American novels focusing on 9/11 generally demonize and portray Islam as a
warmongering religion and its believers as violent people. Previous research has
validated this perspective. This article, however, departs from that point of view using
an Islamic lens. The first objective of this article is to examine Updike’s mindset and
attitude towards Islam and Muslims. The second objective is to highlight the
misconceptions by providing illustrations from the Islamic perspective. John Updike’s
Terrorist, foregrounds Islam, Muslims and Islamic doctrines, making use of 9/11 as the
impetus that charts the chain of events. Based on revelations in the Quran, as well as
the traditions and the Prophet Muhammad’s life, the idea of uncivilization will form the
basis of the Islamic tool of analysis. Using the Quran as the primary source, followed
by the traditions and the Prophet’s life, the subject of uncivilization is reassigned a new
understanding. Scholars of Islamic theology may have different understandings and
interpretations of Quranic verses and traditions. Referring to the wrong interpretations
of Islam, as shown by the references used by the Updike has produced a wrong picture
of Islamic doctrines and consequently results in demonizing Islam and Muslims. The
conclusions demonstrate Terrorist as Islamophobic and bears the tinges of colonial
writings which mainly results in debasement of Islam and Muslims while detecting
Updike’s misconceptions about the uncivilization from the Islamic perspective and
furnishing it with answers divulges the fact that Updike’s perceptions about Islam are
either rooted in his lack of knowledge about Islamic matters or in his bigotry.