9-11 Attack and Islam in America
By Kulsum Soonasra
December 7th, 2011
I attended a mosque recently and the lecturer spoke about Islam in America. He said, “… because of propaganda, Islam’s image is distorted,” and as a Muslim, I feel the need to clarify what my religion is truly about. I am a strong believer in not only religious tolerance, but also religious acceptance. Considering comments I personally have received and propaganda in the media, many people are not aware that Islam supports religious pluralism. Contrary to popular belief, Muslims do not hate other religions, and maybe this misconception about Islam is why there are hate crimes against the religion.
I have always been taught that my religion is one of peace and understanding. Consequently, when “Islam” and “terrorism” are directly connected, it aggravates me. I realize there are criminals that are Muslim, and there are those who call themselves Muslim and commit terrorist acts “in the name of God,” but they are not true Muslims; however, there are also non-Muslims that commit heinous acts, but they are not persecuted due to their religion, but rather their actions. Why is that not the case for Muslims? It boggles my mind as to why there are Qurans being desecrated in America when the book teaches love and acceptance. I fail to understand why there is such an issue with an Islamic center being built when people know that the foundation of Islam is peace, not violence. What makes me the most upset though are the acts of hypocrisy. If Islam is viewed as a violent religion by the masses, why are Muslims the ones victimized every time there is a hate crime against a mosque? Ignorance is the issue here, and Islam teaches to defend by education, not violence.
The fact that education is preferred over violence may come as a shock since the term “Jihad” or “holy war” is used so loosely with extremists. Jihad does not mean holy war, but in actuality, it means “internal struggle in the way of God;” now, that doesn’t sound so threatening, does it? According to Islam, there are only three cases in which Jihad can be used: self-defense, defending people who are being oppressed (Muslim or non-Muslim), or defending Muslim lands when the masses are in danger. In addition, the Quran clearly states that people can only physically fight when they are being attacked; therefore, physical force is the last possible resort. Jihad is acceptable in these three cases, and it does not seem so different from how U.S. law would handle the same situations. For example, when a person is being attacked, they are allowed to use the equal amount of force in self-defense. Furthermore, when people are oppressed, such as cases in Africa, the United Nations intervenes to save those people from their oppressors. Lastly, in any country, criminals are put in prison because they are causing problems in a society, and this affects the majority. Similarly, the last case Jihad is acceptable is defending Muslim lands from those who are harming the masses. Since these situations would be handled the same in U.S. law, it is proof that Jihad is an act of humanity, not violence.
I understand the perspective of those who do not have insight into the religion of Islam because they depend on the media. The media shows countries that are supposed to be Islamic countries, but instead, they oppose the religion rather than follow it. The governments in these types of countries force their people to practice a certain way, “their way,” not the Islamic way which distorts the image of Islam and leaves people confused. This type of oppressive government encourages the birth of extremists who kill in the name of God. A true Muslim knows that suicide bombing is against everything the religion teaches; it not only harms the bomber, but it also puts innocent people in danger. I am repulsed by the fact that people call themselves Muslims and then commit such atrocious acts; this is not Islam.
After 9/11, Islam has been all over the media, and most of the attention it has attracted is negative. I know people connect terrorism and Islam, but I hope that people realize that Islam is a religion of peace, not violence. Many religious extremists, despite their religion, use their beliefs as a scapegoat. These extremists are not people of faith; they are cowards. As an American Muslim, I realize the pain that America has suffered after the 9/11 attacks, and terrorist acts that occurred after that. These acts were done by awful human beings who do not know what Islam is. I am not here to impose my religion on anyone, but rather I am here to tell you all that Islam accepts people for who they are and what they believe. It is a religion that teaches peace, love, and acceptance, and anyone “Muslim” who says otherwise is not a Muslim at all.
Source: The Keystone
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-tolerance/9-11-attack-islam-america/d/6091