ISLAM AND TERRORISM
Posted on October 26th, 2011
By. A. Abdul Aziz, Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim JamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢at, Sri Lanka.
(Given below is an excerpt of the address by R. Bashiruddin, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Ahmadiyya Muslim JamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢atƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at the Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) of the Sri Lanka Ahmadiyya Muslim JamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢at recently held in Negombo.)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is unfortunate that Islam, the religion of peace, hope, harmony, goodwill and Brotherhood had been badly tarnished by the perpetrators of various terrorist acts and barbarism as seen in recent years.
The purpose of this presentation is to set forth the teachings of Islam so that manifestations of various terrorist acts are fully exposed in the light of Islamic teachings under whose shelter these activities are being committed.
DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY AND ETHICS OF WAR
According to the Islamic Holy Book – the Quran, God has bestowed honour on every individual irrespective of skin colour, race, nationality, etc. Freedom is one of the great favours of God and its deprivation is a great misery. Under the Islamic dispensation, no one can be made a captive without a just cause. Prisoners can only be taken in the event of a regular declared war or battle and not for any other reason or under any other pretext. The Holy Quran specifically states:
It does not behove a Prophet that he should have captives until he engages in regular fighting in the land. If you take captives, except in regular fighting, you will be regarded as desiring the goods of this world, while ALLAH desires for you the Hereafter. And ALLAH is Mighty, Wise (8:68)
This verse cuts at the root of not only slavery practice in years gone by but also demolishes any supposed justification of modern day hostage-taking and hijacking of innocent people not involved in actual combat.
In his farewell address the Holy Prophet of Islam gave special instructions regarding good treatment which should be meted out to prisoners. The Holy Prophet said:
O men, you still have in your possession some prisoners of war. I advise you, therefore, to feed them and to clothe them in the same way and style as you feed and clothe yourselves ….. To give them pain or trouble can never be tolerated.
More specific commandments on the ethics of war and treatment of prisoners are contained in the fifth verse of the forty-seventh chapter of the Quran. This comprehensive verse can be paraphrased as follows:
“When engaged in a regular battle, it should be fought bravely and relentlessly. War can be continued till peace and freedom of conscience are established. Prisoners are to be taken judiciously. Free men cannot be deprived of their liberty without a just and reasonable cause. When war is over, prisoners should be released as an act of favour or on taking ransom or by negotiating a mutual exchange.”
In the history of Islam all these methods have been used for releasing prisoners. A novel method to get release was that the educated prisoners could teach reading and writing to those who were illiterate, in lieu of ransom.
This verse further strikes at the roots of those who would justify modern day terrorism in the name and under the banner of Islam.
Envoys are privileged people in the Islamic system. They enjoy full personal immunity. They are not subject to political ransom, no matter how worthy the cause may be, and to kidnap them is a heinous crime. They must not be killed, molested or maltreated. There are numerous instances from the Holy Prophet’s life which illustrate the application of these principles.
Thus Islamic scriptural commandments and the precepts of the Holy Prophet of Islam concerning diplomatic immunity are free from any other meanings. In a nutshell, taking hostages and maltreating envoys and private citizens in any shape and form is totally foreign to the teachings and doctrines of Islam. In other words, the philosophy of Islam totally rejects terrorism.
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CONCEPT OF JIHAD IN ISLAM
Through the actions of some elements, the western world visualizes a wrong concept of Jihad (Holy War). The word Jihad conjures up the vision of a marching band of religious fanatics with savage beards and fiery eyes, brandishing swords and attacking the infidels.
Jihad in Islamic terminology means to make an effort, to endeavour and to strive in a noble way. Over the centuries this meaning of Jihad has been obliterated or at least diluted. The critical juncture in the Islamic world requires reviving and recapturing the true and pristine meaning of Jihad.
Jihad can be divided into two broad categories. First is Jihad-e-akbar. This is Jihad against one’s own person to curb sinful inclinations, i.e., purification of self. This is the most difficult Jihad and hence in terms of rewards and blessings is the highest category of Jihad.
