Source/Credit: Germantown Islam Examiner

By Shahina Bashir

The news of the Tsarnaev brothers have left the front pages but the question, ‘Why did they do this?’ hasn’t left our minds. While the suspects’ parents, Anzor and Zubeidat, and the great-aunt, Patimat Suleimanova, are vehemently denying that the Tsarnaev brothers are guilty of any wrongdoing, the media are busy connecting Tamarlan and his mother to a radical interpretation of Islam. Their assertions stem from the fact that Tamarlan quit boxing and immersed himself in Islam while his mother gave up teasing her hair, wearing dark eyeliners, and started covering her hair with a hijab.

But does going from a non-practicing Muslimto one who has a spiritual rejuvenation make a person want to blow up innocent people? When a non-practicing Muslim starts to practice Islam, to an outsider his observance of religious obligations and the frequent use of Arabic phrases such as, “Inshallah (God willing)” may raise some eyebrows. And even some Muslims, such as, Asra Nomani don’t know the difference when she noted that “the increasing use of these phrases of religiosity are code inside the community for someone who is becoming hardcore. It doesn’t mean that they’re becoming violent or criminal, but it’s a red flag.”

Read more:

http://www.examiner.com/article/practicing-islam-does-not-equate-to-radicalism