Frequently Asked Questions About Islam

American media have most often portrayed Muslims and their religion, Islam, in a negative light. This negative understanding of Islam in American popular culture has understandably grieved Muslims in the United States. The events in New York and Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania have fueled anti-Islamic sentiment and forced Muslims to represent their faith in the American public sphere. This brief list of questions is intended to provide information regarding some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Islam since Sept. 11, 2001.

1. Why does the American media have such a negative view of Islam?

2. How do Muslims understand Islam?

3. If Islam is so peaceful, what is all this talk about jihad?

4. What do Muslims think of Christians?

5. What is a Christian response to Muslims in this time of crisis?

Who Speaks for Islam?  Politics and Religion

6. Who speaks for Islam?

7. What are the differences between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims?

8. What is the Islamic approach to the United States' traditional “separation of church and state”?

9. Is Islam most compatible with theocracy or democracy?

10. Is there a part of Muslim tradition that hesitates to criticize other Muslim perspectives?

Muslim-Christian Dialog and Relations

11. Is it possible for Christianity and Islam to engage in mission and conversion of others, while still living in peace and engaging in dialogue?

12. Do Muslims have missionaries?

13. Do Muslims have any assurance of God’s forgiveness?

14. Links regarding Islamic rituals and prayers

15. If the Qur’an teaches that a person should not be in debt or pay interest, how does this square with this fundamental cornerstone of business in a capitalist system?

16. Are there alternatives to fundamentalism in interpreting the Qur’an?

Islam, Gender and Violence

17. Are there any Islamic groups who treat women as equals and permit them to engage in the full spectrum of equal rights?>

18. Do Muslims always speak of God as "he"?

19. Why is Islam called a "religion of peace"?

1. Why does the American media have such a negative view of Islam?

Prior to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, one can identify two pivotal events that have shaped many Americans’ views of Islam. Americans’ first collective experience of Islam came in relation to the oil embargo of the early 1970s.

More vivid in many Americans’ minds are memories of the Iranian revolution of 1979—including the overthrow of the U.S.-backed Shah and the seizing of American hostages. Americans generally viewed the violence of the revolution as an expression of Islam and followed American political leadership in characterizing radical Islam as a great evil that posed a threat on par with the Soviet Union. These modern Western understandings of Islam and the history of the development of extremist Islam are outlined in John L. Esposito’s The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality? (Oxford University Press, 1992).

The popular perception of Islam developed in the early 1980s (and its infusion with Cold War rhetoric) remains as a backdrop for the perspective of many Americans regarding Islam. Add to this the pervasive misunderstanding and mischaracterization of Islam and Muslims propagated in American media (including news and entertainment, especially film), it is not difficult to understand the negative view of Islam held by many Americans.

It must be acknowledged, however, that American suspicion of Islam and Muslims is not unique in the Western world. Since the rise of Islam in the 600s (7^th C.), Christian communities have generally viewed Islam as a threat. A long history of conflict between Muslims and Christians informs our present situation, giving us cause for both uncertainty and hope. One aspect of this history is documented in R.W. Southern’s Western Views of Islam in the Middle Ages (Harvard University Press, 1962).

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2. How do Muslims understand Islam?

In the current cultural climate of the United States, one will often hear Muslims refer to Islam as a “religion of peace.”  The vast majority of Muslims in the world believe that Islam condemns, in no uncertain terms, the Sept. 11 attacks.

This explanation of Islam as a “religion of peace” has its roots in the Arabic word islām itself. Every word in a Semitic language (such as Arabic and Hebrew) has a three-consonant foundation called a “triliteral root”. While the consonants form the root of the word (communicating its basic meaning), the vowels and other consonants that surround the root shape the word’s meaning for different uses.

In the word islām, the triliteral root is s-l-m. This same root provides the foundation for the words salām and muslim. You might recognize those words, even if you don’t know much Arabic. Salām, closely related to the Hebrew word “shalom”, means “peace”. The word “islām” is often translated “submission”. Since it shares a root with “salām”, this submission is understood to bring one into peace. Finally, a “muslim” is “one who submits.”  To tie it all together, a Muslim submits to God and in that submission finds peace. This peace can then translate into all parts of the life of a person who submits to God. Thus, Muslims understand Islam to be a religion of peace.

