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(Arguments critical to religion in general, or specific to Monotheism, such as the Existence of God, not dealt with here. This page describes criticism specific to Islam only, looking at either the historicity of Islam or at the results of its practice.) Arguments for and against the existence of God have been proposed by philosophers, theologians, and others. ...

Critics of Islam have existed since Islam's formative stages. Early written criticism came from Christians, prior to 1000 CE.^[1] Later there appeared criticism from the Muslim world itself, and also from Jewish writers and from ecclesiastical Christians.^[2][3][4][5] In the modern era, criticism has come from people both inside and outside Islam, on a wide variety of topics. Main article: Islamism This article is about criticism of political Islam For criticism of the religion of Islam, see Criticism of Islam. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... This article is about the religous people known as Christians. ... Nations with a Muslim majority appear in green, while nations that are approximately 50% Muslim appear yellow. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination...

Islam has been criticised on the grounds that it is not true (on philosophical, historical, scientific or theological grounds), and that it is not moral (on ethical and political grounds). For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ... This article is about the study of the past in human terms. ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ... Kalam (علم الكلم)is one of the religious sciences of Islam. ... For other uses, see Ethics (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Politics (disambiguation). ...

One such topic is Islam's tolerance (or intolerance) of criticism, and the treatment accorded apostates in Islamic law.^[6] Another area focuses on the morality of the life of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, both in his public and personal life.^[5][7] Issues relating to the authenticity and morality of the Qu'ran, the Islamic holy book, are also discussed by critics.^[8][9] Other criticisms focus on the question of human rights in modern Islamic nations, and the treatment of women in Islamic law and practice.^[10][11] Recently, Islam's influence on the ability of Muslim immigrants in the West to assimilate has been criticized.^[12] Apostasy (from Greek αποστασία, meaning a defection or revolt, from απο, apo, away, apart, στασις, stasis, standing) is a term generally employed to describe the formal renunciation of ones religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. ... Sharia (Arabic شريعة also Sharia, Shariah or Syariah) is traditional Islamic law. ... Muhammad in a new genre of Islamic calligraphy started in the 17th century by Hafiz Osman. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... The Quran ( Arabic al-qurʾān أَلْقُرآن; its literal meaning is the recitation and is often called Al Quran Al Karim: The Noble Quran, also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and less commonly Alcoran) is the holy book...

History of criticism of Islam

Early Islam

The earliest surviving written criticisms of Islam are to be found in the writings of Christians, who came under the early dominion of the Islamic empire. One such Christian was John of Damascus (born c. 676), who was familiar with Islam and Arabic. The second chapter of his book, The Fount of Wisdom, titled 'Concerning Heresies' presents a series of discussions between Christians and Muslims. John claimed a Nestorian monk influenced Muhammad.^[13][1] For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Saint John of Damascus (Arabic: يحيى ابن منصور Yaḥyā ibn Manṣūr; Greek: Ιωάννης Δαμασκήνος/Ioannês Damaskinos; Latin: Iohannes Damascenus or Johannes Damascenus also known as John Damascene, Χρυσορρόας/Chrysorrhoas, streaming with gold—i. ... Events November 2 - Donus becomes Pope. ... Arabic redirects here. ... The term Nestorianism is eponymous, even though the person who lent his name to it always denied the associated belief. ... For other uses, see Monk (disambiguation). ...

The Hadith (written between 844 and 874) contain accounts of criticism of Islam at the time of Muhammad from the pagan, Jewish and Christian inhabitants of Arabia. Hadith ( transliteration: ) are oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of Prophet Muhammad. ... Pagan may refer to: A believer in Paganism or Neopaganism Bagan, a city in Myanmar also known as Pagan Pagan (album), the 6th album by Celtic metal band Cruachan Pagan Island, of the Northern Mariana Islands Pagan Lorn, a metal band from Luxembourg, Europe (1994-1998) Pagans Mind, is... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ...

