Experiments in Religion: Islam - How the media gets it wrong
by Doris Wu
January 31, 2008

Contrary to the media’s stereotypes, Islam as a religion promotes peace, religious freedom and equality between different cultures and genders.It’s also one the fastest growing religions to date. With one in five people in the world practicing the faith, this makes Islam the second most practiced religion in the world. “Islam is a religion of peace,” senior Choclit’ Angel Handley, a member of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), wrote in an e-mail. “That is actually one of the definitions of the word ‘Islam’. The word ‘Muslim’ means ‘one whose life is submitted to the will [of] God.’ The key to Islam is sincerity. If one approaches Islam with utter sincerity, chances are that person will be a Muslim.”

The practice of Islam comes from the Quran as dictated by the prophet Muhammad. This provides a sort of guidebook for Muslims to study and follow. Due to the complexity and many translations that can come from the Quran, various sects may hold different beliefs. This isn’t to say that one sect is “more correct” than another, since Islam holds emphasis on the intent behind the act and less on the act itself.

THE FIVE PILLARS

Practices that are essential to Sunni Muslims include the Five Pillars of Islam. The First Pillar is iman, or faith. This is the testimony that “there’s no god but God, and Muhammed is his messenger,” senior biochemistry major Kurt Truong, another MSA member, wrote in an e-mail.

The Second Pillar is salaat, or prayer. Five daily prayers required by Muslims occur at dawn, early afternoon, late afternoon, sunset and nighttime. All this is done facing northeast toward ka’abbah, or black stone, Handley said. One of the explanations for the significance in praying toward the ka’abbah is that it is the location where the prophet Abraham offered his son to God as a sacrifice (in an allegorical sense). A mosque was later built at this site and has been rebuilt throughout the years, said senior electrical engineering major Tahir Ahmad, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association (AMSA). This unites all Muslims in prayer. Prayer is seen as a form of meditation and cleansing of the spirit, although reasons behind it may differ for different people. Prayer is also a time for reflection and worship. When praying collectively, genders are separated. Women either pray behind, next to, or in a separate area than men, depending on the mosque. This segregation doesn’t imply that women are inferior to men. It’s in fact out of physical respect for women and their bodies, since prayer involves a lot of movements that may be distracting. “Before salaat, we do a ritual purification prior to called wudu’ which is translated as ablution, where we wash our hands, faces, mouths, forearms up to the elbows, feet up to the ankles, and wipe our hair and ears with wet hands. During salaat we stand with our hands in front of us. … After pronouncing that Allah is great, there are times when we bow placing our hands on our knees,” Handley said. “And then there are times where we are prostrating with our foreheads, noses, palms and toes flat on the floor.”

The Third Pillar is zakaat, or voluntary charity, where up to 2.5 percent of a Muslim’s net income is to be given to the poor, Truong said. Zakaat means purification, or almsgiving to the needy. This is an annual payment that helps the less fortunate. If one doesn’t have money to give, he or she can work or find other ways to help others, Handley said.

The Fourth Pillar is sawm, or fasting. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims will fast for 30 days, abstaining from all food, drink and sexual relations, Handley said. “It is also said that one should even fast from thinking corrupt thoughts [using] and foul words during the entire month,” Handley said. “If one is sick or sustaining some other condition in which fasting would not be wise, they can postpone the fasting until they are enough to resume the task.”

The Fifth Pillar is Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Makkah. Only those who are physically or financially able are obligated to do this. “Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments that strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God,” Handley said. “You could be praying next to a king and not even know it.” While the Five Pillars require discipline, practice is based on an individual’s own ability. “If you can’t afford to make Hajj, then you are not required to do so,” Truong said. “However, the prayers still need to be met, but if you can’t stand then you must pray sitting. If you can’t sit, then you pray while lying down. If you’re paralyzed, then pray with your eyes.”

The Misconceptions

There are common misconceptions regarding Islam and what it means to be considered Muslim. They include the intolerance of other faiths or Allah being regarded as a different entity as the Christian or Jewish God.

“A lot of people think Allah is a different God,” said Tuseef Chaudhry, a student at Seattle University and member of the AMSA. “But this is the same [God] as Jews … [and] Christians. Allah is a different word for God [and] literally means ‘the creator’ in Arabic.”

Arabic-speaking Christians will also refer to God as Allah, Ahmad said.

Muslims also believe that Jesus, Moses, Abraham and other important religious figures throughout history were prophets of God.

Based on this, it’s nearly impossible to be Muslim and intolerant of other religions. To be Muslim, you must respect the practice of other religions and even defend the attack against them.

“I have to guarantee freedom for other religions,” Chaudhry said. “If we see [someone] vandalizing a church or temple, we have [the] duty to protect that church or temple. If we don’t, we’re not holding up our role as Muslims.”

It’s also commonly believed that most Muslims are Arab or that most Arabs are Muslim and that Jihad promotes the use of violence and aggression toward others.

