Common Misconceptions About Islam, Muslims and The Quran

Islam, Muslims and The Quran have become a subject of major concern to the world media, religious groups and people, especially after the events of September 11th 2001 in the USA. Many articles and books have been written about a religion followed by over one billion people worldwide, some of which saw in Islam a separate civilization that will inevitably clash with the current dominant western civilization, but some were more optimistic, showing interest in a constructive debate, seeking understanding. However, many of these writings continued to perpetuate misinformation and repeat the same common misconceptions, thus giving a distorted picture of what islam is about, and what The Quran actually says.

For those interested in sincerely seeking the truth, we have prepared an easy to read and verify list using the book that Muslims regard as a divine guidance and final revelation to humanity: The Quran (sometimes referred to as 'The Koran'). We chose this approach because it is the only undisputed source amongst muslims and it is important for the reader to be able to research and verify what is written and The Quran is widely available in many countries and in many different languages. Unfortunately, there is often a difference between what Muslims believe/practice and what The Quran actually says.

To read the response to the most common misconceptions, simply click on the misconception in the list shown below. If a number reference is given, e.g. 17:36, this refers to Chapter 17, Verse 36 of The Quran, which can be looked up here for example.

The list of misconceptions