Both Muslims and non-Muslims harbor misperceptions of Islam, Imam Yahya Hendi told a small crowd in MacMillan 117 Sunday morning.
"The crisis is not with Islam itself," Hendi, the Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, said. "The crisis is with the understanding of Islam. ... How often do (Americans) try to understand Islam using the Islamic lens?"
A misinterpretation of the religion among Muslims has also contributed to this problem, Hendi said. Not only do many Muslims not understand their own faith and scripture, but some who do fail to practice properly.
"Islam is such a culture of misunderstanding and bad practices," Hendi said. "It becomes almost impossible to get out of that circle."
Hendi said this misinterpretation fuels the "voices of extremism and exclusivity in the Muslim and Arab world." Extremism and violence often result when religion and politics intermingle, he said, citing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an example of states manipulating religion for their own interests.
"Is it a religious conflict between Jews and Muslims, or is it a conflict between two nations trying to create a state for themselves?" Hendi asked. "Is it political institutions using religion, or is it the other way around?"
Hendi said Islam has been given a bad name by extremist violence, such as the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and the July 2005 bombings in London. Non-Muslims observing the Muslim world see "a big mess," he said.
In response to this problem, Hendi said Muslims need to stop blaming others for their own failures. "Muslims have to be self-critical when they speak about these issues," Hendi said. "Being self-critical does not mean condemning faith. We cannot blame everyone else before we blame ourselves."
Hendi said more measures are necessary to ensure that Islam is properly understood and practiced, including the creation of education systems not run by the state and new methods of learning about Islam. Hendi said he knows Muslims who have memorized every word of the Quran, yet still fail to understand Islam.
Non-Muslims need to realize that Islam is not a religion of violence, and that the Quran is not a violent book, Hendi said. Islam advocates moderation and condemns extremism, terrorism, fanaticism and oppression in its theology as well as in its legal code. He said non-Muslims need to ignore the propaganda they see in the media and join Muslims in an effort to develop mutual understanding.
Hendi stressed that peace is a central element of the religion. He said internal peace results from the relationship between the mind, heart and flesh. Another kind of peace is achieved by "surrendering to the will of a creator," or Allah, Hendi said.
The role of women in Islam is also misunderstood, Hendi said. Islam teaches both men and women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty, and women have the right to an education and career, among other privileges. Marriage is a partnership, Hendi said, not a relationship between a superior and a subordinate.
"All men and women are equal before God," Hendi said. "All men and women are equal before the law. They are subject to being equally rewarded or equally punished."
The audience, comprised primarily of community members, reacted positively to Hendi's lecture, which was co-sponsored by the Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement and the Brown Muslim Student Associa-tion.
Tamilla Mamedova '07, a member and former vice-president of MSA, said she wished the event hadn't been planned over Columbus Day weekend, but was pleased with Hendi's message. She agreed with Hendi that both Muslims and non-Muslims need to recognize their errors.
"The fault is on both sides," Mamedova said. "Muslims need to confront their own religion and understanding of religion. Non-Muslims need to confront their prejudices about Islam and Muslims."
