by Gary Betts

Created on: March 21, 2008   Last Updated: July 18, 2011

I have just finished reading an article under this title which paints Islam as a violent religion. I quote its last line, "The true Islam is not peaceful, nor is the true Muslim." This is totally wrong, but I think it is the prevailing view about Islam by many Westerners. It is a belief not founded on Islam itself, but by the fact that a few misguided Muslims have chosen to kill in the name of Allah. These Muslims are wrong and outsiders are wrong to believe that these few represent the whole faith. Islam is a faith built on peace and love. The great majority of Muslims are peaceful and suffer injustice when the whole faith is painted as violent.

I am a Christian and I will die a Christian, but I have has a deep respect for Islam. That's why I have studied this faith and read the Qur'an. I believe that Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are connected are connected through the bloodlines of Abraham, a prophet claimed by all three faiths. His first son Ishmael was the grandfather of the Arab nation and eventually Islam. His second son Isaac was the grandfather of the Jewish nation and eventually Christianity.

According to the Qur'an, converting to Islam will erase all previous sins. After conversion, all good and bad deeds will be recorded and may cancel each other. For example, if a man gives a thirsty dog some water, Allah will forgive his sins for this action. God is called Allah in Arabic. Arab Muslims and Christians use Allah. Jesus, who spoke Aramaic, also used Allah. The Qur'an commands, "...none has the right to be worshiped but Allah. Neither son nor partner." The Qur'an contains the who's who of prophets such as Abraham, Adam, Noah, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, Jesus. And even Mary, the mother of Jesus. Allah commands Muslims in the Qur'an not to take Christians or Jews as allies because they had failed him. But Allah does invite the children of Israel to come back because he had preferred them over all others.

Jihad, also mentioned in the Qur'an, is a misunderstood term. It comes from the Arabic root "ghd" which means to struggle and to strive. This means that a Muslim must struggle and strive in Jihad. But there are different forms of Jihad such as knowledge, religion, diplomacy, charity, verbal skills, and even war. Anyone who engages in any form of Jihad is called a Mujahid. Above all, Allah commands Muslims to live peaceful lives. They may only fight in self defense and once the enemy stops fighting, Muslims must also stop.

Allah and the Qur'an has not given Muslims the authority to attack foreign lands or to kill innocent people. Those Muslims that are doing so are going against the will of Allah. Most Muslims, however, are peaceful according to the will of Allah and that of Islam.

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