The Misrepresentation of Islam

All Praise and All Thanks are for Allah.

It has become increasingly common for Islam to be misrepresented in the West. That is, Islam is interpreted according to, and judged by, Western ideas, values and concepts. In effect, Western values, ideas and concepts are implicitly or explicitly accepted as the standard, the criteria, and in many cases as representative of "reality" or "the truth"., with little or no attempt made, in the West, to understand Islam in its own terms: as unique apprehension of Reality with its own ideas, values and concepts, all of which differ quite significantly from those of the West. An example will make this misrepresentation of Islam clear.

Over the past year, many people in the West - among them the President of Amerika - have taken to saying that "Islam is a religion of peace". Few Muslims, and especially those living in the West, have challenged this misrepresentation. It is a misrepresentation because what is meant by "peace" is what the West means by peace: a universal concept, or ideal, which implies the possibility and the striving of diverse peoples with diverse ways of life living in some kind of pacifist harmony so that something akin to "the happiness of the greatest number" is possible.

The crucial point to consider here is that, for Islam, peace is the submission to Allah (SWT) and the safety which Allah (SWT) alone can provide.

"Allah guides toward peace those who seek His pleasure." [5:16 Interpretation of Meaning]

"And this (Islam and the Quran) is the straight path of your Rabb. For those who take heed of Our clear revelations there shall be that dwelling which is peace (Jannah). [6:126-7 Interpretation of meaning]

In addition the Islamic perspective, correctly understood, is not the pursuit of the "happiness of the greatest number", nor even the happiness of the individual, but rather the pursuit of Jannah: of Paradise. This present life is only a means, a way, to the next. What is, or should be, important for a Muslim is the Next Life, and The Last Day when we will be judged for what we have done, or failed to do.

"He [Allah] created life and death that He might put you to the test and find out which of you acquitted himself best." 67: 1-2. (Interpretation of meaning.)

"Every soul shall taste death. We shall try you in good and bad ordeals." 21:35 (Interpretation of meaning.)

Anas b. Malik reported: "Paradise is surrounded by hardships and the Hell-Fire is surrounded by temptations". Bukhari, Book 40, Number 6778

Furthermore, implicit in the Western ideal of peace is the concept of this being attained or attainable by a government, or State, or leader. or political group, on behalf of the people. That is, a reliance on such things: the hope that peace can be bought, or should or could be attained by trusting in such things. In contrast, the Islamic perspective is to rely on Allah (SWT) alone and to accept that only through submission to Allah's will, revealed in Quran and Sunnah, can any kind of peace be attained in this life.

The Reason for Misrepresentation:

However, this misrepresentation of Islam should come as no surprise, since it really is part of the war on Islam that has been going on for well over a year. One of the aims of this misrepresentation is to re-define Islam - to modernize, to tame - Islam and so accommodate it to the Western view of reality and life, thus enabling the West to effectively pacify Muslims. Thus this modernistic, Western, "Islam" would be just a "religion" as religion is now practiced in the West:. Islam would be seen, understood and practiced as a "culture" different from, but integrated with, the West and other non-Western "cultures". There would be no Jihad; no aim of establishing Khilafah; no duty to regain Muslim lands occupied by the kuffar; and no living according to Shari'ah and Shari'ah alone. Instead, countries with a Muslim population would accept Western-style democracy and Western laws, with Imams and Muslim schools and centres of study subject to government approval. And of course, the governments of such Muslim lands would accept the overlordship of the United Nations and seek to live "in peace" with countries like Amerika and the Zionist entity which occupies Muslim land in Palestine. They would even allow Amerikan military bases to be established as they would accept - like Egypt and Turkey today do - a Western way of life with such things as alcohol freely and publicly available, and gambling allowed.

"For the Unbelievers, the life of this world is decked with all kind of temptations. They scoff and laugh at the faithful, but those that fear and obey Allah shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection." (2: 212 Interpretation of Meaning)

  "This is a Book which We have revealed as a blessing: so follow it and fear Allah so that you may receive mercy." (6:155 Interpretation of Meaning)

"And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the Kafiroon." [5:44 Interpretation of meaning]

"The Jews and Christians will never be satisfied with you until you follow their way of life." [2: 120 Interpretation of Meaning]

"You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with and loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam), even if they are their fathers or their sons or their kindred..." 58:22 Interpretation of the meaning]

Furthermore, this misrepresentation of Islam allows the kuffar to describe as "extremist" or a "terrorist" or a "terrorist supporter" those who uphold and who strive to implement the real Way of Al-Islam. These "extremists" can then be dealt with by kuffar government agencies and according to "kuffar law", and if the kuffar deem it necessary, imprisoned or killed.

The Way of Al-Islam:

In truth, the perspective of Islam is the perspective of Jannah; of understanding this mortal life as only a stage, a test, a way, toward the next. In truth, the way of Islam is the way of total submission to, and total reliance upon, Allah (SWT) alone. In truth, the only criteria Islam accepts for what is right and wrong, are those given in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam). All these things make a Muslim, and they make the Muslim a stranger in the modern world, and especially in the West.

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "Islam began as something strange, and it will revert to its former position of being strange, so good tidings for the strangers." (Recorded by Muslim, Attirmidthi, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad)

In truth, Islam is the way of Jihad: of striving in the Way of Allah (SWT) so that we can oppose what is wrong, be an example of what is right, and walk upon the way which leads to Jannah. Islam in the Way of opposing the kuffar by force of arms: of establishing an Islamic way of life; of making Islam supreme in the world.

For all these things have been commanded by Allah (SWT) and, as Muslims - as people who submit only to Allah (SWT) - our duty is to obey such commands.

"And there shall be conflict between you while you dwell, resting for a while, on Earth which shall provide for you." (2: 36 Interpretation of Meaning)

"And fight them until there is no more Fitnah and the Way of Life is for Allaah Alone." [8:39 Interpretation of Meaning]

"Fight against those who do not believe in Allah, or in The Last Day, and who do not forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, as well as those among the people of the book who do not acknowledge the Deen of Truth, and fight them until they pay the Jizya with willing submission." [ 9:29 interpretation of Meaning]

Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "If anyone meets Allah with no mark of Jihad, he will meet Allah with a flaw in him." [Al-Tirmidhi Number 3835, Narrated AbuHurayrah]

And the Prophet (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) gave glad tidings of victory and triumph for the religion and its dominance as he said, "This matter will reach wherever the night and day reach. And Allah will not leave a single home built either from hides or fur, except Allah causes this religion to enter it, from the supremacy of the supreme, from the humiliation of the humiliated; a supremacy by which Allah makes Islam supreme, a humiliation by which Allah humiliates disbelief (Kufr)." - narrated by Ahmad from the Hadeeth of Tameem Ad-Daaree.

"Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find in you a harshness." [9:123 Interpretation of Meaning.]

"Thus We have made you [Muslims], a Wasat (just and the best) people, that you be witnesses over mankind as the Messenger (Muhammad) is a witness over you." [Al-Baqarah: 143 Interpretation of Meaning].

It has been narrated by 'Umar b. al-Khattib that he heard the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) say: "I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will leave only Muslims there". Muslim: Book 19, Number 4366

Allah (SWT) knows best.