Islam and Violence

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how the threat of terrorism is constant in the modern world and has introduced many new beliefs, correct and false, into the collective conscience of the citizens of the world. Among these is the assertion that Islam is violent, and as such, poses a threat to world peace. This paper makes this critical distinction and proves that Islam is not violent, and only becomes so when it is polluted with extremist mindsets and false interpretations of ancient Islamic texts and tenets.

Abstract/Thesis
The 3 Dimensions of Islam
Islam Goes Radical
What True Islam Means to the Faithful
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The term Islam itself is used by so many people with so much regularity, but in reality, very few people realize what the term itself means, not only in its literal translation but also for what it represents as a dimension of the Islamic faith. Literally translated, Islam means "submission", coming from the same root as the Arabic word "salaam", which means "peace". As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him. The word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So though even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim (Kamali, 2003)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Atkins, S. E. (2002). Encyclopedia of Modern American Extremists and Extremist Groups /. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
• (1992). Faith and Practice of Islam : Three Thirteenth Century Sufi Texts / (Chittick, W. C., Trans.). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
• Haddad, Y. Y. (Ed.). (1993). The Muslims of America. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Kamali, M. H. (2003). Islam, Rationality and Science. Islam & Science, 1(1), 115.
• Murata, S., & Chittick, W. C. (1994). The Vision of Islam. St. Paul, MN: Paragon House.

More papers on Islam and Violence:

• Case Study # 106356 : "Islam and Violence"
• Research Paper # 109541 : "Islam and Violence"
• Book Review # 66218 : "The Myth: Islam Beyond Violence"

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