Although the term "Islamic terrorism," or discourses using the term, have sometimes been attacked as "counter-productive", "unhelpful", "highly politicized", "intellectually contestable" and "damaging to community relations," its usage is widespread throughout the English-speaking world. Many Muslims[weasel words] object to the term because it juxtaposes Islam (which they would regard as a peaceful religion) with a contrary concept. However, Bernard Lewis notes that "Islam, as a religion" is "particularly conducive to terrorism or even tolerant of terrorism," in his own words:
SOUTHWEST ASIA/NORTH AFRICA
Islam has had an essentially political character (...) from its very foundation (...) to the present day. An intimate association between religion and politics, between power and cult, marks a principal distinction between Islam and other religions. (...) In traditional Islam and therefore also in resurgent fundamentalist Islam, God is the sole source of sovereignty. God is the head of the state. The state is God's state. The army is God's army. The treasury is God's treasury, and the enemy, of course, is God's enemy.
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This argument is countered by Jamal Nassar and Karim H. Karim, who contend that because there are over a billion adherents of the religion, the phenomenon is more precisely regarded as "Islamism terrorism" because it describes political ideologies rooted in interpretations of Islam. In this vein, describing terrorism as "Islamic" may confirm "a prejudicial perspective of all things Islamic".
North Africa and SW Asia
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SOUTHWEST ASIA/NORTH AFRICA
Islam has had an essentially political character (...) from its very foundation (...) to the present day. An intimate association between religion and politics, between power and cult, marks a principal distinction between Islam and other religions. (...) In traditional Islam and therefore also in resurgent fundamentalist Islam, God is the sole source of sovereignty. God is the head of the state. The state is God's state. The army is God's army. The treasury is God's treasury, and the enemy, of course, is God's enemy.
Northern Africa Map
This argument is countered by Jamal Nassar and Karim H. Karim, who contend that because there are over a billion adherents of the religion, the phenomenon is more precisely regarded as "Islamism terrorism" because it describes political ideologies rooted in interpretations of Islam. In this vein, describing terrorism as "Islamic" may confirm "a prejudicial perspective of all things Islamic".
North Africa and SW Asia
Asia Maps
Middle East Maps
Click on the Map to
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