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Babatunde Oshinowo Jr.
ISLAM
By Babatunde Oshinowo Jr.
EDGE, Spring 2004
Babatunde Oshinowo Jr.
Faith throughout history has always struck a tense cord in the minds and hearts of
mankind. The stalwart belief and adherence to the precepts of one faith has always
seemed lead to the misunderstanding and hatred of another. These misunderstandings
have often been between not only religious bodies but also between nations and empires.
All throughout ancient history, the wills of empires, justifications for wars, and the
oppression of peoples have been enforced by the false interpretations of various religions.
Over time, even the purest forms of religious practice have been distorted and misused by
these empires for political and economical gain. From the Crusades to the Roman Empire
to even today when leaders declare, “God told me to do it” as reasoning for war, men
have used religion to justify actions that would otherwise seem irrational. This trend can
be seen in the conflict between the west and the Islamic faith today. Recent conflicts in
the Middle East and in the United States have sparked a certain fascination in America
concerning the Muslim faith. Such fascination stems more from American concern over
the dangers of Muslims than from a sincere attempt to understand Islam and its tolerant
and peaceful principles (El Fadl vii). Most Americans are uneducated in the principles of
Islam and have biased knowledge and opinions that go as far as the radical clerics and
militiamen seen on television. This has led to the deterioration of rational discourse
between not only peoples of differing religious beliefs but between two societies as a
whole. Radical groups take center stage while more the more rational and peaceful
believers in Islam are not seen. From its beginnings with Muhammad in Mecca to its
present state now, the Muslim faith, in many circles, has been twisted away from its
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original principles to a form more radical in its application and violent in its appearance.
In order to create a greater understanding of the true Islamic discipline, it is necessary to
break through the current uneducated rhetoric surrounding Islam in order to look at its
original form. They would see that conflict and discrimination in the name of Islam is
actually contrary to the principle doctrine and that there are non-violent, tolerant Muslim
practitioners.
It is essential to examine the history of Islam in order to understand its true and
original form. Like many religions prevalent today, the roots of Islam stem from a
troubled time in the minds of many Arabs in the Middle East. In the year 610, the city of
Mecca was home to the Arab tribe known as the Quraysh. Over the past few generations,
the Quraysh peoples were a nomadic tribe and fought to survive in the inhospitable
environment of the Arabian steppes. Things had changed of late, however, and the
Quraysh had become a successful in the trade market, which was centered in the city of
Mecca. This new success, in Muhammad’s mind, had introduced them to a new kind of
peril. Multi-faith expert and ex-nun, Karen Armstrong describes the situation of the
Quraysh in her book, A History of God:
They were now rich beyond their wildest dreams. Yet their drastically altered
lifestyle meant that the old tribal values had been superseded by a rampant and
ruthless capitalism. People felt obscurely disoriented and lost. Muhammad knew
that the Quraysh were on a dangerous course and needed to find an ideology that
would help them to adjust to their new conditions. (Armstrong 155).
The Arab tradition had always had a strong sense of community, yet the newfound wealth
present in the tribe made the old traditional ways began to seem like an inconsequential
seem like a way of the past. The strong Arab community that had once been law now
gave way to tribal fighting and discrimination. In addition, foreign ideas were beginning
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to penetrate the Arabic regions. The empires of Persia and Byzantium surrounded the
Arab world. People heard stories of great wonders outside the Arabic realm and began to
feel inferior as a community as a whole. Although they believed that their God was the
same, Arabs began to feel that their traditional “paganism” was far inferior to other
religions that they began to come in contact with like Judaism and Christianity. Arabs felt
increasingly alarmed also because surrounding empires had used Judaism and
Christianity to impose imperialistic regimes in the area. Different sects began to form and
Arabs struggled to find a cultural identity. It was at this time that Muhammad received a
“divine revelation” from God.
