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Gone are the days when the extremists were few; we can no longer ignore them. They are popping up all across the world: Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Iraq. They are also growing rapidly, becoming more organised and better-funded. They pose a real and dangerous threat not just to non-Muslims with their religious intolerance, but also to Muslims too. That they kill Muslims is clear. But more than that, by muddying the image of Islam and making the religion appear violent, backward and completely out of touch with the modern world, they are causing Muslims to leave the religion.
Muslims often think their biggest enemy comes from outside the religion. In fact, the biggest enemy normally comes from inside. Islam’s number-one enemy today is not the US government, nor Israel; it has taken its form in ISIS. The extremist group is the reason why millions of people will have a terrible perception of Islam, why many born into Islam will never accept the faith, and why many Muslims will leave their religion, perhaps even flocking to atheism.
I came across this article while doing some web searching and wonder what some people here have to say about it. I'll admit, the actions committed in the name of Islam have certainly altered my opinions about it. 15 years ago I saw it as just another religion, not much different than Catholicism vs. Methodists. Fine, I don't agree with those beliefs (as an atheist they make no sense to me) but they are basically harmless and benign. If people do believe and find comfort in those words (rather they are from the Bible, the Torah or the Quran) fine, more power to them. I respect that they believe and hold no animosity towards them.
9/11 was certainly one big wake up call. The thought of slaughtering thousands of innocent people in the name of a religious myth (or belief if you prefer that) is beyond barbaric. Still, that vile act involved only ~20 individuals, I can accept that they are a small handful of extremists. Still, since that time the violence and savagery of attacks in the name of Islam have gotten more extreme, as well as much more frequent. The number of individuals committing such acts has exploded. I think those acts have driven many people to look into the words of the Quran and the acts of Muhammad. Based on that research, many have come to conclude (perhaps incorrectly and through questionable interpretation of those words and questionable sources) that Islam does promote violence, does encourage followers to commit vile acts (brutality against women and the slaughter of non-Muslims, as well as calling for the murder of apostates comes to mind).
The polite, well reasoned responses of so many on here do make me realize that the "extremists" are not representative of all, or even most, Muslims. I'm curious, first, how you react to the article. And also, how do you win the marketing battle for Islam, convincing it's adherents that are facing a crisis of faith, that the extreme interpretation is not correct? How do you convince those that are not adherents, but that would prefer to see Islam in a neutral light and respect and tolerate it as they do other religions but who draw their conclusions based on the acts of so many of the more extreme followers?
For most Muslims, growing up in Muslim families, in Muslim communities, in Muslim countries, they will never question their faith. It is just not something that is done, much like a Muslim woman who has worn the Hajib her entire life has no desire to take it off - such as when visiting abroad.
I agree that such radical extremism represents an internal threat to the religion and certainly nonmuslims are not volunteering to become Muslims but I don't see it shaking the faith of masses of devoted Muslims.
Nothing will shake my faith, no extremist, no ISIS, no ignorant self-proclaimed Muslim, no non-Muslim, no politician radicalizing masses against Muslims. All are playing their part one way or the other, often in ignorance, to create the mess in the world.
People who leave the faith because of the action of others didn't know their faith in the first place. A Muslim who understands the tenets of his faith will never leave his faith.
Any non-Muslim who stays away from Islam is staying away not because of these extremists and terrorists but because he hasn't fuly understood Islam. On the other hand, non-Muslims who do honest research into Islam (not Muslims) and understand it properly are still likely to find it appealing despite the deranged fringes.
In my view, there is a lot more going on behinds the scenes that people are not aware of than just the extremism in the world. Injustice, politics, profit making, self-interests, national interests and ignorance about one's religion all play a part in creating evil in the world. But of course those become the bad guys who get the most negative publicity in the media. Often the real culprits get away with it. Imagine if ISIS had attacked Iraq in 2003, the Western powers would have attacked ISIS, rather than Saddam, to protect Iraq for their national interests.
There is a lot more as to why many Muslims are in a mess today. They have effectively ignored their faith.
Last edited by Khalif; 02-26-2016 at 11:22 AM..
