Currently, many Americans automatically associate Muslims with terrorism. Conversely, many Muslims think negatively of the United States because much of Western ‘modernization’ includes secular tenets, which run contrary to the universal appeal of Islam. In an attempt to ameliorate the lack of understanding on both sides of this debate between Islamic ideology and Western philosophy, a series of interviews with Muslim students on the Rice University campus were conducted, with the objective of ascertaining whether living and learning in a center for Western thought had any impact on their interpretations of Qur’anic verses.
It is important to consider the reasons behind this conflict in order to ascertain its scale. Many of the complaints about the West given by Muslims concern both the practices encouraged by modernization as well as its forceful application by the West. As Michael Palmer wrote in his new book, The Last Crusade: Americanism and the Islamic Reformation, “To Islamists, modernization is secularism and Westernization, and as such it represents yet another set of foreign and un-Islamic concepts foisted on the ummah, or the Islamic ‘nation.’”1 Another possible reason for the negative Islamic sentiment towards modernization can be found in the holistic nature of Islam itself. Islam, if practiced correctly, has roots in all aspects of human life, including religion, politics, law, and the military. Palmer states:
The combination of sacred texts and historical fact that the Prophet Muhammad, unlike Jesus, assumed the religious, political, and military leadership of his people ensured that the practice of Islam, far more than Christianity, demanded of its followers a holistic approach to life. In many ways, this integration of religion into politics makes Islam such a powerful faith. Unfortunately, that same holism makes it more difficult for those in the Islamic world to adjust to the process and pressures of rapid modernization.2
The West has contributed to the conflict between it and Islam as well. The American correlation between Islam and terrorism makes attempts by the Muslim world to accept modernization very difficult. Zachary Karabell’s People of the Book: The Forgotten History of Islam and the West provides a good example. In 2006, Dubai Ports World bought Britain’s Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and thereby acquired a stake in some American ports. When the purchase was put before Congress for approval, there was great concern. United States leaders feared that Muslim ownership of shares in American ports would jeopardize port security. After a large uproar, Dubai Ports World agreed to sell its operations in America to an American company. Karabell summarized the event: “[m]ore than almost any state in the Arab world, Dubai has embraced the logic of global capitalism, and yet it was still treated as a pariah by the American public and lumped together with Al-Qaeda.”3
Islamic stereotypes, coupled with a lack of knowledge in the American leadership of Muslim culture, have served only to perpetuate the problem. Former United States Senator and Republican Part Leader Trent Lott told interviewers, “It’s hard for Americans, all of us, including me, to understand what’s wrong with these people? Why do they kill people of other religions because of religion? Why do they hate the Israelis and despise their right to exist? Why do they hate each other? Why do Sunnis kill Shiites? How do they tell the difference? They all look the same to me.”4 As an elected representative of the American people, Mr. Lott’s lack of knowledge about the nuances of the Islamic world illustrate that there is a very large gap to bridge for significant understanding to occur between the Islamic world and the West. A promising place to begin building this bridge is with the next generation, and where better than on university campuses?
The university students who participated in these interviews all varied in age, gender, country of origin, and sect of Islam. They were all given four Qur’anic verses and subsequent questions about their interpretations. The commonly accepted hadith commentary was also explored to set a reference point for interpretation. In addition to interpretations, the interviewees also provided personal insights on some aspects of Islamic and Western understanding.
