The Media and Mass Misinterpretation of Islam Essays

The Media and Mass Misinterpretation of Islam As the cross is the symbol of Christianity, the Star of David the symbol of Judaism, the Crescent Moon and Star are supposedly the symbols of Islam. Islam at its core is a peaceful religion, which like many other religions over the ages has at times been misunderstood not only as to the values it preaches, but also in relation to its core beliefs. Although in today’s post September 11th world Islam and its followers, who are also known as Muslims, tend to be associated with acts of terrorism, the Middle East and anti-American beliefs, Islam at its core is radically different than what most people perceive it to be. Being the fastest-growing religion in the world, Islam’s 1.2 billion†¦show more content†¦Even if you stretch out your hand against me to kill me, I shall not stretch out my hand against you to kill you. â€Å"If anyone murders an [innocent] person, it will be as if he has murdered the whole of humanity. And if anyone saves a person it will be as if he has saved the whole of humanity. Though these two quotes are just a sample of the hundreds which can be found within the Quran, where it plainly states that violence is contradictory to the Muslim religion, there are some excerpts where it appears that the Quran does actually condone acts of aggression against others. In an effort to resolve these contradictions the Muslim scholars at the renowned Institute for the Secularization of Islamic Society (ISIS) have stated in MSN reporter Seth Stevenson’s article, Islam? A Peaceful Religion, that these â€Å"sword verses† came into the Muslim religion after the Muslim prophet Mohammed gained considerable military strength and still lacked converts amongst the Jews and Christians. Another one of the major problems, which effectively highlights the fact that Islam is gravely misunderstood in today’s Western world, is the symbol most non-Muslims associate with Islam. The mere suggestion that the Crescent Moon and Star aren’t the true symbols of Islam would seem almost comic to most educated Westerners seeing as these two items, with the help of our media and news outlets, have become almost synonymous with theShow MoreRelatedInspire, The, And Inspire The Believers Essay1157 Words   |  5 Pagesbombs used in the attack. The Boston Bombers are praised in â€Å"Remembering Boston† by Qadhi Bishr. In the opening â€Å"Editor’s Letter† Yahya Ibrahim states, â€Å"Muslims continue to face the results and consequence of the fierce crusade aggression against Islam.† He praises the 9/11 attacks as â€Å"the blessed 9/11 attacks,† and calls on Muslims in the West to join in jihad â€Å"in the cause of the events of 9/11.† He asserts that the â€Å"Mujahidin took an oath to defend the honor of the Prophet Muhammad,† siting theRead MoreReligious Terrorism : Islamic Terrorism1586 Words   |  7 Pages It also does not help that today’s social media thrives off of rude and belligerent internet memes that portrays just an average Middle-Eastern man as a awful, blood-shedding menace. There is one religion that is always directly connected to the basic terrorist stereotypes, and that religion would be Islam. Islam is defined as the religion of the Muslims, a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah. Though Islam produces the majority of terrorists, not allRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Syria2095 Words   |  9 PagesRecently, much media attention has been given to the radical terrorist group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). To many, this group is a representation of Islam and affirms the stereotype that Islam is comprised of radical terrorists that are cruel to women, children, and minorities. Commonly, Westerners maintain that Muslims oppose peace and, instead, are set on converting everyone to Islam. This paper, therefore, will examine the basic tenants and beliefs of ISIS and compare them to mainstreamRead MoreAnti Islam Sentiments On American Culture Essay1696 Words   |  7 PagesThough there is a seemingly massive amount of people who have just now come out with anti-Islam sentiments, it is clear that this is not really the case. Citing the radical policy suggestions and bans suggested by Donald Trump, there is also reference to American history and how the citizens of America are, unlike Europe and Asia, products of immigrants who chose to come to America (aside from slaves and Native Americans). Citing journalist Rose Wilder Lane in 1936, they take her quote that saysRead MoreDoes Islam Encourages Conflict And Terrorism As Well As Establish Why Islam2199 Words   |  9 Pages This section aims to establish whether Islam encourages conflict and terrorism as well as establish why Islam is under the limelight and seen as a violent religion. This section of my project will be employing statistical and thematic analysis strategies so a better understanding can be made to the empirical data gathered. Within exploring my research, diverse themes stood out. A range of 30 News articles were coded identifying negative depiction. (See Figure 1:5) Islamophobia attacks have risenRead MoreIslamic Religion Of Islam And Islam2553 Words   |  11 Pagesthese four words establish the fundamental explanation of the word Islam. A deep study of Islamic teachings and thought reveals that Islam is a religion of peace, security and protection; the true believers in the sight of God and His Messenger are those who embody those qualities. The dominant religion of Islam has been the center of much attention and controversy in today’s civilization. The Western perspective s ubjugates Islam and the Muslim counterparts as violent, aggressive, deviant and terroristic;Read MoreThe Phenomenon Of Violent Political Islamism3203 Words   |  13 Pages3. Discuss the phenomenon of violent political Islamism. What are its origins, aims and grievances? How ought we to deal with the phenomenon? Political Islam, or Islamism, is the instrumental use of Islam to pursue socio-political objectives. Islam in this case is not merely a religious construct, but a political ideology. Individuals, groups, and organisations pursue political ideas and programs based on Islamic principles and concepts. They aim to implement Islamic law (Sharia) in both the publicRead MoreResearch Design And Methods Of Public Schools1435 Words   |  6 Pagessame study analyzed adult’s knowledge of different religions from around the world. The study found American adults over the age of 20 scored poorly . The theme addressed here refers to the idea that to fight ignorance, you educate people. The media portrays mass amounts of negativity for example regarding issues in the Middle East. Since 9/11, â€Å"Muslims† have been associated with terrorism and extremist views. Yet, little do people understand the extreme radical views that Americans believe to be installedRead MoreIn recent year s, a small piece of cloth has managed to cause quite a stir. The scarf, or hijab,1600 Words   |  7 Pagesgroups. With many different consumptions of religion, what it means, what is considered to be practicing and what is not can lead to negative misunderstandings. Ultimately the decisions are up to the individuals although; there is likely to be misinterpretation between the meaningfulness of religion to family and society. On an even bigger scale of things this could also impact society and it’s views towards the religion and those practicing it which can lead to unfair treatment. The importance andRead MoreThe Religion Of Islam And Islam3231 Words   |  13 PagesABSTRACT The religion of Islam has become a controversial issue in today’s 21st century. In spite of excessively negative representations by Western propaganda, increasing numbers of the population are pursuing to learn more about the wonderful religion of Islam. More frequently than not, these people are becoming more pleasantly startled by the product of their exploration. In fact, increasing numbers of people are embracing Islam nowadays then they did prior to the horrific attacks on September