I read the other thread talking about Islam and Muslims and was astonished by the deep misunderstanding among people of the two cultures. I think Internet is an ideal tool to spread peace and respect between people living on this small planet.
Now, let me try to answer the question appearing in this thread's title:
1) Most of the people living in Islamic world differentiate between the US people and US government. They do hate the government for the reasons listed in number 2 and beyond below, but on the other hand, they do respect the people.
1.1) Some Muslims think US governments are democratically elected and representing their people, therefore, the people agree on whatever a government does and finance that by taxes. So, the government and the people must go in the same basket. 9/11 was committed based on this view. But when looking deeply, we can see this is almost true for US national policy, but it doesn't always ably for international policy. I think the people of the US can greatly enhance their image and bring some peace to this world if they just give little attention to what their government does outside and inject some of their values in its policy.
2) The US government supports Israel. Israel is Muslims' enemy. To them, it is an occupying power taking over their land and holy places. It has killed, arrested, and displaced millions of Palestinians and raped homes, farms, and women. They think Israeli innocent simply doesn't exist because living on the land of Palestine is a crime by itself. The people of Israel are also armed, militarily trained, and have fully supported and committed lots of crime over the history of Israel and during the recent days as well.
2.1) Many Muslims think Israel is just another state of the US. They think Israel cannot last a single day without the finical, military, and political supports it receives from the US. It also greatly influences the US' outer policy against Muslims.
2.2) Muslims think Israel and its lobbies inside the US are responsible for the bad image and stereotype the American have about Islam and Muslims.
2.3) Muslims think that the US has double standards when dealing with the Islamic world. It works against Muslims' interests in international organizations such as the UN and force Islamic countries to do UN resolutions. On the other hand, it prevents any law or resolution contradicting with Israeli's. For example, it has used its veto right tens of times for the interest of Israel. The US government also does not even ask Israel to obey with the international law or to perform the few old UN's resolutions that had been issued against its will.
3) The US government supports the dictatorial leadership in the Islamic world. The deal between the US and any dictator is: we give you what you need to govern your people and to stay in power and in return you give us what we need, such as cheap oil or gas, political support, and territories.
3.1) The ordinary Muslims are not part of the deal! Their governors stay in power, enjoy the life, and not give any attention to Islam. The US protects them from their people and takes whatever it wants. This situation contradicts Islam and must end. Hence, Muslims hate the US and try to force it to change this policy.
3.2) Many Muslims believe it is easier for the US to deal with a dictator instead of dealing with a country or nation. It is easier to convince one man or a small group than to convince a country that puts its people and law at the first priority.
3.3) Many Muslims believe that America is searching for an enemy after the collapse of Soviet Union. It found Islam as a good candidate to be its next enemy and competitor. So, for many Muslims, the war on terrorism means the war on Islam.
3.4) After 9/11, the US government believed that Muslims' governors can protect themselves from their own people but they cannot protect the US from them! So, it asked these governors to enhance their people lives. The US did not stop at this level but went ahead and set the way to enhance their lives. This creates more enemies for the US because the way it set contradicts with what the people want!
4) Many Muslims believe that Americans hate them because of their beliefs and way of life. Some Muslims think like this: if other people dislike my way of life, then they hate Islam, and this makes them my enemy! Good Muslims who fully understand Islam cannot think this way, but because of bad education and despair introduced by bad governors, many people may think this way.
4.1) Somebody in this forum think that Islam rejects other religion. This is totally wrong! To understand how Islam looks at other religions, let me assume Religion as a manual for human beings. Judaism is version 1.0 to 1.1 of that manual. Christianity is Religion version 2.0. Islam is version 3.0 and it the last version. This means Muslims must believe in older versions, Judaism & Christianity, and they come from the same source.
At the end of this I want to say this is just a brief of the opposite view. I'm not asking you to believe it. All what I want is to fully read it and try to understand it. By doing this, we can meet in the middle and find a solution.
Sorry for my bad English.
Now, let me try to answer the question appearing in this thread's title:
1) Most of the people living in Islamic world differentiate between the US people and US government. They do hate the government for the reasons listed in number 2 and beyond below, but on the other hand, they do respect the people.
1.1) Some Muslims think US governments are democratically elected and representing their people, therefore, the people agree on whatever a government does and finance that by taxes. So, the government and the people must go in the same basket. 9/11 was committed based on this view. But when looking deeply, we can see this is almost true for US national policy, but it doesn't always ably for international policy. I think the people of the US can greatly enhance their image and bring some peace to this world if they just give little attention to what their government does outside and inject some of their values in its policy.
2) The US government supports Israel. Israel is Muslims' enemy. To them, it is an occupying power taking over their land and holy places. It has killed, arrested, and displaced millions of Palestinians and raped homes, farms, and women. They think Israeli innocent simply doesn't exist because living on the land of Palestine is a crime by itself. The people of Israel are also armed, militarily trained, and have fully supported and committed lots of crime over the history of Israel and during the recent days as well.
2.1) Many Muslims think Israel is just another state of the US. They think Israel cannot last a single day without the finical, military, and political supports it receives from the US. It also greatly influences the US' outer policy against Muslims.
2.2) Muslims think Israel and its lobbies inside the US are responsible for the bad image and stereotype the American have about Islam and Muslims.
2.3) Muslims think that the US has double standards when dealing with the Islamic world. It works against Muslims' interests in international organizations such as the UN and force Islamic countries to do UN resolutions. On the other hand, it prevents any law or resolution contradicting with Israeli's. For example, it has used its veto right tens of times for the interest of Israel. The US government also does not even ask Israel to obey with the international law or to perform the few old UN's resolutions that had been issued against its will.
3) The US government supports the dictatorial leadership in the Islamic world. The deal between the US and any dictator is: we give you what you need to govern your people and to stay in power and in return you give us what we need, such as cheap oil or gas, political support, and territories.
3.1) The ordinary Muslims are not part of the deal! Their governors stay in power, enjoy the life, and not give any attention to Islam. The US protects them from their people and takes whatever it wants. This situation contradicts Islam and must end. Hence, Muslims hate the US and try to force it to change this policy.
3.2) Many Muslims believe it is easier for the US to deal with a dictator instead of dealing with a country or nation. It is easier to convince one man or a small group than to convince a country that puts its people and law at the first priority.
3.3) Many Muslims believe that America is searching for an enemy after the collapse of Soviet Union. It found Islam as a good candidate to be its next enemy and competitor. So, for many Muslims, the war on terrorism means the war on Islam.
3.4) After 9/11, the US government believed that Muslims' governors can protect themselves from their own people but they cannot protect the US from them! So, it asked these governors to enhance their people lives. The US did not stop at this level but went ahead and set the way to enhance their lives. This creates more enemies for the US because the way it set contradicts with what the people want!
4) Many Muslims believe that Americans hate them because of their beliefs and way of life. Some Muslims think like this: if other people dislike my way of life, then they hate Islam, and this makes them my enemy! Good Muslims who fully understand Islam cannot think this way, but because of bad education and despair introduced by bad governors, many people may think this way.
4.1) Somebody in this forum think that Islam rejects other religion. This is totally wrong! To understand how Islam looks at other religions, let me assume Religion as a manual for human beings. Judaism is version 1.0 to 1.1 of that manual. Christianity is Religion version 2.0. Islam is version 3.0 and it the last version. This means Muslims must believe in older versions, Judaism & Christianity, and they come from the same source.
At the end of this I want to say this is just a brief of the opposite view. I'm not asking you to believe it. All what I want is to fully read it and try to understand it. By doing this, we can meet in the middle and find a solution.
Sorry for my bad English.