Need help convincing your friends that Islam is a religion?

Step 1 – It meets the Biblical definition of a religion.

If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world. ~ James 1:26-27

The word James uses for religion is the Greek word, thrēskeia. It means, “religious worship”[0]. Despite what some preachers teach, James here describes the new Christian faith as a religion. This religion is something that should be pure and undefiled. Here this purity involves controlling the tongue.

In Acts 26:5, Paul describes Judaism as a religion.

They know, because they have known me from time past, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.

Also Colossians 2:18 warns against the worshiping of angels, literally the “religion of the angels”.

Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.

According to the Bible, Judaism, Christianity, and even some heretical sects are religions. Now, I am sure that the definition goes beyond the Abrahamic religions, but even if it does not is Islam a thrēskeia? Islam developed centuries after the completion of the canon and even the fall of Rome. However Islam is still an Abrahamic religion that owes a lot of its theology to both Judaism and Christianity. Many of the practices that today we condemn in some forms of Islam were practiced by Biblical Judaism. Some have argued that Islam cannot be a religion, because of "Sharia law"*. Still the Bible clearly considered Judaism a religion when it was killing people for blasphemy and conversion to Christianity. Therefore Islam passes the Bible test.

Step 2 – The Founding Fathers considered Islam a religion.

Not only are some Christian speakers arguing that Islam is not a religion. Some other speakers are also arguing that the First Amendment only applies to Christianity. These people are arguing that the authors of the Bill of Rights only considered Christianity when they used the word, “religion”. Here we will see that not only did the Founding Fathers use “religion” for other faiths than Christianity, they also considered Islam a religion.

Let us start with Benjamin Rush.  In 1798, he wrote On the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic and said this about Islam.

Such is my veneration for every religion that reveals the attributes of the Deity, or a future state of rewards and punishments, that I had rather see the opinions of Confucius or Mohammed inculcated upon our youth than see them grow up wholly devoid of a system of religious principles. But the religion I mean to recommend in this place, is that of Jesus Christ.[1]

In James Madison's Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments, though not mentioning Islam directly, he stated that there were other religions than Christianity. He almost absolutely meant Islam here.

Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other Religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other Sects?[2]

 June 10, 1797, John Adams, as President, signed the Treaty of Tripoli which clearly refers to Islam as a religion.

As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,-as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen,-and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall never produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries. ~ Article 11 [3]

Madison and Jefferson clearly understood that the war against the Barbary pirates was not a war against Islam.  This minority of Muslims had conscripted hundreds of Americans, but the United States had enslaved hundreds of thousands of Africans. 20% of African slaves abducted were Muslims.  The conscription by the Barbary pirates was not a massive religious endeavor.  Although Pope Pius VI congratulated the United States for defending Christianity, neither Madison or Jefferson wanted to further the religious prejudice. Madison instructed the U.S. consul in Algiers to exhibit "universal toleration in matters of religion." Clearly Madison and Jefferson thought of Islam as a religion and used the word "religion" to refer to Islam.[4]

In the Elder John Leland's Blow at the Root, he clearly refers to Islam as a religion in his appeal for religious liberty. (By the way, the works of Leland were recently reprinted by Abebooks.  I recommend you pick up a copy.)

The golden rule is: "Do unto all men as you would they should do unto you." If Christians were in Turkey or Algiers, would they not wish to enjoy the liberty of their consciences without control Would they not say, in their hearts at least, " We wish to be freed from paying the Turkish priests, and supporting the Turkish religion, which is only an imposture, and that we might be respected according to our conduct, while we enjoy our religious opinions, as an inalienable right?" If so, then let them grant these favors, or rather, let them not deprive others of these rights, or give up the name of Christians.[5]

In 1790, George Washington wrote a letter to Moses Seixas, the warden of Congregation Kahal Kadosh Yeshuat Israel synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island. Though he does not mention religion or Islam, he makes it clear that "liberty of conscience" is an inherent natural right of all people including Muslims.

The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.[6] 

Finally, we must look to Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary entry on religion.

Religion ~ 4. Any system of faith and worship. In this sense, religion comprehends the belief and worship of pagans and Mohammedans, as well as of christians; any religion consisting in the belief of a superior power or powers governing the world, and in the worship of such power or powers. Thus we speak of the religion of the Turks, of the Hindoos, of the Indians, &c. as well as of the christian religion. We speak of false religion, as well as of true religion.[7]

Now look, I would be the first to tell you that the Founding Fathers were not some group mind.  They did not agree on everything and the First Amendment itself is a political compromise. Also, Leland, Madison, and Jefferson are a pretty radical bunch as Founders go.  However all I wished to prove was that "religion" could mean Islam in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.  Islam was clearly thought of as a "religion" and "religion" was used of other religions than Christianity.  Islam clearly passes the Founders test of a religion.


Conclusion


The argument that Islam is not a religion is a false dichotomy and a strawman.  Like when one argues that Christianity is not a religion, one sets up a false black and white standard.  One assumes that Islam cannot be a religion, because that it advances a legal code.  However at least two faiths that make the cut advocate legal codes in some of their sects: Christianity and Judaism. There is no black and white standard declaring what is a religion or not.  In fact if one has been paying attention to the latest news about the Flying Spaghetti Monster, one could argue that the term religion is too inclusive. Secular Humanism, Pastafarianism, Buddhism, and Atheism are all religions and none of them have deities. "Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith" is the official title of the Queen of England. Obviously Christianity does have a legal code in some sects. Clearly religions can have legal codes.

This argument is also a strawman. Islam, like Christianity, is composed of several different sects. There are also different versions of sharia and different interpretations of that sharia. This is what one would expect from a religion that covers hundreds of millions of people and several different languages. There are five different schools of sharia, one in Shia and four in Sunni. There is no universal sharia law.

It is false to say that Islam/sharia law wants to "see one convert or dead." This a view taken by a group of sects of Islam. Like some forms of Judaism, many sects of Islam have interpreted the executing of converts as a metaphorical death.

Are there violations of human rights because of interpretations of sharia? Sure. Are there people using interpretations of sharia to stop these violations? Yep.

When one speaks in stereotypes and generalities one does not only condemn the guilty, one also condemns the victims. This is one of the advantages that the freedom of religion gives us. Bad parts of religions tend to fade as they lose the argument in the marketplace of ideas.

*As I mention in the conclusion there is no universal sharia law.

8/29/11 1:24pm Corrected a poorly worded sentence about Rush. Added a mention about Sharia Law.