Interview: Rushdie Furor Highlights the Nature of Islamic Faith

Steve Johnson’s interest in Islam grew while he was a philosophy and religious-studies graduate student at Indiana University, where more than 1,000 Muslim students from around the world are enrolled. After he began to attend mosque regularly with Muslim friends, he eventually rose to leadership positions in the Islamic Society of North America, an umbrella organization for other Muslim groups, with headquarters in Plainesville, Indiana. While there, Johnson, known in Muslim circles as Faruq Abdullah, served as chairman of the da’ wah committee (“invitation”), which promoted Muslim-Christian dialogue. He was later named executive vice-president for the American Islamic College in Chicago.

Johnson, who has left his position with the American Islamic College and now teaches philosophy at a college near Indianapolis, talked with CHRISTIANITY TODAY about the controversy surrounding Salman Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses and about Islam in America.

Why are so many Muslims angered by Rushdie’s book?

They are angry not because of Khomeini’s pronouncements against it, but because Rushdie’s book is offensive to Muslims across the board theologically. Rushdie calls into question basic articles of faith: Muhammad, his purity, and his mission as a prophet. By doing that he strikes at the heart of Islam.

One of Islam’s most severe punishments is for what is called fitnah, which means to cause disorder or chaos within Islam. Muslims interpret what Rushdie is doing—creating doubt within Muslims—as causing disorder, and that is punishable by death.

Another important consideration is political. The uproar in Pakistan was caused by Muslim fundamentalists who are feeling humiliated by the election of Benazir Bhutto, because it is absolutely against Islamic law for a woman to be the head of the state. And in Iran, Khomeini was quick to jump on another threat to feed the fervor of the people and deflect increasingly vocal opposition away from himself.

There is another element, too, that’s hard for us in the West to grasp. That is the driving view among Muslim fundamentalists that there is a Zionist-American-colonialist conspiracy. They firmly believe in it; they will not listen to anything else. They believe the Jews are behind the Rushdie affair, in collaboration with the United States.

Muslim response to the book contributes to Islam’s image as a violent, even bloodthirsty, religion. Is that a fair characterization?

There are Muslims who think the response of the fundamentalists is inappropriate. They don’t see things in terms of a conspiracy against Islam; they look at the situation more pragmatically and see that [such a response] is only fueling the fire of criticism of Muslims. But the Rushdie affair may be giving Americans a clearer picture of the notion of power in Islam.

There is a major difference between Islam and Christianity. Christianity teaches us to love our enemies. With Islam, it’s quite the opposite. You should be just, but you should hate the enemies of Islam. And if they openly struggle against Islam, they should be eliminated. That attitude, plus a conspiracy theory that allows you to interpret anything in terms of an action against the Islamic state, justifies all kinds of violence.

How should Christians relate to Muslims?

First, don’t view all Muslims in light of the fundamentalist Islamic movement. Most of the Muslims who come to the United States are trying to leave that situation; they come here to try to establish a life and not be dominated by that kind of thing. Still, there are important leaders in the Islamic movement who come here so that they can mobilize. Many of them have studied in American universities.

Second, keep an open mind about interfaith work, but do not be naive. Muslims will always see interfaith work as an opportunity to convert. There has been a debate in the last few years within the Muslim population in the United States and in the Islamic organizations on whether they should debate or have dialogue [with Christians]. Many of them choose dialogue, realizing that is what works the best in converting Americans.

How successful are Muslims in converting Americans?

Quite successful. Some say the number increases by 10 percent a year. In some cities—Cleveland, for example—95 percent of the Muslims are converts. It’s very difficult [for American converts] if they don’t find themselves in a supportive Muslim community.

There’s always great excitement when they convert, but they never quite fit in, because when you adopt Islam you also adopt a culture. And it is not easy to be a convert and have people watching over you to make sure you are not reverting to your old ways, interpreting everything you do in those terms.

In addition to dialogue, what methods do Muslims use to seek converts?

Literature that attacks the perceived problems and contradictions of Christianity—the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Bible—is a big one. Islam is viewed as a completely rational religion, so when Muslims point out the irrationalities of Christianity, they believe that people will automatically convert. And, of course, a lot of converts come to Islam through marriage. Probably two-thirds of the Caucasian converts are women who marry Muslim men.

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