Islam is considered to be a “noble and great religion of peace.” This statement is made upon the basis of 
percentages (peaceful Muslims compared to violent ones). On the face of it, this seems like a logical assumption; indeed, with some 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, it is obvious that only a comparative “handful” comprise the radical “fringe” groups like ISIS, al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah and Boko Haram. Like many non-Muslims, I have Muslim friends, neighbors and acquaintances, and they’ve never threatened or harmed anyone. Certainly, the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful while the “trouble makers” number only in the tens of thousands, at best.
So, when it comes to terrorist acts committed under the banner of Islam, many people, including our President, claim that “those are not true Muslims,” or that the religion has been “hijacked” by thugs.
So what, exactly, is going on here? Are those terrorists truly Muslims? Are their barbaric acts really done as some perverted expression of religious faith? The big question—the elephant in the room that few people seem willing to grapple with—is: Is the Muslim faith—Islam—a religion of peace, or not?
The answer is… both yes, and no. It all depends upon the individual, their interpretation of their scripture (the Qur’an) and the measure of their willingness to submit and follow the commands of their faith.
A Quick Islamic Primer
Islam was conceived roughly 1400 years ago by an individual; the Prophet named Muhammad. In the year 609 CE, at the age of forty, it is claimed that Muhammad began receiving verbal revelations from God—Allah—by way of the angel Gabriel. Over a period of the next twenty-three years, until his death, Muhammad received from Gabriel, what Muslims consider God’s most definitive, un-corrupted book of scripture—the Qur’an—which is the primary life-guide for all Muslims. Muslims believe that the Qur’an expresses no human’s words, but is rather a perfect text, with each word and letter fixed, precisely, by no one but Allah.
In addition to the Qur’an, Muslims are to follow the Sunnah, which essentially means to follow the way of life of Muhammad, and the Hadith, which is scripture that includes the saying and teachings of Muhammad. Together, these sources form the basis of Sharia—Islamic Law.
A foundation of Muslim life is five, mandatory, basic acts, usually referred to as The Five Pillars of Islam. They are:
1. Shahadah: The declaration that there is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is God’s Messenger.
2. Salat: Muslims are to pray five times a day.
3. Zakat: Muslims are to give 2.5% of their savings to the poor.
4. Sawm: Muslims are to practice fasting and self-control during the holy month of Ramadan
5. Hajj: Muslims must travel (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they are able.
From Muhammad to Sunni & Shia
While Muhammad recognized the other major monotheistic religions that existed in his time (Judaism and Christianity) he believed Jesus merely another of the biblical prophets, and claimed that he alone, was God’s final, chosen prophet—Allah’s Messenger to humanity, for all time. One of the most important verses in all Islam is the required proclamation of faith: There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
According to Islam, all other scripture, such as the Torah, Proverbs, Psalms, and the Four Gospels of the New Testament, have been superseded by the Qur’an. It is, according to the Muslim faith, a book of scripture that is superior to all others.
Muhammad is said to be—like Jews and Christians—a direct descendent of Abraham, although his lineage follows the blood line of Abraham’s son, Ishmael, whereas Jews and Christians are descended from Abraham’s other son, Isaac.
After Muhammad’s death in 632 CE, his followers were divided in their belief as to who should be his rightful successor—the first Imam or Caliph. One group, the Shia, believed that Muhammad’s son-in law, Ali, was the rightful successor, and to this day believe he was the first Imam. The other group, the Sunni, accepted Muhammad’s senior companion and father-in law, Abu Bakr, as the first Caliph (and accept Ali as the 4th Caliph).
Today, Sunnis are the vast majority, comprising somewhere between 75 and 90% of the Muslim population.
Change is Needed
With so many non-violent Muslims in the world, it is a sad state of affairs that so much attention surrounding Islam must be related to violence and terror, but that is reality. The sad truth is, in the context of history and by the evidence of the current state of the Muslim world, we must seriously consider Islam in very different terms than we traditionally have. The threat posed by militant Islamic extremists is very real. It is a threat not only to the United States and the West, but to the entire world, both Islamic and non-Islamic alike. So when I say “we,” I am not only speaking to non-Muslims; indeed, and perhaps even more so, I am also speaking to all Muslims who consider themselves to be compassionate and peace-loving.
First of all, our understanding of the fundamental nature of Islam must change. For example, in the context how most Americans think of Islam, it is a religion. This is our first mistake. Islam is very much more than a religion. It is a socio-religious, socio-political system that fully encompasses the educational, economic, cultural, familial, judicial, legislative, militaristic, and spiritual realms.