According to Muslim tradition, on the seventeenth night of Ramadan, Muhammad
was commanded by the angel of God to “utter the word of God”. He himself originally
skeptical, Muhammad, due to the angel’s insistence, began to recite scripture from God,
known as the Qur’an (Koran), or Recitation. Over the next twenty-three years,
Muhammad preached the message of the Qur’an to the Quraysh and the entire Arab
world. This was an extremely important event not only in Islam but also in the society
and culture of the Arab world. This was the first time that any kind of divine text or
scripture had been written or spoken in the Arabic language. Muhammad essentially,
“had become the divine envoy to the Arabs” (Armstrong 162) and Muslims saw their
Arabic culture in a more valid light. It is important to note that none of the fundamental
teachings of Muhammad and the Qur’an condone or support violence. In fact, as Islamic
author Mohammed Abu-Nimer writes, there are several main principles from the Qur’an
that support coexistence and tolerance among peoples and religious bodies (Abu-Nimer
81). One unique, often overlooked, aspect of the Qur’anic teachings comes in the
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message of the Qur’an to Jews and Christians. As Karen Armstrong explains, the Qur’an
does not lash out against Judaism or Christianity but instead promotes the religious
experience of all of mankind:
Muhammad never asked Jews or Christians to convert to his religion…because
they had received authentic revelations of their own. …It is important to stress
this point because tolerance is not a virtue that many Western people today would
feel inclined to attribute to Islam. Yet from the start, Muslims saw revelation in
less exclusive terms than either Jews or Christians (Armstrong 177).
As also seen in the seven principles mentioned by Abu-Nimer, original Islam contains
messages of tolerance. Many Muslims today argue that Muhammad would have included
Buddhists and Hindus had he been aware of them. Also, contrary to Western belief, in the
Qur’an, war is considered abhorrent (182). Through his teachings, thought, the Arab
tribes were once again united in ummah or a spirit of Arab community until his death in
632. Considering the teachings of the Qur’an and the surprising similarities between the
roots of Islam compared with those of other faiths, it can be puzzling to think of the
reasoning behind conflicts today. Although peaceful in its origins, Islam, since the early
seventh century has succumbed to many distortions, both political and economical.
The origins of distortions to the original Muslim faith are traced back to the time
period immediately following the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632. Until that
point, Muhammad had been the spiritual and obligatory political leader of the Arab
community (ummah). Shortly before his death, Muhammad declared that his cousin and
son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib, was to become his successor, also known as Caliph
(kalipha). It did not happen right away and Ali accepted the leadership of the other
caliphs chosen. At this time, Islam was an empire unto itself and began to expand rapidly
under the caliphate, a far cry from the original teachings of Muhammad. When Ali finally
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became the fourth caliph in 656, the tension of the Muslim community came to a head.
This is the point at which the split occurs in the Islamic faith between the Shiah and
Sunni Muslim groups. The two groups were at odds over how the next caliph of Islam
was to be chosen. The caliph is essentially the leader of the Muslim community and has
power in the decisions that guide those following Islam. Most of the differences between
the two sects are derived from this sensitive issue. The Shiah (Shi’a) Muslims believed
that the current caliph should appoint the successor; the caliph would be led according to
divine instruction and was the only one capable of selecting a successor because the
caliph, or Imam, was infallible. The Sunni Muslims considered the position of the caliph
as more of a political seat that should be elected by based on their qualities, rather than by
candid appointment. The Sunnis did not see the caliph as infallible or necessarily divinely
appointed, but as some one who was brave, competent, and trustworthy, qualities closer
to that of a political leader. The Shiah declared Ali the first Imam or leader of the ummah,
while many sought other means of selecting the caliph. With the leadership of the
Muslim community in dispute, the split between the Shiah and Sunnis was markedly
more political than doctrinal, signaling the new importance of politics in the Muslim
religion, the reverberations of which can be seen even today (Armstrong 182).
The Shiah became a minority throughout the Arab world. Their presence was
mainly that of a rebellious protest group. Before Ali was named caliph, the Shiah
struggled to get him appointed to the caliphate or the ruling body of Islam. In 656, when
Ali was named caliph establishing the Shiah way in the leading body of Islam, a revolt
took place that led to civil war. The Umayyad, who ruled the various governments, was at
the head of this revolt and established their own caliphate. Ali was eventually
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assassinated and political power in Islam was split. While originally under Islam, it was
frowned upon to coerce people into the faith, under the Umayyad, Islam was used as a
means of expansion into not only the surrounding empires, but Asia and North Africa as
well. Richard Hooker describes part of the distortion of Islam under the Umayyad state:
Mu'awiyya and the Umayyad, however, adopted models of kingship from
surrounding peoples. They separated their court from the Muslim community and
surrounded themselves with wealth and ceremony. This was a model of leadership
based on the idea that authority was vested in super-normal individuals, a
radically different turn of events in the Muslim world…. Under the Umayyad,
then, the caliphate became something much closer to a monarchy rather than a
tribal or religious leadership (Hooker).