The submission of a Muslim to God is in response to the final revelation of God’s will for humans in the holy book of Islam, the Qur’ān (sometimes spelled Koran). The practice of submission is modeled on the customary practice (sunna) of Muhammad, the final prophet through whom God (Allah in Arabic) gave the gift of his revelation to humanity. The religious practice of Islam is based on two fundamental sources: the revelation given to humanity in the Qur’ān and the life and teachings of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Muslims are extremely proud of their Islamic heritage. Islam, through making clear one’s relation to Allah, imparts an appreciation for life and provides an effective means of ordering one’s existence. Additionally, Muslims are keenly aware that their advances in mathematics, science, philosophy and technology have positively affected the progress of the entire world.

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3. If Islam is so peaceful, what is all this talk about jihad?

“And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed the limits, surely, Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.”
— Qur’ān 2:190, trans. M.H. Shakir

This passage from the Qur’ān refers exclusively to defensive fighting. This fighting could be with military force or, in today’s world, with media force. But, according to the Qur’ān, the fighting must cease when an agreement is reached. This is one use of the Arabic word “jihād”.

But, read this excerpt of a Reuters news story titled “Afghan Clerics Say Holy War if U.S. Attacks” (Thurs., Sept. 20):

A meeting of Afghanistan’s senior Islamic clerics issued an edict on Thursday saying they would declare a jihad, or holy war, if the United States attacks. “If infidels invade an Islamic country and that country does not have the ability to defend itself, jihad (holy war) becomes a definite obligation of all the world’s Muslims,” the edict said.

While it is true that jihād has its origin in the verb jahada, meaning “to struggle” or “to fight”, the word has many different connotations since “struggle” can occur on several different levels. Notice in the news story that “jihad” is translated repeatedly as “holy war”, even in the headline. Unfortunately for those gathering their information from this news story, “holy war” is not a good translation of the word. Most Muslims will understand jihād as my struggle to put things right in the world, starting with my own life.

Any Muslim is offended when Islam is seen as inherently more violent than either Judaism or Christianity. While all three of the major monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam—have “just war” traditions, all three suffer from the fact that extremists can manipulate those traditions, making an unjust action seem like a “just war.”  This is what faces Muslims when they attempt to distance themselves from the extremist appropriation of jihād to endorse terrorism.

The concept of jihād as religiously sanctioned military action developed more fully during the crusades, when Western Christians truly did declare a Holy War to regain Jerusalem from Muslim (and Eastern Christian) occupation. This goal of regaining Jerusalem did in fact succeed for a time in a campaign marked by atrocities. That is why President George W. Bush’s use of the term “crusade” in conjunction with possible military action was so offensive to many different groups of people (not only Muslims).

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4. What do Muslims think of Christians?

It has long been a misconception among Western Christians that Muslims seek to destroy Christianity. This notion has once again grown prevalent in the weeks following Sept. 11, feeding already existing tensions between Muslims and Christians in the U.S. Predictions of a great “religious” war between irreconcilable parties resulting from a “clash of civilizations” abound. One problematic book that has led to this popular view of history is Samuel P. Huntington’s The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order.

The problem with assuming that Muslims hate Christians is that it simply isn’t true! Islam requires that Muslims accept that God has revealed his will to other peoples; these others who have received scriptures before the time of Muhammad are referred to as “People of the Book”. Moreover, from the Muslim perspective, Christians, Muslims and Jews have much in common. We worship one God. We share the stories of many biblical characters, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Moses, Jacob, Isaac, Ishmael and Jesus. The following verses of the Qur’ān help communicate the Muslim approach to Judaism and Christianity:

And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book, those who believe in God, in the revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to God: They will not sell the Signs [miracles] of God for a miserable gain!  For them is a reward with their Lord, and God is swift in account.
— Qur’ān 3:199, trans. Abdullah Yusuf Ali

To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what God hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to God; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute;
— Qur’ān 5:48, trans. Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (for the right): they rehearse the Signs of God all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. They believe in God and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten (in emulation) in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous.
— Qur’ān 3:113–114, trans. Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And every one has a direction to which he should turn, therefore hasten to (do) good works; wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together; surely Allah has power over all things.
— Qur’ān 2:190, trans. M.H. Shakir

The witness of history shows that Muslims have commonly accepted the presence of Christians in Islamic nations. While Muslims and Christians disagree over many points of theology, neither religion even suggests eradication of the other. It is simply un-Islamic and un-Christian for Muslims and Christians to attack one another on the basis the other’s faith.

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5. What is a Christian response to Muslims in this time of crisis?

Many Muslims in the United States have been living in fear in the weeks since Sept. 11. There have been several incidents of harassment and assault aimed at Muslims (and those who merely “look” Muslim) by misguided individuals.

But in these difficult weeks, Muslims in America have been able to tell many more stories of solidarity and hospitality—stories that bring hope rather than despair. As Mark Swanson, Director of the Islamic Studies Program at Luther Seminary, said in a recent interview, “We hope and pray that there will not be incidents of physical abuse. It is our duty along with other church institutions to stand in solidarity with the Muslim and Arab community and with all variety of ethnic communities. We must sustain our friendships and be very alert.”

Even through the simplest actions you can help your neighbors in these frightening times. Visit your friends, let them know that you’re there for them and that you can be called upon when they need help. As Swanson noted, “Simple, personal, human gestures have been made and these are greatly appreciated.”

Perhaps one of the enduring legacies for the Christian community in this time is whether or not we will take careful note of the Eighth Commandment—“You are not to bear false witness against your neighbor.”—and Luther’s explanation of it in his Small Catechism:

We are to fear and love God, so that we do not tell lies about our neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations.  Instead, we are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light.

In God’s name, may we all seek to be neighbors to one another, that we may together face the evils with which we are confronted.

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6. Does anyone speak “for” Islam, like a pope or magisterium or denomination? For instance, is there any official response calling terrorist interpretations of Islam incorrect?

Islam does not have a uniform system of religious hierarchy in the sense of a “magisterium” as recognized by some parts of Christianity. Within Islam, however, one can find various schools of religious interpretation in which certain perspectives are taken as authoritative.

For Muslims, the questions of daily life are determined by considerations of shari‘a (Islamic sacred law) and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). Click here for broader definitions of these terms. Fiqh is based on commonly accepted foundations. Textual rulings, which reference the Qur’an and the Sunna (tradition) of the Prophet Muhammad, are considered most authoritative. When text sources do not directly address a specific issue, qiyas (analogical reasoning) may be employed.

The structures of legal interpretation vary among Muslim communities. A fatwa is a legal ruling passed by a scholar (known by various titles throughout the Muslim world) in response to a specific question. The process by which this decision is reached—the effort put forth to discover an application of the law—is called ijtihad. Once the community (umma) consents to a fatwa, community consensus develops. Especially in the Sunni community, community consensus (ijma) is the ideal form of authority. If one looks for it, one can find a developing consensus in the worldwide Muslim umma that condemns acts of terrorism such as those we saw on 9/11.

For an excellent distillation of the basics of Islamic law, see Islamic Law: Myths and Realities from the Office of International Criminal Justice at the University of Illinois.

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7. What are the differences between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims?

The contrast between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims arose during the first generations of leadership after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. The conflict arose around the question of communal authority. In simplest terms, the question asked was whether the community’s leader should be decided according to the Prophet’s family lineage or according to concerns for communal well-being. The majority Sunni community is more flexible with regard to the identity of their leaders.