The second is Jihad-e-asghar. This is Jihad of the sword. This is communal Jihad and there are certain specific conditions.The Quran speaks of fighting only against those who first attack Muslimsand this is the very condition laid down in other verses of the Holy Quran as well. The so-called verse of the sword in the Islamic scripture is often taken out of context as if it inculcates an indiscriminate massacre of all unbelievers.The Quranic words such as kill whatever you find them apply only in cases where the enemy has first attacked Muslims and apply to those unbelievers and enemies who break their oaths and firm agreements. They do not apply to unprovoked wars and battles. To interpret these verses in any other manner would be a absurd of the lofty idealsof Islam. There is not a single instance in the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) where he offered the alternative of the sword or Islam to anyone.
The Western media and even some scholars sometimes ignore the distinction between these two aspects of Jihad. It must be remembered that the Holy Quran does not make Jihad, the holy war, in context of an article of faith. The sayings and traditions of the Holy Prophet render it into a formula for active struggle that invariably and incorrectly tended towards a militant expression. Modern day terrorism is contrary to the purview of the real spirit of the Islamic Jihad.
The presentation of Islam as a crude and barbaric religion which gives itself the right to cause unwarranted human and material suffering and destruction under the guise of Divine authority, is not the kind of Islam we find in the Holy Quran and in the precepts of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him!)
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PEACE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN ISLAM
Among the attributes of God, the Holy Quran mentions that He is the Source of peace and the Bestower of security (59:23). The establishment of peace and maintenance of security must, therefore, be the constant objective of all Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Every pursuit and activity which disturbs peace is severely condemned in Islam. We find specific injunctions in the Holy Quran:
And create not disorder in the earth after it has been set in order…. (7:57; 11:86; 29:37)
Mischief and wickedness are condemned in several other verses and Muslims are commanded to work wholly for peace.
Islam draws attention to factors which tend to disturb or destroy peace and order, and expresses disapproval to this. Domination of one group by another in the domestic sphere, or of one people by another in the international sphere is a potent cause of disturbance of peace and is therefore strongly condemned. Economic exploitation of one people or country by another unavoidably leads to domination by the exploiters, and develops into a potential threat to peace. The Holy Quran prohibits such exploitation and an economy based on exploitation cannot be beneficial in its consequences, nor can it be tolarated.
Islam visualizes an association of strong and stable states allied together in the pursuance of peace, freedom of conscience and the promotion of human welfare. Treaties or covenants between nations may have to be drawn up which should be done in a straightforward language and should not be evaded or rejected under the temptation of securing some advantage. In case of difficulties and disputes, it is the duty of Muslims to bring about a peaceful settlement and adjustment.
The Holy Quran teaches that God has sent His revelation to all people from time to time. Many of prophets of the Old Testament are mentioned by name and so is Jesus who with other prophets is honoured and revered by all Muslims. Indeed, the Quran requires belief in the truth of all these prophets. Islam is thus unique and distinct in requiring an affirmation in all prophets wherever they appeared and therefore it seeks to bring about reconciliation between the followers of different faiths and to establish a basis of respect and honour among them. The Quran says:
Surely, those who believe and the Jews and the Christians and the Sabians – whichever party from among these truly believes in ALLAH and the Last Day and does good deeds, shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon then nor shall they grieve (2:63)
The same message is repeated in 5:70. The basic unity of the followers of all faiths is emphatically stressed in the Holy Quran and the creation of discord and disunity by terrorism or otherwise has no place in Islam.
In the domain of international relations, religion and inter-religious relations occupy an important position. Unfortunately, comparatively little attention is paid to this aspect of human relations. It is assumed that religion is a private matter for each individual and should, therefore, have no direct connection with the political, social aspects of life.This assumption is not justified. Islam being a religion holding the pricipal of equal rights for all. And is not just a personal faith, but an all-encompassing codes of values and conduct. Islam is and will be a vital factor in human relations and there is a good ground of hope that it might progressively become more effective in promoting unity and accord rather than continue to be required on the part of religious and political leaders to achieve that goal.
I must conclude by saying that whether peace or war, acts of terrorism are not only condemned in Islam but are also pointedly declared alien to theteachings of Islamwhich in fact means peace through the submission to the Will of God, the Lord of all human beings. Only through conformity to Divine laws can we hope to achieve the ideal of a secure world free of terrorism.
So, let the whole world specially the Muslims realise the truth of real Islam taught and practised by the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and which has been reminded and practised by the Imam of the Age – Promised Messiah (Peace be on him) – Ameen!
October 26th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Islam and Terrorism. This article is taking pains to say that Islam is a peaceful and tolerant religion. All what we hear and see from the historic beginnings of Islam to this day are its in tolerance of others. All over the they are killing and killing all to the rhymes of Allahu Akbar. When they are not killing others they are killing each other. From the beginning of Islam the millions the Islamists have put to the sword and now to guns and bombs run into millions. The latest is the killing of Gaddafi. This gruesome act reminded the way how they sacrifice animals annually on Idul Adha.
Gaddafi was himself intolerant and preached his brand of Islam to the shouts of Allahu Akbar and it was ironic to see how he too was violently sodomized and put to death to the tunes of Allhu Akbar.
Throughout history its intolerance of other religions is legion. How they massacred innocent Buddhists in India is history. Even today nobody can practice freely ones religion in an Islamic country. While doing this they expect equal treatment for Islam in other majority Christian and Buddhist countries.
Islamists have to do much better than trying to white wash Islam and say it is a peaceful religion. There are no fatwas in peaceful religions. Salman Rushdie has to hide for years for publishing the book – Satanic Verses. Until such time Islam and Islamist can reform itself – Islam is synonymous with Terrorism.
Islamists please do not delude yourself. Be not afraid to look yourself in the mirror and ask the question – Am I a peaceful person? Is there tolerance in my heart? If not can I reform myself and still be a good muslim?
October 30th, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Respected Mr. Ratanapala,
I was so hesitant to comment on your views, since you showed lack of neither proper historical background or of religious studies… Logically, at least you should act positively for the sake of the world’s peace, instead of pouring oil over fire… But still I pardon you when I read the speech of the Pope:
In September 2006, Pope Benedict XVI set off worldwide controversy while quoting Manuel II during a lecture at the University of Regensburg in Germany:
“Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”
Despite of the Pope’s late apology, his statement is being taken by Muslims as part of a continuity of Islamophobic statements made by high profile Christians like Franklin Graham, who has described Islam as a “very evil and wicked religion”.
Among the just and fair voices raised, was in his classic exposé of Christian violence worldwide, A History of Christianity, the Western Christian scholar Paul Johnson rejects the Western propaganda about Islam’s “violent” expansion by stating that:
“The success of Islam sprang essentially from the failure of Christian theologians to solve the problem of the Trinity and Christ’s nature.”
Here under some of the facts that you cannot hide yourself away from it, while reading the Christianity and Violence in early and current history:
1. The Crusaders
To start a new general European massive movement, like the Crusades, the leadership of a central figure was needed. Pope Urban II was the only central figure at the time in the entire West with an authority that transcended all of Western Europe’s national boundaries.
On November 25, 1095, Pope Urban II delivered in Clermont, France, what was perhaps the single most effective speech in Western history – one that has influenced the West up to the present time. Not only did the Pope appeal to the Western masses through religious motives, but he also used what came to be known as the typical Western ideological argument in support of a colonialist and imperialist policy that eventually led Europe in later generations to brutally colonize the entire non-European world. In this historic speech, Pope Urban II reminded the Europeans that their lands were suffering from widespread economic problems:
“For this land which you inhabit, shut in on all sides by the seas and surrounded by the mountain peaks, is too narrow for your large population; nor does it abound in wealth, and it furnishes scarcely food enough for its cultivators. Hence it is that you murder and devour one another, that you wage war, and that very many among you perish in civil strife.”
The Pope then quickly pointed out that the Arab land of Palestine to which they would be going for their Crusade “floweth with milk and honey … like another paradise of delights.” Pope Urban II then passionately exhorted the faithful Westerners:
“Set out on the road to the Holy Sepulcher, take that land from the wicked people and make it your own!” After the Pope ended his fiery speech, the entire large European crowd responded jubilantly with a loud roar: “Dieu le veult!” (God wills it!).
During the Crusades (1095 until 1291) European Christians attacked and occupied this Holy land. They oppressed the Muslims, the local Christians and the Jews. These Crusaders killed over 200,000 innocent civilians.
The aim: to wrest control of Jerusalem from the Muslims. This was not only a period of bloodshed, hostility and violence. It was also the beginning of collective Western stereotypes of Islam and Muslims, according to some scholars.