It would perhaps be more accurate to refer to Islam by the name of the black separatist group of Malcolm X, as the Nation of Islam. Yet it is a nation that cannot be culled out in the sense that most of us think of nations. It is not like dealing with a country such as Iraq or North Korea. It is a nation unlike any other, without borders or physical constraint. It affects entire countries and has been a reckoning force in the world since Mohammad first conceived it, some 1,400 years ago.
Why do they hate us?
One of the best explanations I know of for why so many Muslims apparently hate the West, can be found in the book, What’s so Great About America, by Dinesh D’Souza. In it, D’Souza explains that, far from being “crazed fanatics,” or “insane murderers,” fundamentalist, Muslim terrorists are intelligent, resolute fighters who believe they are fighting us (the West), in part, to defend their way of life.
At first, this explanation seems absurd. Western culture is largely based upon freedom and a “live and let live” mentality. Do what you like, so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. Why don’t they feel this way? We aren’t attacking them. We aren’t telling them how to live. Why aren’t they willing to leave us alone?
In Western, developed nations, governments and legal systems primarily operate on a secular basis. Democracy and a separation of church and state, allows for religious freedom. So long as their practices don’t harm others, our system allows the free expression of all religions. Muslims are free to worship Allah, here in America, without fear of persecution.
But this is not the case in Muslim-ruled countries where Sharia law reigns. There is no democracy or freedom of expression. The very freedoms we value so much are viewed as threatening to much of the Islamic world. The fact is, many devout Muslims view the West as corrupt and corrosive. What we view as religious freedom and tolerance, they view as blasphemy (remember, no other God but Allah). What we understand as First Amendment rights and the freedom of expression, they see as our sanctioning and promotion of filth, depravity, and perversion.
So, again, why can’t they just leave us alone? Because, increasingly, by virtue of modern technology, we are not leaving them alone, and as our differences become greater, the more committed they become at lashing out against us. Consider, for a moment, just how severe our cultural differences are becoming. For example, here in the United States, we not only tolerate adultery, we tell jokes about it, and we even now have actual businesses and websites that “sell” extra-marital affairs. At the same time, in some Islamic-ruled countries, if it is discovered that a woman “cheats” on her husband, it is perfectly acceptable for that woman to be stoned to death or executed by her husband. The differences could not be more striking.
Please understand, I am by no means defending the actions of what we call Islamic terrorists, but it is important that we understand their nature, motivations and level of commitment to their cause, if we are ever going to prevent them from harming us.
The other, perhaps larger issue we must deal with is the intent and long-term goal of much of the Muslim world—that is to convert all nations and people to Islam. The fact that anyone would refuse to submit to Islam is unacceptable to many devout Muslims, as Islamic scholarship divides the world in two: 1) The House of Islam (dar al-Islam), which is comprised of all nations submitted to Islamic rule, and 2) The House of War (dar al-harb), which are all nations that have not submitted to Islam.
By strictly following the teaching concerning this division of humanity, it is incumbent on dar al-Islam to make war upon dar al-harb, until all nations submit to the will of Allah and accept Sharia law. The history of Islamic conquest testifies as to the clarity of the message here: Submit or Be Conquered.
Where Does Their Reasoning Come From?
What is this faith? The actors here claim to be the faithful followers of Muhammad, the Prophet of the one and only true God, Allah. They claim to be Muslim—the faithful believers and practitioners of the great religion, Islam. But, how can this be? How could anyone commit what the rest of the world considers cold-blooded murder—heinous atrocities—in the name of any religion?
Unfortunately, the justification for terrorists’ behavior and reason for the long standing conflict between Muslims and the West, and even the discord amongst Muslims themselves, is found in the text of the Qur’an itself. But don’t take my word for it—read it yourself. This is not a criticism or an opinion, it is fact.
If one compares the Qur’an to other sacred texts (the Bible, for example) several glaring differences become obvious. The first is violence and force. In the Bible, all violent acts are described within a context of historical record. There are no “orders” or commands that believers kill non-believers. As a Christian, one is to be a “salesman” of sorts. One is to share the Gospel (good news) of salvation and hope that it speaks to your heart. Christianity is all about “free will” and “choice.”
The Qur’an, on the other hand, contains numerous references where believers are to convert or “strike down” (kill) the non-believers. Furthermore, according to Islamic scripture, to fight and die in the cause of Allah is among the most highly recognized and valued acts.
Another major difference is the very nature of God. In the Bible, in the New Testament alone, there are literally hundreds of references to love; in fact, love is the overriding theme of God’s relationship with all mankind; the central claim of Christianity is that God, as Jesus, died for our eternal salvation. By comparison, there are virtually no references in the Qur’an describing God as a God of love. In fact, there are only two references where it is stated that God loves man, and only one, clearly so. While the terms “compassionate” and “forgiving” are used frequently, it is curious that “love” is virtually absent. God, as described in the Qur’an is a god of power and control, and sometimes forgiveness, but not love.
