Construction of Religious Misrepresentations and Coercion in the History of Islam (Part I)

Abstract

This paper continues the previous chapters in which we discussed the fundamentals of Islam in light of the Quran and Hadith. Henceforth, we will try to trace the construction of a coercive ideology introduced in the twentieth century, entitled Islamic fundamentalism, that played a recurring role in the defamation of Islam as a religion of terrorism. The chapter is based upon the findings of research done through fieldwork in Iraq, Iran and Pakistan with the intention of exposing the misrepresentations which support the mainstreaming of coercion, extremism and terrorism by radical Islamists. To highlight the concept, five main aspects are selected which include: Jihad, Coercion, Human Reasoning, Blasphemy and Humanity. Humanity is the foundation of Islam. Coercion is strictly forbidden in Islam. Both the Holy Quran and Hadith require humans to seek righteous knowledge and understanding in all matters of life while blasphemers and wrongdoers had been forgiven or foregone by Prophet (SAWA), leaving the matter for the Day of Judgment. Similarly, the genuine concept of Jihad, its varieties, the circumstances for its practice in the light of Quran and hadith is in contradiction with the current Jihad narrative that is spreading terrorism instead of the true message of Islam, which is peace. In spite of this clear Islamic message of peace for humanity, the current fundamentalism with its extremist ideology is intolerant, even violent. So the role of religious misrepresentations, how they are constructed and for what purpose will be discussed.