For cultural and social foundations classes, Islam is the first topic. After one whole term learning about ancient cultures like the Mayans, Greeks, Egyptians etc and some Christianity, I'll study about Muhammad, the Quran and why the Muslim empire was disastrous after our prophet passed away.
I was reading this book titled: Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong. First, it's intriguing to read a book about Islam written by a Catholic nun. wait, she used to be a Catholic nun or so i think. I was so used to study Islamic books written by Muslim people that I, yes, the lazy me, is so eager to read about it. Will she be biased? Will she get it correct and complied to what I had learnt all my life as a Muslim? What does she think about my religion? Will she help us straighten out the Islamophobia in the western world right now? Too many questions. and it is up to me to find the answer.
secondly, when i read the first few pages of the book, listing the chronology of Islamic history, it was a trail full of blood, wars and greed for power. Right after Muhammad (peace be upon him) left us, the Islamic world was in chaos. The rulers, the places that Islam conquered, all ruined. all manipulated and exploited in the so-called name of Islam.
It's sad to read about such a peaceful religion, can be disastrous in the wrong hands of people in the past and present. I may be a Muslim, and i might be biased with my views, but I understand the fear that people felt towards my religion. Muslims fighting between brothers, when the prophet taught us to be kind to others. Muslims greed for power, when Islam has already clarified and showed good examples of the Prophet's leadership. It is not in my position to say, Muslims are good in general but yeah, ironically, we fight each other a lot. but Islam is not to be blamed. The religion sets the rules and regulations to ensure harmony. But it's the people who twist laws, bends regulations and have the guts to use the religion's name to achieve their own desires. it's not the fault of our religion, it's our own fault for not following the rules.
Now with the extremists trying to further taint the meaning of jihad, Muslim people living a non-Islamic life, and many other wrong perspectives that the media successfully brainwash people who admittedly can be so ignorant (still confused about why Russians blaming muslim Checnyan people for the airport bombing), it makes me much more determined to study about the roots of my religion. my prophet's sirah (history), the teachings in the Quran. it's not that I never studied about my religion my whole life. but this time, i'm in a new surrounding, being the only Muslim in class to explain the words of Quran and the stories of my prophet when there's discussion in class. I will study about what I've lived for and I will help as best as i can to let people know about Islam.
this is my jihad. i study. i understand. i improve myself. i want people to not blame Islam anymore but instead, see the flaws of Muslim people as being imperfect humans. we humans are never perfect. Jihad is not war in suicide bombings and extreme methods. Jihad is not inflicting misery on others. Jihad is in improving oneself, for the better. for the greater good.
Also, in class, we are required to read the Quran. my professor told me the Quran is the most beautiful book he has ever read and studied all his professor life. Believe me, he's a big man in his industry. And it was interesting to know other people's perspectives and questions about Islam. I find myself questioning too. Do I know everything about Islam? Do I know too little? Do I remember what the Quran says??
the first word that Allah sent down was Iqra'. which means READ.
and i have to continue with my reading. :) that's all for now.
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