The problem here is, just as a large number of Christians have never actually read the entire Bible from cover to cover, I suspect the same holds true for vast numbers of Muslims. And this is the crux of the issue. It is the “fanatical fringe” who have read every word, and take it so literally, they comfortably justify their barbaric actions on the basis of their interpretation of sacred scripture. They truly believe they are working for God.
On a purely spiritual level, if one considers the obvious, obscene barbarism on display today as enacted by groups like ISIS and Boko Haram, where children are enslaved, raped and murdered; where crucifixion and burning people alive is acceptable, every peace-loving Muslim might want to consider these actions on the basis of some Christian teachings:
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. – Matt. 7:15-20 NKJV
And it is likely that in many cases, the extreme violence is a case of “follow the leader,” particularly as it appears that many of the terrorists tend to be young men. Whether they are led by some doctrinal belief or simply by following others they view and consider as leaders, whatever the case, they are simply finding license for behavior that most of the world deems repugnant. They are allowing their most base, carnal and depraved impulses to run wild, justifying their actions by de-humanizing their victims, just as the Nazis did as they calmly tortured and burned thousands of Jews in the Holocaust.
What is the Answer?
The recent Charlie Hebdo Massacre, the rise of ISIS and a resurgence of al-Qaeda are all potent reminders that what some refuse to call a “war” still rages nonetheless. In fact, regardless of the ignorance or denial of our current administration, terrorism is on the rise and the terrorists are becoming bolder with each passing day. The 9/11 dark stain of evil has only grown more ominous in recent years.
While much has changed since 9/11, one thing that has not changed is the ever-present threat of radical, Islamic extremists. According to WND (formerly, World Net Daily) and other sources, there have been over 20,000 terrorist attacks, worldwide, since 9/11—some sources place the number closer to 25,000—all committed under a banner of what the perpetrators call their “faith.”
Certainly, the vast majority of Muslims interpret their scripture and practice a faith aligned with peace and compassion, and are no threat to anyone. But with Islam growing throughout the world, with some eight million or so followers within the United States, in order for terrorism to truly be vanquished, the real battle must be waged within the confines of Islam itself. Muslims must decide within and amongst themselves to what tenets of faith they will adhere. Muslims must take the lead by rejecting and universally denouncing any and all precepts that support terrorism in any form or circumstance: be it hostage taking, torture, targeting innocents, or whatever. They must reconsider any teachings or interpretations of scripture, if they are in conflict with principals of non-terrorist behavior.
Islam is sometimes referred to as “the straight path,” but even many Muslims will concede that there are deep theological and doctrinal concepts expressed in the Qur’an that make it something other than “straight.” If you disagree, maybe one should simply ask: If Islam is a religion of peace, why then do so many terrorists commit their dreadful acts under it banner?
In a 2004 article, in the Saudi government daily newspaper Al- Wanton, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, called for a Jihad against Saudi terrorists, to be waged by Saudi citizens. This is precisely what should occur. This is the kind of leadership that the United States government should encourage and support. Most of all, it is what Muslims should support, too.
In many ways, Islam is a seething cauldron of conflicting ideas. Misconceptions and confusion about its character and nature are ubiquitous, even amongst Muslims. This is, in and of itself, one of the major problems we must consider with regards to Islam. It is a problem for which the solution must come from Muslims themselves. Islam is fraught with complexity as it has struggled with its identity for its entire history. Jihad is an apt description of what has been occurring for these past several centuries, but it is time for Muslims to make a decision about their faith.
In order for terrorism to be stopped, it is incumbent upon Muslims everywhere to embrace this idea of Prince Bandar’s and take up Jihad against the terrorists. Further, Muslims must search their hearts, and, if need be, they must re-define and reform the very core of Islam altogether. The history of bloody discord between Islam and the West is compelling evidence that there will never be peace unless Muslims can do this.
And if they cannot, Muslims may want to consider searching for a higher truth.
Thanks Eric and Dr. Ejaz for nice comments. I believe the problem is not in the Quranic scripture but in the way when its read out of context. These out of context verses are used by fanatics to justify their actions and others to promote Islamophobia. But Quran negates terrorism completely when it say “Killing an innocent person is like as if the whole of the humanity is killed and saving the life of a person is like saving all of the humanity (5:32)”. This is the biggest condemnation of terrorism in any scripture that I know.
The change has already begun everywhere. You can see that all the muslim countries are fighting against fanatics who use Islam’s name but it will take some time to eradicate those “black sheep” elements completely. When I see the video that ISIS is destroying the ancient artifacts, I ask myself that who made those museums in the first place? Obviously muslims so we dont need to blame Islam for that and those same muslims stand for a change NOW.
