Global Policy Forum

By John Brandon

Little has been done to explain to Americans what Muslims, Christians and Jews have in common. All believe themselves to be the spiritual offspring of Abraham, recognize Jesus as a prophet and worship the same divine being.

There is a tendency to equate Islam with Arab culture and repressive authoritarian regimes. But in the country with more Muslims than any other, Indonesia, Islamic groups are actively promoting human rights, democratization, civic education and gender equality. The Muslim-majority nations of Indonesia, Bangladesh and Malaysia have elected governments. American media have persistently misused two words, "jihad" and "fundamentalism." The word "jihad" has been distorted by extremist Muslim elements for their own political purposes. The term "holy war" was coined in Europe during the Crusades to mean war against Muslims. There is no counterpart for the term "holy war" in an Islamic dictionary, and "jihad" is certainly not its translation. For most Muslims it means striving for spiritual good.

Use of the word to mean holy war is insulting to all Muslims who faithfully adhere to the tenet of Islam wherever they may live. Failure to understand this perpetuates the widespread belief among Muslims worldwide that the America is at war with Islam. The word "fundamentalism" was invented in the 1920s to help describe the Christian evangelical movement in the United States, whose orthodox religious beliefs are based on literal interpretation of the Bible. Although the fundamental principles for Christians and Jews are embodied in the Ten Commandments, believing in the Ten Commandments does not necessarily make one a fundamentalist.

The concept of fundamentalism for a Muslim is that he or she adheres to the five pillars of Islam - to believe in Allah as the one true God and that Mohammed is His messenger; to pray five times daily; to help the poor; to fast during the month of Ramadan in the quest to attain piety; and to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.

On the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, America is properly mourning for those who tragically lost their lives at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. But whatever our differences, the peoples of the world are bound much more by their common fate than by their separate identities. We all need to bear that in mind.

Distortion of the terms "jihad" and "fundamentalism" does not help to build bridges of understanding between world's great faiths. Perhaps Muslims, Christians and Jews should look to Confucius, who may have said it best: "If we use the wrong words, we cannot derive the right conclusions."

The writer, a Southeast Asia specialist, is associate director of The Asia Foundation in Washington. He contributed this personal comment to the International Herald Tribune.

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