Written by Enizahura Binti Abdul Aziz. Posted in
In the narrowest sense, terrorism is defined as the use of violence to achieve a political goal. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provides a more elaborated and detailed version of the definition which is an unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to threaten or force a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in advancing political or social objectives. However, when a particular group uses religion as the basis for the despicable acts of violence committed against humanity or other institutions, we can also say that the act of terror was also committed against the religion especially if the teachings of the religion do not approve such acts against other human beings regardless of the differences in their religious beliefs.
There is an urgent need to understand that any group which carries out an act of terror under the disguise of religion is usually using religious sentiments to attract followers to support their cause. These groups know for a fact that they cannot get the necessary support that they need if they were to actually reveal their real motive for power. The best that they can do is to actually leverage from other religious followers’ strong sense of belonging and faith to the religion to advance their interests. Because of this, that particular religion would be negatively labeled and ridiculed by those who do not understand. In addition, when an act of terror is committed by a group of religious followers towards innocent lives especially of women and children, they are actually putting the religion on the scale of human judgment. This is because it has been a norm that people are first identified by what is commonly associated to all of them as a collective. It will then not be viewed by the rest of the society as the conduct of a group of individuals against those innocent people but instead as the fault of that religion.
This is what is happening to Islam in the West today. Islamophobia has reached another level of heights and hate crimes against Muslims have intensified and are worrying. When irresponsible individuals actually believe that Islam condones their acts of terror against others, they are actually fueling the feeling of discontent by other people towards the rest of the Muslim population. By saying this, it would simply mean that the groups that killed innocent human beings mercilessly and claim that Islam allows such act to take place have indeed misunderstood the religion to its most fundamental aspects. Islam calls for compassion, mercy and moderation. Extremism and terrorism have never been part of the religion nor should they be allowed to be.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) has always been known as the peacemaker of the society in the 6th Century Medina which was divided by cultural and religious diversity. Dr.Mohammed Tahir-ul-Qadri, a scholar from Pakistan, wrote about the Prophet in his comprehensive 12-volume entitle “Islamic Curriculum on Peace and Counter-Terrorism”. In the Chapter on Muhammad the Peacemaker, he writes “Prophet Muhammad always preferred diplomacy over war. He never used war as a weapon of expansion. He achieved expansion through fraternisation, integration, education, reconciliation and through peace treaties. He established peace through forgiveness, mercy and moderation, and through charity and benevolence. The solution to all problems should be through peace. Prophet Muhammad repudiated war and violence as instruments of state policy. Peace for humanity is the true victory for all times to come.”
Central to Islam are also the virtues of justice and righteousness. This is clearly stated in Chapter 16, Verse 90 of the Holy Quran,
“Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded”.
These are important indications of what the true teachings of Islam entail. The true teachings of Islam can never just be written or talked about; it must also be reflected and constantly emphasized through the actions of individuals.
Therefore, it must be remembered any act of terror carried out by groups of individuals under the name of religion would leave a hefty toll on the religion itself. As religious followers, we need to know that no religion teaches its followers to kill innocent people. Therefore, when there are groups of people who carry out these heinous acts and uses religion as the sanctuary for their actions, they have truly been misguided, confused and misled. It is now the responsibility of the majority of religious followers to actually combat the spread of ideologies that are extreme and detrimental to the virtues that we uphold. Thus, it is indeed important to again stress that the acts of terror that are unfolding right before our eyes in the world today must not just be regarded as crimes against humanity but most surely it is also terrorism carried out against the religion.