Just a quick thank you, Eric Johnson, for this article. I appreciate its clarity and will be sharing it.
GREAT article!!! Well put in plain English. Where has this simple logic been. I will read comments and comment on them later. Thanks Mr, Johnson and Alive you made my month….JH
Kudos to Eric Johnson for having the courage to publish “the Islamic Enigma”, a well-reasoned and honest assessment of the Islam religion. In these milk toast days of “political correctness” it is refreshing to have someone who is willing to publically proclaim the truth. Eric does it with skill, humility and respect for those who may disagree. This is a debate we need to have. Nevertheless, I’m sure Eric will be strongly criticized and called a bigot and Islamophobe, for in these days …….. “no good deed goes unpunished”!
Regarding the Islamic Enigma question posed in the subject article, in my view, there are only two possible answers. One possibility is that the Jihadists (the Islamic Extremists) are theologically correct and are the “true” Muslims and that the Qur’an commands Jihadic violence in accordance with dozens of verses in the Qur’an such as Sura 8:12 which says:
“I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them”
In this case all the so called radical Islamic extremists are simply the true believers and the peace loving Muslims are, as the Baptists would call them, “backsliders”.
The other possibility is that the moderate Muslims are the true believers and that the Jihadists, or those who commit atrocities in the name of Islam, are not really Muslims at all but are hijacking the name of Islam to give them cover and “respectability” to their violent and despicable actions. I find it hard to believe, however, that men would die for an ideology that they don’t believe in! I think they truly believe that they are the true Muslims. Dr. Naqvi (who is critical of the article), and our current President, both maintain that the Jihadists or radical Islamists are not really Muslims and that they are simply hiding behind that facade and are hypocrites. If this is so, where is the outcry from the “true” Muslims? If thousands of terrorists were beheading Muslims and burning them to death in cages in the name of Presbyterianism, you would see a massive outpouring of outrage from the normally mild mannered and sedate Presbyterians. They would be leaping out of their padded pews and shouting from the rooftops that these terrorists are not Presbyterians but members of the army of Satan!! Where are the outraged Muslims screaming from the rooftops?
As far as informing our immediate actions or reactions, however, it really doesn’t matter which view is correct. Radical Islam is growing exponentially and must be stopped NOW! If the moderate Muslims believe that ISIS, al-Qaeda, Hamas, Boko Haram and the other radical extremist groups are hijacking their religion then they should be taking aggressive and immediate action, both in words and in actions! I am pleased to see that Jordan and Egypt have done so are stepping up to the plate. Now is the time for decisive U.S. leadership in this existential battle before we are all dragged into World War III!
I would like to make another comment that is critical but seems to be overlooked my most people. Some may think this issue is in the theological weeds, but in my opinion it is a major issue. Dr. Naqvi alleges that Allah is the same as the God of the Bible. He complains that Eric “frequently implies that Allah is a separate God” and exclaims that this is “completely inaccurate”. Dr. Naqvi explains that “Allah MEANS God. It’s derived from two root words-Al (meaning the) and Ilah (meaning the deity)-or simply-The One and Only God.” He misses the point. The point is not whether the words may have the same roots or if some people use the same words to denote God. The fundamental issue is what the respective scriptures teach about who the God of the Bible is and who Allah is. The Bible teaches that God is composed of three persons, God the Father, God the Son (i.e. Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. Even Dr. Naqvi, I’m sure, would readily admit that Muslims do not believe that Jesus is God! The Muslim faith teaches only that Jesus was a great prophet (but of course not as great as Muhammad). Christians believe, just as Muslims believe, that there is only one God… but He definitely is NOT the Islamic Allah!
Thank you Mr. Johnson for your article. This is an important discussion we must have. As Jesus Christ stated while here on earth, “The truth will set you free.” We as a nation, as a people, need to be set free from the threat of our enemies. The only way we will truly have peace is by getting right with God by believing and speaking the truth.
Keep up the good work!
Eric Johnson’s reply/rebuttal was/is a work of art.
Dear Dr. Naqvi,
Thank you for taking the time to compose and send your comments regarding my article, “The Islamic Enigma.” I appreciate your considerable effort and point-by-point remarks. It is my hope that this article might serve in a constructive capacity, first by prompting reasonable, rational conversations between Muslims and non-Muslims in order to encourage better understanding, and second, to suggest a possible (again, reasonable and rational) course of action with regard to the very real problem of radical Islamist global terrorism.
I regret that your reaction to my article is that you feel as though I have “jumped on the bandwagon of many Islamophobic campaigns to discredit the religion of Islam.” Quite honestly, my intention is completely the opposite, and I am sorry that you did not recognize my attempts to delineate the fact that there are, indeed, Muslims who prefer peace and likewise abhor the despicable acts of fanatics who claim to also be Muslim.
