- We need to talk about Islam.
You know, that religion
with 1.6 billion people
comprising about 25 percent
of the world's population?
Yeah, that Islam.
You see, Islam is currently the world's
second largest religion.
Christians, don't worry,
you're still number one.
Even though it's been
around for 14 hundred years,
Islam is still woefully misunderstood.
Especially in the United States.
Despite what your crazy, but lovable uncle
says on Facebook, Islam
does not promote hate.
I'm not commanded to kill the infidels.
(dramatic music)
Quran.
The Quran, as a whole, promotes
faith, hope, and peace.
So, when you see stuff like this,
know that it's always
taken out of context.
And if you don't believe
me, let's ask the experts.
- If I were to open up a
book like Harry Potter,
and just chose one line where
it's the cruciatus about where it's like,
"Cause the most pain you possibly can"
and say, "This is what
Harry Potter is teaching,"
that's how people look at the Quran.
(dramatic music)
Sharia.
Politicians seem to be obsessed
with this Arabic word.
- What is this thing that we call Sharia?
- Sharia.
- Sharia.
- Sharia.
- Sharia.
- Sharia.
- 51 percent highly respected
number of polling groups,
want to be governed according to Sharia.
You know what Sharia is.
(record scratch)
- [Narrator] A lot of people don't
actually know what Sharia is.
- Sharia is often translated as "law".
It doesn't really mean that.
It means a path or a guidance.
How do you give charity?
How do you get married?
How do you pray?
It's guidelines on how to live your life.
- Oh, and a F.Y.I. trolls,
there are currently zero bills in congress
trying to institute Sharia.
That's a conspiracy theory,
and a pretty dumb one.
(dramatic music)
Jihad.
America is only familiar with Jihad
in its most violent form:
The idea that Islam should defend itself
against those who wish to tear it down.
It's an Arabic word that means
"exerted effort" or "struggle
to better one's selves".
So Muslims can do a
Jihad to get more sleep,
to go out on more dates,
to get their lazy butt
off the ground and hit the gym,
all legitimate forms of Jihad.
(dramatic music)
Hijab.
There's a strange, sick obsession
with Muslim women who cover their hair.
The internet is filled
with images and commentary
about Muslim women
fashion and appearances,
written by people who
frankly don't understand it,
or are afraid of it.
- In the Quran, there
are about two verses.
(bell dings)
Amongst six thousand verses that address
how we should conduct ourselves
when we talk about modesty.
Hijab is actually not a word
that's used in the Quran.
I choose to dress this way.
For me, it really is an outside expression
of an inward experience.
- People tend to think Muslim women
are limited, and honestly, some are.
However, reality check:
There have been way more
female heads of state
in Muslim countries than
in the United States.
- There are a few Muslim countries
such as Saudi Arabia that
limit Muslim women's rights.
They're taking God-given rights
that God has given to women,
and imposing their own views and opinions
and what it is that women
need to do or not do.
They're the ones that
are contradicting Islam.
They're the ones that are
bringing in alien influences
into the faith, not the other way around.
(dramatic music)
- Ay-rab, I mean, Arab.
Do not assume an Arab equals a Muslim,
or a Muslim equals an Arab.
Let me break it down:
Muslim is a term that refers to a person
who follows the religion of Islam.
Arab is a cultural,
linguistic, and ethnic term
broadly referring to
Arabic speaking people
in the Middle East and North Africa.
There are millions of non-Muslims
in Arab-majority
countries who happen to be
Christian, Zoroastrian,
Bahai, even Athiests.
Hopefully, this has cleared up
some of the garbage that
jams up your news feed.
And remember, Islam,
like any other religion,
is complex and requires more than
one video to understand it.
So, keep reading, talk to actual Muslims,
visit a Mosque, and remember:
An entire religion can never be summed up
in just one meme.
