Indiscriminate killing of Muslims or non-Muslims is unlawful and there is no disambiguity about that as far as Islamic jurisprudence is concerned. That is because Islam treasures the sanctity of life. The Qur’an says: “Whoever kills a person unjustly—except as a punishment for murder or as a prescribed punishment for spreading disorder in the land—it is as if he killed all of humanity.” Because of that, protection of life is enshrined as one of the highest intents of Islamic law.
Even during times of war, Islamic law states clearly that all the non-combatants have to be spared; hence, women, children, the elderly, religious leaders, traders and farmers must not be harmed. Not only that, breaking into enemy homes and looting them is forbidden, and no Muslim soldier is allowed to destroy the cattle, crops and properties of the enemy. Just look at the instruction of Caliph Abu Bakr to his army commander leaving for the battlefield:
“Do not spread corruption in the earth and do not disobey orders…Do not drown or burn date-palm trees. Do not kill any animal. Do not cut down a fruit-bearing tree. Do not demolish a church. Do not kill any children old people or women. Soon you shall come upon people who have secluded themselves in cloisters; leave them to engage in that for whose sake they have secluded themselves.”
If Islam does not allow all these acts during the times of war how can it condone and approve them at other times?
As a matter of fact, Muslim rulers throughout a long history have always protected the non-Muslims’ lives, properties and places of worship. The Holy Prophet, for example, made agreement with the Christians of Najran, and issued a declaration protecting the properties of the Jews in Khaybar. Following him were the Four Caliphs and Muslim rulers who came after them.
The killing of the non-Muslims and the destruction of their properties and places of worship by rebel groups is however a different matter. Even if the perpetrator claims that it is carried out in the name of Islam, like what is happening in some places today, we know that a crime is a crime, and noble intention could not turn it into a good deed. It is just a pretext to mislead the ignorant among the masses. There are times when Muslim governments have to face uprising and armed rebellion, and when that happens, it is the responsibility of the government to quash the rebellion and protect the lives and properties of its citizens, both Muslims and non-Muslims. This is unfortunately what some Muslim countries today have failed to do, and as a result rebel groups are getting more and more audacious.
Armed rebellion against a legitimate Muslim government itself is antithetical to the teaching of Islam, even though the government is considered unjust. The presence of an unjust government is preferable than a state of anarchy like what is happening in Syria, Iraq and Libya today. It does not mean that Islam condone injustice. On the contrary, Islam seeks to protect life, religion, property, progeny and honour, and all that is only possible when there is peace and order. In a state of war, which usually began with a cry against injustice, a greater injustice would be more likely to prevail.
Hence, any kind of armed struggle, due to either incorrect religious interpretation and motive, or due to purely worldly pursuit, must be purged and destroyed by the government and the rebels must be made to give up their weapons and stop their rebellion. Recent move by our government to combat the influence of ISIL must be supported by every peace-loving citizen of this country. However, the government has to realize that the most important move is to identify the ideology that accomodates and paves the way to the acceptance of terrorism as a way of life. There is little doubt that the Salafi-Wahabis are the ones responsible for fuelling and supporting all the rebellions throughout Afghanistan, Pakistan, The Middle East and Africa. And let us realize that for decades we have been allowing this ideology to freely spread and thrive in our midst. If the government is truly serious in combating terrorism it has to seriously deal with this ideology.