Islam and terrorism are not synonymous

Since the 9/11 attacks in the United States, Islam and Muslim communities around the world have often been unfairly labelled as terrorists. However, this kind of labelling began even earlier, with Orientalists who studied Eastern cultures more than a hundred years ago. The late Palestinian-American professor Edward Said (1935–2003) from Columbia University explained that Orientalism—which was supposed to study the history, culture, religion, and way of life of Eastern people—mostly focused on Islam and Muslims. This shows that they had an agenda against Muslims. In his well-known works Orientalism (1978) and Covering Islam (1981), Prof. Said exposed the condescending attitude of Orientalists, who often portrayed Islam and Arab culture negatively and disrespectfully. Muslims were painted as uncivilized and barbaric, ignoring the great contributions they made in the fields of revealed, natural, and social sciences. During the golden age of their civilisation, Muslim scholars and scientists were regarded as custodians of knowledge and pioneers in various disciplines. Western media and leaders have often overlooked the fact that the progress made by the West in science and technology was significantly inspired by the works of early Muslim scholars, philosophers, and scientists. The Qur’an, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and Muslims in general are often portrayed in Western media as advocates of violence and instigators of terror against those who do not share their faith or way of life. Allegorically speaking, the message conveyed through such broadcasts paints a picture of a world crying out for peace, while Muslims are cast as aggressors seeking war and bloodshed.