I respect that you are devout in your Muslim faith, and that you know so many others who share in your feelings of fulfillment and that being Muslim has made your life better.
So that you understand my point of reference, I am a Christian. Like you, I have read the Bible, cover to cover, several times. I regularly study and refer to the New Testament, and like you, am devout in my faith. I have read numerous other works related to my Christian faith, like Michael Grant’s A Historian’s Review of the Gospels, and The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus, by Lee Strobel, among many others.
I have also read the Quran, fully twice. And while I have done supplemental research regarding the Quran and the Prophet Mohammad, in neither case, do I claim to be an authority. Likewise, while I have read and studied the Bible, I do not claim to be an authority or biblical scholar, by any means.
Before I get to my main argument, I would like to address several specific points in your comments. First, regarding the “Allah or God” question: I do not suggest that there is more than one God. There is only one God. But, as you are so involved in “interfaith community” you obviously agree that what is important—what matters most—is what each person understands and accepts to be God’s character, and then how each person’s actions are then guided by that understanding.
So while we both claim that there is only one God, your understanding (being Muslim) of His character is apparently very, very different from mine (being Christian), and so how each of us may be inclined to treat others may be very different. For example, and to address another point you make, your understanding of God’s character, as revealed in your statement, “Bottom line is, God loves good people, not everyone. God of the Quran and the Bible is the same God, and He does not love murderers and others who create mischief in the land. He makes no bones about it, whether He is speaking in the Quran or the Bible,” is, in fact, fully at odds with what I, and most Christians, believe.
We (Christians) believe God is opposed to evil itself—evil behavior—but not the people He created (all people). So, God loves everyone, not just “good” people. In fact, according to Christian scripture there are no “good people,” as it says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
And, to address your attempt to characterize the nature of Jesus as being something other than loving, by paraphrasing the statement that He makes, referring to the Pharisees as “snakes, sons of vipers,” I believe you miss His point entirely, and to equate this as anything even approaching hatred for His people, is simply ridiculous. Let me explain it this way: Certainly, you love your children. Have you ever had need to scold them? This is what Jesus was doing—getting their attention because their behavior, as supposed leaders of the faith, was “off track.” The Pharisees were behaving badly, acting as hypocrites, and misleading their followers.
And as an aside, there is a very important point here, in so far as what any faith offers in terms of examples of behavior for its followers—while Jesus gave the Pharisees a bit of a “tongue lashing,” he did not raise a hand against them. “Tough love,” perhaps, but no limbs were severed in His punishment!
So, the very point of being a Christian is centered upon the belief that we are all flawed (sinners) and that while the Bible teaches that the penalty for sin is spiritual death, God the Father (Jehovah or Allah) came to the Earth as a man, in Jesus Christ, and willingly paid that penalty, giving His life for us (all people). In the Christian faith, “God” is love, fully, which we can only understand to a degree, and can only experience through Christ. Indeed, one of the most important and telling scriptures defining God’s love for all people is, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Likewise, many other biblical scriptures testify to the fact that it is God’s will and desire that all people (souls) be “saved,” as in, “Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that even one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 8:14
And, while we are discussing differences in behavior and scriptural teaching, consider Jesus’ teaching regarding a woman caught in the act of adultery, who was about to be stoned. Jesus clearly makes the point that no one is “good,” when he addressed the crowd, “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.’” John 8:7. This example stands in stark contrast to contemporary Sharia law, as practiced in some Muslim ruled countries, where if either an unmarried man or an unmarried woman has pre-marital sex, the punishment is 100 lashes and if a married man or a married woman commits adultery, the punishment is 100 lashes and then stoning to death. Some Sharia law also considers pregnancy in an unmarried woman as sufficient evidence that she committed adultery and she can be stoned to death. So much for those who claim that, basically, “all religions are essentially ‘the same’.”
To your point about some followers of other religions not being true to their faith, your use of the case of some Israeli prejudices, as to where women sit in public buses, is a very weak, poor example of someone of faith misinterpreting scripture. This is not all like the difference between, say, an act of self-defense, for example, and the murder of innocent civilians.
As to your point about whether the fanatics have read the entire Quran, I will concede that they may not have. But again, my point here is, they may very well have done so. This really is one of my major points—that there are so very many references to violence expressed within the text of the Quran (well over 100) and so few where it is expressed that God loves mankind, is it not ripe for misinterpretation? Would you not agree? If not, then I ask you directly: What are these people using as their basis for their actions? Why do they claim to be Muslim? Why do they claim to be serving Allah? Please, you tell me.
