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Report on Religious Field Research: Islam April Erique Dr. Keyes REL 212 12/11/11

Even though, it’s one of the most popular religions throughout the world, I believe that Islam is difficult to understand. People have their opinions about Islam and its followers. Especially, after September 11, 2001, many Americans became either fearful or angry towards Muslims and assumed that the Islamic religion and entire community was to blame. It’s a bit like the discrimination that Japanese Americans felt after Pearl Harbor but there wasn’t really blame on their religious views and morals. Well, before I actually had Muslim friends and acquaintances, I didn’t know much about the religion either. The good thing is that I wasn’t raised to be stereotypical but I did have a few ideas of the Islamic faith but I didn’t have any type of proof or reason behind it. One of the biggest misconceptions I had was that Muslims were against the belief of Jesus. Another big misconception I had with Islam was that all believers were Arab and was really only practiced in the Middle East. I also believed all Muslim women must stay covered up while in public and are believed to be beneath the men in their lives. Besides, women having limitations, I felt that it was a very strict religion in which the followers can’t drink, smoke, or partake in any type of promiscuous activities. As an outsider trying to catch a peek inside, I honestly had plenty of misconceptions of this religion, like everyone else. As I said earlier, I wasn’t raised at all to look down on anyone else, and with myself being only eleven years old when Sept. 11 occurred, I didn’t understand the connection between the attack and Islam. What did someone’s religion have to be the basis of why the attacks occurred? This is why I felt that Islam would be the best religion for me to research to figure

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