What everyone “knows” about Islam and Muslims - updated 6/23/12
Posted Jun 23, 2012

What Everyone “Knows” About Islam and Muslims

by Sheila Musaji


There is a long list of bigoted propaganda stating some “fact” that everyone “knows” about Islam or Muslims which are all, quite simply, not facts at all.  These are claims that have no basis in fact, but are repeated over and over until most people just accept them as true.  They become memes and are transmitted like a virus from person to person.  You can find responses to hundreds of such claims hereYou can also click on any of the links included in this list of commonly repeated claims, and you will find an article that explains why that claim is false.

The most commonly repeated false claims about Muslims and Islam are that:

Everyone “knows” that most or all terrorists are Muslims, and there are no Christian and no Jewish terrorists (or terrorists of any other religious stripe), and that Muslims are all militant,  inherently violent, more likely to engage in violence against civilians, and more likely than other Americans to be radicalized. 

Everyone “knows” that Muslims are not interested in dialogue.  That Muslims don’t help Christians in need.  That Muslims can’t have Christians as friends, and are anti-Semites, Holocaust deniers, and intolerant of other faiths, and in fact hate Jews

Everyone “knows” that Muslims don’t unequivocally denounce terrorism, that American Muslim leaders have not responded to radicalization in their community,  that mosques are the source of radicalization, that 85% of mosques are run by radicals, that Muslims don’t cooperate with law enforcement.

Everyone “knows” that Muslims are not equivalent to real Americans, that they are the enemy within, and a fifth column,  that good Muslims can’t be good Americans, that Muslims are not loyal to America, that they are not a part of our American heritage,

Everyone “knows” that Islam itself is the problem and makes Muslims “backward”, that Muslims have made no contribution to the West, that Islam is “of the devil”, a Crescent menace, a “green peril”, that was spread by the sword,  an “evil encroaching on the United States”, and not a religion

Everyone “knows” that this is a Christian nation, which the Muslims are trying to take over, starting with getting an Eid stamp which is the first step towards shariah law which is a threat to America, and a threat to our judicial system, by purposefully having more children than others to increase their numbers, and they will be the majority in this country in 20 years.  Muslims are a threat to America

Everyone “knows” that Muslims have no respect for the Constitution, they don’t obey the laws of the United States,  that they are opposed to freedom of speech, don’t allow and freedom of religion. 

Everyone “knows” that Muslims are given a pass by the elite media.  It’s “us versus them”. 

Everyone “knows” that the Muslims’ goal is world domination under a Caliphate, and the proposed Cordoba House in NYC is a demonstration of supremacism and triumphalism, and that Muslims planned to open it on the anniversary of 9/11. 

Everyone “knows” that Muslims don’t speak out against extremism or terrorism, and even those Muslims who do speak up or seem moderate are simply lying or practicing taqiyyah

Everyone “knows” that the Qur’an is uniquely violent, that the Islamic concept of God doesn’t include God’s love, and does not include the concept of a Golden Rule,  that Allah is a moon god. 

Everyone “knows” that Islam is a monolith and all Muslims are the same, like the “Borg”.  This means that every act committed by an individual who is a Muslim is directly attributable to Islam, and never because the individual is crazy, criminal, or perverted. 

Everyone “knows” that Muslims don’t have a sense of humor

Everyone “knows” that Muslims are like the Fascists and Nazis and that in fact they supported those movements.

The problem is that what “everyone knows” is wrong.  These self-righteous and incorrect statements are usually followed by a demand that the Muslim community do something about whatever is the false flag of the day or face the inevitable consequences.


LIES AND DISTORTIONS ABOUT ISLAM AND MUSLIMS

In addition to these “everyone knows” statements of demonization and misrepresentation, there is also a whole industry of simply connecting with Islam or Muslims with any negative idea, event, or societal trend (even when there is no sane connection to make).  (Also see our lengthy collection Responses to Islamophobia, Arabophobia, and Extremism for many more such responses to false claims.)  For example,  lots of “news” items and claims crafted by the Islamophobes never happened, or are simply not true.  That does not stop them from endlessly repeating them and passing them on through the Islamophobia echo chamber.

ANTI-CHRISTIAN— The murder of a New Jersey Christian Coptic family was falsely charged to Muslims. — An American Christian Missionary in Africa didn’t face possible murder charges and hanging because of a traffic accident. — The ridiculous complaints about crosses at Catholic University were not made by Muslims — Muslims are not forbidden to have non-Muslims as friends. — Muslims are not intolerant of other faiths (Gallup poll)

ANTI-SEMITIC — The story that Iran was considering forcing Jews to wear a yellow star or yellow badge appeared in several publications and it was totally false. — An Urban Outfitters tee-shirt was not part of a “left/Islamic coalition” to incite to violence and genocide against Jews. — Muslim students did not “target Jewish students” with eviction notices at a Florida University. — Delta Airlines does not have a “no-Jew” policy for flights to Saudi Arabia — Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf did not make a comment blaming “the Jews” for 9-11 — There was no Muslim plot hatched in an on-line forum to attack British Jews over Israel’s actions in Gaza, and there was no “Islamist” named Abu Islam making these fake postings.  — It is not true that Muslim scholars have not spoken out against holocaust denial and anti-Semitism. 