Here is a concise summary from IslamiCity.com:
The Sunnis and the Shi'is are agreed upon almost all the essentials of Islam. Both believe in the Quran and the Prophet, both follow the same principles of religion and both observe the same rituals. However, there is one prominent difference, which is essentially political rather than religious, and concerns the choice of the caliph or successor of Muhammad. (To read the entire article, click here.)

To explore the distinction between Sunni and Shi‘i Muslims brings one to an exploration of history that is foundational for Islam. To take a first step in this exploration, read the short history of Islam presented at IslamiCity.com by clicking here.

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8. What is the Islamic approach to the United States' traditional “separation of church and state”?

Many Muslims are suspicious of the common Western distinction between “church” and “state.” This traditional formulation implies that God is sovereign in some areas of life but excluded from others. As a result, most Muslims see this distinction as an affront to their primary (ultimate) allegiance to Allah.

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9. Is Islam most compatible with theocracy or democracy?

Here is a response from author Karen Armstrong to the question, “Why do democratic institutions seem to be so hard to set up in Muslim nations?”:

Democracy is something that we developed in the modern world as a result of our modernization—not because we wanted to suddenly give power to the people. It's part of the transformation that comes with a capitalist economy. Once more and more people at humble levels had to be involved in the productivity of the country as factory workers, clerks, etc., they had to receive a modicum of education; more education demanded a greater share in the decision-making processes of the country. In order to use all human resources available to them, governments realized that they had to bring everyone into the franchise.

The Muslim world hasn't had time to develop a home-grown democracy. They still don't have the same kind of capital market economies, and in many countries democracy got a bad name because it was associated with bad regimes that the United States supported, despots like the Shahs in Iran. In Egypt between 1922 and 1948 or so there were 17 elections all won by the populist party, but it was only allowed to rule five times because each time the British or the palace wouldn't let them rule because the populists wanted to kick the British out. That sort of thing left a bad taste….
(Click here to continue reading the entire article from salon.com)

Other detailed perspectives on this important matter may be found by clicking below:

• “Islam and Democracy” — John L. Esposito and John O. Voll
• “Islam and Liberal Democracy” — Bernard Lewis (in The Atlantic Monthly)
• “The Compatibility of Islam, Democracy and Secularism” — Süleyman Demirel, President of the Republic of Turkey

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10. Is there a part of Muslim tradition that hesitates to criticize other Muslim perspectives in view of the outside world? Is this why Americans haven’t heard Muslim leaders be more outspoken in opposition to acts of terrorism and the interpretations of Islam by which they are inspired?

Muslims and those groups with Muslims (Arab and Egyptian Christians, for instance) often see themselves as an embattled minority vis-à-vis the Western world. Muslims have a strong sense of an Islamic community (umma) that takes precedence over many other relationships.

However, criticisms of the terrorist activities perpetrated on 9/11 have come in an unending stream. No widely accepted interpretation of Islam supports those actions. In other words, no community consensus (ijma) exists that supports those actions. This fact has been communicated repeatedly in many different venues.

It must be understood, however, that moderate voices are not attractive to many in the media. Extremist perspectives are rewarded with coverage and broadcast distribution. While the American media went further than ever before in educating the American public about the ideals of Islam, interest in the voices of moderation soon waned while interest in tapes of bin Laden grew ever larger.

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11. It is generally understood that both Christianity and Islam are missionary religions that seek the conversion of others. Is it possible to do this while still living in peace and engaging in dialogue?

In conversion, it is God who is the actor. And in dialogue, what we hope for is the conversion of all towards God. Neither Christianity nor Islam seek the conversion of others in a coercive sense. This does not mean, of course, that conversion to one’s faith by another is not welcomed.

It is common knowledge, however, that missionary methods often have not been respectful in their approach to other religions. When any of us are confronted with missionary methods of which we do not approve, we might take it as an opportunity to examine our own methods.

Surely, fear of possible conversion has been a roadblock to interfaith dialogue and cooperation through the centuries. The challenge now is for members of faith groups to engage one another constructively in ways that do not compromise or threaten the other.

