Misconceptions: 5 Simple Things You Probably Did Not Know About Islam…

With so much misunderstanding in the world about Islam, I hope these simple
facts serve to redress some common misconceptions. …..
Before we begin, let’s get one thing straight: Muslim and Arab are two different
things.
Arab is an ethnic group and as such Arabs can be Christian , Jewish, atheist, Muslim
or any other religion. Islam is a religion.
People often forget that the largest Muslim Country in the world is Indonesia and the
majority of the world’s Muslims are not Arab.
Many non-Arab countries around the world have large Muslim populations
including Senegal, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Bosnia, Turkey, Cyprus and Ghana
among others.
With the difference between ethnicity and religion now clarified, here are the five
things about Islam you should know:
1. Women and men are equal in Islam:
“Each of you is equal to the other” (Quran, 3: 195) It is true that inequalities exist in
many Muslim societies but it is also true that gender inequalities exist in many non-
Muslim societies as well. Gender inequalities emanate from cultural practices, not
the religion of Islam. In the Quran, men and women enjoy the same rights
spiritually, but also socially and politically. Several Islamic countries have also had
female heads of state, including Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Turkey.
2. Muslims love Jesus:
Islam shares many religious figures and historical events with Judaism and
Christianity. Muslims greatly respect Jesus. He is considered a prophet in Islam.
3. Fasting:
Muslims fast for 30 days every year for Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of
Islam. Ramadan this year is happening during most of the month of June. Muslims
fast to experience what it feels like to be poor and hungry, and to focus on their own
inner spiritual journey. Fasting is a great teacher of compassion.
4. Social Justice:
Islam is a religion with a deep commitment to social justice. In addition to the
practice of Ramadan enabling Muslims to experience hunger as a poor and hungry
person might, another of the five pillars of Islam is to help the poor through a
donation of zakat. Put simply, Muslims must give 2.5 percent of their savings to the
poor, as zakat is a requirement of those who have accumulated wealth.
5. Terrorism is Unislamic :
Violence and suicide missions are un-Islamic. At its core, Islam is a religion of peace,
a message reiterated many times throughout the Quran. The Quran calls its way
“the paths of peace” (Quran 5 vs 16) and states that God dislikes any disturbance of
peace: “God loves not aggressors” (2: 190) Additionally, there has been a fatwa (or
religious decree) speaking directly against terrorism and suicide bombings, stating
they are unjust, evil and have no place in Islam. People who perpetuate violence in
the name of Islam are no more true to their faith than Christians who blow up
abortion clinics.
With so much misunderstanding in the world about Islam, I hope these simple facts
serve to redress some common misconceptions.