Published by Islam is the most misunderstood religion in the world. This is because these days most of the people rely on newspapers, media, and wrong models. This is also because Islam is portrayed very unjustly in the western world and even by some “Muslims”. Below are 5 examples of the misconceptions:
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Jihad
Jihad means to struggle or strive and does NOT mean holy war. Jihad is not mainly fighting in battle; it is actually doing more or less anything that is a struggle, like pilgrimage for women, which is a Jihad. Battle only is meant to be done to defend yourself if an enemy is attacking you, or if your Muslim brothers or sisters are in the status of crisis.
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The Headscarf
The headscarf that the women wear is called Hijab. The reason for this is modesty, and is NOT something that a man will threaten on. Muslim women wear the headscarf just like nuns do. If you still cannot take it into your mind, then just think of it like it’s the latest fashion. I’m sure if someone came in like that saying that they are a Nun or are following the latest fashions, you would be fine with it. Then why cant you be fine with a modest Muslim woman?
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No Fun in Islam
This is completely wrong. Islam allows fun as long as it is in a permissible way. Now you might be thinking, “what in the world is permissible in Islam”, well, everything is permissible unless it is not allowed. Things that are not allowed include getting drunk, illegal sex, rape, smoking, and getting high or drunk. Other than that, most things are permissible. Muslims are allowed to go to the cinema, to a restaurant(unless you’re going to eat pork and drink alcohol)
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Jesus is hated in Islam
This is COMPLETELY false. He is one of the 5 most loved prophet and messenger of Islam!! The Quran even has a whole chapter about the story of Mary and Jesus (PBUH). You have to believe in Jesus (PBUH) to be a Muslim. As a Muslim, we don’t believe that he is the son of God Almighty, but is the creation and prophet of God Almighty. We also don’t believe that he was crucified, but instead taken to Paradise and will be brought back to earth in Syria.
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Islam didn’t invent anything
This is completely wrong. Who ever told you this doesn’t know anything about the world today. Tell him to read the site here and tell you what he thinks. If he thinks this is a lie, tell him to give you evidence, as they all have proof. And algebra and the number 0 are main things that MUSLIMS invented.
It’s nice that you have brought some good points for the under-informed to learn about Islam. I have read a couple of good, positive articles about Islam in howtodothings.com regularly being written by one Sadaf Farooki.
But what gives respect to a religion ultimately is:
(1) How the “mass” of the religious practitioners behave and what sort of image they project to the world
(2) What sorts of (truly) religious masters that the religion produces from time to time to elevate the religion, its practitioners as well as the humanity to a higher spiritual level
and
(3) How “corrective” religious concepts based on core religious principles suited to the need of the time are brought in by “respectable” religious masters to combat the “unruly” and “ill-informed” and “self-styled” religious leaders from causing damage to the religion as well as to the humanity.
This is all very good but what are you doing as a person of the Islam faith to counter the Islam that is being thrust upon the world in the form of terrorism? Are you making statements that you personally condemn the violence that is happening around the world in the name of Islam? Are you doing anything to discredit these misguilded people or are you just expressing an opinion to justify your brand of the faith?
Your summary of the faith is a lot different than what we hear from the terrorists. What are you doing to stop their form of Islam if they are indeed misreprenting your faith?
We don’t need any Moslems here. We know what Islam does and we don’t need your explanations.Vote for Obama!
I have mixed opinions about this so I will only say that your piece was both educational and informative. Vote Obama and vote for change!
If you know what Islam does, then why dont you tell me?? ( I’m with Obama).
You see my friend, even though you MIGHT know, most people don’t. Most people just keep on getting brainwashed by the media. My intention of this article was not for people who know when they are being told a ack of lies. This article is for people who keep on getting brainwashed by the media, Eveyday.
i’m very pleased about your efforts to project the true image of Islam.I am a muslim too and every day we encounter much difficulties in our country including discrimination even though i live in a multi religious country!!!May Allah shower His rewards on you and Inch’Allah your work will open the eyes of those who have a very bad conception of Islam.
About the part on hijab… i have faced many amusing questions and not so amusing questions as a muslima that wears the hijab in the states. I pin it more on misinformed than brainwashed.
There are grand amounts of misinformation being spewed by the media about Islam. I don’t see people insisting that Christians defend themselves and their faith after the Oklahoma Bombing by Timothy McVay. (that last bit is towards those telling you to denounce the actions of Muslims, this article is about Islam not politics or war.)
A little research found this interesting piece.
“It is Diophantus of Alexandria to whom the title the “father of algebra” is often applied. But some claim that the title should be shared with the Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī. The debate continues.” I believe Diophantus lived some 400 years before Islam. In any case, I would concede algebra as an Arab invention but hardly an Islamic one.
Al-Khwarizmi was infact a strong believer in faith as you can see in his words. He praised Allah when he spoke. Why is it arab but not Islamic??? He is more islamic than he is arab.
I agree with you here, Islam IS misunderstood BUT it’s misunderstood mostly by some of it’s OWN PRACTITIONERS who choose to misinterpret and bend it’s rules. And that happens in EVERY religion as people become more pious and begin to use their religion to score points against ‘the other side’ and to prove their religion knows best.
I belong to no religion as such, but I was raised Catholic and I understood it’s message perfectly well and took that message to my heart where it belongs. I didn’t get involved in outward displays of piety and practices, I LIVED and still LIVE it’s message. I have seen many staunch religious people of ALL religions, banging their public drums, spreading the word and getting lost in PREACHING their religion rather than quietly PRACTISING their faith. If a person has TRULY got the message their religion is trying to convey, then they have NO NEED WHATSOEVER to preach it, advertise it, defend it, spread it – because all that will come naturally because of it’s authenticity. There are rules for life and living, there are things we can do which do us no harm and things we can do which do us and society harm. We all know that and anyone who claims they don’t is lying. As for Jihad/Struggle – life was never meant to be a struggle, life is naturally harmonious and has it’s cycles and tides. And far from being Muslim/Christian/Jew/Atheist ‘brothers’ and defending ourselves from each other – what are we defending ourselves from? We really need to LOSE ALL of those labels and GET THE TRUE MESSAGE that we are ALL (yes, even the atheist) we are ALL of us ONE FAMILY and that family’s name is called HUMANITY.