IN THE NAME OF ISLAM

August 2005
		The July 2005 suicide bombings in London's transit system and attacks in a resort town in Egypt have stoked the debate within the Muslim community about why so many perpetrators of terrorist attacks are Muslims and what ordinary believers in Islam can do to keep people from killing in the name of their religion. Four Muslim thinkers answer your questions. Transcript: Interview with the Muslim-Americans that aired on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on Aug. 4, 2005.

Forum Introduction Does Islam ever justify the killing of innocents? Why don't Muslims who commit terrorist acts see that violence is counterproductive? Does U.S. foreign policy take the correct approach to influencing the rise of democracy in Muslim nations? Do most young Muslims in the U.S. feel they are integrated into U.S. society? On the NewsHour, did you read from the Quran or an interpretation? How can one foster dialogue with the broader religious community? How can we stop terrorism at its source? Why do militant young Muslims obey someone with no official clerical standing, like Osama bin Laden? What literature can I read to better understand the teachings of Islam? Is there a theological authority that is recognized by all or a great majority of Muslims? What's the difference between Islam and Muslim?	After a series of suicide bombings rocked London's transit system and scores more were killed by attacks on Egypt's resort town, Sharm el-Sheikh, a group of Muslims in the United States issued a fatwa or legal pronouncement denouncing people who commit terrorist attacks in the name of Islam. In addition, the Council on American-Islamic Relations released a 30-second public service announcement in English, Arabic and Urdu called Not in the Name of Islam. These actions are part of a growing debate over why so many terrorist attacks are perpetrated by Muslims and what ordinary Muslims can to do keep people from killing in the name of their religion. On the Aug. 4, 2005, NewsHour, correspondent Ray Suarez spoke with four Muslims representing various views: Salim Mansur, an associate professor of political science at the University of Western Ontario in Canada; Shadi Hamid, a master's candidate in Arab studies at Georgetown University; Asra Nomani, an author and former Wall Street Journal reporter; and Shaker Elsayed, the Imam of Dar al-Hijrah, a mosque in Northern Virginia. The guests then answered some of your questions.