The horrendous terror attack in Paris a few months ago was yet another incident that is indicative of how religion has been hijacked for the sake of other interests. Apart from causing anger, fright and panic among the masses, the incident also left some reeling in bewilderment and confusion, as to how such a horror could take place and carried out under the name of religion.
Inevitably, one may form a conclusion that direct religion as the only factor that leads to the gore is misleading. It would be equivalent to concluding that light is the cause of darkness. For religion, if understood in the true sense and interpreted through proper knowledge and wisdom, is the source of goodness and virtues. It is the origin of love and piety as well as the fountain of tranquillity and peace. Hence, such virtues could not ever be the cause for enmity and hatred, what more to beget terror and brutality.
As unlikely as how the perpetrators have made some of us to believe, the carnage was planned and carried out due to multiple factors. Indeed, it is true that religion, when coupled with erroneous and blameworthy motives such as narrow-mindedness, enmity, greed, jealousy, and revenge will lead to extreme ends. Such vices, subsequently, emerge due to narrow personal and political interests of groups. In achieving those narrow interests, religious motives that are ideal and pure in nature, are dragged along and implicated just to gain mileage.
Islamic history is not an exception to such political or personal hijacks. Early in the beginning of Islam, some of the illustrious companions of the Prophet Muhammad like Uthman, Ali and Umar suffered a similar fate when they became victims of ‘terrorist’ acts of their time, through assassinations under the guise of religion.
To the narrow-minded and extremists, who lack wisdom, the fine line that separates religious motives from personal and political interests is always a blur. Without proper knowledge, sufficient religious education and a moderate way of understanding the sources of religion, acts of extremism and terrorism will always gain a stronghold in the minds of the common people.
A stark issue related to this problem is the confusion between jihad, which is religious, and terrorism, which are motivated more by political and personal reasons. Often times, the latter is claimed as jihad.
Such an erroneous claim could be due to various reasons. First, jihad does not only relate to the act of taking up arms and killing people. Rather, it should be understood in its widest meaning. Basically, jihad means to strive and struggle in improving one’s self and one’s environment. Most importantly, prior in the process of jihad is the need to purify one’s soul and reason from blameworthy attributes and guide them to true obedience to God.
As a matter of fact, the internal spiritual strife to purify the soul is much harder to be accomplished compared to physical jihad as it requires proper knowledge and a disciplined spiritual education. In fact, the success of spiritual jihad will determine the success of the physical one.
Such is the reason for a Qur’anic revelation to bridle the over-enthusiasm of the Prophet’s companions in joining a war when a group among them should remain behind for the purpose of instilling religious knowledge and providing advice to those enlisted in the battle on the crucial matters in religion. The verse is found in Surah al-Tawbah (122) as follows:
“Nor should the believers all go forth together. If a contingent from every expedition remained behind, they could devote themselves to studies in religion, and admonish the people when they return to them, that thus they may learn to guard themselves against evil.”
Clearly, the message the verse imparts is that physical jihad must always be supervised by proper internal and spiritual attributes. Due to its aggressive nature, physical jihad will always be open to elements of insincerity, anger, revenge, jealousy that will probably deviate the intention of the jihadists from their true aims.
In truth, the Prophet’s involvements in jihad were all done in the defensive manner. More importantly, the wars by the Prophet did not take place before he extended the word of peace to others.
Crucially, jihad as explicated in the book of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), has to be done through the facilitation and supervision of the ruler, rather than based on personal option and decision. Moreover, it has to be carried out with true causes and proper preparation. Additionally, it is undertaken based on the ability of a person and Muslims.
Even in jihad, the message of peace is inherent as evidenced in the strict rules given by the Prophet that refrain from killing commoners, the elderly, children, priests, animals, destroying homes, places of worship, felling trees, etc. If such lives and property matter, what more if fellow Muslims are involved.
Such a strict nature as enshrined in Islam includes the taking of one’s own life. Hence, suicide has no place in Islam. It is strictly forbidden and constitutes a grave sin. Hence, one can not under any precept, including human rights, to injure oneself or commit suicide.
Religion is revealed with the lofty aim of preserving the wellbeing of humans. Human life constitutes among the most important aspects to protect. Others include religion, wealth, reason and lineage.
Such importance is expressed in the Qur’an by equating a life of one human being with that of a nation or an ummah. If a person preserves a life of a human, it is as if he gives life to the whole nation. Similarly, should one kill a person, it is as if he kills a whole nation.
“On that account, We ordained for the children of Israel that if anyone slewed a person unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land, it would be as if he killed the whole people, and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole world.” (al-Ma’idah, 5:32)
Why is life so important as far as religion is concerned? This is because it is the basis of all goodness that will come to the human beings. It is pointless for virtues and goodness if one is unable to possess and experience them through life.
Islam is both religion and civilisation. It is not only a set of belief system that is not tested by history. For more than a millinea, Islam has proven itself not only as a system of worship to the One God, but also played the role of a significant civilisation and served billions of people through its various systems in various human lives. It has produced great sciences, theologies, philosophies, the arts and ethical values.
Such a civilisation can only be established through proper education and wisdom. It can only survive through moderation and high virtues. Indeed, it cannot sustain itself through bigotry, narrow-mindedness and simplistic thinking. Only when all the pre-requisite be brought back, acts of terrorism and radicalism will find its exit door.