Islam: Perception Versus Reality

After having members of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) speak with us and watching the documentary, Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, we noticed that many of the perceptions people had of Islam and Muslims were misconceptions. These perceptions are created from what is being seen in the media and lack of accurate information. Here are some ways to bring your perception closer to reality.

1. Islam versus Muslim: What's the difference?

To start, it is important to understand what it means when you say “Islam” versus “Muslim.” Islam is a religion, like Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism etc., and a Muslim is someone who practices Islam, like how someone who practices Christianity is called a Christian.

2. How Much Do You Really Know?

Did you know, according to the Gallup Poll, 54% of Americans said that they had only some or no knowledge about Islam? The survey also showed that only 1% of Muslims are militants yet 57% of media reports on terrorism refer to Muslims. This is not an accurate reflection of the overall Muslim population.

3. The Power of Showing Less

According to the Gallup Poll, many Muslim women feel that wearing the Hijab prevents others from seeing them only for their physical appearance. This is directly in contrast with the Western perception that the Hijab is a tool for oppression.

4. Calling someone a “Jihadist” is not what you think.

There is a formal requirement in Islam that in order for a fighting jihad to be declared that it has to be declared by a legitimate governmental authority. So it doesn’t really matter what average citizens think one way or the other. It matters whether there was a legitimate reason or cause for the fighting, such as responding to aggression or fighting oppression, and whether there is legitimate government authority behind the call to fight. None of these terrorist groups have any legitimacy at all.

The Western translation for jihad is “Holy War,” but the actual translation is “Struggle for God.” “One refers to an inner, spiritual struggle, such as the struggle to be a good person, and the other refers to an outer, physical struggle, such as a struggle against social, political, or institutional corruption” Read more

5. Islam is more democratic than you think

Did you know support for freedom of speech is high in many Muslim countries? For example, in Iran, it is 92%, 88% in Turkey, 94% in Egypt and 82% in Pakistan (Gallup Poll). Women have played a prominent role in politics within many Muslim countries. Read more

6. Gender equality is guaranteed in Islam

According to the Gallup Poll, the number of women in Muslim countries who feel that if they have the necessary skills they should have equal opportunity to be employed are 82% in Saudi Arabia, 96% in Lebanon, 83% in Egypt, and 84% in Iran. Men in the same countries generally agree: 74% in Saudi Arabia, 92% in Lebanon, 62% in Egypt and 67% in Iran. “Islam was the first civilization to provide and guarantee women’s rights” (Political Islam).

7. Don’t Believe Everything You Hear

So, with all of the similarities between the West and Muslim countries, and the fact that Christianity and Islam are very similar religions when it comes to thinking that the two are too different to be able to coexist...