Introduction
The topic of Islam and Muslims is central to most mainstream discourses across the world today. With the present era rife with tensions and conflicts, social upheavals and wars, Islamic religiosity is often viewed as integral to the establishment of an inefficient system of governance, substantiating violence. People across the globe overwhelmingly associate Islam and Islamism with terrorism and violence, often pejoratively termed as terrorism. However, opinions are not unanimous, and religions can be understood and explained from various angles. The problem can be better addressed by understanding the various dimensions of religions and the cultural, social, historical, political, and even economic contexts in which they have sustained. Rather than essentializing religions based on dogma, there must be critical studies.
I explore the sociological, social, historical, and epistemic interests and biases that create vigorous discussions within the social and political circles across the globe, and yet the perpetuation of the violent and 'inherent' stereotype attached to Islam and Muslims. I use the 'so what' of the violence attached to Muslim discourse to delineate the articulation of the stereotype of Muslim violence, and I deliberately avoid quoting isolated texts from the scriptures to argue that the stereotypes are false, counterproductive, or the outcomes of individual 'fallen' characters that change society for the better. I contextualize Islam within the wider thematic of religious violence at a theoretical and conceptual level; the time and space dimension further within the European socio-political and cultural landscape, and resort to the use of primary data among school students in East London to provide an engaging argument. Rather than providing solutions, engaging with my arguments should orient social scientists to venture out beyond tables of data by demonstrating why encounters with Islam may be constrained by the socio-historical and cultural constructions of preconceived notions, biases, and theoretical predispositions.
Historical Context of Islam and Violence
The religion commonly referred to today as "Islam" first emerged in the Arabian Peninsula during the 7th century. Relying on the "revelation" of its final prophet, Muhammad b. Abd Allah, this religious tradition would expand across significant portions of Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, and Africa, establishing a civilizational sphere that would come to embrace a supra-national community of numerous and diverse ethnicities and ethno-linguistic groups. Over the course of nearly 1400 years, the various multi-ethnic societies belonging to Islam would periodically wage battles and wars with numerous opponents ranging from imperial Rome and Byzantium; the nascent Frankish kingdom in present-day France and the surrounding areas; the Imperial Hellenic city-states and colonies; various Christian and non-Christian ethnic and ethno-linguistic groups, tribes, towns, and cities in the remaining southern European areas; and the western, eastern, and Central Asian Mongol empires and confederacies. In the present day, many nations branded "Islamic" continue to wage war against each other and the nation-states and organizations interconnected through multi-lateral corridors of international diplomacy and trade.
The first comparisons best demonstrate a key point: In all the aforementioned examples, "Islamic" societies have been distinguished, in critical and often severe ways, from each other based on internal religious, theological, and civilizational contrasts. However, this is just the rudiments of the line of counter-argument drawn from the historical examples. Put more starkly, the position of the first comparison stands: This is, in part, a 1500-year-old conversation about cultural, social, political, injunction, assertion, accretion, alienation, and public perceptions affected by the conversation. More recent action and conversation may help to illuminate both how and why "Islamic" societies are inwardly contrasted and "Islamic" religious systems receive differing degrees and kinds of perception and treatment. Finally, let it drive home again that discussions are much about societies and much about politics, authority, and control. Most importantly, these later discussions may see the influence of logical fallacies in widespread usage. It must be stressed, however, that while arguably the conversation has a 1500-year length, an academically painstaking analysis would consider not just the civilizational or theological history, but the broader history that sees conflict and cooperation across lines that would one day be deemed "Islamic" and one day be deemed "Christian." It is thus also demonstrative of other ways that all societies have a bellicose tendency. The propensity for "violent" activity is a facet of all religions, all societies, and all political systems. Generic negative generalization is not, anti-theistically and unjustly, confined to the perception of "Islamic" societies.
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Misconceptions and Stereotypes Surrounding Islam
Islam is often depicted as an exceptionally violent faith that promotes terrorism, repression, and radicalism. The roots of these stereotypes are often traced to historical events, but also to recent portrayals of Muslims and Islam in the media. Unfortunately, they are also propagated when there is less understanding about the world's religions and minority groups within the hierarchical religions. As a result, the majority of Western people consider Islam to be a very aggressive religion that is closely related to terrorism. However, the real question is whether a religion, in its essence, is peaceful or not, or whether any religious teachings justify violence. Research shows that a large percentage of people believe that the violent actions of Muslim extremists best characterize Islamic values and belief systems.
