Use of Metaphors Associated with Islam

Since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001, elements in American society that are hostile to Islam have stereotyped it by reference to "unpeaceful metaphors" (Bangura, 2002), metaphors that allegedly shape the Islamic faith and tradition. Although the word "Islam" is related to salaam, the Arabic word for peace, these elements employ the concept of unpeaceful metaphors to argue that Islam is an inherently warlike religion. Thus, by implication, true peaceful coexistence -- let alone cooperation -- between the West and Islamic peoples is impossible.

To examine this claim, we will first consider the nature of metaphors in general: the types of metaphors that fill our language, and what the use of metaphors signifies for those who use them. We will then go on to consider three specific "unpeaceful metaphors" that have been associated with Islam. These metaphors are the word Islam itself, which has been construed as having the connotation of "submission;" jihad, literally "striving" or "struggle," but commonly translated in Western news reportage as "holy war;" and finally the contrasting expressions Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb, literally "house of Islam" (or house of peace) and "house of war," used for the Muslim and non-Islamic worlds respectively. Taken together -- but without proper examination -- these metaphorical expressions form the basis for the claim that Islam is inherently warlike.

Metaphors in general, including unpeaceful

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imary sense is not the unpeaceful metaphor implied by the translation "holy war." Dar al-Islam is the Arabic term commonly used for what in English would be described as the "Islamic world," i.e., those countries or regions with predominantly Muslim populations and a largely Islamic-influenced culture. The contrasting term, for the non-Islamic world, is Dar al-Harb, literally "house of war." This, argue those unsympathetic to Islam, implies that Muslims inherently see the world as divided into rival camps, with Muslims inevitably pitted in conflict against all non-Muslims. However, as was noted earlier, the root meaning of "Islam," as conveyed by the consonant sequence S-L-M, is peace. Thus, the literal meaning of Dar al-Islam is "house of peace" -- an expression hardly consistant with the image of inevitable war between Muslims and everyone else. If we set the translations side by side, House of Peace and House of War, the meaning becomes more clear. The war is not between them: rather, one house is (at least ideally) at peace, while the other is embroiled in war with itself, due to not having accepted the message of God. The metaphor is indeed, unpeaceful, but has no implication of conflict between Muslims and non-Musl

Category: Psychology - U