veiled4allah: the words we use veiled4allah: the words we useWhen we pick up the newspaper, read a book, watch television, or engage in conversation, we come across the terms "Muslim" and "Islamic" for descriptions of things related to the religion or to its adherents. Often, the two adjectives are used interchangeably as synonyms. They may truly be part-and-parcel of a family of vocabulary in the everyday usage of language. But the question arises as to whether they are one and the same. And here comes the dilemma. If we fuse the two together, as they often are, we risk adding inappropriate or meaningless terminology and connotations that do not belong to the system of codes, values, ethics, beliefs, rituals, bonds, and understandings Muslims know as "Islam." For instance, the mainstream discourse often refers to a particular kind of illegitimate violence committed by some Muslims against civilians as 'Islamic terrorism.' Muslims would take offense at this characterization because the implication here, deliberately or mistakenly, is that fault lies within Islam itself. Using the phrase "Islamic world" to describe the area of the world where Muslims form geographic majorities presents similar problems. First, it risks associating underdevelopment, conflict/warfare/civil strife, inequality and discrimination, and other negativities or "backwardness" with teachings from Islam or with steadfastness to them. Secondly, it risks excluding, or at the very least marginalizing, the contributions, status, and plights of the diaspora of Muslims residing elsewhere (like in the West).He discusses several related issues as well. The language that we use does often shape how we think about things, so it's good to step back and examine it.
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