The ruling body of the Umayyad is also infamous for the slaughter of the son of Ali, who
many thought should be the next caliph. The initial form of Islam established by
Muhammad was meant to unite a struggling people and give them a secure sense of
cultural identity. Many also consider the first duty of Islam to be to create a just and
equitable for all human beings, yet merely a few decades after Muhammad’s time, the
true message and purpose of Islam had been twisted into an autocratic form. All
throughout Muslim history since that time there has been warring and struggle, expansion
and defeat, conquering and subjugation. Some would argue that Islam differs from the
West and other religions because Muslims, as part of Islam, feel that it is their duty to
work in the social and political sphere of society in order to work to establish a just
society for all. Yet during the high point of the Islamic “empire”, political figures and
leaders used Islam as a tool to subjugate whole nations under their expansionist rule. One
of Muhammad’s original fears was that his people were falling away from the honorable,
rich tribal traditions in favor of individual gain and power. Clearly, in the centuries
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following the establishment of Islam as a uniting force in the Arab world, the original
precepts had disappeared in the ruling bodies of the Muslim state.
Distortions of the Islamic message date back to antiquity, but are also prevalent in
the Arabic world today. The West has been all too aware of the effects of such distortions
since the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. The Islamic world is in as
chaotic a state as it has ever been. A far cry from the days of Muhammad, Muslims today
are among some of the most oppressed and discriminated people in the world. The
decline of the political power of Islam, as with any other distorted religious movement,
has led to intense conflict in the region (Catherwood 141). Battles rage across much of
the Middle Eastern region between Western forces and various radical Islamic sects. In
times where the Islamic “empire” is no more, the state in many Muslim countries has
taken over the clergy and the resources that support other jurists and those separate from
a political system that had been maintaining the original precepts of Islam, reducing the
legitimacy of religious authority. This has severely affected the cultural and social
legitimacy of many groups in the Arabic world, which has led to many distortions of the
Islamic faith. Much of the violence in the region can be linked to two major forms of
distortion in the Islamic faith: the misinterpretation of the Islamic text by various radical
Islamic groups and the misconception of Islam throughout the rest of the world. From the
current Bush Administration to the radical militant groups of al-Qaeda and al-Sadr, it
seems as if no group is capable of seeing the other in an untainted light.
The misinterpretation of any religious text can almost always be seen in the
extremist sects present in a religion. Khaled el Fadl accentuates the fact that, in any
religion, if the interpreters of the text are intolerant or hateful, so will their interpretation
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of the text be (23). Of late, such a group known as al-Qaeda has been the focus of much
media and international attention. Headed by Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda has made
Americans extremely aware of the depths of the convictions held by Muslim extremists.
This group along with many other radical Islamic groups has come to light during a time
in which the cultural and religious identity of the Muslim world is clouded amidst the
anarchy in the region. Khaled Abou el Fadl gives an insight into the traits of extremist
groups:
The supremacist thinking of Muslim puritans has a powerful nationalist
component, which is strongly oriented toward cultural and political dominance….
It would be wrong to say that fanatic supremacist groups such as al-Qaeda or alJihad organizations now fill the vacuum of authority in Islam…still they are
extreme manifestations of more prevalent intellectual and theological currents in
Islam. (el Fadl 5,8-9)
Al-Qaeda has warped the principle teachings of Muhammad and Islam in order to suit
their own political goals of supremacy in the world. Radical Muslim sects like that of alQaeda pull text from the Qur’an out of context as justification for the killing of all people
of foreign origin in the Arab world. Without examining the complete context of verses in
the Qur’an, any valid message that could be garnered from the text is convoluted into a
half-truth, capable of misleading Muslims in search of meaning. Support for such groups
is readily available due to the strong need for identity in the Arab world amidst the
anarchy that is Islamic leadership today. Misinterpretation can also be seen in the use of
the Islamic term “jihad”. It is widely referred to as a term purporting “holy war” or
conflict of the like. If fact, the Qur’an proclaims an opposing picture. Jihad simply
means, “to struggle for a just cause”. The actual Islamic term for “holy war” is not used
in any of the Qur’anic text or by Islamic theologians. The idea of war is never even
considered as something to be holy. Some would even say that the Qur’an possibly points
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to even the Muslim fighter as unjust in conflict (19). Hadith, or text used to interpret the
Qur’an, explicitly state that war is for defense only and that innocent civilians must not
be targets, but most extremist ignore the historical and social context of the Qur’an or
claim that such sayings couldn’t possibly be from the mouth of Muhammad (RodgersMelnick). In fact, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor at George Washington University and
contributor to the Journal of Islamic Studies, Al-Serat, states that violence is contrary to
the very meaning of Islam, which means peace. He continues in his argument stating:
Finally, if by violence is meant 'distortion of meaning or fact resulting in injury to
others', Islam is completely opposed to it. …Any distortion of truth is against the
basic teachings of the religion even if no one were to be affected by it. How much
more would distortion resulting in injury be against the teachings of the Qur'an
and the tradition of the Prophet!
