Carl Ernsts, Mona Siddiquis and Quran book review Essay - 1

Carl Ernsts, Mona Siddiquis and Quran book review - Essay Example ority of the Muslims, for example, the Taliban of Afghanistan and Pakistan believe that it is mandatory to fight in the name of God and kill the disbelievers. In doing so, they believe they would enter the heaven once they perish from the world. This essay will investigate the ways some of the non-Muslims and Muslims misunderstand the Quran and act upon the Holy verses. The aim of the essay is to understand the meaning of the word ‘Jihad’ and to see how Islam has been defamed in the name of the ‘Holy War.’ There are two main reasons that Islam is considered a religion that promotes terrorism. Firstly, when non-Muslims read the verses of Quran they completely ignore the fact that Quran was not only a book of guidance for people living in the past or to the people it was revealed but it is a book belonging to the people who lived in the past, are living in the present and also for the future generation to come. Secondly, some people follow the Quran word by word in a very literal sense. The Quran uses metaphors, and though it is the word of God, not every word is to be taken literally. The word Jihad is babbling not only for the non-Muslims but also for some Muslims who use and follow it in the wrong sense. The Holy Quran says â€Å"Not equal are those believers who stay behind in their homes while the believers exert in the cause of God with their wealth and life. God has kept a higher rank for those who exert in the name of God† (Quran 4:95). The believers of the book hugely misunderstand this verse. There is a misconception between some groups of people what exertion refers to. Though it is believed that it refers to Jihad, the meaning of Jihad tends to vary greatly among believers. Some of the better-known scholars of Islam like Abdullah Yousuf and Muhammad Asaddefine Jihad as a struggle or fight made to achieve justice. Jihad is a struggle made against oppression even if it means to risk one’s life. While there is some extremist groups that define