This assumption is far from stating the facts. Evidence indicates that the vast majority of the Muslim population holds non-violent beliefs that are consistent with other world religions. Several organizations and scholars have published reports that provide comprehensive statistical data on global and American Muslim beliefs and socio-political attitudes. Generally, a high degree is expressed by adherents of all religions in the desire to live in peace and have a meaningful sense of life. There are some Muslim and non-Muslim minorities, and it is not an unimportant proportion. Islam contains evidence of peace and pluralism. Contemporary theology encompasses peaceful interpretations of the Quran, which can be seen from almost all of the individuals by their dress, conduct, and speech. Basically, actions in the name of religion are less rooted in religion and more rooted in socio-psychological or contextual/cultural factors that influence behaviors. In reality, interpretations of scripture are as diverse as the Muslims who interpret them.
Examples of Peaceful Practices within Islam
Becker argues that even when analyzing violence carried out in the name of Islam, surveys can only offer a partial outlook if practiced peace done across the world in the name of Islam is also not included. To counter the image of Islam as inherently violent, I explore cases of peace education, and I outline the findings in this section. In the Islamic educational tradition, various teachings in various countries show an explicitly peaceful mission. From Turkey, secular ideas about religious people in one room learning about humanistic values support intercultural dialogue; to a Palestinian peace education movement that aims to advocate for non-violence. Muslims in various countries advocate for peace and human rights for women and children, while Indonesian Muslim organizations are part of a global network advocating for disarmament or limiting military expenditure. Youth groups and other Muslims work to counter the radicalization caused by the Gulf in Honduras. Programs to rehabilitate terrorists are embedded in specific Islamic rituals, and the French imams for peace act according to their theological commitment to social contract. Lastly, non-governmental organizations' network activities launched or expanded specifically aim at mutual respect and dialogue among different Muslim orders or major religious groups in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation. Challenging stereotypes of idyllic rural and violent urban conditions, participants focus on local community building and peace. These are just some examples of religious Muslims who work with others to make their community better, and in doing so, their active peace-building activities challenge the perception of Islam as a violent religion.
Conclusion
Islam and the Muslim countries are projected as violent in Western media, which eventually dehumanizes Muslims living in non-Muslim societies. Islam is portrayed as an inherently violent religion; Muslims are depicted as breaking and bashing things and are also stereotyped as potential terrorists. Islamophobia is detrimental to social harmony and peace and should thus be a concern for the whole society. Such conflicts would be feeding grounds for the recruitment of 'terrorists.' Negative perceptions of Muslims would be translated into hating the 'Muslim enemy' to their way of life. Hence, Islamophobia is something we are all responsible for combating. In this regard, rejecting Islamophobia should be a concern for non-Muslims, who should be duty-bound to enlighten others around them that Islam supports peace and that taking the lives of others is a major sin in Islam. Thus, the rejection of Islamophobia can be viewed as joining in partnership for good causes and promoting peace in our world.
The paper brings to light convincing arguments that deconstruct the binary 'Islam as a religion of the sword' versus a 'peaceful West,' with the conclusion that there are, in fact, myriad and complex processes at play in the perceptions of Islam and relations between 'the West' and Islamicate societies. Because Islamophobia relies upon people's misconceptions about Muslims and Islam, it attempts to debunk these myths. In media and social contexts, they present a strong Islamic culture that perpetrates peace and happiness for humans on earth. For the people who do not know Persian and Arabic and live in the non-Muslim community, therefore, the Muslim expression and communication may reduce their phobia of Islam. It is particularly imperative for grassroots initiatives to be taken into account, as they can reach out to the local society, educate them, and promote world peace. These efforts can be more effective if they are strengthened by intercultural demonstration project activities at the community level. Expressing faith in such initiatives may raise awareness and help minority communities and societies towards a new path for a peaceful world. Policymakers matter, too. The discourses constructed by them can have an impact on both the actors and ordinary people. To welcome such a harmonious world, our curricula should also include, in faith, permits, and even in the reality of practice, more subjects about world religious systems that can be added to our curriculum to complement our understanding of world problems. A comprehensive harmony of world religions, apart from world politics, can make things better for a change. It is important to know that not only our religious values but also the amount of comfort and peace before we go to sleep every night are at stake. We must know that our dearest form is peace.
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