Has Islam been a force for good in the world?

Elisa (No)

Muslims are not across-the-board violent, just as Christians are not across-the-board legalistic. However, at its root, Islam is an authoritarian religion, having produced ‘despotic governments, civil war, anarchy, and economic despair.’ The Islamic State is very violent, resulting in worldwide terrorism, forced conversion, and religious and minority oppression from its inception to today.

Scholar Richard Dawkins has called Islam ‘the most evil religion in the world,’ noting how Islamic fundamentalism has oppressed even Muslims themselves, who suffer from “the homophobia, the misogyny, the joylessness” pushed by “extreme Islam, ISIS, and the Iranian regime.” Jihad has persecuted and killed many in the Middle East. This is no surprise considering how Islam began with the beheading of village communities under Muhammad and the near takeover of Europe in the 8th and 10th centuries. In modern times, Islam has continuously warred against the West, resulting in much terror happening in many countries.

Islam oppresses women and minority groups. While there are varying degrees of restrictions on women, the Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan made it illegal for women to show any parts of their bodies or speak in public in 2024. There are even public modern-day executions of LBGTQ people. One thing is for certain: Islam is a religion of violence. 

Islam is arguably more of a political ideology that uses “a deity to advance its agenda of global conquest.” The Islamic movement has even resulted in the attempt to erase history and the heritage of communities overcome by radical Islam. The religion has proved itself to be ‘non-rational,’ not allowing its adherents to question or leave the religion without severe punishment. Islam has produced senseless and irrational acts of hatred and even modern-day enslavement; it has not been a force for lasting good. 

Nicholas (Yes)

Like Ancient Greece, Persia, and Rome, Islamic cultures were and are crucial in securing the pursuits and ideals that contemporary people hold dear, thus making Islam a force for good.

Islamic societies curated knowledge, science, and discovery and spread that knowledge to the cultures they encountered. Islamic thinkers gained insights in science, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and history. Engineering and art flourished in the Islamic world, and architecture excelled, such as in Alhambra. Muslim translators and philosophers, such as Avicenna and Averroes, were essential in preserving and analyzing ancient literary texts, contributing to new traditions across the globe. This cultural impact remains today.

Furthermore, the cherished religious texts of Islam provide a basis for the many ideals that modern men and women value. For instance, works of charity (Zakat), the protection of human life, a concern for justice, and care for the less fortunate, such as orphans, are emphasized in Islam. While this religion is not the only religion in history to ensure such values, it is also true that these ideals are too often forgotten. The fact that Islam encourages its many followers to pursue such values is praiseworthy. That Muslims may pursue a more just world based on these values kindles hope. The billions (and growing) of adherents who embrace these ideals and find meaning in their religious practice show its enriching effect on the world. 

While the ultimate value of a religion is in terms of its truth about the divine, Islam's contribution to the development of knowledge and defense of moral principles is admirable. Ultimately, Islam has positively affected the world.