Ignorance is the mother of destruction.

By now and after millions of articles, books, blogs, and opinions published regarding terrorism and religious extremism, we all came to realize and agree that terrorism is a new phenomenon that has greatly changed the world. As time has witnessed since the events of 9/11/2001 in the United States and many more similar tragic events in other countries, the danger of terrorism is farther reaching than we think. The reasons behind this inhuman behavior is still an enigma. No one has enough proof to claim that religious beliefs are the sole motivator for such savage acts. We often hear people blame religion for such atrocities. What is the foundation for such claims? If it is the internet, than those claims have no merit because opinions without supporting facts don’t have much credibility, and if those claims are based on some kind of religious knowledge then the question posed should be where does this knowledge come from and who is the author of such knowledge? Listening to some people preaching incorrect information about religion and terrorism doesn’t do justice to the majority when these acts are committed by a handful of outlaws and criminals. Anti-Islamic propaganda and unfounded assumptions from many either explicitly or implicitly label this noble and just religion of Islam with names that are far from the truth. Some media outlets are fueled on stories and opinions which derive from ignorance and the lack of correct understanding. Islam is violent, Muslims hate us for who we are, they want to change our way of life many claim, without taking the time to ask why would Muslims would want to do that? How can Muslims pretend to be people of peace and compassion and yet violate the very principals for which Islam stands and which Muslims preach? Our answer to these claims is straight, Islam is victim and misused by the few who know that this is a dear and cherished name to over 1.5 billion Muslim around the world. What better excuse would one have to ignite tension and clash than using and abusing religious beliefs to attract people to his blasphemies and twisted motives? This is the real truth of many who have hijacked our beautiful religion and gave everyone else a reason to treat the majority of good Muslims as terrorists. We refuse to submit to this mischaracterization, we refuse to be included with some people who express their anger and personal frustration for whatever reason they might have through terror and fear. We stand firm in our belief that one bad apple doesn’t necessarily infect the entire basket. Muslims are not out to change anybody’s way of life, they don’t hate people for who they are, Islam is not violent. Muslims live according to prescribed Islamic obligations. Among these obligations is how to live and interact with people even those not sharing our same Islamic faith and our beliefs. We are living in this country as Muslim-Americans. Although as Muslims we submit in first place to the will of Allah alone as the creator, we still have to live by the rule of law in this land which has opened its arms to thousands of us to come here and practice our religion freely and openly. Many of us have endured hardship and even prosecution in our Muslim countries where one is prevented and even prosecuted for expressing himself freely. At times, we think that we are better than everyone else. We look at others with despise and a sense of superiority, knowing deep down that this great religion of Islam forbids that, we say it more often to others, “brother, sister be modest, Allah forbid “Al-kebriya’a” (arrogance), be humble, we are all equal in the eyes of Almighty,” yet we still manage to forget to apply that same advice ourselves. We tend to play double jeopardy. We are Muslims, people of peace and compassion, but we are also better people. How wrong is that? How arrogant and inconsiderate is it to think that? We can’t simply use Islam to justify someone’s own character and behavior. Acts of violence against humans who ever they might be and wherever they might be are only criminal acts that have no place in Islam. Criminal terrorism is unfortunately the new game played under the banner of Islam in many places and which is again unfortunately hurting all good Muslims. Let us set the record straight, as Muslims we don’t agree with many policies imposed by the West on the Muslim world, but our disagreement with some of these policies doesn’t make us terrorists. We believe in justice and common good for all human beings. It is not the Muslim nature to call for killings of innocent people; our actions should reflect the pure and exemplary teachings of our beautiful religion in all its forms. Islam never instructed somebody to kill another person because they disagreed. Islam never said to terrorize someone because his beliefs are different than yours. What Islam teaches us is to be kind, helpful, and peaceful to those who mean no harm to us or to our religious convictions.