The first verse examined was Sura 3, Verses 63: “Say: ‘O People of the Book, come to an equitable word between you and us, that we worship none by Allah, do not associate anything with Him and do not set up each other as lords besides Allah.’ If they turn their backs, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’”5 According to Al-Islam, a non-sectarian digital Islamic library, a widely accepted interpretation of this verse is:
The Holy Prophet, while preaching the truth, adhered to a policy of peace and rational adjustment with the non-Muslims. The original scriptures of the Jews and the Christians also preached monotheism…. Therefore, in this verse, the Jews and Christians are invited to agree to worship none save Allah and not to associate anything with Him, which is a common doctrine between them and the Muslims.6
In order to focus the interpretations, specific questions about each verse were asked. First, interviewees were asked if they believed that Jewish people and Christians are similar to Muslims on a basic level. The general response was that Jews and Christians are similar to Muslims because they are of the Abrahamic lineage. Most agreed with Salman Ahmed, one of the interviewees, that Jews and Muslims were more similar because of the Christian (specifically Catholic) doctrine of the Trinity. “I think that Jews and Christians are similar to Muslims in the acknowledgement of one supreme God. I think Christians are more different from the other two, as they believe Jesus and the Holy Ghost, along with God, form a holy trinity.”7 This sentiment seemed to be in conflict with that expressed in Sura 5, Verse 82: “You shall find the most hostile people to the believers to be the Jews and the polytheists; and you shall find closest in affection to the believers those who say: ‘We are Christians.’”8
When prompted as to the primary characteristics that differentiate Jews and Christians from Muslims today, the interviewee response varied from, “Muslims still hold to the literal interpretation of the Qur’an (more fundamental), whereas Jews and Christian are more modernized in some sense,”9 to, “Muslims see themselves more as slaves or submitters to God, I feel Jews tend to see themselves as having made a contractual agreement with God that they must abide by.”6 Most responses seemed to confirm some of the given reasons for the conflict between Islam and the West, especially the attitude that Islam’s emphasis on literal interpretation of the Qur’an translates to Islam’s all-encompassing nature. Despite the fact that all Abrahamic religions are monotheistic, there are enough differences to cause conflict between them.
The final question the interviewees were asked to comment on was the belief that all Abrahamic religions can come to an equitable peace. All responses indicated that such a peace was possible, but that it would take many changes from the status quo. Particularly, a peace is possible, “as long as none of them [the religions] impose their will on the other, and recognize the difference between fundamentalism and actual religion.”10 The sentiment that peace requires individual interactions between members of the different faiths was also expressed because, “it’s easy to dehumanize a group of people when you’re not interacting with them on an individual level.”11 Such sensitivity in response can be expected from a person situated in a college environment, due to the great diversity of opinions that exist on most campuses. One student also responded with an emphasis on peace through education and comprehension: “the only way the Abrahamic religions can exist in a state of peace is by their practitioners being more aware of all three religions and reading their scriptures.”12 The interviewees agreed with much of the hadith commentary, but also seemed more open to the idea that differences in beliefs are acceptable and should be respected.
The second verse analyzed was Sura 4, Verse 90: “Expect for those who seek refuge with a people with whom you are bound by a compact, or come to you because their hearts forbid them to fight you or fight their own people. Had Allah wished, He would have made them dominate you; and then you would have certainly fought you. If, however, they leave you alone and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah allows you no way against them.”13 According to Al-Islam, an accepted interpretation of this verse is, “To destroy the aggressors, in order to dislodge the power base of infidelity, fighting has been ordained, but those who take refuge with a people allied to you, or those who, weary of fighting you or their people, come over to you and offer peace, there is no reason to fight with them.”14
The first directed question asked interviewees to state their thoughts on contracts with non-Muslims given the verse, “This is an immunity from Allah and his Apostle to those idolaters with who you made compacts.”15 Most interviewees expressed that, in general, contracts should be honored regardless of religious affiliation. This particular verse, however, pertains specifically to, “…war/political contracts. And of course my personal view would be to follow whatever is said in the contract, and not to try to screw anyone over.”16 As for the implications of the immunity verse, the common understanding was, “in certain situations where one party repeatedly violates the terms of the contract, there is no point in making treaties. So, contracts are not pointless when both parties are willing to uphold their end.”17
When prompted to comment on how this interpretation applies to the current tension in the Middle East, the interviewees replied with many different responses. One person expressed the idea that, “pacifism and peace offers would work in theory if both parties were willing to put aside their differences. However, realistically, I’m not sure how effective it would be because I doubt that either party is willing to compromise enough to reach a peace in the Middle East.”14 One of the more interesting answers came from Salman Ahmed, who placed extra emphasis on economic and infrastructural development as the path towards peace: “I firmly believe that this conflict will only be won by leaders who can slowly, but surely, show their people a better life, by, for example, creating jobs or improving hospitals.”18
The responses tended to have an anti-Israeli sentiment, but they seemed to be limited to compromise over land concerns and not focused on a denial of the right of Israel to exist. Many students placed an emphasis on the need for continuous negotiation. This desire for negotiation and reasoned agreement could be evidence to the influence a university environment and education has on peoples’ worldviews.
