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1
COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT ISLAM

• Jamal Badawi
• Saint Marys University
• Jamalbadawi_at_hotmail.com
• www.Islamicity.com/Multimedia/Radio/RA200

2
OUTLINE

• Introduction
• Main causes of misunderstanding
• Three common stereotypes
• Holy War and violence?
• Hostility hate of infidels
• Oppression of women?
• Conclusion

3
INTRODUCTION

• A word of thanks
• Smaller global village
• Need for peaceful co-existence
• Role of interfaith understanding
• Children of Abraham
• Limitations on presentation

4
CAUSES OF MISUNDERSTANDING

• Outright polemics prejudice
• Mistranslation of the Quran e.g. 552
• Misunderstanding of the Quran
• Out-of-context quotes section, other texts
• Ignoring historical context e.g. early threats
• Erroneous generalizations
• Deliberate cut-and-paste approach
• Equating Islam with some Muslim actions

5
HOLY WAR VIOLENCE?

• Peace not conflict is the essence of Islam
• Term Islam means peace in submission to God
• Peace in key religious terms
• Peace a common theme in Islamic Law
• Arabic tr. of holy war is nowhere in the Quran
  
• Quranic Jihad means exertion struggle
• Individual, social combative levels
• Combative Jihad only for defense freedom
• Ref. 2277-78, 4915, 2552, 2190-193, 608-9

6
HOSTILITY HATE?

• Universal human brotherhood 41, 4913
• Plurality peaceful co-existence 608-9
• Affinity with People of the book 2285, 2946
• Recognition of prophets finding common grounds
• Friendship, even interfaith marriage allowed
  55
• Danger of disregarding textual historical
  context deliberate or by mistake
• An apparently general term may refer to a
  specific group, not all. E.g. 95 kill
  unbelievers?, also 585
• Unsubstantiated erroneous claims of abrogation

7
4. OPPRESSES WOMEN?

• Spiritually morally equal 41, 3335
• Equal blame concerning the forbidden tree
  711-25 Adam too was deceived by Satan
  20117-122
• Pains of pregnancy delivery reasons for
  adoration, respect and kindness to mothers
  3114
• Equity balance in economic matters Treatment as
  daughter, wife, mother, sister
• prophet Muhammad example role model
• Islam limited not introduced existing polygamy

8
CONCLUSION

• Clash or dialogue of civilizations?
• Ingredients of constructive dialogue
• Spirit of human brotherhood, love and concern
• Sincerity in search for truth
• Avoiding stereotyping and centrism
• Learning from not only about each other
• Dealing w/anti- dialogue agendas
• Extremist proof-text and vested interests
• www.Islamicity.com/Multimedia/Radio/RA200
• Gender Equity in Islam www.Jannah.net