Why is Islam such a violent religion? Does the Qur'an condone acts of terrorism? Why haven’t Muslims denounced the 9/11 attacks and suicide bombing?

Whether in the media or public discussions, these are common and persistent questions. But, in fact, major Muslim religious leaders and Muslim organizations have and do speak out. The media tends not to find these fatwas and statements newsworthy but they are available on the internet.

Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, for example, Muhammad Abdur-Rashid, the most senior Muslim chaplain in the American Armed forces, asked for a fatwa about whether American Muslim military could participate in the war in Afghanistan and in other Muslim countries. A group of prominent religious authorities concluded that “All Muslims ought to be united against all those who terrorize the innocents, and those who permit the killing of non-combatants without a justifiable reason” and that it was acceptable “to partake in the fighting in the upcoming battles, against whomever their country decides has perpetrated terrorism against them.”

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Books on Islam, recommended by “On Faith” panelist John L. Esposito, professor of religion, international affairs and Islamic studies at Georgetown University. He also is founding director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.

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The complete list of Muslim clerics and scholars who were invited to participate in “Muslims Speak Out.”

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A glossary of terms for "Muslims Speak Out:"

"What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam" (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002) by John L. Esposito.

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1. WHAT IS JIHAD? UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS DOES ISLAM SANCTION THE USE OF VIOLENCE? WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SUICIDE BOMBERS WHO INVOKE ISLAM TO JUSTIFY THEIR ACTIONS?

2. HOW DOES ISLAM DEFINE APOSTASY? IS IT PERMISSIBLE FOR A MUSLIM TO CONVERT TO ANOTHER FAITH? HOW CAN LAWS AGAINST APOSTASY AND BLASPHEMY BE RECONCILED WITH THE KORANIC INJUNCTION OF "NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION"?

3. WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN ISLAM? HOW DOES ISLAM'S VIEW OF MALE-FEMALE EQUALITY DIFFER FROM THE WESTERN VIEW?

In April of 2007, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed former Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio as the first U.N. High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, a global campaign dedicated to bridging the divide between Islam and the West. In May, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the establishment of the Blair Foundation, dedicated to fostering interfaith dialog. While in June, President Bush stated that he would appoint a U.S. envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference in order to listen and learn. All of these announcements were recognition, as 9/11 and conflicts in the Middle East and the Balkans illustrate, that one of humanity’s most pressing concerns is developing a deeper understanding of the world’s religions and their role in global affairs.

Our world is growing smaller. Nations are more interdependent, individuals more interconnected, and the global community less divided. Unfortunately, as our world has grown closer, it has become more polarized and prone to conflict. In such an environment, we deny or ignore others with values, customs, faiths and practices that are different from our own at our peril. We must work to build bridges between communities of faith and religious traditions, to foster interreligious understanding and interfaith dialogue. This common good must be our common goal.

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Why do we need to know about Islam?
• Islam is the second largest religion in the world, after Christianity, and will soon be the second largest in America.
• Muslims are, and will increasingly be, our neighbors, our colleagues and our fellow citizens.
• Our ignorance about Islam distorts our view of one-fifth of the world’s population and causes us to misinterpret important events and phenomena in the US and abroad.
• Peace and safety cannot be achieved in ignorance, but can be promoted through knowledge and the understanding that grows from knowledge.

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Back in April, “On Faith” and Georgetown University co-sponsored a panel discussion on "What It Means to Be Muslim in America.” During that event, Georgetown's Imam Yahya Hendi questioned why U.S. media rarely acknowledged condemnations of violence and terrorism by Muslim leaders. His question prompted “On Faith” co-moderator Sally Quinn to propose devoting a full week of “On Faith” to a discussion among Muslim scholars and authorities on Islam's views on violence, human rights, and interfaith relations. “Muslims Speak Out” is that week-long, online discussion.

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