ABSTRACT
In the non-Islamic world, Islam is often portrayed as an enigmatic entity. Intensive activism in the name of religion has been perpetuated throughout human history. The Crusades; the Spanish Inquisition; and the conflict between Jews and Muslims in the Middle East, Catholics and Protestants in Ireland, Muslims and Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Christians and Muslims in the former Yugoslavia, are only some of the numerous historical acts of violence and wars. The evolution of Islamic fundamentalism and the rise of terrorism did not form in a vacuum; rather they were constituted over time and have been precipitated mainly by socio-economic and political factors. Terrorism must be prevented because it is destructive and unethical. However, without considering the roots of terrorism, military and political actions will be limited. People and communities have the right to organize their private lives in accordance with the teaching of Islam, and they have the right to participate in the political process.
