A RELIGION MISUNDERSTOOD

A RELIGION MISUNDERSTOOD T HERE are many misconceptions about Islam that result in the general public having a negative perception of Islam. It is common for Muslims to be asked whether they are moderate Muslims. They are also asked what the difference is between a moderate and an extremist Muslim. Some people ask why Muslims are engaged in Jihad and whether Talaq is allowed in Islam. Since this implies a negative understanding of Islam, it is important to highlight the positive contributions of Islam as well. The confusion generally arises when people fail to differentiate between Islam and Muslims (or the alleged followers of Islam). It must be stressed that Muslims must be judged in the light of Islamic teachings and not vice versa. Let us understand this by considering a similar case: India, like other secular societies, has a legal and political constitution. The people of India have accepted that constitution and claim to adhere to it. This, however, does not mean that they do adhere to it, in the proper sense. Witness the many examples of corruption and lawlessness in our country. This being so, if one wants to know what, in essence, the Constitution of India is; one has to look not at the actions of the citizens of India, but at the Constitution of India itself. One should differentiate between the Indian Constitution and the misinterpretations and the abuse of the constitution by the citizens of India. The case of Islam is on an exact parallel with this example. Islam is actually a religion of peace and humanism. Not only Islam, but also all other religions are religions of peace. The Sufis, in contrast to the theological interpreters, have given the best interpretation of Islam. They have a Persian saying: Sulh-e-Kul, which means ‘Peace with all’. This truly expresses the spirit of Islam. What are the sources of Islam? Here, let us consider in brief the history People fail to differentiate between Islam and Muslims. Muslims must be judged in the light of Islamic teachings and not vice versa.