ISIS is not Islamic!

Stereotype: ISIS is Islamic

Deconstruction: ISIS is not Islamic

I am a student currently enrolled in Architecture as a major, and my interests are mainly music and art, I research a lot about ancient history as I am really interested in our past and things that make one question life in any way possible. I’m a person who cares for change in our world in which I believe is corrupt in many ways. I believe change could happen through music and art. 

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), is creating a bloodshed around the Middle East to establish an Islamic state, the violence inflicted upon the people are all made under the name of Islam. Now, according to the Barghouti website, the true meaning of the word Islam comes from “the Arabic root "Salam": peace, pureness, submission and obedience. Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law.” Most people in the western world believe that the violence caused by ISIS is actually what Islam is about. I thought that this stereotype about Islam has to, one way or another deconstruct and show that ISIS is NOT Islamic. According to the Daily Beast, author Obeidallah stands up to this stereotypical fallacy about Islam. “Obama also addressed anti-Muslim bigotry, mentioning the horrible murders of three Muslim American students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, last week. And in a particularly poignant moment, the president read a Valentine’s Day card sent to him from a young Muslim girl named Sabrina, who wrote, “I enjoy being an American. But I am worried about people hating Muslims…If some Muslims do bad things, that doesn’t mean all of them do…Please tell everyone that we are good people and we’re just like everyone else.”” After reading the story about the girl, the idea of my concept came along. I wanted to somehow show that no matter what race, religion or species (hypothetically speaking) anyone could be part of such an organization. The misconception about Islam obstructs the essence of its teaching and through art and music I believe would fix this problem. I used a 210 × 297 millimeter paper (A4) and placed a man with a black scarf around his face showing only his eyes, Using Adobe Photoshop (Digitally), I blocked his eyes and printed 10 pieces, 120 x 40 millimeter paper of eyes from completely different cultures/race/species to portray my concept that anyone could be part of such an organization and that Islam does not comply to ISIS.

Art Piece (210 × 297 mm)

According to the Daily Beast, “ISIS wants us to believe its actions are based in Islam because it frames the conflict as a religious war between the West and Islam.”

Amer Badi

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Works cited

"I. The Meaning of Islam." ISLAM. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. <http://www.barghouti.com/islam/meaning.html>

 Obeidallah, Dean. The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.         <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/19/why-calling-isis-islamic-only-plays-into-its-hands.html>.