Dr. Umar Khan
Dr. Khan belongs to a Lahore based Think Tank.
16-1-26
How the world
identifies Muslims and the Islamic World
“Perception of reality is more important than
reality itself.” – Maxime Lagacé
Living
in the West in mid-eighties I found the image of Muslims and Pakistanis quit
positive. There were many highly educated professionals who had emigrated
earning a good name for themselves and their country. Mostly they were
perceived as highly educated and well settled dignified people.
Gradually
it started changing ultimately culminating to the current undesirable form. In
the prevailing image crafted by the media and unwise Muslims playing in other’s
hands, multiple negatives have gotten attached to the persona of Muslims
allowing some to stereotype one fourth of the world’s population. Kind of a
classic villain, something bigots look for.
The
superficial identification factors associated with Muslims appear as follows,
1.
How they
appear and look,
Beard has become an identity factor for devout Muslim
men while hijab or Abaya is associated with women. This is probably benign but
the strongest visual element associated with Muslim.
2.
Ibadat/rituals.
Saying of prayers is also closely associated with
Muslims. The propensity for many to recite namaz in public including airports
helped create this image. The westerner decency never let them criticize but
although it aroused curiosity, it wasn’t appreciated.
In addition haj is also well known and connected with
Muslims. Fasting and giving of zakat are not very obvious so aren’t as narrowly
affiliated with Muslims.
- Polygamy.
Polygamy has also become a hallmark of Muslims among the less
well aware. I met many who thought everyone in Muslim countries would be having
large harems despite simple biological impossibility. Being an interesting and
colorful topic it became popular myth ably supported by media, rich oil barons
and Hollywood. Along with polygamy it’s associated vice, misogyny and abuse are
essential parts of that image.
During a family visit to India on the occasion of marriage of
an Indian friend’s daughter, I found
people pleasantly surprised upon knowing that Mrs. Khan and my daughter drive themselves
and have attended top educational institutions. Just a reminder, Hindus and Muslims
lived together in India for over millennia and have hundreds of millions of Indian
Muslims still living among them. If Indians can harbor such inaccurate and
detrimental images of Muslims we can well imagine how bad it can get far away.
4.
Autocracy/lack
of democracy/human rights.
Unfortunately the vast majority of Islamic world
having monarchy or different shades of autocracies played a foremost role in
determining the current undesirable image of Muslims.
We are known as inherently autocratic and
undemocratic.
- Violence,
After the West’s designed and heavily supported First Afghan
War of 1979-89 it took a dangerous turn when the West just walked away leaving
it burning. The place was full of arms and people trained only in fighting and
nothing else. Violence of all sorts started and Islam got associated with extremism,
intolerance and violence. Images of people given harsh punishments of flogging
or decapitation made it even worse.
This kept on deteriorating after the second Afghan war and
the convenient and crafty media management converted the Palestinian fight of self-determination
into pathologic violence.
The
weaponization of perception did not occur in a vacuum. During the Cold War,
following U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles’s open declaration of
using religion as a weapon against communism, figures such as William Casey,
former CIA Director, played a central role in cultivating militant movements as
geopolitical tools.
Fighting
communism was gradually framed as an integral part of religious duty, leading
volunteers from across the Islamic world to join these conflicts. These
fighters were welcomed, trained, armed, indoctrinated, and glamorized by
Western powers with the help of autocratic regimes supported by them. Some
Western leaders went as far as equating them with the founding fathers of the
United States.
What
began as strategic alliances, however, later evolved into uncontrollable
forces, a monster Dr. Frankenstein couldn’t control, creating long-term
instability.
After
nearly half a century, the Cold War ended, and the utility of these fighter and
their skills became not only obsolete but highly undesirable. For many of these
former “noble jihadists,” warfare was the only means of survival they
possessed. Consequently, conflicts and violence continued, though now with
different targets which often including the very powers that had once supported
them.
Most
of these traits associated with Muslims are either superficial markers of Islamic
identity or relate primarily to Haqooq Allah, the rights of God. While these
religious obligations are important, they do not, by themselves, define the
ethical, social, or civilizational vision of Islam. Reducing an entire faith
and its followers to outward practices or selectively emphasized laws produces
a distorted and incomplete picture.
How Islam and Muslims
should be identified with
A
deeper study of Islam reveals that although Haqooq Allah are important emphasis
is placed on Haqooq ul Ibaad, the rights of human beings which are even more
important. These principles form the moral backbone of Islamic civilization and
naturally this should form the basis of their identity.
Key
Desirable Traits Emphasized in Islam:
- Human rights. Islam being the only major religion that categorically
emphasizes the importance and centrality of Haqooq ul Ibad; that can be translated
in modern parlance as Human Rights must become the major distinguishing
feature of Muslims.
- Character. Character building is recurrently stressed in Islam
which includes kindness, compassion, honesty, integrity, generosity and
dignity.
Many tourists visiting Islamic world are pleasantly surprised
to see the welcoming and accommodating people they weren’t expecting.
- Stress on education and Cleanliness (physical and moral).
There is enormous stress on seeking of knowledge and
maintaining cleanliness as integral parts of religion. This should be stressed,
observed and propagated.
- Moderation.
Islam preaches moderation in every aspect of life and sometimes
I wonder how such a society can get associated with extremism.
- Concept of Welfare State.
The first state created by the Muslims showed the world how
political power can
·
Protect human rights
·
Establish Justice (ʿadl)
·
End racism.
·
Establish social justice and egalitarianism
Without
highlighting these principles, it is impossible to present a true, balanced,
and honest understanding of Islam or Muslims.
The
current distorted negative image of Muslims that constitute a quarter of the
world’s population can have detrimental effects enabling bigots to demonize them.
This has caused Islamophobia and allowed apparently decent looking countries to
attack Muslim countries (Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan; to name
a few) without hesitation or remorse leaving havoc and misery behind. With the passage
of time and increase of lethality of weapons, there are indications that it
might get even more violent and bloody.
It
is about time we appreciate the gravity of situation and start focusing on
improving the situation avoiding the disaster it can cause.
The
1993 book, “The Clash of Civilizations” was probably a timely warning that we
didn’t heed to. Can’t afford to let it go unaddressed any more.
When
perception becomes policy, injustice becomes normalized.
How Should This Be
Countered?
Responsibility
is shared.
To
begin with the Muslim world must stop blaming others for its problems and take
responsibility to improve its situation. Playing victim card unnecessarily doesn’t
help.
Muslim
societies must actively embody Islamic ethics we just enumerated while reducing
stress on the aspects that are visible but not as important. Moral credibility
is established through actions, not rhetoric.
Western
governments and media must move beyond simplistic and sensationalist narratives
and adopt greater nuance, historical awareness, and intellectual honesty. Must confess
its responsibility in cultivating extremism and violence for its political
needs and publicize it as Hillary Clinton and some others have done. Then work
as hard to clear the injurious mind set they created.
Educational
institutions worldwide should teach civilizations comparatively, emphasizing
shared values and historical interconnectedness.
Individuals—both
Muslim and non-Muslim—must resist stereotypes and seek understanding through
dialogue, learning, and empathy.
Conclusion
The
crisis confronting the Islamic world today is not merely political or military;
it is fundamentally a crisis of perception. Islam is not defined by beards,
hijabs, or selective headlines, but by a comprehensive moral framework rooted
in justice, dignity, and human welfare. Reclaiming this narrative is not only
vital for Muslims, it is essential for global peace, mutual respect, and
coexistence.
“The way we see the problem is the problem.” Stephen Covey
