UW-Madison held a teach-in Wednesday in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to help students and other community members understand the religion of Islam and the differences between people of the Muslim faith and those responsible for what happened last Tuesday.
History Professor Charles Cohen, director of the Religious Studies Program, said Americans were generally uninformed about the basics of Islam.
'Among other things, the terrorist attacks have revealed the nation's ignorance of Islam,' Cohen said. 'The format we have [today] involves a set of speakers dedicated to the inquiry of truth.'
Dr. Ahmed Ali, president of the Muslim Association of Madison, gave a brief outline of the fundamental beliefs of Islam. He said it was important for people to dismiss the common misconception that the religion of Islam condones violence.
'Islam never preaches any violent tendencies or terrorist activities,' Ali said. 'It is highlighted in our book to be kind to people of [all] other religions and books.'
After touching on the religious aspects of Islam, Cohen introduced several speakers who discussed the history of Islam as it relates to the world. Dr. David Morgan, professor of history and religious studies, explained that all Muslims cannot be associated with those who committed the terrorist attacks because, just like every other religion, Islam is very diverse.
'There is a tendency to lump all Muslims together, but that is no more true than seeing all Christians as [having identical beliefs],' Morgan said.
Professor Michael Chamberlain, director of Middle Eastern Studies, added to Morgan's point by commenting on the conflicts within Islam.
'There is a struggle in the Middle East today over who has the right to represent Islam,' Chamberlain said.
Correcting a common misinterpretation about a Muslim term often used in the media, sociology Professor Joe Elder explained the term jihad.
'Islam is a religion of jihad, which is commonly defined as a holy war ... is a gross misinterpretation,' Elder said. 'Jihad is a religious struggle, which more closely reflects the inner, personal struggles of the religion.'
Anthropology and religious studies Professor Charles Hirschkind addressed the differences between the religious and the political motivation that inspired these acts.
'While it is true that many of the actors were inspired by some understanding of religion, it would be wrong to interpret this as a solely religious inspired act,' Hirschkind said.
He explained the perception the Middle East has of Western policy and why it would provoke such violence.
'There is a strong consensus [in the Middle East] that the policies of the West concerning the Middle East strongly oppress the freedom of the people,' Hirschkind said. 'There is a double standard by which the West asserts the terms of 'democracy' and 'human rights' in the Middle East. It speaks of democracy but supports dictatorships.'
Hirschkind said these types of international policies could be the motivation behind such violent acts toward the United States.
'[It is] this double standard that is motivation for a broader Islamic movement against how the U.S. deals with injustice in the Middle East and breeds hatred,' Hirschkind said.
Professor of comparative literature Mary Layoun addressed the question of Islam's peaceful cohabitation with other cultures throughout the world.
Trying to familiarize people with the situation at hand, she compared the bombings with those in Oklahoma City in 1995.
'It wasn't Islam that lay at the root of those bombings anymore then it was Christianity at the root of the Oklahoma City bombings,' she said.
The panel said there was a need to keep peace at such a tumultuous time. To ensure lasting peace, Hirschkind said the two cultures need to have a better understanding of each other.
'It is very important to reflect on some of the underlying causes [of this event],' Hirschkind said. '[This] would result in a change in the relationship of the West and the Islamic world.'