The terrorist group al-Qaeda claims many of the precepts of Islam, however, the majority
of their actions are in stark contrast with those laid out by the essential texts of the
religion. Clearly, extremist militant groups such as al-Qaeda do not represent Islam or
Muslims as a whole. Although they may represent feelings present in a larger intellectual
discourse in the Muslim world, essentially, such groups are pure distortions of the true
form of Islam. They are not alone, however in their misrepresentations of Islam. Often
intrusions into the Arab world and misunderstandings in democratic and social relations
with outside powers has led to the oppression of Muslims by interventionist foreign
powers. In this sense it is easy to see how some Muslims, in response to strong feelings
of disempowerment, respond with irrational actions and false pretexts.
Since the introduction of Islam to Western society in the early days of the
expansionist Islamic empire, the society of the West has struggled to understand the
Muslim world. Samuel P. Huntington stated that Western society must, “develop a more
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profound understanding of the basic religious and philosophical assumptions underlying
other civilizations.” While his original thoughts may have been more along the lines of
understanding one’s enemy, his statement holds true for the state of discourse between
the West and the Islamic World. The main emphasis in communication between the two
worlds has always been political and true, unbiased dialogue has been rare. This is largely
due in part to the misrepresentation of Islam and the Muslim world in the mind of
Western society. Western civilization has always been skeptical of Islamic practices and
traditions. Similarly to the Muslims before Muhammad, this was due to the expansionist
tendencies of the Islamic “empire” (Catherwood). Many wondered why a peaceful would
religion seek to expand its territory and force nations to submit to their religion. Also,
since there was little effective dialogue between the two societies, many in the West
attempted to understand Islam as something analogous to Christianity, in a literal sense.
A popular school of thought in the West, which can still be seen today, was that Muslims
perceived Muhammad in the same way that Christians saw Christ and that Muslims
worshipped Muhammad (Sultan). This apparent “rejection” of Christ and the rapid
expansion of the Islamic world alarmed many in the West to the point that action of their
own became the next necessary step. The Crusades, Spanish expansion, and anti-Islamic
aggression is well documented throughout history all the way to the present state of the
world. This violent expression of anti-Islamic sentiment is closely related to much of the
misunderstanding and ignorance between the West and Islamic society.
In more modern times in the West, it is difficult to find an undistorted image of
Islam. For the past few decades, the majority of images that have been seen pertaining to
Islam have had something to do with violence, extremism, or anti-American or Western
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sentiment. In the media, the Arab world is a dangerous place, full of terrorists and flag
burners. Images of Muslims are often linked to that of extremists or violent protest. Those
in Western society are appalled when exposed to the stories of female circumcision and
deadly stoning in response to misdemeanor offenses. The general tendency is to portray
Islam as a harsh and violent faith where hands are chopped off for stealing, the ideas are
antithetical to Western principles like freedom, democracy, and human rights (Hafez 5).
The desire to change this paradigm has been limited, especially due to the recent war with
Iraq and Afghanistan. Whenever a nation is involved in a war, the common theme is to
vilify the “enemy” and since in the majority of Arab nations, the Islamic leadership,
although often distorted as well, is controlled by the state. Thus, it is easy for Western
society to equate Islam with something violent and negative when, through mass media
outlets and political rhetoric, they are led to believe that the Islamic countries that they
are fighting are also violent and negative. It is all too easy for the mass media outlets in
Western culture to portray information in whatever fashion is most beneficial for them
whether the information is partial or not. Many media outlets are privately owned and
their news coverage is often representative of many of the political and social views of
private organizations that have their own individual biases. One poignant example of this
came in Iran after the political revolution in 1979. American media coverage was focused
on the anti-American demonstrations that took place all over the country. Many in the
West were alarmed at the scope of anti-American sentiment in the region and saw, since
Iran is mostly under Islam, Muslims as acting radically and irrationally. The media,
however, did not elucidate the situation regarding the former ruling government’s
departure. In actuality, the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States had an active
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role in overthrowing Muhammad Musaddeq, who was a widely popular political leader in
Iran, and reinstating the Shah to power. The Shah is well known for oppressive policies
toward the Iranian people. Another example of this can be seen in the recent decision by
Sinclair Broadcast Group not to air a tribute to the soldiers that have died in the war in
Iraq, citing that the tribute was politically motivated. The same company, however, made
headlines in 2001 when it directed its stations to read statements from the Bush
Administration and to broadcast reports that put American efforts in a positive light
(pbs.org). The majority of effort put towards portraying Islam has not necessarily been
negative, but instead has avoided the depiction of the positive. Many networks find that
broadcasting reports that conflict with or challenge viewers perceptions are not as
profitable (i.e. viewable) as reports that reinforce or don’t change the majority opinion.