Medieval Islamic world

Over the years there have been several famous Muslim critics and skeptics of Islam from within the Islamic world itself. In tenth and eleventh-century Syria there lived a blind poet called Al-Ma'arri. According to Ibn Warraq, he became well-known for a poetry that was affected by a "pervasive pessimism." He labeled religions in general as "noxious weeds," and said that Islam does not have a monopoly on truth. He had particular contempt for the ulema, writing that: Abu al-Ala Ahmed ibn Abd Allah ibn Sullaiman al-Tanookhy al-Maarri (Arabic: أبو العلاء أحمد بن عبد الله بن سليمان التنوخي المعري. December 26, 973 - May 10 or May 21, 1057) was a blind Arab[1] philosopher poet and writer. ... Ibn Warraq is the pen name of an author of several books on Islam. ... Ulema (, transliteration: , singular: , transliteration: , scholar) (The people of Islamic Knowledge) refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. ...

In 1280, the Jewish philosopher Ibn Kammuna criticised Islam in his book Examination of the Three Faiths. He reasoned that incompatibility of sharia with the principles of justice undercuts Muhammad's claims of being a perfect man: "there is no proof that Muhammad attained perfection and the ability to perfect others as claimed."^[14] The philosopher thus concluded that people usually convert to Islam from ulterior motives: For other uses, see Jew (disambiguation). ... Said ibn Mansur Ibn Kammuna (d. ...

Maimonides, one of the foremost 12th century rabbinical arbiters and philosophers, sees the relation of Islam to Judaism as primarily theoretical. Maimonides has no quarrel with the strict monotheism of Islam, but finds fault with the practical politics of Muslim regimes. He also considered Islamic ethics and politics to be inferior to their Jewish counterparts. Maimonides criticised what he perceived as the lack of virtue in the way Muslims rule their societies and relate to one another.^[4] Commonly used image indicating one artists conception of Maimonidess appearance Maimonides (March 30, 1135 or 1138–December 13, 1204) was a Jewish rabbi, physician, and philosopher in Spain, Morocco and Egypt during the Middle Ages. ... Posek (Hebrew פוסק, IPA: , pl. ...

Medieval Christendom

Main article: Medieval Christian view of Muhammad

• Some medieval ecclesiastical writers portrayed Muhammad as possessed by Satan, a "precursor of the Antichrist" or the Antichrist himself.^[5]

• Denis the Carthusian wrote two treatises to refute Islam at the request of Nicholas of Cusa, Contra perfidiam Mahometi, et contra multa dicta Sarracenorum libri quatuor and Dialogus disutationis inter Christianum et Sarracenum de lege Christi et contra perfidiam Mahometi.^[15]

• In 1391 a dialogue was believed to have occurred between Byzantine Emporer Manuel II Palaiologos and a Persian scholar in which the Emperor stated:

The first sentence of this quotation, when repeated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006, lead to a riots, firebombing of churches and a Fatwa against the life of the Pope (see Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy)

During the Middle Ages, the Christian world held a largely antagonistic view of Muhammad. ... This article is about the concept of Satan. ... For the Friedrich Nietzsche book, see The Antichrist. ... Denis the Carthusian (1402-1471), also known as Denys van Leeuwen or Denis Ryckel, was a Roman Catholic theologian and mystic. ... Nicholas of Cusa Nicholas of Cusa (1401– August 11, 1464) was a German cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, a philosopher, jurist, mathematician, and an astronomer. ... Emperor Manuel II Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Μανουήλ Β΄ Παλαιολόγος, Manouēl II Palaiologos) (June 27, 1350 – July 21, 1425) was Byzantine emperor from 1391 to 1425. ... Papal Arms of Pope Benedict XVI. The papal tiara was replaced with a bishops mitre, and pallium of the Pope was added beneath the coat of arms. ... Pope Benedict XVI, January 2006 The Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy arose from a lecture delivered on 12 September 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI at the University of Regensburg in Germany. ...

