Islam and Terrorism
Posted: Monday, November 23, 2009
by Rahaman Onike
The issue of terrorism is of the greater concern to the world power. It poises serious challenge to the international organizations particularly the UNO. Out of ignorance or mischief, people associate Islam with act of terrorism. Of course, terrorism is an outrageous attack carried out by individuals, groups, or states against other human beings for political, religious, or social reasons. The act includes all forms of intimidation, threatening, killing without just cause or even suicide bombing. All these are manifestations of the mischief in the land which Allah has prohibited muslims from committting. Allah says in the Quran: "And seek not occasions for mischief in the land" . For Allah loves not those who do mischief (Quran 28:77).
Evidently, Jihad is ordained by Allah to uphold right, repel injustice and to establish justice, peace and security. More specifically, Jihad has been ordained to eliminate all forms of terrorism. So, Jihad is not conceptualized to promote violence. Essentially, actual armed Jihad is permissible under two conditions alone: one is for self defence, and the other is for fighting against oppression. Most times, the motives of the terrorist will be ambiguous for one to conveniently condemn or justify the action. Innocent persons are usually killed by these terrorist groups anytime they launch their attack. Even in war situations, Islam does not encourage killing of children, pregnant women, aged and probably civilian population.
As a result of evil consequences of terrorism, it must be stated that Allah did not only enact deterrent punishment against terrorism, aggression and corruption, they are acts that have been clearly condemned. Indeed, terrorism is the most menacing to security and peace of the world. No doubts, Islam is a trail-blazer to compact terrorism and to protect the society against its evil consequences.
Islam urges that the state and individuals should ensure adequate protection of lives, property and even moral values. If any person does transgress the limits ordained by Allah, such persons wrong themselves as well as others (Q2:229). Furthermore, Islam ordered it adherents to keep away from anything that may cause turmoil among the people, and warned at the same time against its evil consequences. Allah says in the Quran: and fear tumult or oppressions, which affect not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong: and know that Allah is strict in punishment (Q8:25).
Terrorism is extremism of highest order. Obviously, Islam supports moderation rather than extremism. Of course, there is no compulsion in religion. The prophet (peace be on him) said in a report by Imams Ahmad and Al-Nissaie-"beware of excesses in matters of religion, for as a matter of fact, those before you are destroyed by religious immoderation". With regards to non Muslims living under Muslim protection or government, Islam ordered that they must be treated justly. Hence, Islam prohibits killing of non muslims in the muslim world.
However, the approach and strategies America and her allies are using in combating the menace is faulty. In my own view, two wrongs cannot make a right. The attacks on the muslim world by America in the guise of campaign against terrorism is also act of terrorism. Rather than exhausting time, energy and other resources on counter attacks of the perceived terrorist countries, attention and focus should be redirected towards the remote and immediate causes, motives and goals of these destructive elements . Battling terrorism must go beyond discovering and distrupting it before it happens and deterring it with retaliation. To successfully combat the menace, there would be need to identify and remove the motivation for it. This is equally determined by the roles of America in the Middle East .
Again, the challenge of global terrorism occupies strategic position in the United States foreign policy. It is an issue that attracts the attention of Americans in the process of electing a new president. With the emergence of Barak Obama as American president, it is like a dawn of a new world order. He advocates diplomacy rather than military option to combat terrorism. His new approach, contributes to the award of peace laurel recently awarded him.
ONIKE RAHAMAN
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