APOSTASY & FREEDOM OF FAITH — It is not true that Muslims have not spoken against any punishment for apostasy, and in favor of freedom of faith for all.   

ARABIC TERMS  — A Madrassah is simply a school.  — The Muslim statement of faith (Shahada) is not an expression of hate, or is not  an “expression of hate” “closely identified” with terrorism.  — It is not true that the Muslim concept of taqiyya means that Muslims have permission to lie to non-Muslims to “advance the cause of Islam”.  It is also not true that Christian and Jewish scholars haven’t discussed the same concept and come to similar conclusions.

CELEBRATING TERRORISM— Arabs did not celebrate 9/11 at a Dunkin Donuts in New Jersey. — Budweiser did not pull all its product from the shelves of a convenience store because there was a celebration of 9/11 attacks,  this never happened.

CHILD BRIDES — The Hamas “child bride” incident was nothing of the sort.

CITIZENSHIP & CIVIC PARTICIPATION — A government officials’ conversion to Islam is not “like joining the Nazi party during WWII”.  — Muslims also died on 9/11.  — A spelling bee for students at Muslim schools was not an example of the inability of Muslims to integrate. — Requesting reasonable religious accommodation in the public sphere is not “creeping Sharia”.  — The White House Iftar was not a “ghoulish” or “disgraceful” attempt to appease Muslims — Whole Foods offering halal products during Ramadan was not “shilling for jihadist interests” — There is no plot by Muslim cabdrivers in New York City to impose Sharia on America because they objected to pornographic signs. — The best buy Happy Eid statement on an ad was not a subversive attempt to “water down” American holidays — The Muslims Harass Christian & Jewish Neighbors, Police Refuse to Help Story never happened    — Muslim environmentalists are not part of a sinister plot to colonize the west. — Keith Ellison’s use of the Qur’an in the photo op after his swearing in was not “undermining American culture”.  There have been so many attacks on Muslims attempting to engage in public life, that this also requires a separate section:  If a Muslim runs for political office, or even wants to get involved in their local community, or establish any sort of institution, they are demonized.  Outrageous charges of “creeping Sharia prononent”,  “stealth jihadist”, “Muslim Brotherhood plant”, etc. are made by Islamophobes.   Here are just a few examples of such attacks:

Huma Abedin has been facing bigoted accusations for at least the past year.  — Sh. Muhammad Nur Abdullah was listed as a “stealth jihadist” on the Discover the Networks site for nothing more than being President of ISNA and a member of the FCNA.  — Imam Johari Abdul-Malik was attacked when he was asked to lead the prayer in the Virginia Legislature.— Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf was attacked for wanting to built a Muslim community center in Manhattan — Ambassador Akbar Ahmed was attacked for the statement that “America’s Founding Fathers admired Islam”, this was called “an attempt to “Islamize” Americans’ “knowledge” of the origin of their nation.” — Parvez Ahmed’s appointment to the Jacksonville, Florida Human Rights Commission was strongly opposed. — Frank Gaffney’s CSP is pressuring the Gov. of Tennessee to fire Samar Ali from the position of Director of the Economic and Community Development Dept.   — Wajahat Ali was attacked because he was in the MSA in college — Arif Alikhan, the deputy mayor of Los Angeles, was attacked when he was appointed Assistant Secretary for Policy Development at the Department of Homeland Security because he had spoken at an MPAC convention. —  Salam al-Marayati was listed as a “stealth jihadist” on the Discover the Networks site for being President of MPAC.— Debbie Almontaser was attacked when she attempted to establish an Arabic language school in NYC.  — Mazen Asbahi was forced to resign as Obama’s Muslim Outreach Coordinator to avoid further disruption to the office.  — Reza Aslan was attacked by Robert Spencer for speaking out against Islamophobia.  — Laleh Bakhtiar was accused of “lying” in her Qur’an translation — Rep. Andre Carson was recently embroiled in a manufactured controversy.   — Halim Dhanidina, who spent 14 years as a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney, was appointed to a California Superior Court judgeship by Gov. Jerry Brown, he was attacked for having been in the MSA as a student.  — Mohamed Elibiary, a member of DHS’s Combatting Violent Extremism Working Group (CVE). — Khaled Abou El Fadl was attacked by Daniel Pipes as a “stealth Islamist” — Rep. Keith Ellison has faced numerous assaults.  — Rima Fakih was attacked simply for winning the Miss USA Beauty Pageant.— The Fiqh Council of North America fatwa against terrorism was attacked for not defining “civilians”.  — Faisal Gill, a former JAG officer in the Navy and a Bush White House official accused of terrorist connections when he attempted to get involved in local politics.  — Nezar Hamze was rejected for a position in the Broward County Republican Committee because “Islam is incompatible with the Constitution.” — Mehdi Hasan was attacked when he was hired as a Huffington Post Editor. — Rashad Hussein when appointed as special envoy to the OIC.  — Even Zuhdi Jasser, Rep. Peter King’s “ideal Muslim leader” has been accused of practicing taqqiya.— Zaid Jilani was attacked and lost his job over spurious “anti-Semitism” charges. — Rashid Khalidi was attacked for defending the right of Palestinians to resist the occupation.  — Suhail Khan was accused of being a Muslim Brotherhood operative “infiltrating” CPAC.  — Farhana Khera of Muslim Advocates was attacked for giving Muslims common legal advice. — Imam Mohamed Magid, attacked for being President of ISNA.  — Irshad Manji another of the Islamophobes “good” Muslims was attacked by Pamela Geller for distinguishing between “radical” and “moderate” Islam.— Prof. Ingrid Mattson, the first female President of ISNA for being included in Inaugural Prayer Service.— Dalia Mogahed was attached when she was appointed to the White House’s Office of Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships.  — Sohail Mohammed faced baseless attacks when he was nominated as a judge on the NJ state Superior Court by Gov. Christie. — Muslim interns on capital hill were accused of “infiltrating” and there were calls for an investigation. — Muslim staffers on capital hill met for prayer and there was a call for a Justice Dept. investigation.  — The comedian Dean Obeidallah was called an “Islamic supremacist hate propagandist”  — Dr. Mehmet Oz was attacked for being a “Muslim Turk, the worst scum of the earth”— Eboo Patel  was called an “Islamic supremacist” for calling for a boycott of Lowe’s for dropping advertising for All-American Muslim under bigoted pressure — Farah Pandith was attacked as “working for the cause of Islam, not America” when she was appointed by Hillary Clinton as Special Rep. to Muslim Communities — Imam Hasan Qazwini was attacked for his opposition to an AFDI/SIOA hate group event in Dearborn. — David Ramadan, a Muslim GOP candidate in a Virginia House of Delegates race and Reagan administration Attorney General and Ronald Reagan Chair in Public Policy at the Heritage Foundation was called a “stealth jihadist” by Pamela Geller.  — Ahmed Rehab faced bigotry when he was appointed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as part of an advisory committee on immigration issues.   — Faiz Shakir was attacked when Nancy Pelosi hired him as Director of Media in her office.  — Imam Muzammil Siddiqui attacked by SIOA when the Human Rights Commission honored him with an award.  — Imam Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid Shakir were attacked for founding Zaytuna Institute which Pamela Geller called “academic jihad”  — Fareed Zakaria was attacked as a “Muslim Brother” because his father was an Islamic scholar. 

I can’t think of an active Muslim, or a Muslim organization, that has not been attacked, and that includes Imams, journalists, community activists, scholars, educators, politicians, etc..  In fact, you don’t even need to be a famous individual to come under attack, just a Muslim.  For example, I have personally been the subject of many such attacks for pointing out instances of Islamophobia.  The only Muslim that I can think of that is regularly (although not universally) praised by Islamophobes is Zuhdi Jasser who Rep. Peter King calls the ideal Muslim leader, and a few other “astroturf” Muslims.   See The Islamophobic Attempt to Marginalize American Muslim Civic Participation for examples of non-Muslims being attacked for supporting Muslims.

CRESCENTS & “MUSLIM” SYMBOLS — The Nuclear Security Summit logo is an atom on a circular path, not an Islamic symbol.  — The U.S. Missile Defense Logo is not evidence of ‘Submission To Shariah’, and neither is the Flight 93 memorial. — The Google Veteran’s Day logo doesn’t display a secret Muslim agenda.

CULTURE & CUSTOMS — Wearing a tee-shirt with Arabic writing on it does not make a person dangerous.  — Ashura is not a “Muslim blood festival”.  — There is no  Muslim sword through the 41-cents mark on the U.S. Eid postage stamp. — The zebibah (prayer bruise) on some Muslims foreheads is not a sign of a “commitment to jihad”. — Muslims don’t hate dogs. — Muslim handshaking customs are not an attempt to force Sharia on others. — An Eid party for Muslim special needs kids was not any sort of “stealth jihad” —Muslims do not block New York streets to pray every Friday. 

FREEDOM OF SPEECH — “Islamophobia” is not an “attempt to silence freedom of speech”  — It is not true that American Muslims have not defended freedom of speech — Condemnation of hateful speech is not an attempt to impose legal restrictions on that speech.

HATE