ARTABAR@MTUS5.cts.mtu.edu (02/07/91)
Organization: Michigan Tech Univ, Houghton, MI
In 1986 (has it been that long???) I was starting 12th grade, and as a
typical high school student here in the U.S., I went through my high
school's version of senior paper. Around this time, terrorism was the
happening thing. Achille Lauro had just occured, as well as other events,
and considering my martial interests, terrorism seemed to be up my alley.
Naturally, I came across references to Islam from groups like the 'Islamic
Jihad' and such. And, being the good paper writer that I am and was, I
did what research into Islam I could. It didn't take long for the claims
of these groups to fall apart. Any group that kills civilians in the
name of Islam really isn't very Islamic. I found that out in a hurry. I also
found out another thing, that Islam was actually a peaceful religion, not
the 'sword-carrying Bedoin' type religion that it is seen as here in the west.
I got away from reading about Islam specifically, but was reading about
religions in general when I came upon a great book written by a western
journalist, Thomas J Lippman, _Understanding Islam_. Lippman is a non-Muslim
journalist who has worked the mid-east for many years and has had contact
with Muslims of all sorts. This book, more than any other non-Islamic
literature (the Qur'an, Sahih al-Bukhari and al-Muslim and so on) set me
straight on what Islam was all about. While reading this book, I purchased
a translation of the Qur'an (I cant recall who did it), and read what I could
of it (the translation wasn't very good, so it was difficult to read.)
What I read of the Qur'an, I found to be most fascinating. It was perfect, as
far as I could tell. Nothing was left out. Again, I got away from reading
about Islam, but once in a while would read articles that I would stumble
across or read Arab News's Islam in Perspective (its in the Friday issue
of Arab News.)
Last summer, I came across the revised edition of Lippman's book. I took
it home and read it to death. In its bibliography, it mentioned
the Islamic Teaching Institute in Plainfield, IN (Indianapolis) run by
the Islamic Society of North America. Since I wasn't too far of a drive
from there where I was, I contaced ISNA and set up for a discussion and
meeting with someone from the ITC. 6 days later I gave shahadah. (for
the non-Muslim audience reading this post, that means to accept Islam, in
a nutshell.)
So, you see, perceptions of Islam can change, with a little bit of effort on
a person's part. You can do all you want to talk to the people and show them,
but until they do their own research and own reading, they won't change their
minds. (a pre-requisite is that they have an active and open mind.)
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begotten;
And there is none like unto Him."
The Holy Qur'an
Surah 112