As usual, Islam was subjected to misinterpretation, if not misrepresentation.

Last Thursday, Sept. 19, a student at ISU shared her views about Islam in the name of free speech.

By the same token, one cannot wonder, wasn’t it Islam that granted her parents the freedom to choose “… not to pressure her or her siblings to be Muslims?”

Then she went on to say that “she thinks problems arise for women who don’t know their rights or how to stand up for them in an Islamic culture.”

The next question would be: Isn’t it the case in any culture?

Battered women all over the world suffer profoundly as a result of their unawareness of their rights or how to stand up for them.

Another thing: Islam is a religion, not a culture. This brings to mind a similar misconception that goes unquestioned. Some still compare Arabs to Jews: an origin to a religion.

Another point was made about Islam granting women a share in inheritance but “it must be a decision made on the (conscience) of man.”

Does that ring a bell or what?

The ideal resolution would be that it is politics that needs to be modified to “accommodate women,” not Islam.

As long as people tend to make assumptions on issues they are not fully informed about, we will all be at risk of being misinformed and misled.

What we don’t know can and will hurt us.

The ball is in our court. Our choice to be informed can and will make the world a better place to live in.

Basma Shaar

Graduate Student

TESL