And, to address your comparisons of the Quran and some of the passages in the five books of the Torah where God dealt harshly with certain groups, and where God directed Moses to lead the Jews in various attacks against their enemies, again, this is provided as a narrative of history, intended to teach certain lessons—not as “marching orders” for today’s believers.
More importantly, from a Christian perspective, the Old Testament was provided to show all people, essentially, that we are all, again, sinners, and to foretell of the coming (and need of) the Messiah, who is, Jesus Christ. In other words, the Old Testament is the story of mankind’s history of failure in dealing with each other, which then leads all people to Christ in the New Testament teachings.
Now, to answer your point that the “Islam vs The West” terrorist war is a fallacy, my first reaction is: Seriously? While it is true that throughout the history of Islam, many Muslims have generally been “at war” with each other, but this does not negate the fact that much of the Muslim world largely rejects Western Culture. For you to argue that that the killing of the Muslim policeman in the Charlie Hebdo incident somehow proves that there really is no Islamic animosity toward the West, is ludicrous. Throughout history, and again in this case, some Muslims justify acts of violence based upon their fervent belief that “their brand” of Islam is the right one, and so they apparently feel no reason to refrain from killing other Muslims—certainly any who in any way “appear” to support Western values.
Your further rebuttal that “If in fact these terrorists are against the ‘West’ and the ‘Western values,’ then why do they never attack countries like Switzerland?” I suppose my answer is simply, again: Seriously? Perhaps it would be more accurate to say: “Not yet!”
Since my article appeared, a Muslim terrorist attacked and murdered people in Copenhagen, Denmark, which was followed several days later by the beheading of 21 Christians in Libya. Just since 2008, there have been Islamic terrorist attacks in the United States, The UK, Denmark, Belgium, France, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Italy, Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Bulgaria and Cypress—to date, totaling 64. Just a bit of evidence that the fanatics really don’t like the west, wouldn’t you agree? If we add up all those in non-western nations that are “friendly,” or “sympathetic” to the West, like Israel and India, the number grows substantially. Worldwide, there are relatively few nations, anywhere, where innocent civilians have not been directly murdered or harmed by Islamic terrorists.
As for the United States’ involvement in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I can only say: 9/11. As for other nations where we have been and/or are involved, like Iraq and Libya, I can only say that the politics and interests involved are different in each case, and regardless of that, aside from all that you and many others in academia feel compelled to offer as a moral equivalency to the horrendous acts of terrorists, the mission of our foreign relations and our military has never been the “conquest” of others. If that was the case, all of the Middle East, along with much of the rest of the world, would today, be fully under the control of the United States. In World War II we defeated Germany and Japan; then, we proceeded to re-build them both. Without firing a shot, we essentially defeated the Soviet Block. We did not then “overtake” the region; we worked as best we could to promote democratic and economic freedom to nations and people that were willing to work with us.
Now, regarding my statement about whether Islam is or is not a religion of peace. I really don’t think we should have a disagreement here. Of course, in terms of semantics and in a purely academic sense, what is true to the text of Quran may very well be very different from the acts of some of its followers. But that is the point— it doesn’t matter what the “truth” is about Islam; what matters is how its followers are expressing their faith, and then how your religion is being perceived.
Certainly you are well aware that there are some self-proclaimed Muslims in the world today who are creating what you ought to recognize as a public relations nightmare. Again, it is perceptions that matter. For every word spoken describing Islam as a religion of peace, another sickening atrocity is hurled into the face of the civilized world by groups and individuals claiming to be the contemporary leaders of Islam. So, as the saying goes, “what you do speaks so loudly, what you say I cannot hear.”
While you certainly know much more about the Islamic faith than I do, can you not understand why many non-Muslims might question the foundational teachings of your faith, when there are many who claim to represent the Muslim faith that openly support and incite barbaric acts of violence committed against innocent people? For example, the leader of ISIS, the Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi—a man who is said to hold a BA degree, a MA degree and a PhD in Islamic Studies, along with a PhD in Education—he obviously has quite a few, committed followers; a group that is apparently growing in numbers, even as they become more and more savage in their actions. What is his message to the world about the Muslim faith? And do you not suppose he has read the Quran thoroughly?
And, lest we forget 9/11; even in the relatively brief period of history of my own lifetime, many of us know that 9/11 wasn’t the beginning of modern-day Islamic terrorism, by any means. Personally, I recall the massacre of eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany, at the hands of Palestinian terrorists. I also well remember the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Iran in 1979, where 52 American diplomats and citizens were held captive for 444 days by radical Islamist militants, led by Ayatollah Khomeini—a man who certainly claimed to be following Islamic teaching. There were numerous hijacked airliners during the 1970s and 80s, accompanied by the1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beruit, Lebanon, where 299 American and French troops were killed by a group calling itself, “Islamic Jihad.”
