Al-Qaeda is Not Islam

I read an article today which came from Reuters and has the headline:

Al-Qaeda: convert to Islam or suffer

Al-Qaeda called on non-Muslims especially in the United States to convert to Islam and abandon their 'misguided' ways or else suffer....

"To Americans and the rest of Christendom we say, either repent (your) misguided ways and enter into the light of truth or keep your poison to yourself and suffer the consequences in this world and the next," [Adam] Gadahn said in English.

To me this is a very clear example of how Al-Qaeda and other members of radical Islamist factions distort Islam, and convince many Americans, falsely, that Islam is a religion of coercion. The Quran says specifically that Islam is not to use force to cause people to convert.

'There is no compulsion in religion' (Sura 2:256).

This is just one way among many (such as prohibitions on suicide- which bombers use as a tactic- or prohibitions against killing other Muslims) that radical Islamists simply ignore because they conflict with the ideological agenda such radicals have.

My fear is that because the influence of radical Islamist ideals has grown, and because Americans are somewhat more focused on Islam in the world since 9/11/01, that Americans are getting a distorted vision of what Islam is about, and will fail to recognize and foster relationships with the moderate Muslims of this country and around the world.

As growing numbers of Americans begin to believe that the Bush policy of simply making war to stop terrorism is not working (see here and here), then perhaps we can begin to move, through the next presidential election, in the direction of policies that not only see justice for those who are terrorists, but also strengthen the position of moderates who oppose the terrorists as well. Movement in this direction may be a movement towards peace.

GP