To this end, it is a conviction of many involved in the Islamic Studies Program at Luther than such engagement depends on our insistence that each faith be presented with integrity. As Charles Amjad-Ali, Professor of Justice and Christian Community, has argued, engagement in interfaith dialog entails, first and foremost, a forthright witness to one’s convictions. This integrity in relation to our central convictions is maintained even when the presentation of another’s faith is very different from one’s own or involves understandings they or we might need to reject. Learning to live with difference is a mark of our present, global culture.

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12. I have heard that the Islamic religion is the fastest growing in the world.  What is contributing to this growth?  Do they have missionaries or others who are involved extensively in this activity?

While population estimates are in dispute, Islam is, in fact, growing very quickly in the United States and worldwide. In 2001, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) stated in its report, “The Mosque in America: A National Portrait,” that “Estimates of a total Muslim population of 6–7 million in America seem reasonable in light of the figure of 2 million Muslims who associate with a mosque” (p. 3; the PDF format report can be accessed here). The U.S. State Department has prepared a fact sheet detailing population estimates.

The primary factor contributing to the expansion of the worldwide Muslim community is natural increase through population growth. This growth is in contrast to that of the Christian community, which has maintained an almost constant percentage of the world population for several decades.

In the United States, growth in the Muslim community is due mostly to the influx of immigrants from predominantly Islamic nations. In the Twin Cities, this reality is most apparent in the Somali community, which has been growing quickly since the mid-1990s.

In addition to growth through reproduction or immigration, religious conversion is another factor in the growth of the North American Muslim community. Conversions occur for a variety of reasons, such as marriage to a member of a particular faith community. However, conversion is most often the result of an individual’s discernment of God’s will and truth leading them to profess a faith other than the one previously held.

In the United States, the largest percentages of conversions from Christianity to Islam have been within African-American communities, especially during the 1960s and ’70s. As a result of the powerful preaching and social critique of Malcolm X, for instance, large numbers of African-Americans pledged allegiance to Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. After Malcolm X was excluded from the Nation, his experiences in the Islamic world—reaching a climax during his pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)—led him to declare its teachings heretical, especially as they regarded race. Under the leadership of Warith Deen Mohammad—Elijah and Clara Muhammad’s son—the majority of Muslims of African-American descent have embraced the teachings of mainstream Islam.

Orthodox Islam has gone to great lengths to distance itself from the Nation of Islam. However, it was the Nation of Islam that introduced the concept of Islam (in any form) to broader American culture. The African-American Muslim community continues to grow through effective prison ministries and high-profile community action. As such, this community is carrying on the history of active responses in the African-American community to its estrangement from the dominant white culture of the United States. The combination of religious and cultural concern—analogous with the ethic the worldwide Islamic community—is attractive to persons looking for a system by which they may live their lives.

Describing Islam’s combination of religious and cultural concerns brings one to the topic of why Islam is often attractive to potential converts. Here are some possible reasons:

1. Islam provides a comprehensive but adaptable system for living one’s life. For a Muslim, a life of prayer and submission to the will of Allah is ideal. The “five pillars” of Islamic religious practice provide structure and discipline, qualities many persons are seeking in today’s world. Some Americans have found Sufism (the mystical traditions of Islam) an attractive way to live out their relationship with God.
2. The basic claims of Islam are simple and clear. The Shahada—“There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”—sums up the center of Islam. All other theological claims flow from this statement of faith: acceptance of the Qur’an, belief in the prophets of which the Qur’an speaks, etc.
3. Islam is theologically intelligible. This is an important point for persons who wish to discuss Islamic theological claims vis-à-vis those of Christianity (and its understanding of God as Trinity). Muslims focus on the simplicity of their understanding of Allah (God) and his will for humankind. Islamic theological reflection—characterized as it is with large doses of pragmatism and rationality—is, in many ways, compatible with the contemporary American mind. Many components that have led to the popularity of American Protestant Christian fundamentalism are natural components of Islam.