The third verse analyzed was Sura 5, Verse 69: “Surely, the believers, the Jews, the Sabians and the Christians – whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds – shall all have nothing to fear and they shall not grieve.”19 An accepted interpretation of this verse is, “righteous monotheists who believe in a final judgment will be judged as Muslims.”
To test this interpretation, the first question posed to the interviewees asked them to comment on whether a person who believes in the first pillar of Islam (There is one God, Allah) ought to have a place in Heaven. The majority of those who commented on the question felt that a generally moral, monotheistic person should have a place in Heaven, while a few of the interviewees found the question too judgmental and a task which ought to be left to God alone. Most interviewees also commented that this question was too simple and required a complicated answer.
Ali Soomro summarized his position: “a person who is not a Muslim can go to Heaven if he follows the right teachings of Moses, Christ, Mohammad, or any other messenger of God.”20 Moreover, Omar Metwalli gave insight into his feelings on the fate of Catholics: “in the case of the Trinity, some people worship Jesus as if he were God so punishment could apply to them but once again, judgment lies only with God. It may also be worth noting that the Qur’an mentions God’s mercy in that he forgives those that do not know any better.”21 Mehveen Merchant gave insights into the fate of a polytheist when he said, “I think that someone who does good deeds but comes from a polytheistic faith still has a chance at heaven; God judges each person based on their mental capacity, level of understanding, and information level. It would be unfair to judge a person based on knowledge that he did not even have a chance of acquiring.”22
At first glance, this sentiment seems to be contrary to traditional Muslim beliefs, particularly because as per Islamic doctrine, the prophet has already spoken. Mehveen’s tolerance of this idea means that she does not pass the sins of previous generations, and their initial rejection of the prophet, to those offspring who did not face the original choice. Again, this tolerant view could very well be a result of the open environment that a university provides.
The final verse analyzed was Sura 9, Verse 5, commonly known as the Verse of the Sword: “Then, when the sacred months are over, kill the idolaters wherever you find them, take them [as captives], besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every point of observation. If they repent afterwards, perform the prayer and pay the alms, then release them. Allah is truly All-Forgiving, Merciful.”23 According to Al-Islam, an accepted interpretation of this verse is:
The command was not general but only refers to particular groups of Makkan [Meccan] idolaters who were notorious offenders. They used to harass the Muslims whenever they found them helpless and when overpowered prayed for amnesty by making treaties which they used to break before their ink was dried. When war becomes inevitable it must be fought with vigor….[B]ut even then there is room for repentance and amendment, and if that takes place forgiveness is enjoyed for the establishment of peace and harmony.24
The question posed to the interviewees was why they thought many Americans misunderstand this verse. All the interviewees responded that this verse should be interpreted in its original context, and not through the lens of a modern perspective. They claimed, “it was used to refer to the specific case where the other party had been violating the terms of the treaty repeatedly even though the Muslims just wanted peace.”25
There were a variety of responses as to why the verse is commonly misunderstood. Faiza Hussain stated that, “mainstream media doesn’t quote text that highlights the virtues of kindness, justice and tolerance preached in the Qur’an; neither does the media ever cite references from the Prophet’s life where he forgave his enemies and granted pardon to tribes.”26 Mehveen Merchant took a more literary tact in her explanation:
There can be “idolaters” in every time and place, so why did God choose this particular word, which can be taken out of context so easily? I think that basically any word placed there would have been misconstrued. Short of God saying to kill ‘John Doe of Houston, Texas and Jane Doe of Austin, Texas, etc. etc.,’ I don’t think there was an easy way to prevent this from being misconstrued….Basically, it would have been impractical to specify certain names.27
On the other hand, Zabeena Merchant’s response highlighted the importance of context: “the reason this verse is misunderstood is that people don’t look at the context of the verse when in Islam there is a heavy emphasis on understanding the context using context.”28
Perhaps the West’s lack of understanding of Islamic practices can be traced to a general lack of knowledge. The 2006 Council on American-Islamic Relations Public Opinion Survey found that, “Almost 60 percent [of those surveyed] said they ‘are not very knowledgeable’ or ‘not at all knowledgeable’ about Islam.”29 The survey also found that almost a fifth of the respondents admit to feeling intolerant of Muslims.28 Such findings reinforce the idea that education is the most likely solution to the conflict, because only by learning about other faiths and ideologies can one begin to understand their real nature, and subsequently develop respect for them. It is reasonable to assume that the university experiences of these interviewees have impacted their understanding, and therefore conceptions, of different faiths and the people who practice them.
