In this blog post, I’d like to share my thoughts on reexamining Islam and Muslims through the lens of my personal experiences and historical and political contexts.
Muslims and Me
There are approximately 1.3 billion Muslims in the world. Before attending university in Korea, I grew up in Indonesia—a country with a Muslim majority—and was naturally exposed to Islamic culture from a young age. The call to prayer five times a day, fasting and celebrations during Ramadan, dietary restrictions, and the custom of considering the left hand impure were all part of my daily life, and these experiences became an integral part of my upbringing and identity.
However, as news reports of violence and terrorism in the Middle East became frequent, negative stereotypes about Muslims solidified worldwide. The gap between the everyday life I experienced and the image portrayed by the outside world led me to view this issue in a more complex light.
The Unity of Life and Religion: The Core of Islam
Muslims I encounter in daily life often use the expression “InshaAllah” (God willing). This demonstrates that their lives are inseparable from God’s will. In Islam, religious law and daily life are deeply intertwined, making many aspects difficult to understand from the Western perspective of the secular separation of church and state.
The core of the Islamic faith is broadly summarized as the Five Pillars and the Six Articles of Faith. The Five Pillars and the Six Articles of Faith are as follows:
1. Shahada (Declaration of Faith) 2. Salat (Prayer) 3. Zakat (Almsgiving) 4. Fasting during Ramadan (Sawm) 5. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) The Six Articles of Faith are: 1. God (Allah), 2. Angels, 3. Sacred Scriptures (the Quran and previous scriptures), 4. the Prophets, 5. Predestination (Qadar), and 6. the Day of Judgment.
Violence is not an essential element within this system. While religious norms prescribe showing mercy to the righteous and holding sinners accountable, for many Muslims, Islam is a belief system that is synonymous with life itself.
The Emergence of Armed Groups and the Meaning of Jihad
The term “jihad” originally refers to the struggle to submit to the one God and live a righteous life. However, within historical and political contexts, the word has become associated with armed struggle, and various armed groups have used it as a slogan to justify their actions.
To understand why some armed groups have targeted the United States or the West as their primary targets, one must consider a complex set of factors. Many radical leaders have criticized U.S. policy in the Middle East and its exercise of international influence, characterizing these as symbols of imperialist domination and double standards. Occupation, resource exploitation, support for pro-Western regimes in the region, and the U.S. stance on the Palestinian issue have all served as significant catalysts for anger and resistance.
There is also the argument that colonial structures and imposed feudal systems have held back ancient civilizations, leaving behind political and social inequality as well as economic hardship. The combination of these conditions has, in certain environments, reinforced tendencies toward religious martyrdom and extremism, contributing to the emergence of violent tactics such as suicide attacks.
A Broad Perspective on Violence and Resistance
Conflicts between the West and other cultural spheres are prone to mutual misunderstanding and distortion. Historically, the West has viewed the Islamic world as a threat or portrayed it through stereotypical images, and such perspectives have in turn fueled prejudice and propaganda. Conversely, interpreting events solely from the perspective of the Islamic world also leads to a narrow understanding.
Numerous verses in the Quran, rather than justifying war, advocate for struggle in a defensive context and urge the choice of peace whenever possible. For example, there are clear exhortations to move toward peace if the enemy inclines toward it, as well as teachings against launching the first attack. Therefore, war is defined as a last resort.
Another point we must not forget is that behind those who turn to extremism lie not only hunger but also a lack of belonging, psychological and social instability, and despair about the future. The voices of Muslims scattered across the globe sound like the clamor of a sandstorm. To hear the sound produced by all those grains of sand, we must pay a little closer attention.
Conclusion: An Open Mind and Realistic Alternatives
We must approach our understanding of the Middle East and the Islamic world with an open mind. This does not mean we should glorify the violence and murder they have committed, but rather that we should adopt an attitude of viewing the issue from a broader perspective and seeking to understand its complex causes.
Two things are necessary for true globalization. First, we must accurately understand and cherish our own culture and values. Second, we must strive to gain an accurate understanding of the surrounding cultures with which we interact. The Islamic world is one of the important roots of human civilization and possesses traditions built up over a long history.
Conflicts, foreign intervention, and political strife since the 20th century have significantly altered the face of this region. As a result, some radical factions have emerged, and there is clearly a tendency toward extreme forms of struggle. Muslim societies themselves must seek nonviolent reform and a harmony between traditional norms and new ideas amid the tide of globalization.
Only by reflecting on the original message of reconciliation and peace conveyed by Islam and striving for a world where diverse ideas and ideals coexist can we truly identify the true starting point of the Islamic spirit.
