Some of the terminology regarding Muslim-Western relations has been widely misused or misunderstood, confusing key issues and clouding constructive opportunities. In an attempt to improve ongoing communication, we have developed the following Terminology in Muslim-Western Relations guide. A downloadable PDF version is also available.
Acts of terrorism by individuals who claim to conduct them in the name of
Islam
Why a Problem:
Implies that terrorism can be Islamic in character, i.e., that the ethos of Islam is
compatible with that of terrorism
Impact:
Most Muslims feel insulted, wronged, and even angry on hearing expressions
which seem to blame terrorism on, or attribute it to, Islam; the term helps
terrorists as it reinforces the idea that the West views Islam as a source of evil
and openly says so
Alternatives:
Terrorism, Terrorists
Terrorism in the name of Islam, Terrorists claiming to be Muslims, Terrorists
in/from country X
Takfiri terrorism (Takfir in Arabic is the act of pronouncing/passing
judgment on who is a real Muslim and who is not, a concept that is antithetical
to mainstream Islam. Advantage: it clearly denotes a distinction from
mainstream Islam. Disadvantage: it introduces a non-English word into
popular language, which could be used incorrectly and/or misunderstood.
Denotes an adherent of Islam or a characteristic of its adherents (descriptive, adj. comparable to "Jewish")
Denotes the religion or its institutions (prescriptive, comparable to "Judaic")
Example:
A Muslim country is one where the
majority of citizens follow the
religion of Islam
An Islamic country is one whose political
system is based on Islamic law
Why Important:
Avoids negative events, acts or ideas being attributed to the religion of Islam
itself (rather than its followers)
Term:
Headscarf
Veil
Definition:
Worn by many Muslim women to
cover their hair in public;
usually accompanied by non-
revealing clothes
Worn by a small minority of Muslim
women to cover face;
usually accompanied by non-revealing
clothes
Referred to as:
Hijab
Niqab
Why Important:
Important
"Veil" conjures up "barrier" and has a negative impact on bridge-building
efforts Note: neither garment necessarily says anything about one's political viewpoints
