Islam in the 21st Century

Since the events of 9/11 and 7/7 Islam and Muslims have increasingly been on the receiving end of a barrage of criticism. Many of the Islamic thoughts and practices have come under unprecedented attack under the banner of freedom. The caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the banning of the hijab in France are just two examples of the attempts of Western secular countries to actively malign Islam. This attack on Islam and Muslims is however not restricted to certain Islamic thoughts and practices. Rather the whole concept of Sharia the Islamic legal system is ferociously attacked. The media portrayal of life under shariah where beating of women headings and lashings are everyday occurrences are now all too familiar images.