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Wednesday, 20 June, 2007 1:04 PM
Is Islam A Dangerous Religion?
Islamic Scholar Debunks
Negative Stereotypes to Reveal Truth
The horrifying September
11th attacks are seared into the minds of most Americans. Etched
along with the heart-wrenching images of people leaping to their
deaths from the Twin Towers are mug shots of the hijackers who crashed
the planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and an open
field in Pennsylvania. Before that day, many Americans never gave
much thought to Islam. And ever since hearing the hijackers’
claims of following Islam, Muslims around the world have continued
to battle stereotypes of barbaric violence. But does Islam really
endorse violence?
“Absolutely not,” says Dr. Ali Shehata, Islamic Scholar
and author of the new book, “Demystifying Islam: Your Guide
to the Most Misunderstood Religion of the 21st Century” (Elysium
River Press, 2007). “When terrorists claim that their vicious
and deadly acts are founded in the tenets of Islam, they have maligned
and skewed a religion that is truly about tolerance and peaceful
co-existence.”
Muslims endure suspicion and negativity because of the images of
radical extremists who have hijacked Islam and then twisted and
distorted this peaceful religion to fit their political agenda.
The public nature of their violent acts has garnered extensive media
coverage around the world and thus, the negative stereotypes are
perpetuated over and over again. Dr. Shehata hopes that enlightening
people about the true, peaceful nature of Islam will help chip away
and ultimately replace those disturbing images while also serving
as a base for preventing future acts of terror and misguidance.
“The view that has been most heavily promoted in the media
is that Muslims are dangerous and extreme people who can not be
trusted,” says Dr. Shehata. “These stories promote the
false idea that Islam is incompatible with peace, tolerance and
love. And that is a tragedy because Islam is peaceful religion that
promotes understanding, appreciation and peaceful coexistence with
others. I think that educating both Muslims and non-Muslims about
Islam has the great potential to reduce or even eliminate terror.”
‘Demystifying Islam’ invites readers to explore Islam
in a very reader-friendly way. The book begins with the basics,
explaining the religion’s early beginnings and how the Quran,
the holy book of Islam, was relayed by the Angel Gabriel to the
Prophet Mohammad. Dr. Shehata, who is certified in a number of key
Islamic texts and has studied under the direct tutelage of certified
Islamic scholars, writes in a clear fashion that is very easy to
digest. His love for Islam and his desire to bridge the divide between
Muslims and those who fear the religion are apparent, but the book
is not pushy; rather it is highly enlightening and succinctly shares
the beliefs of Islam and supports them with beautiful scriptures
from the Quran.
Dr. Shehata believes that the more non-Muslims learn about Islam,
the less threatened they will feel. “Muslims share a great
deal in common with Jews and Christians which should help to serve
as a bridge of healing and cooperation if used effectively,”
says Dr. Shehata. “But many people don’t know enough
about Islam, the true Islam, to capitalize on our similarities and
desires for peace and tolerance.”
Demystifying Islam also answers many questions that non-Muslims
wondered about but didn’t know who to ask— for example,
what Muslims think about Jesus Christ, or why Muslim women cover
their heads. Because the goal of the book is to educate and not
proselytize, readers walk away with newfound knowledge and understanding
of a religion that has been greatly exploited and misunderstood;
which Dr. Shehata hopes will ultimately lead to greater tolerance
and peace.
About the author:
Dr. Ali Shehata was born
in Havre de Grace, Maryland to parents who immigrated to America
from Egypt.
He received his bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology from
the University of Central Florida in Orlando in 1996 and graduated
with a medical degree from Midwestern University in Arizona in 2000.
Dr. Shehata has received residency training in both Emergency Medicine
and Family Medicine and is board certified in Family Medicine.
Dr. Ali as he is known to many of his patients, teachers, students
and colleagues received the majority of his Islamic education via
the traditional method of studying directly under the tutelage of
certified Islamic scholars.
He has received certification (ijaazah) in a number of foundational
Islamic texts.
Dr. Shehata is a widely sought speaker at colleges and religious
institutions across the U.S. and internationally.
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