Covering Islam in America

Islam is huge and complex. There aren't recognizable hierarchies and organizations which speak for the faith as a whole. The faith varies from the very mystic lines of thought of Sufi Islam to the emotional devotions and commemorations of Shi'a Islam to the iconoclastic simple Sunni Islam. There are competing figures of authority in each of these branches of the faith, to say nothing of the disagreements between each branch. There are militants of every persuasion.

The best way to learn the complexities is to get a basic grasp on the historic timeline, and then get to know a few Muslims. The timeline helps because Islam did not come out of nothing, and many of its greatest feasts and most important practices commemorate specific historical events. The military events in early Islam set "the rules" for who to engage in war, and why and how. The differences of interpretations of these rules lead to the contradictions between the popular statement "Islam is a religion of peace" and the very real fact that Muslims are killing women and children, many of whom are Muslim themselves!

History also accounts for the schism between Sunni and Shi'a factions. It will also give an idea of the cultural scope of the world of Islam. This world was for a number of centuries more religiously tolerant and developed than Europe, and Muslims played an important role in preserving the knowledge of the classics during the West's dark ages. Even if our roles have reversed in many ways, it helps to understand why the Islamic world does indeed have pride in its history and accomplishments.

It does no good to lump all potential adversaries together with our actual enemies. That simply snowballs the problem, makes the enemy this huge monolithic crazed monster. This is precisely what Bin Laden WANTS, for all Muslims, from the East to the West from Right to Left (if that makes any sense) to be set against the West in a fight to the death. The truth is, most of our potential adversaries are also potentially friends, or at least neutrals. It will take an understanding of the human faith lived out by real people, coupled with a basic historical understanding, before any of this makes sense.

Maybe you live in a small town and can't find any Muslims. But they're in most cities. See if there is a charity oriented towards new immigrants, or ESL classes which are attended by Sudanese or Bosnian immigrants. In many cases, these immigrants worship in a larger community consisting also of more fully integrated immigrants and natural born American Muslims. Maybe you could volunteer for clothing drives for new arrivees, or give a few hours tutoring English, or just offer to baby sit some children. You'll likely meet and even work with Muslims this way. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Muslims know we don't know much about their faith. They expect that. The more you listen and the less you talk, the quicker you'll learn. Be respectful and you will bring great credit to your own faith, if you hold one.

I would also like to congratulate Rod on a great topic not contaminated with his usual "Islam is bad".

What made it even more interesting for me was the story that preceded it on the political problems in the RCC and Orthodox faiths. Those Christians had explanations and apologies for the human fraility of the leaders of their faith, something I'm sure they share with the majority of Muslims.

It was refreshing to see this post, and the article, and the previous responses to this post. Many years ago I was in a PhD program in Islamic studies, working on a fringe of a fringe of a fringe area which, if I had stayed with it (and my advisor had not died) would have rendered me worth my weight in gold during the Iranian hostage crisis. Lately I've been rereading my advisor's magnum opus on the subject and being once again fascinated by the complexity of the history of Islam.

However, the article skims over one very important aspect of Islam, in saying "that American Muslim has no right to “fire” someone from being Muslim, at least no more right than al-Qaeda has to say that American Muslim isn’t Muslim." In fact, for one Muslim to say that another one "isn't Muslim" is pretty common in contentious times. It's called "takfir", meaning "to declare somebody an infidel." The Salafists and the Wahhabis indulge in it fairly often. Once somebody has been declared "an infidel," he or she becomes fair game for some very nasty stuff.

There are, of course, Christian and Jewish analogies to takfir, with which most readers of this blog are probably familiar, and to which some of us have probably been subjected. What we all need to be clear about is that any religion worth serious attention has developed a multiplicity of fringes of fringes of fringes, many of which excommunicate each other with wild abandon. When one of them acquires political or military power or gets into violence, it has to be checked out, but it cannot be equated with the entire tradition from which it springs.

A troubling aspect of Islam keeps coming up in the news. The "teddy bear" teacher for example. Under Sharia law this poor person was convicted and sentenced to a barbaric punishment. Another is the woman getting gang raped and sentenced under Sharia law to an absurd and barbaric punishment. In both cases many "believers" rioting for the death penalty. Most recently the reporter sentenced to death for passing out an insulting letter he didn't even write. It is hard to understand this kind of so called justice.
There are crazies in all walks of life and in every relegion without a doubt but the Saudi government running on crazy is very disturbing.
In trying to talk to Muslims about their faith it seems not even they understand it. It is kind of make it up as you go. Sharia law is subject to the mood of the tyrant in power at the time it seems.
In a way ,Osama, in his strict interpretation of islam, does indeed represent true Islam and anyone who does not agree with him is a hipocrate and an infidel. So....can the world survive this insane belief? Looking for carnal pleasure in heavenly places is just plain absurd. 72 virgins for all the martyrs? Give me a break. this is Islam and it is CRAZY!