Projecting the worst image of Islam

Three terrorist attacks in three main capitals, on three different continents send a strong signal to the whole world.

The heinous acts were perpetrated under the flag of our prophet and in the name of our religion. The crimes send the worst image of Islam and Muslims.

Since 1948, Arab societies in the United States and Europe have been working hard to rectify the distorted image of our religion and people. Some activists have had some success in stemming the stereotyping of Arabs and the demonising of Muslims.

Many academic forums initiated programmes to introduce Islamic civilisation. But the Arab idol of humanitarianism and tolerance as it was firmly put on that high pedestal was suddenly shattered by none other than Muslims themselves on September 11, 2001, by the abominable attack on the twin towers in New York.

Since then, many Americans and Europeans, who had embraced Islam as they understood it to be a world religion of tolerance and reason, abandoned what they saw to be a religion of violence and murder of innocent people.

Osama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda group, who were the mastermind behind the September 11 atrocities, managed to alienate the entire civilised world from Islam.

Demonising the Arabs in the United States and Europe was a natural outcome following the terrorist acts perpetrated by Al Qaeda.

Daesh proved to be another clone of Al Qaeda. Though it was established less than a year ago, it proved to be no less capable of handing ammunition to the enemies of Islam to fight the image of our religion. 

Severing the heads of journalists and Christian Iraqis gave Muslims the worst image that can never be deleted.

What is surprising is Daesh’s increasing appeal to younger generations of Muslims who feel the alienation and degradation of the ruling classes in their countries, be they in Europe or in the Middle East.

At the highest echelons of power in Arab countries, coordinated effort should be exerted to put an end to a terrorist group that distorts the image of our religion and people. 

An Israeli general, Ehud Barak, made last week an analysis of the political situation in the region. He said Daesh had not faced and fought seriously any professional army. Defeating the 40,000 combatants Daesh controls is a matter of short time for any army that fights seriously.

These are the reasons that made Jordan champion the war against Islamic terror in Syrian, Iraq and North Africa.