Here is a helpful response to this matter from a Muslim perspective:
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world because Islam is a complete way of life. It tells man about the purpose of his creation and existence, his ultimate destiny, his place among other creatures and more importantly, it provides him with guidance to lead a balanced and purposeful life which will enable him to avoid the Hell-fire and be rewarded with a place in Paradise in the life after death. (WhyIslam.org)

Click here for an article on the subject published in the Los Angeles Times.

For information on the growth of Islam in Latin America (including recent news stories), click here.

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13. Do Muslims have any assurance of God’s forgiveness?

All human beings are to strive to fulfill the will of God. This is the central concern of Islam. With God’s revelations through his messengers, humans have been given guidance and instruction for doing God’s will. Muslims are aware that they are sinful, insofar as they do not perfectly fulfill God’s will. Because of this, they ask God for forgiveness of their shortcomings (their sins). That Muslims ask for forgiveness is based on their understanding of God as merciful. The phrase “In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,” heads all but one of the 114 chapters (surat) of the Qur’an.

For the most part, Muslims are not burdened with worry regarding the hereafter. While “escaping Hell-fire” is an important component of Islamic faithfulness, Islam is not as concerned with the afterlife as many Christian communities. Instead, Muslims place a high value on being part of the Islamic community (umma). While Christianity (especially in the West) has often been reduced to the status of an individual’s relationship with God, Islam focuses on an individual’s communal identity.

That different religious communities are asking different questions should not come as a surprise. However, it is often the case that when Christians (especially Protestants) ask questions regarding the assurance of salvation in another religion, they neglect to notice what might be called a “category shift” between religious worldviews. Simply put, eternal salvation—while a definite facet of concern—is not for Muslims the primary, existential concern. Instead, Muslims are more concerned with life as it is lived now in all of its ethical, legal, moral and communal ramifications.

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14. Links for questions regarding Islamic rituals and prayers.

For details regarding Islamic prayer, see these links from the BBC’s Guide to Islam in the UK:

• Click here for a guide to the rituals surrounding Islamic daily prayers (salat).
• Click here for information regarding the Ka’ba and its importance for the Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).

IslamiCity.com has provided two comprehensive introductions to the intricacies of the Hajj. For a multimedia guide, click here. For a more text-centered approach, click here.

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15. It is my understanding that the Qur’an teaches that a person should not be in debt or pay interest. However, interest on money is a cornerstone of business in a capitalist system. How are these fundamental differences being resolved? On an individual level, how do Muslims accumulate resources to purchase a home or car if they don’t deal with interest?

These are very real concerns for Muslims attempting to follow shar‘ia (Islamic law), especially those Muslims living in a non-Islamic society. Click here for an excellent article titled “Islamic Banking” from “The Arab Bank Review.”

For other questions regarding financial practices in Islam, we suggest that you visit IslamiQ.com where you can sign up as a member (for free) and explore various perspectives on Islamic finance. Once you are a member, click on “News” to read several articles and fatawa (Islamic legal opinions) regarding Islamic financial practice.

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16. Are there alternatives to fundamentalism in interpreting the Qur’an?

Muslims read the holy book of Islam in many different ways and for many different reasons. This variety in religious interpretation is similar (though not identical) to the variety of approaches to Scripture in Christianity. Muslims that could be described as “militant” find their marching orders within the words of the Qur’an, as if the situation that existed in the 7^th century exists today. On the other hand, the vast majority of Muslims try to live according to the principles contained in its words. For them, the Qur’an is a guide to life in our religiously plural, modern world.

One must, however, consider the use of the word “fundamentalism” in this conversation. Now considered an uncomplimentary word in contemporary American culture, “fundamentalism” was first coined to describe a particular movement among American Christians who rejected modern approaches to biblical interpretation. The fundamentalists insisted on several articles of faith (including the verbal inspiration of the Bible) which they felt threatened by modern biblical scholarship. While important for the revival of much of American Christianity, fundamentalism was seen by many to be simplistic, anti-modern and reactionary. Those who rejected fundamentalism associated it with religious fervor and, in some cases, violence. People who publicly showed zeal for their faith were dismissed as fanatics.

