There are many misconceptions about Islam such as Islam is a religion of Violence, Islam promotes terrorism, Islam degrades women, Islam teaches intolerance. The reason for such misconceptions is that people consider the acts of Muslims to be Islam. This is not a fact. What is written in the Islamic Scriptures – the Quran and Sunnah – is Islam. We need to differentiate between Islam and Muslims and using a scientific approach, see Islam in the light of the Islamic Scriptures and not to judge it by the conduct of Muslims. To clear the misconceptions, we have to take an objective look at Islam in the light of the Quran (the word of God) and Sunnah (The words and sayings of Prophet Mohammad).

Let us take a look at some common misconceptions in Islam and clear them in light of Islam's original sources to see what is the true Islamic view on them.

1. Islam is a not a Religion of Violence
2. Islam does not Permit Suicide Bombings
3. Why is Islam Considered a Religion of Violence
4. Islam does not Promote War with Enemies
5. Islam does not teach Reaction to its Adherents
6. Islam does not Teach Extremism
7. Islam does not Teach Fanaticism
8. Islam does not Produce an Uneducated Society
9. Islam does not Teach People to be Close-Minded
10. Islam encourages Spirit of Enquiry
11. Islam does not hold Women to be Inferior to Men
12. Islam does not degrade Women
13. Islam does not Teach Violence
14. Islam does not Teach Confrontation
15. Islam does not permit the Over-throwing of Corrupt Islamic Governments
16. Islam does not hold the Gaining of Political Power as a Muslims main Objective
17. The Concept of Peace in Islam
18. Islam is not Intolerant of other Religions
19. Islam does not hold All Non-Muslims to be Kafirs
20. Islam does not deny Religious Freedom to Others
21. All Muslims must not have Four Wives
22. Islam does not hold Triple Talaq as Lawful

Now that we have taken an objective look at the misconceptions and seen the Islamic view point on them, we will realize that these problems have nothing to do with Islam; they are due to the fact that its adherents, Muslims, do not know the limit of their freedom. This is not the case of only Muslims, in fact, modern man, in general, aspired to freedom as the highest good, but once having reached this goal, he was unable to set reasonable limits to freedom. In consequence, unrestrained freedom descended into anarchy and lawlessness and all other forms of negativity.

According to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, unrest starts at the level of the mind. This happens when people become conditioned to living lives, which are self-oriented instead of God-oriented. As a result of this unrest, they either live in a state of insecurity or isolate themselves from society, or in other ways become negative in their reactions. Some go to the extent of taking the law into their own hands, which results in chaos, violence and even global terrorism.

According to Maulana, there is a need to rediscover Islam from its original sources — Quran, the word of God and Hadith, the sayings and actions of the Prophet Mohammad and we need to differentiate between Islam and Muslims. 

To find out more about the true face of Islam, contact us.