There was the brutal murder of disabled senior citizen, Leon Klinghoffer in 1985, who was shot as he sat in his wheelchair, then thrown overboard from the deck of the cruise ship, Achille Lauro, by Palestinian terrorists. In 1988, Libyans planted a bomb on Pan Am flight 103. It exploded 30,000 feet above Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 passengers aboard.
In 1993 there was the first World Trade center bombing which killed seven and injured 1,042 people, and that same year, we lost eighteen soldiers and 72 were wounded in what would be known as the “Black Hawk Down” incident in Somalia—both enabled and orchestrated by al-Qaeda. I also recall the 2000 attack on the USS Cole in Yemen, again where, again, al-Qaeda succeeded in killing 17 American Sailors. I could continue, but I believe this list is adequate to illustrate the commonalities in each case. These were not violent acts committed on some battlefield, between soldiers during a declared war; they were what the civilized world considers “terrorist” acts; all at the hands of those claiming to be Muslim.
In conclusion, I hope you will understand that it is not my intention to “blame this on the teachings of the Quran.” But, I am angered and disgusted by the behavior of some Muslims, and like many people, I think it must be stopped—now. If Christians were committing acts like these, I would condemn the acts and those committing them, just the same.
I hope you will reconsider your opinion, that my point of view is somehow “short sighted, misleading, inaccurate and borders on bigotry.” As you are a member of an interfaith group, I am sure you respect my choice in life to worship as a Christian, as I do your choice to worship as a Muslim.
We should both agree that one of the wonderful things about the time in which we live is that information is easily and readily available to all, and that we can encourage people to think, and make choices, for themselves. In the interest of better understanding, we ought to encourage all people to read and research the Quran, and the Bible. It would be good if everyone read the New Testament and historical texts concerning the life and teachings of both Jesus Christ and His followers, and Mohammad and his followers. How did they live and act? What is the history concerning these two faiths, and how does their teaching and their followers affect our world today? Do numbers of their followers work in other parts of the world, feeding the hungry and healing the sick? Do they affirm and work to protect basic human rights?
Good or bad, we must then consider and compare the words of faith, and test them to see how those words align with the actions of that particular faith’s followers. We must then agree to “coexist” in peace with each other. That said, no one who is rational will ever agree, nor should they be expected to, coexist with evil.
Again, I appreciate your comments and critiques—especially your final comment “that Muslims around the world need to take a good look at themselves and root out the extremists. But this is a shared responsibility.” By this admission, you obviously know change is needed. If you truly feel this way, to use a cliché, I must say that “the ball is in your court,” and the time to act is now.
I hope you will take my article and my response to your comments as they are intended—that is to be an aid to you in reaching out to other peace-loving Muslims. Because with each new act of terror, the Muslim faith appears to non-Muslims, as being farther and farther away from a religion of peace. You must have the moral courage to speak out in order to help change the direction of the actions of some Muslims.
We can and should both stand up for love and peace, and wholly reject the evil and terror that seems to be ravaging much of the world today. And if you are serious, I will gladly stand right beside you in that cause.
We must remember, the world is watching, and everything is judged by actions, not words. As Andrew Carnegie said, “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”
This article starts off rather well but as you continue to read, Eric Johnson unfortunately jumps on the bandwagon of many of the Islamophobic campaigns to discredit the religion of Islam itself and making several generalizations, and makes several inaccurate statements as I will spell out later. I will start by a very brief introduction of myself. I am a born-again Muslim and author of Amazon best selling, The Quran: With or Against the Bible? A Topic By Topic Review for the Investigative Mind. I consider myself devout Muslim and have studied the Quran cover to cover, as well as the Bible. After reading the Quran, I can honestly say I am a better person, better physician, better neighbor, and definitely more peaceful and more inclusive and in fact the study of the Quran prompted me to study the Bible and joining the interfaith work. I have talked to so many Muslims who have read the Quran in THEIR language and came away with similar feelings. Let me now address some of the statements made by Eric.
“Is the Muslim faith—Islam—a religion of peace, or not? The answer is… both yes, and no. It all depends upon the individual, their interpretation of their scripture (the Qur’an)”
I am not sure why he will say yes or no. One must separate from the teachings (“the religion-in this case Islam, from the followers actions). A religion has set values. It cannot be a yes and no answer. The yes and no answer is more applicable to the followers. Therefore, there are segments in the Israeli society where women STILL must sit in the back of the bus.(I was told about this by a Rabbi at an interfaith event in SFO). You may have seen Jewish people on an Al El flight refusing to sit next to women and creating a scene. Is this supported by Torah? If so, why are all Jews not acting the same way? The answer is that the religious teachings are the same, its how one interprets them makes them act differently.