Roughly 15 to 20 percent of Muslims reside in Arab nations. There is a larger population of non-Arab Muslims than Arab Muslims, and the largest Muslim nation is in Indonesia, Chaudhry said.

One of the largest misconceptions comes from the use of Jihad, which means “struggle” and not holy war, as many people think. Chaudhry said, “This struggle is normally in the path of God, meaning that whenever you struggle to do what is right you are engaged in Jihad.

“Dr. King was engaged in Jihad, fighting for the causes of the oppressed … When Moses went to pharaoh on behalf of all the Hebrews and declared, ‘Let my people go,’ this is jihad. Whenever you have a late assignment that you know you can plagiarize … but refuse to do it because you know that is wrong … you have just engaged yourself in a battle of Jihad.”

So why do people interpret jihad as violence? Or why do people act in violence in the name of jihad?

Depending on the sect, there are either two or three types of jihad: greatest and great — which can be combined as greater — jihad and lesser jihad.

The media often portrays lesser jihad as the use of violence toward others. However, the reason behind use of violence or acting in the name of jihad is more complicated, and doing something in the name of jihad requires reasons that abide by laws.

“Islam is a religion of peace and is pragmatic. Its laws deal with the day-to-day social interactions, conflict management and resolution,” Truong said. “The faith encompasses a balance of both faith and laws; one without the other can lead to disaster.”

One interpretation for when lesser jihad is valid is in self-defense and during times of religious oppression, Ahmad said. The idea of terrorists declaring jihad on the West is more of a political battle, and is an example of people using religion to strengthen a cause. This twists the interpretation of Jihad to the point of confusion.

Chaudhry said Ahmadiyya Muslims believe that jihad of the sword is over and today’s jihad is with the pen; writing books or editorials to educate others is how jihad is defended today.

Because Islam is community oriented, you must follow a juristic method before claiming jihad, senior and MSA member Hala Dillsi said. Islam is a proof-based religion, so to wrongly attribute something to God or in the name of God is a huge “no-no.”

The exact definitions of jihad are different and depend on the numerous interpretations that can be taken from the Quran. There is a complicated debate over what lesser jihad requires, and it will always remain a topic of debate.

Another common misconception is the oppression of women within the religion. This mostly stems from cultural differences.

The hijab, or what is viewed as the headscarf, is often thought of as sign of oppression in Western society. However, there are many reasons for why some women choose to wear the hijab.

“Hijab refers to the parts … that you are supposed to … [cover] for modesty,” Dillsi said. “This includes hair, but also arms and legs. Scholars mention a spiritual hijab that refers to modesty.”

Men must also be covered from the navel to the knees.

“A Muslim’s most important garment

is ‘the garment of righteousness,’” Handley said. “It is a disposition of the heart, the modesty of one’s apparel should only be an outward manifestation of one’s submission to Allah, which starts from within.”

Many believe that the hijab is for women to cover themselves up from men. This isn’t completely true.

Dillsi said, “Under the main schools of Islamic law, it is to be worn in front of men who are not part of your close family. It is easily misunderstood that the hijab must be worn in reaction to have a man see or view a woman.

“Although this is one interpretation, … it is not the only one. Women wear the headscarf to keep within the Islamic standards of modesty as a sign of their commitment to God. This is often done irrespective of men’s views or stances on the wearing of the headscarf, as its wearing is done for God, rather than men in the society.”

In Western society, women are often appreciated for their sexuality and beauty. However, wearing of the hijab allows for focus on other aspects of the woman.

“[It’s] a form of modesty and respect for the woman … to not be judged by looks but personality and intellect,” Chaudhry said. “[It’s the] beauty of her intellect and the beauty of her modesty.”

In marriage, women can also receive one-third, and up to one-half, of her husband’s income. Given the context of an older society where women didn’t have any rights, this was seen as a token of sincerity. This was to show that you were not going to just marry a woman and use her, Ahmad said.

In a marriage, the man must meet his wife’s and his childrens’ needs. The woman is allowed to work and doesn’t have to share her income, Handley said.

“Also, in Islam, if I were married and my husband divorced me … I would get to keep the house whether I helped pay for it or not. … This is not unfair to him. … We are dealt according to our needs and what is just,” Handley said. “Also, it is obligatory for a man to go the mosque and pray. … The woman can go if she feels like it but she is by no means obligated. … I would go as far as to say that [there are] some aspects where the man is expected to carry a heavier load. … This is why I cannot see how people say it’s the women who are oppressed. We get to relax. It may not appear this way in certain cultures and practices but this is how it is written [in the Quran].”

Islam teaches that men and women are equal and are considered “God’s guests.” A woman doesn’t have to abide by the traditional rules. This is more culture than religion, Chaudhry said. While women are the primary caretakers of children, the relationship between husband and wife is seen as a yin and yang balance where, ultimately, they are equal.

[Reach reporter Doris Wu at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ]