the images of muslims in media, literature and politics have been mostly black and white portrayals of a people alien to modernity, civilization, rationality and pluralism. since the end of the cold war and the onset of deadly terrorist attacks in different areas of the world, especially in the united states, these representations show a palpable difference: muslims are represented not only as anti-modern barbarians, but also as terrorists. this study examines john updike’s terrorist (2006), as one of many american novels which, in line with the dominant political discourse, have focused on representing muslims as ‘the others’, and, also, in this case, ‘the others’ among ‘the others’ and islam as a totalitarian, retrogressive, and violent religion which orders its adherents to act against unbelievers. this study would, also, discuss updike’s attempt at introducing islam as intolerant of western modernity, culture and secularism which in turn becomes the main inspiration for the arab-muslim protagonist of the novel, ahmad mulloy, to carry out a terrorist attack. the aim is to show how updike subscribes to and empowers orientalist conceptions of islam.