provided many sources on my links page for anyone interested in clearing up their misunderstandings in regards to Islam.
DECEPTIONIs defined by the Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary is the act of causing to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid. We have all have been victims of deceit. Because of this, we must learn to separate fact from fiction, truth from lies and right from wrong. Islam has been the victim of many of these. They have come from other religions, media, and specific individuals. All of these whether intentional or from ignorance only continue the problem. Therefore, it is necessary that the average person has a place to turn where they can get the unbiased facts. It is my hope that I can aid in this. On my links page there are many sources to help you, the reader, get the facts. Send me an e-mail:
|