In this light, it is clear from the responses of the interviewees that their interpretations of Qur’anic verses are typically more liberal than those accepted by conservative Muslims. The reasons for this difference are unclear because a causal relationship cannot be established, but a likely prominent factor is a university education. It is logical to assume that an environment that forces interaction between people of different faiths would produce a greater understanding of foreign practices. Hopefully, greater education will provide greater understanding. This process, by nature, occurs at universities, which means that the prospects for greater understanding between faiths may be on the horizon for the next generation. paJ
About the Author: Michael Flum is going into his final year at Rice University located in Houston, Texas. He is a mechanical engineering and religious studies major.
(Notes)
- Palmer, Michael A, The Last Crusade: Americanism and the Islamic Reformation (Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books, 2007), 5.
- Palmer, 31.
- Karabell, Zachary, People of the Book: The Forgotten History of Islam and the West (London: John Murray, 2007), 287.
- Barrett, Ted, “Lott: Bush barely mentioned Iraq in meeting with Senate Republicans.” CNN Online, 28 September 2006, <http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/09/lott-bush-barely-mentioned-iraq-in.html> 29 November 2007.
- Fakhry, Majid, The Qur’an: A Modern English Version, (Reading, UK: Garnet, 1997), 39-40.
- “Al-Islam.org: Multilingual Quran,” AhlulBayt Digital Islamic Library Project, 2000-2007, <http://al-islam.org/quran/>, 14 October 2007.
- Ahmed, Salman. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Fakhry, 75.
- Jalaly, Mohamed. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Merchant, Zabeena. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Merchant, Mehveen. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Soomro, Ali. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Fakhry, 59.
- “Al-Islam.org: Multilingual Quran,” AhlulBayt Digital Islamic Library Project, 2000-2007, <http://al-islam.org/quran/>, 14 October 2007.
- Fakhry, 114.
- Jalaly, Mohamed. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Merchant, Zabeena. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Ahmed, Salman. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Fakhry, 74.
- Soomro, Ali. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Metwalli, Omar. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Merchant, Mehveen. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Fakhry, 114.
- “Al-Islam.org: Multilingual Quran,” AhlulBayt Digital Islamic Library Project, 2000-2007, <http://al-islam.org/quran/>, 14 October 2007.
- Merchant, Zabeena. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Hussain, Faiza. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Merchant, Mehveen. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- Merchant, Zabeena. Interview by author. Date unknown.
- “American Public Opinion About Islam and Muslims2006”, Council on American-Islamic Relations Research Center, 2006 <http://www.cair.com/Portals/0/pdf/american_public_opinion_on_muslims_islam_2006.pdf>, 29 November 2007.
References:
“Al-Islam.org: Multilingual Quran.” AhlulBayt Digital Islamic Library Project. 2000-2007. <http://al-islam.org/quran/>. 14 October 2007.
Barrett, Ted. “Lott: Bush barely mentioned Iraq in meeting with Senate Republicans.” CNN Online. 28 September 2006. <http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/09/lott-bush-barely-mentioned-iraq-in.html>. 29 November 2007.
“American Public Opinion About Islam and Muslims2006.” Council on American-Islamic Relations Research Center. 2006. <http://www.cair.com/Portals/0/pdf/american_public_opinion_on_muslims_islam_2006.pdf>. 29 November 2007.
Fakhry, Majid. The Qur’an: A Modern English Version. Reading, UK: Garnet. 1997.
Karabell, Zachary. People of the Book: The Forgotten History of Islam and the sWest. London: John Murray. 2007
Palmer, Michael A. The Last Crusade: Americanism and the Islamic Reformation. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books. 2007.
Interviewees Included:
Mahveen Merchant
Zabeena Merchant
Salman Ahmed
Mohamed Jalaly
FaizaHussain
Ali Soomro
Omar Metwalli
Recent comments
2 years 32 weeks ago