Already when we lived in Egypt from 1989 to 1992, it had become a rare sight to see young women without the hijab (hair covering, plus modest dress of one sort or another), except for the Christian girls. My wife always went out with a scarf on her head, if only to show that she was not a “loose western woman,” as depicted in the American soap operas Egyptians loved to watch.

First, when it comes to women and clothing, let’s get one misconception out of the way: “Islam oppresses women.” That is the default statement that, even when not stated outright, is assumed by non-Muslim westerners while their minds dance with this image of Muslim women waddling down the road covered in black cloth from head to toe.

You know from my last blog that large majorities of Muslims worldwide believe that women should have the same civil, political and professional rights as men. Many of you are thinking, "but doesn’t 'Islam' oppress women?" Let’s unpack that statement and see 1) what’s behind this perception, and 2) why Muslims themselves fiercely disagree with one another on these issues.

Pretty near the core of American culture is the automobile. The average family owns two or three of them, and from high school on, all of us, men and women, see cars as the extension of our personality, our pride (well, for men at least!), and our freedom. Gas prices notwithstanding, we’ll keep driving!

A rabbi, a priest and an imam were sitting in a cafe drinking coffee and smoking shisha.... The beginning of a politically incorrect joke? No. One of my favourite moments from the Building Hope Conference in July 2011. The nine-day event – yes, nine days – brought together over two dozen mid-career religious leaders – Jewish, Christian and Muslim – to discuss issues of common concern. But this was not just another dialogue.

Earlier this week, Norani Abu Bakar guest blogged about the use of the word Allah in different countries and by different faith communities around the world. Today, she concludes the discussion by looking at the way the word is used in Indonesia and Malaysia.  

In today’s world, media has an unprecedented power to either unite us or divide us on a global scale. Television, news, movies, internet, photographs. These things have the power to make the world smaller and bring us together with people and cultures we may never otherwise encounter. But these same things also have incredible power to cause misunderstanding, stereotypes, hatred, and fear.

In the 21st century, the word Allah has different meanings for different people around the world. As I have lived in different countries and met people of diverse backgrounds, I have found that the definition of Allah relies heavily on a person's background and faith traditions. Unfortunately, the word Allah also sparks hostility and violence. So who is Allah to the regional Muslims and non-Muslims across the globe? 

Some people are stunned that a so-called “Christian” committed these acts of terror. Please note I put Christian in quotes and added the phrase “so-called” because I do not consider him a true follower of Jesus. Now I know how Muslims feel when terrorist acts are done in the name of Islam.