Recently, the Obama administration reviewed their National Security Strategy and removed the terms “Islamic extremism” and “jihad” from their dictionary. Not surprisingly, this didn’t sit well with many of his opponents, who felt Obama was selling out his country, to appease his Muslim allies. Regardless of how Obama’s acts, he is bound to face criticism from some group or the other. However, Obama’s word choice is a step in the right direction, the direction towards putting an end to the menace of what was formerly known as “Islamic extremism”. It is time the world and especially the Muslim world join hands and start calling a spade what it is, a spade, by referring to miltants claiming to be ‘jihadists’ as what they are in reality, “terrorists”.
Terrorism is an act that transgresses not only all religions, but humanity as well. Furthermore, it is an act that is condemned by all religions and humanity as well. The IRA has terrorized and brought years of civil war to the Irish people, the LTTE have shattered the peace of Sri Lanka and killed many innocent civilians over the years. The FARC in Colombia, the KKK in America, and even the Zionist military group, Irgin, that blew up the King David Hotel, claiming over 90 deaths. Then why has the world gotten carried away with terms such as ‘Islamic extremists”, “jihadists”, and other creative terms joining these terrorists with Islam. Generalizations like these are counterproductive and end up creating a divisive world which plays into exactly what the terrorists want, a ‘clash of civilizations’. However, the only clash that is occurring is the clash of humanity, a war between the humane and the inhumane.
Many Muslims feel ‘Jihad’ is justified in the Holy Quran and is a duty of every Muslim as commanded by Allah. However, the acts perpetrated by the ‘terrorists’ are NOT jihad and they are NOT doing their duty to Allah by achieving ‘martyrdom’ in the name of Islam. These terrorists attacks are UNISLAMIC in every sense: in theory and in practice. They violate the Holy Quran by misrepresenting Allah’s commands to the world, and earn the wrath and hatred of the world and more importantly, Allah himself.
Many readers on the internet keep pointing out that the Holy Quran and Islam promote terrorism by proclaiming to “ kill disbelievers” or “slay disbelievers” and label the Islamic faith as ‘backward’ or ‘barbaric’. They misquote the same verses that the terrorists use to brainwash their fresh recruits, by taking verses out of context and distorting the message of Islam. Once again, this plays into the hands of the terrorists, who want to create ‘ a clash of civilizations’, which is a war fueled on by ignorance and strong emotions on both sides.
Below is a list of the verses from the Holy Quran that are MISQOUTED to justify that the terrorist mindset is an integral part of Islam. In the next series of posts, I will go through EACH of these verses and show how they are pulled out of context to misguide both Muslims and non Muslims to claim the terrorism is part of Islam.
2:191: Kill the disbelievers wherever we find them
8:12: Instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers
8:7: Wipe the infidels out to the last
4:89 :But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks
9:5: Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, torture them
8:17—It is not ye who Slew them; it is God; when thou threwest a handful of dust, it was not Thy act, but God’s…..”
47:4- “Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), strike off their heads; at length; then when you have made wide Slaughter among them, carefully tie up the remaining captives”: thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens.”
5:33, The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;
However, terrorism has no place in Islam and anyone killing innocent people or committing suicide are automatically condemned to dwell in Hell for eternity, as the following verses from the Holy Quran and Prophet’s Traditions clearly state.
(Quran Ch. 4: v 29 – 30)
O ye who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities: But let there be amongst you Traffic and trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful!
If any do that in rancour and injustice,- soon shall We cast them into the Fire: And easy it is for Allah
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 446:
Narrated Abu Huraira-:
The Prophet said, "He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hell Fire (forever) and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell-Fire."
I hope the above verses and the upcoming posts help reveal the true message of Islam as a humane religion of humble Muslims, not the barbaric doctrines of the blood thirsty terrorists.
Once again, readers are welcome to post comments and questions, as long as they are respectful to Muslims and non Muslims alike.
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