When US President George W. Bush (who speaks to God) said in 2001 – in response to the terrorist attacks of 9-11 – that the US was waging a “Crusade” on Arab and Muslim “terrorism”, he was actually conjuring up the old nightmarish horrors of the Western terrorist Crusades against the Arabs.
2. Muslim Spain versus Christian Spain
Many Muslims look back at Muslim Spain with pride. But Jews also call it their “golden era”.
Spain became part of the Islamic world at the beginning of the eighth century. Under Muslims, Spain became the center of civilization. Although many local Spaniards embraced Islam, Christians and Jews were free in all aspects of their lives. The Muslims respected their religion and institutions. The result was the birth of the first true cosmopolitan culture in the West.
As Christian Crusaders of Spain expelled Muslims, civilization that took centuries to build was destroyed. Muslims and Jews were either expelled or forced to convert to Christianity. Millions died as tolerance was replaced by the Spanish Inquisition. A suspected Muslim was to be killed for the smallest act resembling Islamic tradition – such as taking a bath on Friday.
3. World and other local Wars
A conservative estimate puts the total number of brutal deaths in the 20th. Century, were more than 250 million. The greatest death totals come from World War I (about 20 million, at least 90 % of which were inflicted by “Christians”) and World War II (90 million, at least 50% of which were inflicted by “Christians,” the majority of the rest occurring in the Far East).
Did the Holocaust of over 6 million Jews occur out of the background of a Muslim Civilization?
Rawanda, 1994
Witness the slaughter of 900,000 Rwandans in 1994 in a population that was over 90 % Christian
1992-1995 Bosnia
The genocide of over 300,000 Muslims and systematic rape of over 100,000 Muslim women by Christian Serbs.
4. Current relations between the Muslims and Christians
Muslims feel culturally enslaved, in many ways to the predominantly Christian West. The United States, with the new geopolitical reality of uni-polar world, continues to dictate policies to smaller nations of the world.
This new form of colonialism is done with the help of local lackeys in Muslim countries who take their orders about how their countries should be run from Washington, D.C. as opposed to locally.
On a larger level, British, French, American and Russian colonial powers (all Western, and all predominantly Christian) also control Muslim and other Third World countries through international institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Security Council of the United Nations.
5. Despots and dictators
A second example of Western neo-colonialism is found in these countries’ support for corrupt dictators, totalitarian despots and anti-democratic forces in the Muslim world. Muslims question how sincere the Western belief in justice and democracy really is when this happens.
For instance, the government of France supported the Algerian army when it canceled elections following the victory at the ballot of the Islamic Salvation Front party in 1992. France is the country famed for “liberty, equality and fraternity”. It seems this is not what they had in mind for the Muslims in their former colonial baby, Algeria.
The United States, which touts “freedom and democracy”, has similarly supported undemocratic regimes in Muslim and other countries. Justice, it seems, is not for all, especially not Muslims.
A. A. Aziz
October 31st, 2011 at 5:58 am
Abdulaziz, you have gone to great lengths to counter various issues that previous respondents to this article have raised.
I do not necessarily agree with every one of those views or all of your responses, but can I ask you just one simple question? How tolerant are the Muslims, in practice, if, even as they ask for freedom to build mosques in the west and in Christian countries, steadfastly refuse Christians in Muslim countries to build Christian places of worship or even bring in to these countries – even for personal use – a Christian Bible?
November 4th, 2011 at 10:14 am
Ottoman Empire Turkey – Muslims committed GENOCIDE against 3 MILLION Greeks and ARMENIANS…
Muslim Armies committed GENOCIDE killing 82 MILLION Hindus in India….
Islam is the most Belligerent backward 7th century throwback ideology on the planet. Don’t be fooled by Muslim revisionists trying to spin Islam as some sort of defender against Western Colonialism… Islam has only been successfully spread by the sword. Just look at the 48 Muslim Majority countries and how those people treat other religious Minorities.
Islam has resulted in the Deaths of over 10 Million Peaceful Buddhists… Islam is the Enemy of Buddhism and any other peace loving religion, culture or Race….
November 4th, 2011 at 10:21 am
In 1815 during the Kandyan wars the Muslim moors were on the side of the British against the Kandyan Kingdom and the Sinhalese… Muslims are always on the WRONG SIDE of History in every country they live in. Islam is a threat to Buddhism… they have already resulted in the deaths of 10 Million Buddhists…