Late 19th and Early 20th Century Critics of Islam

See also: Orientalism

During the late 19th and early 20th century, the new methods of Higher criticism were applied to the Qu'ran, claiming that it had a non-divine origin. Ignaz Goldziher and Henri Corbin wrote about the influence of Zoroastrianism, and others wrote on the influence of Judaism, Christianity and Sabianism ^[16] For the book by Edward Said, see Orientalism (book). ... Higher criticism, also known as historical criticism, is a branch of literary analysis that attempts to investigate the origins of a text, especially the text of the Bible. ... Ignaz Goldziher (June 22, 1850 - 1921), was a Jewish Hungarian orientalist and is widely considered among the founders of modern Islamic studies in Europe. ... Henry Corbin (April , 1903 - October 7, 1978) was a philosopher, theologian and professor of Islamic Studies at the Sorbonne in Paris. ... Zoroastrianism is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra, Zartosht). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Not to be confused with Sabian, the Canadian cymbal manufacturing company; Sabaeans, an ancient people living in what is now Yemen; Sabbateans, followers of Sabbatai Zevi; or Sabines, a pre-Roman Italic tribe of Latium. ...

Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister through most of World War 2, was a strong critic of the effects Islam had on its believers. He stated in his 1899 book "The River War" ^[17]: Churchill redirects here. ... The River War: An Account of the Reconquest of the Sudan was a 1899 book written by Winston Churchill while he was still an officer in the British army, a first-hand account of the conquest of the Sudan by the English-Egyptian force under Lord Kitchener. ...

Contemporary critics of Islam

Notable contemporary critics include:

• Robert Spencer an American writer on Islam. He is the author of six books, including two bestsellers, on topics related to Islam and terrorism. He is the founder and director of the Jihad Watch and Dhimmi Watch websites that focus on Islamist terrorism-related events and various Jihad-activity worldwide.^[18]
• Daniel Pipes an American historian and analyst who specializes in the Middle East. He has written or co-written 18 books, maintains a blog, and lectures around the world presenting his analysis of world trends. His work contends that militant Islam is incompatible with democracy, freedom, multiculturalism, and human rights.
• Bat Ye'or an Egyptian-born British historian ^[19] and scholar ^[20] specialising in the history of non-Muslims in the Middle East, and in particular the history of Christian and Jewish dhimmis living under Islamic governments.^[21]
• V. S. Naipaul, a Nobel prize winning, Trinidadian-born British novelist of Hindu heritage, who has sowed controversy with his criticism of Islam. He claims it has had a "calamitous effect on converted peoples", destroying their ancestral culture and history.^[22]
• Brigitte Gabriel, founder of American Congress For Truth and author of Because They Hate.
• Oriana Fallaci, an Italian journalist and novelist who has written three short books after the events of September the 11th advancing the argument that the "Western world is in danger of being engulfed by radical Islam". Two of them, The Rage and The Pride and The Force of Reason have been translated into English by Fallaci.^[23]

Several scholars do not self-identify as critics of Islam but are not afraid to criticise some of its aspects: Robert Bruce Spencer (born 1962) is an American writer on Islam. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Terrorist redirects here. ... Jihad Watch Logo Jihad Watch is a website and blog hosted by American author and pundit Robert Spencer which provides news, commentary, tracking and analysis of worldwide Militant Islam activity. ... This article is about political Islam For the religion of Islam, see Islam. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For other uses, see Jihad (disambiguation). ... Daniel Pipes in Copenhagen Daniel Pipes (born September 9, 1949) is an American historian and analyst who specializes in the Middle East. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Bat Yeor (Hebrew: בת יאור) (meaning daughter of the Nile in Hebrew; a pseudonym of Gisèle Littman, née Orebi) is a controversial British writer specializing in the history of non-Muslims in the Middle East, and in particular the history of Christian and Jewish dhimmis living under Islamic governments. ... This article is about the occupation of studying history. ... A scholar is either a student or someone who has achieved a mastery of some academic discipline, perhaps receiving financial support through a scholarship. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... A Dhimmi, or Zimmi (Arabic ذمّي), as defined in classical Islamic legal and political literature, is a person living in a Muslim state who is a member of an officially tolerated non-Muslim religion. ... Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, KB, TC (b. ... The Nobel Prize (Swedish: ) was established in Alfred Nobels will in 1895, and it was first awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace in 1901. ... For other uses, see Trinidad (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Brigitte Gabriel Brigitte Gabriel is a Lebanese American journalist, author and activist. ... American Congress for Truth (ACT) is a non-profit organization. ... Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America is a book by Lebanese journalist and American Congress For Truth founder Brigitte Gabriel. ... Oriana Fallaci Oriana Fallaci (born July 29, 1930) is an Italian journalist , author, and political interviewer. ... Photograph of the cover of the US edition of The Rage and the Pride The Rage and the Pride (La Rabbia e l’Orgoglio in Italian) is a book written in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks by Italian journalist and author Oriana Fallaci, which condemns Islam as... The Force of Reason (La forza della ragione) is a book by renowned Italian author Oriana Fallaci. ...