Reason: Submitted too early
People who leave the faith because of the action of others didn't know their faith in the first place. A Muslim who understands the tenets of his faith will never leave his faith.
I thought it was only Christianity that had this inbuilt, guilt trip, circular logic:
"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us."
~1 John 2:19 as per the New International Version (NIV)
There is difference, a Muslim is not part of a group, does not have to be part of any group and does not have to comply with rules of any group to stay as a Muslim. A Muslim is an individual and his faith is very personal to him. There is no pope in Islam and nobody can throw you out of "group".
There is difference, a Muslim is not part of a group, does not have to be part of any group and does not have to comply with rules of any group to stay as a Muslim. A Muslim is an individual and his faith is very personal to him. There is no pope in Islam and nobody can throw you out of "group".
I get that, but individual Muslims identify with other Muslims and thus there is a group think and all of those in the group think gather in a mosque as part of what the group think says they should do, right? So, based on what you stated earlier and what I posted about Christians, if one leaves the faith/group, it supposedly proves that such an apostate could have never possibly been a "True Muslim" because a 'True Muslim' would NEVER abandon the state of Muslimhood, right?
I get that, but individual Muslims identify with other Muslims and thus there is a group think and all of those in the group think gather in a mosque as part of what the group think says they should do, right? So, based on what you stated earlier and what I posted about Christians, if one leaves the faith/group, it supposedly proves that such an apostate could have never possibly been a "True Muslim" because a 'True Muslim' would NEVER abandon the state of Muslimhood, right?
To claim "Islam" isn't a "group" is a distortion of the truth. The very people that resign from Islam are labeled by their fellow Muslims as apostates. And in many countries where Islam is prominent, those people are murdered, simply for leaving the group. At the least, even in non-Muslim dominated countries, those that have left Islam are often ostracized by other practicing Muslims. That is the ultimate "group think".
I get that, but individual Muslims identify with other Muslims and thus there is a group think and all of those in the group think gather in a mosque as part of what the group think says they should do, right?
I do not have to do any of that to stay a Muslim. I don't identify with other Muslims. I idenify myself as Muslim rather than Muslim group.
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So, based on what you stated earlier and what I posted about Christians, if one leaves the faith/group, it supposedly proves that such an apostate could have never possibly been a "True Muslim" because a 'True Muslim' would NEVER abandon the state of Muslimhood, right?
Wrong. Muslimhood is individualhood rather than grouphood.
To claim "Islam" isn't a "group" is a distortion of the truth.
Islam is individual rather than group. To comply with Islam, one does not need a group. It is performed individually and one does not need anyone else to perform it. Even in mosques, you can pray on your own without the help of anyone else.
Quote:
The very people that resign from Islam are labeled by their fellow Muslims as apostates. And in many countries where Islam is prominent, those people are murdered, simply for leaving the group.
An apostate is someone who leaves Islam (not group) and then attacks Muslims and Islam.
Quote:
At the least, even in non-Muslim dominated countries, those that have left Islam are often ostracized by other practicing Muslims. That is the ultimate "group think".
I will not criticize such person as there is no compulsion in religion according to the Qur'an. The person is free to leave without attacking others.
There is difference, a Muslim is not part of a group, does not have to be part of any group and does not have to comply with rules of any group to stay as a Muslim. A Muslim is an individual and his faith is very personal to him. There is no pope in Islam and nobody can throw you out of "group".
That is what many non-Muslims do not comprehend. We do not belong to a group. When it comes down to the essentials each Muslim is his entire congregation and our Mosque is the area we occupy in salat, no matter where that is.
We do not belong to a Mosque, a sect or a denomination even if we assign a name to our methods.
A Muslim is a Muslim is a Muslim and not a member of a specific religious group.
When we use an adjective such as I often do when I say I adhere to the Hanafi Madhab of Sunni, that is a misnomer as that is not what makes me a Muslim. It is possible for a Hanafi to perform Islam but being Hanafi does not make one a Muslim. The same can be said for any and all Madhabs. It is also possible for a person to adhere to a Madhab and not be a Muslim.
We do not Join Islam, We can not be kicked out of Islam because we have never joined something.
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