The content of the media in a number of outlets has been completely subjective. Thus, it
is difficult for intelligent and informed discourse between the West and the Islamic world
due to the distortions, misrepresentations, and misinterpretations of Islam by both sides of
the conflict.
Falsities and distortions of the real principles of Islam combined with the
progression and solidification of negative perceptions over time cast doubt on the hope
for a complete resolution of the misconceptions that take place between Western and
Islamic cultures. Yet, it is possible for significant change to take place. There are a
myriad of opinions and conjectures about problems and possible solutions to distortion of
Islam, but the resounding thought among scholarly circles both in Western and Islamic
social circles is that radical, extremist behavior is not a part of or condoned by either
Christianity or Islam. Worldwide recognition of the fact that radical militant groups are
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not indicative of the foundational truths of a whole society is essential to the
reconciliation of the West and Islam. This is extremely important not only in Western
society but also in Islamic society as well. Muslims, especially those in the Arab world,
have undergone tremendous struggle and many are searching for a genuine Islamic
identity amidst the anarchic highs and lows of the Islamic state in many countries.
Serious efforts must be made in the trustworthy and established Islamic scholarly circles
to raise awareness against gr9opus that would seek to purport violence under the veil of
Islam. The strongest identity available to Muslims today is that of a Muslim living in the
world today completely devoted and centered on the purest principles of Islam, yet not
violent or intolerant. Some in Western society accuse Islam of being an “anti-Modern”
religion, not fit for use in today’s society. According to Khaled Abou el Fadl, the true
message of the Qur’an contains a strong moral and humanistic tradition. He continues,
stating:
The burden and blessing of sustaining that moral trajectory—of accentuating the
Qur’anic message of tolerance and openness to the other—falls squarely on the
shoulders of contemporary Muslim interpreters of the tradition. (El Fadl 23)
Muslims in the world today have become the most practical link to the real message of
the Qur’an to non-Muslims. Especially in the Arab world, Muslims must propagate the
non-violent and tolerant Islamic traditions. Western society can also do its part to
instigate change in the current discourse between societies. Scholarly circles and
leadership in Western society must do its part in educating people about the true message
of Islam and the Qur’an. The Islamic holy text presumes and commands the acceptance
of diversity and religious differences in the world (el Fadl 15). The positive messages of
tolerance and human equity that are found throughout the Islamic holy texts must be
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spread, instead of the negative distortions and misinterpretations. In addition, although
the Qur’an is clear in its message of peace and tolerance, it is also equally clear that
Muslims are to fight only in self defense and against injustice. Recent Western aggression
towards terrorism and some of the extremist Islamic groups that purport it has come
across to the Muslim community and many in the world as aggression directed at Islam
as a whole. It can often appear to Muslims in the Arab world that Western society is
trying to unjustly impose their will upon the Arab world, especially since a many bodies
of leadership in Western society hold some misconceived notions about Islam. If Western
society is going to target radical terrorist and militant extremist groups it is vital that they
make a stronger, continued effort in proving to the Islamic community in the Arab world
that Islam itself is not a target. It is this effort that will determine any permanent success
in defeating radical groups like al-Qaeda. Muslims are commanded to retaliate to
aggression and violence, not to instigate it. Western society needs to carefully examine
all practices and polices regarding the Middle East in order to find out which may be
leading non-radical Muslims to feel as if they need to defend themselves from aggression.
Without genuine, practical communication between Western and Islamic political and
religious leaders and between non-Muslims and Muslims on the nature of Western action
in the Arab world, any Western plan of action in the Middle East will be received as
oppressive and unwanted.
Changing the current state of communication between the West and the Islamic
world is a daunting task. The fact of the matter is that, religion aside, the West and the
Middle East are two completely different worlds. In the modern Western world, religious
beliefs are strongly held and religious discussion is at an all time high, however, the
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religious and political realm are separate. In the Islamic world, especially in the Middle
East, religious convictions are held just as strongly, but religion is inextricably tied to the
political and social realm. The only way that these two fundamental differences can be
overcome is through an effort by both societies to advance past the distorted views of
Islam, Islamic practices, and Muslims that have been purported all through history and to
strive, both internally and externally, to understand Islam for what it is, not for what it
has been distorted to be. Only then will the West and the Islamic world be able to learn
from each other.