This topic is the most hotly debated in the press and international circles alike. Just cast a cursory glance through major newspapers and every major news channel and you will know for sure.
Moreover, despite its presence in the world since ancient times, it has been given utmost attention at the world level since the relatively recent September 11, 2001 bombings of the twin towers. The press has largely portrayed Islam as the major factor behind terrorist activities specifically the twin tower bombings.
Let us analyse terrorism, its effects and how the Qur’ān tries to offer mankind the best solution to this lurking menace.
Terrorism is defined as an act of violence with an aim to draw attraction towards its cause. As is known, for centuries, various acts of terrorism have been carried out in different parts of the world by different groups for a variety of purposes. The European countries have been at the centre stage for violent acts carried out by terrorist groups. RAF (Red Army Faction) and Neo-Nazis in Germany, ETA in Spain, Red Brigades in Italy and many other organisations seek to make their voices heard through terror and violence by killing innocent and defenceless people. Several Israeli terrorist organisations such as ones led by the then prime minister Menachim Begin (Irgun) were also known as the bloodiest terrorist cells in Britain before the World War I. In fact, he was responsible for the King David hotel bombing in Jerusalem which killed several British soldiers (ironically, he received the Nobel Prize for Peace).
Back to the present, the organisation that is the most famous (or infamous) is the Al Qaeda. However, a check on the C.I.A website would show you just how many other organisations are active around the world, and mind you, these are not Muslim ones, but led by those who claim to be Christians or followers of other religions. The F.A.R.C. in Columbia is just one example that has killed people many times more than Al Qaeda. The ULFA (operating in Assam and hereabouts), the Maoists (in 16 States around India) are active in India. Yet, ironically, the Indian media, the government and the anti-terror cells feel more afraid of non-existent ‘Muslim’ terrorist organisations.
Another type of really alarming terrorism is the so-called state terrorism that several governments employ to further its own gains in other regions. For example, the C.I.A. funded the Taliban during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan thus bringing about the downfall of the Soviets and breaking up their rivals. The facts revealed by a former national security adviser are chilling. The C.I.A. uses several terrorist organisations (on its payroll) to commit terrorist activities and, using the pretext of its ‘war on terror’, occupies or controls that place to further its own interests. The C.I.A does not even deny it on its website. A small quote from its own website says: “CIA officers may now establish a relationship with such individuals without seeking prior CIA Headquarters approval, where there is a reasonable likelihood that those individuals have access to threaten information of importance to the United States or its allies.”
How does Islam offer a solution to this kind of malaise?
The Qur’ān says: “If someone kills another person – unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth – it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind..”. (Surat al-Ma’ida, 32)
As the verse suggests, a person who kills even a single man, “unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth”, commits a crime as if he had murdered all mankind.
This being the case, it is obvious what great sins are the murders, massacres and attacks, popularly known as “suicide attacks”, committed by terrorists. Allah informs us how this cruel face of terrorism will be punished in the hereafter in the following verse:
“There are only grounds against those who wrong people and act as tyrants in the earth without any right to do so. Such people will have a painful punishment. (Surah ash-Shura, 42)
The Qur’ān gives this severe warning to all those who have such mentality and threatens them with heavy punishments in case they commit these evil acts. Thus the Qur’ān gives a practical solution to cure terrorism. Moreover, analysing the Ayah from Surat al-Ma’ida we know that terrorists are the ‘ones who cause corruption on earth’ whether they claim to be Jew, Christian or Muslim. These people are Godless. They have no fear of God, hereafter or of the anything that all religions teach in common. Therefore talking of Muslim terrorism is baseless as no Muslim can be a terrorist in its common meaning.
At the same point, we Muslims must know what our duties are. We must do our very best to prevent the name of Islam from getting the smear and clear up all types of misunderstandings about our religion while at the same time understand and make them understand what the Qur’ān’s actual stand is on terrorism.