The suggestion that the Muslim extremists/terrorists are the ones who have read the Quran cover to cover, and thus implying that’s why they are acting in a violent way is frankly ridiculous. (The problem here is, just as a large number of Christians have never actually read the entire Bible from cover to cover, I suspect the same holds true for vast numbers of Muslims. And this is the crux of the issue. It is the “fanatical fringe” who have read every word). It is true that many Muslims have never read the Quran cover to cover, but a large numbers have. And it has turned them into more open and peaceful people, like myself. By the way, a recent French captive by ISIS for 10 months stated that he never saw anyone of his captors read the Quran. He never saw a copy of the Quran near them in 10 months!.
Allah or God?:
The author here frequently implies that Allah is a separate God. Its completely inaccurate. Allah MEANS God. Its derived from two root words-Al(meaning the) and Ilah(meaning the deity)-or simply-The One and Only God. Coptic Christians use Allah for God. Arabic translations of the Bible use Allah for God and Elohim.’
God of Quran is not a loving God?
Eric also talks about the “Quran’s Allah” not being loving, whereas the God of the Bible is. This is also grossly inaccurate and misleading. The most often repeated attributes of God in the Quran-by far, reflect his love and compassion and mercy- (“Ar Rehman” and “Ar Raheem”). Conversely numerous passages in the five books of the Torah depicts God as very upset with the Israelites with Moses, ready to set them ablaze. God of the Bible in the book of Exodus ordered Moses to “go from one end of the camp to another and kill everyone… and some 3000 people were killed that day”. Other books in the Old Testaments call for annihilating communities like ammonites for example, and the orders were to kill everyone including women and children. Moreover, Jesus(Peace be upon him), in the Gospels calls the Jewish Rabbis and Pharisees “snakes, sons of vipers”- far from someone who is ready to deliver love. Bottomline is, God loves good people, not everyone. God of the Quran and the Bible is the same God, and He does not love the murderers and others who create mischief in the land. He makes no bones about it, whether He is speaking in the Quran or the Bible.
The Quran does not call for “killing all the infidels”
The Islamophobia literature and TV coverage is full of quoting few of the verses that were SPECIFICALLY revealed for a particular community (pagans of Mecca) for violating the peace treaty and when they continues to ambush the Muslim travelers. The often neglect to quote the verses that immediately preceded or followed these verses. Verse 2:190 lays out the conditions for such actions- It must be in self defense and COMMANDS the followers to NOT commit aggression for “verily Allah does not love aggressors.” Verses 9:1-6 also address these issues, though only verse 9:5 is flashed on TV screens. The set of verses also call for stopping the war “if they seek asylum or stop fighting you”.
In fact the Quran calls for addressing people of the book in the best of manners (49:26). Verses 2:62, 5:69 and 2:110 also calls for Muslims, Jews, Sabeans and Christians and promises them good reward on the day of judgment if they believe in God, the last day and do good deeds.
West vs Islam?
Another fallacy is to keep painting the terrorism as a war between the west and Islam. Once again, this is fallacious. These groups(ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Qaida etc), have killed many times more Muslim than the westerners. Even in the west, many of the victims were Muslims. (Hijabists marathon runner in Boston, Ahmed- the Muslim policeman killed when trying to protect the journalists, and many of the 9/11 victims). If in fact these terrorists are against the “west” and the ‘western values”, then why do they never attack countries like Switzerland?
Eric asks: why are they attacking us. We didn’t attack them:
Why is that we have terrorists groups everywhere WE intervened- Afghanistan/Pakistan, Iraq, Syria and Lybia, to name a few. Why is that Iraq under Saddam was never blamed, even by Bush administration for terrorism? The same Mujahideen that we supported in 1980s turned Taliban and terrorists. The same people we supported to overthrow Qaddafi in Libya, later turned into ISIS forces. How is that we control Iraq and didn’t know ISIS was in the process of capturing one third of the country? And these unarmed people(ISIS) somehow just overpowered the Iraqi army, and captured the tanks and other USA-made ammunition (and got good at running these tanks!)?
To blame this on the teachings of the Quran or Islam, is short sighted, misleading, inaccurate and borders on bigotry.
I do agree, however, that Muslims around the world need to take a good look at themselves and root out the extremists. But this is a shared responsibility. I know I am not the only one who feels that way. Pretty much all of my interfaith circles and others in academia share my beliefs.
Eric has written an outstanding article that is both insightful and brave. I admire him for not being afraid to write on a lightening rod topic in a fair way.
Finally, a cogent, rational, concise analysis of this “enigma” in American print media. Mr. Johnson is spot on (as the Brits say) , and it’s fitting that Mr. Baxter’s piece on freedom of speech is also in this issue. I can only say Wow, thank you ALIVE!