• Bernard Lewis holds that unbelievers, slaves, and women are considered fundamentally inferior to other groups of people under Islamic law. He does write that even the equality of free adult male Muslims represented a very considerable advance on the practice of both the Greco-Roman and the ancient Iranian world.^[24][25]
• John Esposito has written many introductory texts on Islam and the Islamic world. For example, he has addressed issues like the rise of militant Islam, the veiling of women, and democracy.^[26][27] Esposito emphatically argues against what he calls the "pan-Islamic myth". He thinks that "too often coverage of Islam and the Muslim world assumes the existence of a monolithic Islam in which all Muslims are the same." To him, such a view is naive and unjustifiably obscures important divisions and differences in the Muslim world.^[28]
• Patricia Crone, is a scholar, author and historian of early Islamic history working at the Institute for Advanced Study. She co-authored the controversial Hagarism: The Making of the Islamic World, a book that researched the early history of Islam, coming to conclusions at variance with the traditional view.

For the founder of the River Island retail chain, see Bernard Lewis (entrepreneur). ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: slave Slave may refer to: Slavery, where people are owned by others, and live to serve their owners without pay Slave (BDSM), a form of sexual and consenual submission Slave clock, in technology, a clock or timer that synchrnonizes to a master clock... Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... For the pianist named John Esposito, see John Esposito (pianist). ... Patricia Crone, Ph. ... A scholar is either a student or someone who has achieved a mastery of some academic discipline, perhaps receiving financial support through a scholarship. ... For other uses, see Author (disambiguation). ... The historiography of early Islam is the study of how various historians have treated the events of the first two centuries of Islamic history. ... The Institute for Advanced Study is a private institution in Princeton Township, New Jersey, designed to foster pure cutting-edge research by scientists in a variety of fields without the complications of teaching or funding, or the agendas of sponsorship. ...

Atheists

• Richard Dawkins an outspoken antireligionist, atheist, secular humanist, and sceptic, and he is a supporter of the Brights movement.^[29]. Dawkins' impassioned advocacy of evolution has earned him the appellation "Darwin's rottweiler".^[30]
• Sam Harris, author of the bestseller The End of Faith, who is skeptical that moderate Islam is even possible, arguing that Muslim extremism is a consequence simply of taking the Qur'an literally.^[31] This book has a chapter entitled "The problem with Islam" where puts forward arguments specific to Islam saying "There are good beliefs and there are bad ones and it should now be obvious to everyone that Muslims have more than their fair share of the latter".^[32]
• Christopher Hitchens a vociferous critic of what he describes as "fascism with an Islamic face"
• Richard Carrier a philosopher and ancient historian, frequently criticises Islam in his writings on the Secular Web.^[33]

Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS (born March 26, 1941) is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and popular science writer who holds the Charles Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford. ... Antireligion is opposition to some or all religions in some or all contexts. ... “Atheist” redirects here. ... Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy that upholds reason, ethics, and justice, and specifically rejects the supernatural and the spiritual as warrants of moral reflection and decision-making. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Symbol of the brights The brights movement was started by Paul Geisert and Mynga Futrell in 2003 to provide a positive-sounding umbrella term, bright, to describe various types of people who have a naturalistic worldview, without casting that worldview as a negative response to religion (as the terms atheist... For other persons named Sam Harris, see Sam Harris (disambiguation). ... Sam Harris began writing The End of Faith in what he has described as a period of collective grief and stupefaction following the September 11, 2001 attacks. ... Christopher Eric Hitchens (born April 13, 1949) is a British-American author, journalist and literary critic. ... This article is about the term Islamofascism; See the broader treatment of possible relations between religion and fascism in Clerical fascism and Neofascism and religion. ... Richard Carrier Richard Carrier M.A., M.Phil. ... Internet Infidels, Inc. ...

Evangelical Christians

• Pat Robertson who expresses the view that "Islam wants to take over the world and is not a religion of peace", and that radical Muslims are "satanic", and that Osama Bin Laden was a "true follower of Muhammad".^[34][35]
• Jerry Falwell, another American conservative Baptist minister, characterized the prophet Muhammad as being a 'terrorist'.^[36]
• Franklin Graham who described Islam as an 'evil and wicked religion' and suggested that those who believed Islam to be "wonderful" should "go and live under the Taliban somewhere".^[37]

Marion Gordon Pat Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is a televangelist from the United States. ... The Religion of Peace (sometimes abbreviated as ROP or RoP) is a political neologism used to describe Islam. ... Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (Arabic: ‎; born March 10, 1957[1]), most often mentioned as Osama bin Laden or Usama bin Laden, is a Saudi Arabian militant Islamist and is widely believed to be one of the founders of the organization called al-Qaeda. ... This article is about Jerry Falwell, Sr. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Baptist is... William Franklin Graham III (born July 14, 1952), known publicly as Franklin Graham, is an American Christian evangelist and missionary. ... The Taliban (Pashto: , also anglicized as Taleban) are a Sunni Muslim and ethnic Pashtun movement [2] that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001, when their leaders were removed from power by a cooperative military effort between the Northern Alliance, United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. ...

Former Muslims

There are also outspoken former Muslims who believe that Islam is the primary cause for what they see as the mistreatment of minority groups in Muslim countries and communities. Almost all of them now live in the West, many under assumed names because of a legitimate danger to themselves. Many have had death threats made against them by Islamic groups and individuals.

• Salman Rushdie author of The Satanic Verses.
• Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who has focused on the plight of Muslim women, saying that "they aspire to live by their faith as best they can, but their faith robs them of their rights."^[38]
• Nyamko Sabuni, who is the Minister of Integration and Gender Equality in Sweden and advocates banning the veil and instituting compulsory gynecological examinations for schoolgirls to guard against female genital mutilation, stating, "I will never accept that women and girls are oppressed in the name of religion" and declaring it not her intent to reform Islam but only to denounce "unacceptable" practices. She has received death threats, requiring 24-hour police protection, for her views.^[39]
• Ali Sina The founder of Faith Freedom International.
• Ibn Warraq a secularist author, intellectual, scholar and founder of the Institute for the Secularisation of Islamic Society and a senior research fellow at the Center for Inquiry^[40][41][42] specializing in Koranic criticism.^[43][44]
• Nonie Darwish, who founded the pro-Israel web site Arabs for Israel and stated that "Islam is more than a religion, it is a totalitarian state"^[45] She is also the author of Now They Call Me Infidel: Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel, and the War on Terror.

Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (Devanagari : अहमद सलमान रश्दी Nastaliq:; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-British novelist and essayist. ... For the verses known as Satanic Verses, see Satanic Verses. ... Ayaan Hirsi Ali, MA ( ; Somali: ; born Ayaan Hirsi Magan 13 November 1969[2] in Mogadishu, Somalia) is a Dutch feminist and political writer, daughter of the Somali scholar, politician, and revolutionary opposition leader Hirsi Magan Isse. ... Nyamko Sabuni Nyamko Ana Sabuni (born 31 March 1969 in Burundi) is the Swedish Minister for Integration and Equality. ... The Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality (Swedish: ) is a ministry of the Government Offices of Sweden. ... Female circumcision (including excision) loosely refers to a number of procedures performed on the female genitalia and which are generally of a cultural, rather than medical, nature. ... Ali Sina may refer to: Abu Ali Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Persian philosopher, physician, and scientist Bu-Ali Sina University, university in the city of Hamedan in Hamedan province of Iran. ... Ali Sina redirects here, as it is the name the founder of Faith Freedom International uses. ... Ibn Warraq is the pen name of an author of several books on Islam. ... This article concerns secularism, the exclusion of religion and supernatural beliefs. ... The Institute for the Secularisation of Islamic Society (ISIS) is an organization of scholars and writers that promotes the ideas of rationalism, secularism, democracy and human rights within Islamic society. ... <drini ☎> 14:27, 15 August 2005 (UTC) Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Nonie Darwish (Arabic: نوني درويش) (born 1948[1]) is an Arab-American writer and public speaker. ... Nonie Darwish is a freelance writer for the online journal, , edited by David Horowitz. ...

Muslims

• Irshad Manji, a Canadian journalist and author of The Trouble with Islam.^[46]
• Wafa Sultan, who has pointed out that the prophet of Islam said: "I was ordered to fight the people until they believe in Allah and his Messenger." Sultan has called on Islamic teachers to review their writings and teachings and remove every call to fight people who do not believe as Muslims.^[47] Dr. Sultan is now in hiding, fearing for her life and the safety of her family after appearing on the al-Jazeera TV show.^[48]
• Ahmed H. al-Rahim, founder of American Islamic Congress, who says that the Mosques in America are teaching values of hate and not peace.^[49]

Irshad Manji (born 1968) is a Canadian Muslim feminist, author, journalist, and activist. ... Original cover of The Trouble with Islam The Trouble with Islam, published in some editions as The Trouble with Islam Today , is a 2004 book critical of Islam written by Irshad Manji, in which she writes: The Trouble with Islam is an open letter from me, a Muslim voice of... Wafa Sultan on Al Jazeera February 2006. ... Prophets of Islam are male human beings who are regarded by Muslims to be prophets chosen by God. ... Al Jazeera logo Al Jazeera (&#1575;&#1604;&#1580;&#1586;&#1610;&#1585;&#1577;), meaning The Island or The (Arabian) Peninsula (whence also Algiers) is an Arabic television channel based in Qatar. ... Ahmed is a founding member of the American Islamic Congress, an organization which was formed after September 11th, in the belief that American Muslims should play a leading role in rejecting the Muslim extremism and promoting a democratic future in the Muslim world. ... The American Islamic Congress (AIC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the United States. ...

Responses to criticism of Islam

Responses from contemporary non-Muslim scholars

Responses to criticism of Islam has come from non-Muslim scholars like:

• William Montgomery Watt who in his book Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman addresses Muhammad’s alleged moral failures. He claims that “Of all the world's great men none has been so much maligned as Muhammad.” Watt argues on a basis of moral relativism that Muhammad should be judged by the standards of his own time and country rather than "by those of the most enlightened opinion in the West today."^[50]
• Karen Armstrong, tracing what she believes to be the West's long history of hostility toward Islam, finds in Muhammad’s teachings a theology of peace and tolerance. Armstrong holds that the "holy war" urged by the Qur'an alludes to each Muslim's duty to fight for a just, decent society.^[51]
• Edward Said, in his essay Islam Through Western Eyes, stated that the general basis of Orientalist thought forms a study structure in which Islam is placed in an inferior position as an object of study. He claims the existence of a very considerable bias in Orientalist writings as a consequence of the scholars' cultural make-up. He claims Islam has been looked at with a particular hostility and fear due to many obvious religious, psychological and political reasons, all deriving from a sense "that so far as the West is concerned, Islam represents not only a formidable competitor but also a late-coming challenge to Christianity."^[52]
• Cathy Young of Reason Magazine claimed that the growing trend of anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim sentiment stemmed from an atmosphere where such criticism is popular. While stati