I knew most
Muslims weren’t Arabs, and that terrorist bombers typically know little
about Islam, but the data on the Crescent Moon was new to me. Practical
Buddhists tend to be tolerant about all belief systems, and it helps to
review some much-hyped myths about the currently scapegoated religion.
Top 10
Myths About Islam
By Huda, About.com
Guide
Some
non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Allah is an "Arab god," a
"moon god," or some sort of idol. Allah is the proper name of the One
True God, in the Arabic language. The most fundamental belief that a Muslim has
is that "There is only One God," the Creator, the Sustainer -- known
in the Arabic language and by Muslims as Allah. Arabic-speaking Christians use
the same word for the Almighty.
In the
Qur'an, stories about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (called 'Isa in
Arabic) are abundant. The Qur'an recalls his miraculous birth, his teachings,
and the miracles he performed by God's permission. There is even a chapter of
the Qur'an named after his mother, Mary (Miriam in Arabic). However, Muslims
believe that Jesus was a fully human prophet and not in any way divine himself.
While
Islam is often associated with Arabs, they make up only 15% of the world's
Muslim population. The country with the largest population of Muslims is
Indonesia. Muslims make up 1/5 of the world's population, with large numbers
found in Asia (69%), Africa (27%), Europe (3%) and other parts of the world.
Most of
the ill-treatment that women receive in the Muslim world is based on local
culture and traditions, without any basis in the faith of Islam. In fact,
practices such as forced marriage, spousal abuse, and restricted movement
directly contradict Islamic law governing family behavior and personal freedom.
Terrorism
cannot be justified under any valid interpretation of the Islamic faith. The
entire Qur'an, taken as a complete text, gives a message of hope, faith, and
peace to a faith community of one billion people. The overwhelming message is
that peace is to be found through faith in God, and justice among fellow human
beings. Muslim leaders and scholars do speak out against terrorism in all its forms,
and offer explanations of misinterpreted or twisted teachings.
Throughout
the Qur'an, Muslims are reminded that they are not the only ones who worship
God. Jews and Christians are called "People of the Book," meaning
people who have received previous revelations from the One Almighty God that we
all worship. The Qur'an also commands Muslims to protect from harm not only
mosques, but also monasteries, synagogues, and churches -- because "God is
worshipped therein."
The
word Jihad stems from an Arabic word which means "to strive." Other
related words include "effort," "labor," and
"fatigue." Essentially Jihad is an effort to practice religion in the
face of oppression and persecution. The effort may come in fighting the evil in
your own heart, or in standing up to a dictator. Military effort is included as
an option, but as a last resort and not "to spread Islam by the sword."
The
Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of two decades,
calling people to worship One Almighty God and to live their lives according to
this faith. The Qur'an contains stories of Biblical prophets, because these
prophets also preached the message of God. Stories are not merely copied, but
the oral traditions are referred to in a way that focuses on the examples and
teachings that we can learn from them.
Prayer
is a time to stand before God and express faith, give thanks for blessings, and
seek guidance and forgiveness. During Islamic prayer, one is modest, submissive
and respectful to God. By bowing and prostrating ourselves to the ground, we
express our utmost humility before the Almighty.
The
early Muslim community did not really have a symbol. During the time of the
Prophet Muhammad, Islamic caravans and armies flew simple solid-colored flags
(generally black, green, or white) for identification purposes. The crescent
moon and star symbol actually pre-dates Islam by several thousand years, and
wasn't affiliated with Islam at all until the Ottoman Empire placed it on their
flag.
