Prominent Islamophobes like Pamela Gellar, Robert Spencer, Daniel Pipes, Steven Emerson, and Frank Gaffney, as well as others, portray jihad as Muslims' attempt to force non-Muslims to convert to…

Prominent Islamophobes like Pamela Gellar, Robert Spencer, Daniel Pipes, Steven Emerson, and Frank Gaffney, as well as others, portray jihad as Muslims’ attempt to force non-Muslims to convert to Islam and eradicate those who refuse. They establish non-governmental organizations and carry out campaigns dedicated to the portrayal of Islam as a violent religion and use their own interpretation of jihad as proof.

Evidence

Jihad has also been used in the context of conversion. This supports a common conception of Islam: that it is a religion of the sword. In fact, some scholars have expressed that jihad is legitimate in converting a non-Muslim to Islam. Ibn Khaldun, for example, believed that holy war is a religious duty of the Muslims “because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and (the obligation to) convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force.” 13 However, most scholars of Islam (Egyptian scholars Mahmud Shaltut and Sayyid Qutb, for example) agree that jihad is never justified simply based on the goal of converting a non- Muslim. 14 This opinion stems from a verse in the Qur’an that states that there is no compulsion in religion. 15 They also point to other verses that seem to suggest Islam’s acceptance of a diversity of religious beliefs. — Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad, 31 (#contradicts, via linked claim)

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which also lists Geller’s organization—the American Freedom Defense Initiative—as a hate group, once noted that Pamela Geller has “seized the role of the anti-Muslim movement’s most visible and influential figurehead. Her strengths are panache and vivid rhetorical flourishes—not to mention stunts like posing for an anti-Muslim video in a bikini.” The SPLC further determined that Geller is prone to publicizing other racialized conspiracy theories, including once absurdly claiming that President Barack Obama was the “love child of Malcolm X.” — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 625 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: A well-funded network of professional Islamophobes drives anti-Muslim activism in America — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 446; The media’s attraction materially amplifies professional Islamophobes’ reach — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 493; Among American Muslims who said it has become more difficult to be a Muslim in the U.S. in recent years, the second most-answered reason for this was ‘negative media portrayals.’ In addition, 53% of Americans think that coverage of Islam and Muslims by American news organizations is generally unfair to Muslims and Islam. However, it is not just the media that is guilty of this tainted image of jihad. Islamophobes also have a hand in the way jihad is portrayed to the American public. Prominent Islamophobes like Pamela Gellar, Robert Spencer, Daniel Pipes, Steven Emerson, and Frank Gaffney, as well as others, portray jihad as Muslims’ attempt to force non-Muslims to convert to Islam and eradicate those who refuse. They establish non-governmental organizations and carry out campaigns dedicated to the portrayal of Islam as a violent religion and use their own interpretation of jihad as proof. (+4 more)

Related

• Pamela Geller is the anti-Muslim movement’s most visible figurehead. (similarity 0.87)
• Most Islamic scholars reject jihad as a tool for forced conversion (similarity 0.85)
• Among American Muslims who said it has become more difficult to be a Muslim in the U.S. in recent years, the second most-answered reason for this was ‘negative media portrayals.’ In addition, 53%… (similarity 0.82)
• There is no shortage of jihad misrepresentations on social media. In February 2019, a meme featuring a handful of distorted translations of Qur’anic verses (including verses about jihad) along… (similarity 0.81)
• Pamela Geller’s anti-jihad bus ads framed Muslims as savages and killers of Jews. (similarity 0.81)
• Homegrown terrorism hysteria enabled far-right Islamophobes to seize the national debate. (similarity 0.79)
• In general, disagreement among Muslims regarding the use of jihad has been deeply influenced by social and political contexts. In fact, in recent decades, many Muslims believe it is their right or… (similarity 0.78)
• Right-wing Islamophobes are structurally embedded rather than marginal figures (similarity 0.78)
• Jihad, which has come to be perceived as ‘holy war’ in American media and by many Americans, is a hot topic of debate throughout the world but especially in the West. (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• The Qur’an references jihad in several places. It carries different meanings based on context. For example, some verses deal with jihad in warfare. Extremist and terrorist Muslims often use these… #complicates (0.70)
• Most Islamic scholars reject jihad as a tool for forced conversion #contradicts (0.65) — Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad, 31
• Pamela Geller is the anti-Muslim movement’s most visible figurehead. #exemplifies (0.60) — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 625
• Islamophobic power can deploy oppositional tactics to advance Muslim marginalization #expands (0.40)