How do you perceive Islam?

[Paoli]

Beny, If you read my above post, you'll realise I'm quoting Bezu Fache from the Da Vinci Code.

[Beny]

I know that mate. I was having a go at him rather than you...

[Paoli]

Cheers Mate!

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Beny

You mean the same catholic church which supressed millions of people for almost 1000 years. The Same catholic church which had the inquisition, the crusades and the wars following the reformation. Possibly, over history, the most un-tolerant organisation the world has ever seen?

Before i start, can anyone tell me the difference between the term "Islam" and "Muslim" or do they both have the same meaning?
As to the quote - you are probably correct. My understanding (please correct me if i am wrong) is that a crusade is a an attempt to impose christianity on unbelievers. Conversely, a Jihad is and attempt to reclaim or defend Muslim land from infidels. By looking at either of these extremes, you would have to say that Christianity is more offensively minded while Islam is more defensive. The battle between christianity and islam has been raging on and off since the first crusade (1095) - and has ebbed and flowed like the tide ever since. To my understanding we are currently in the Jihad phase - that is attacks by Islam against non-muslims(Not just Christians) are mainly confined to areas that are historically viewed as Muslin while christianity is in recline
Me myself - i think all religious extremism is as bad as each other be it Cristianity or Islam. If you read the history books from the last thousand years though, the current phase of fighting should not come as a surprise. The bright side of it all is this phase is usually followed by a fairly long periodof peace
God willing

[Zainub]

Before i start, can anyone tell me the difference between the term "Islam" and "Muslim" or do they both have the same meaning?

In Arabic, Islam is both a verb and a noun. When used as a verb it means to surrender or submit. It's other meanings also include obedience and sincerity. When used as a noun it refers to a complete way of life prescribed by God (proper name Allah), and all His messengers. And hence it is the proper name for our religion.

Popular belief that it also "means" peace is as of my understanding a misconception. I have learned some Arabic (very, very little) over the years and my understanding is that Islam arises from root "al-silm" which means submission or to surrender. Peace in Arabic is "Salaam", its derivate root is "Salama". In Semitic languages many words are created by inserting different vowels between the three root consonants, e.g. "iSLaM" and "SaLaM" are two derivations from SLM. But this doesn't mean that they always definately have to have the same meaning. As once noted by the Muslism Students Association at the University of Southern California "In spite of whatever noble intention has caused many a Muslim to claim that Islam is derived primarily from peace, this is not true. A secondary root of Islam may be "Al-Salaam" (peace), however the text of the Qur'an makes it clear that Allah has clearly intended the focus of this way of life to be submission to Him. This entails submission to Him at all times, in times of peace, war, ease, or difficulty."

Muslim therefore means ones who surrenders or submits. Or who is obidient and sincere. And is henceforth proper noun for some one who practices Islam.

And since many of you have mentioned Jihad, for the umpteenth time Jihad does not mean Holy War. It means “struggle” or “striving”. In fact the Qur’an doesn't even use the word Jihad to refer to holy war, it instead uses words like “Harb” or “Qital”.

Jihad [in essence] means serious and sincere struggle on the personal as well as on the social level. It is a struggle to do good and to remove injustice, oppression and evil from the society. This struggle should be spiritual as well as social, economic and political. Jihad is to work hard to do right things.

And hence there are several different types of Jihad, the most well known and mostly widely misunderstood is a form known as Jihad bis saif or Struggle by Sword (in essence force). What people almost never talk about is how much great stress Islam has always laid on other forms of Jihad like Jihad bil Ilm or struggle by gaining knowledge , jihad bil qalam or struggle by pen (in essence by spreading knowlegde), Jihad bit Tawqa (struggle by being righteous).

In essence many ordinary Muslims perform Jihad every day of their lives; it Jihad to educate your self, and encourage others to do so, it is Jihad to listen to your conscince and do the right and not listen to Satan who is always inticing you to do wrong, it is Jihad to call a spate a spate and not resort to hypcrisy...yet the only Jihad that is ever talked about is that conduced by Osoma bin Laden. And then, some people, go and on say that Islam is a religion that encourges violence