The rise of Isis in Iraq and Syria has been a disaster for the public image of Islam – and a boon for the Islamophobia industry. Here, after all, is a group that calls itself Islamic State; that claims the support of Islamic texts to justify its medieval punishments, from the stoning of adulterers to the amputation of the hands of thieves; and that has a leader with a PhD in Islamic studies who declares himself to be a “caliph”, or ruler over all Muslims, and has even renamed himself in honour of the first Muslim caliph, Abu Bakr.
.... To claim that Isis is Islamic is egregiously inaccurate and empirically unsustainable, not to mention insulting to the 1.6 billion non-violent adherents of Islam across the planet. Above all else, it is dangerous and self-defeating, as it provides Baghdadi and his minions with the propaganda prize and recruiting tool that they most crave.
[TOP RATED COMMENT 66 votes] It is a very long article just to say ''In my opinion this has nothing to do with Islam''
Unfortunately it is factually very light in evidencing that contention.
You may not believe it has anything to do with your interpretation of Islam but you are not the one with the guns and bombs.
No doubt your interpretation is that of the vast majority, but that doesn't mean the interpretation by these murderous scum is any less valid to them.
Of course it is true that many western ''jihadis'' start off as no more than bored young men and women looking for bit of real life GTA adventure '' wiv real guns, innit.''.
But it seems the ISIS propaganda machine quickly gets its hooks into them and causes them to commit the most barbaric acts in the name of Muhammad and Allah.
So like it or not, whether Islam is being used as a propaganda tool or whether there is any genuine religious nature to ISIS, either way it has to do with Islam.
[2ND 57] Sorry mate, but what ur saying is complete rubbish, this current self-proclaimed islamic state is doing exactly what ur previous 4 caliphates were doing and that is terroizing, raping and enslaving minorities into islam and killing of those muslims who dis-agree on their version of islam..........
[3RD 54] If you are like many non-Muslims wondering if the like of Mehdi Hasan are honestly representing Islam or simply doing PR for their faith and community, consider this:
1. Is it really feasible that a religion founded by a 7th century warrior who according to Islamic scriptures committed numerous war crimes (perhaps justifiable in a historical context), in his late 50s consummated marriage to 9 year old, etc etc.. came up with a happy clappy belief system which can be practiced in the 21st century in it's original form? ....
[4TH 40] .... what I do have a problem is with the distortion of history......
The earlier Islamic caliphates terrorized the native people of the sub-continent, Bosnia, Albania, Maghreb, Iran and enslaved and raped them into islam and this is a fact. [New Statesman] Read more