Since, in its original form, “fundamentalism” denotes much of what Islam holds to be true, other terms such as “extremist” and “Islamist” can be used to more accurately describe those who interpret Islam in violent ways. If, for example, “fundamentalist” is used to describe a sincere believer who holds that the Qur’an contains the very words of God and that Islam must mean something to Muslims and for the shape of society, the term might not be so bad. In modern media, however, “Islamic fundamentalist” has come to denote terrorists, not true adherents of Islam.

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17. Are there any Islamic groups who treat women as equals and permit them to engage in the full spectrum of Equal Rights? Is this compatible with sharia? Are Muslim women allowed to practice birth control—the pill, etc.—or have abortions?

There are several groups within the Islamic world that are concerned with the rights of women. These groups work through the foundations of Islamic legal interpretation and culture to promote the rights of women in their respective societies. For one of the most vocal groups, see the Muslim Women's League, especially their position papers.

North American culture still faces many of the same problems addressed by these groups in their respective contexts. For instance, the availability of abortion is a hotly debated topic in certain parts of the Islamic world. Birth control, on the other hand, has not presented a challenge for legal interpretation.

For a concise introduction to the lives of women who are both American and Muslim, see Who Is That Veiled Woman?, from Sojourners Magazine online. Also read the article’s informative sidebar, The Qur’an and Gender Equality.

Click here for a superb group of materials dealing with the relationship of women to the teachings and practices of Islam.

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18. Do Muslims always speak of God as "he"?  Are there some Muslims who use a more inclusive way of speaking about God?

In languages such as Arabic where every thing is gendered, there isn’t as much sensitivity to what in our culture has been called “inclusive language.” That Allah is referred to as “he” doesn’t necessarily denote demarcation of God’s gender. This is very similar to the understanding of God’s being within Judaism and Christianity. Islamic theology, with its clear insistence that God is utterly unlike (‘other than’) created reality, offers an immediate critique of considering God in any biological sense. As a result of this theological precept and the character of Arabic, Muslims don’t find anything un-inclusive about the term “Allah.” Since Arabic is normative for Muslim theory and practice, the convention of referring to God as “he” is carried over into English.

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19. The basic argument I have heard for why Islam can be called a “religion of peace” is based on the fact that the Arabic root word for Islam is the word “peace” (salaam). Is there any argument more convincing than simple nomenclature?  (After all, the United States has missiles we call “peace-keepers”—so what’s in a name?)

Questions of this sort harbor an assumption that Islam is not a religion of peace. That this assumption finds voice in our current situation is not unexpected, given the reality of 9/11 paired with contemporary media and centuries of Christian vilification of Islam. Simply put, we in Western culture are not predisposed to appreciate our Muslim neighbors.

The claim of Islam that it is a religion of peace is not simple nomenclature but a rather complex, linguistically-based theological assertion. As such, it speaks to the ideal of Islam and to the realities of the individual Muslim’s relationship with God. The “peace”  (salaam) asserted in this claim is not a politically negotiated absence of conflict (though that might be contained within salaam) but rather the wholeness and fullness that result from an individual’s or community’s relationship with God. The Hebrew word shalom, with which many Western Christians have become familiar in recent decades, is linguistically identical to salaam.

That the realities of a given religion do not always correspond to its ideals is nothing new. Regarding violence, each of the primary monotheistic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—has realities in its past and present that seem to contradict their ideals. Under Constantine, for instance, the cross of Christ became a symbol of Christian military might. And in various ways, the Christian community (worldwide and in North America) continues to struggle with the issue of violence. The reality of violence has become an important issue of conversation and dialogue within the worldwide Muslim community as well. The intensity of these debates has become much more focused since 9/11.

When any of us—Muslim, Christian, and Jew alike—see violence in another tradition, we have a responsibility to call that violence to account and offer a critique. However, in humility, we are also called to self-examination. The conversations have begun in earnest during the past few months. It is time that we all take seriously these questions: What in our traditions leads to violence? What in our traditions nurtures peace?

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