Faith and reason: A 'war' of words about Islam and terrorism

When Fox News, Time, and Vanity Fair labeled Major Nidal Hasan a terrorist while Joseph Stack received a "True American Hero" Facebook group, I admit I was perturbed.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff |
Source & Credit:Chicago Islam Examiner | March 30, 2010
By Qasim Rashid | Chicago, IL

March 30: On February 26th of this year, my Letter to the Editor was published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  I asked if Joseph Stack's attack on the IRS Federal building in Texas was, or was not, a terrorist attack, and juxtaposed it to the labels placed on similar atrocities committed in the name of Islam.  My letter spurned quite a discussion, after which the Richmond Times-Dispatch published not one but two letters objecting to my statements on March 9th and March 14 respectively.

As I have expressed time and time again, the pen is the most powerful and effective tool to resolve conflicts and/or misunderstandings.  Therefore, I was quite pleased with the published responses to my letter.  So pleased, in fact, that I wrote a follow up to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, which they graciously published as well.


Below is an exact copy of my new letter.  Feel free to read it on the Richmond Times-Dispatch website and leave your comments there as well.

Editor, Times-Dispatch: In response to my Correspondent of the Day letter, "This Airplane Wasn't a Terror Attack?," at least two letters have been printed telling me I am wrong. I cannot express my joy at reading these letters, for they struck at the underlying issue I sought to address. The fact is, I hope I am wrong.

When Fox News, Time, and Vanity Fair labeled Major Nidal Hasan a terrorist while Joseph Stack received a "True American Hero" Facebook group, I admit I was perturbed. After all, both Stack and Hasan acted alone in a twisted and violent approach to resolve their issues. Yet, the former received outright condemnation, and rightfully so, while the latter sacrificed for all of us (as some held). However, to see a pronounced response from my fellow citizens telling me the two are one and the same provides reassurance that our nation does not equate Islam with terrorism.

As Linda J. Staples so eloquently concluded her letter, "Muslim or non-Muslim is not the issue." She could not be more right. Few people recall that convicted domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh, a Catholic, requested a Catholic priest to read him his last rites upon execution. Correctly, no one ascribes McVeigh's actions to Christian teachings. The terrorist actions of the KKK, a group composed entirely of Christians, have never once been considered justified as Christian teachings, thankfully. Likewise, the 9/11 attackers were vile terrorists and nothing more. To ascribe their actions to Islam promotes only misunderstanding, discord, and is flat out wrong.

I encourage Staples and those like her to continue to clarify the difference between Islam and terrorism for such clarifications truly benefit our great nation. After all, she is certainly correct. Muslim or non-Muslim is not the issue.

Read the original article here: A 'war' of words about Islam and terrorism


Qasim Rashid is a contributing member of Majlis Sultanul Qalm, USA (MSQ USA) and regularly writes for Examiner.com and various other publications on topics ranging from Islam to human rights. Leave your thoughts and comments, or email Qasim at 1muslim.examiner@gmail.com