ISLAM IS NOT THE SOURCE OF TERRORISM

ISLAM IS NOT THE SOURCE OF TERRORISM, BUT ITS SOLUTION by Eren Salih

As Muslims, we strongly condemn the terrorist attack on the two big cities of the United States of America on September 11, 2001 that caused the death and injury of thousands of innocent people, and offer our condolences to the American people. These attacks carried a very important issue related to the true source of terrorism to the top of the world agenda. By this occasion, it was announced to the entire world that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance and that it summons people to compassion and justice. Many world leaders, leading media organizations, television and radio stations told their own people that true Islam forbids violence, and commands peace between people and nations. The Western circles that have come to a full grasp of the religion of Islam and are well-informed about the true Islam commanded by God in the Koran noted clearly that the words of Islam and terror cannot stand side by side, and divine religions by no means permit violence.

This essay maintains that the source of the terror that we condemn is definitely not a divine religion, and that there is no room for terrorism in Islam. This is made clear in the Koran, the main source of Islam, and in the practices of all Muslim rulers, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, being the foremost of them.

As you know, for centuries, various acts of terrorism are being carried out in different parts of the world by different groups for different purposes. Sometimes a communist organization, sometimes a fascist group, and sometimes radical and separatist factions assume responsibility for these acts. While countries like America often become the target of the attacks of racist and marginal terrorist groups, the European countries become the center stage for violent acts carried out by terrorist groups. 17 November in Greece, RAF and Neo-Nazis in Germany, ETA in Spain, Red Brigades in Italy and many other organizations seek to make their voices heard through terror and violence by killing innocent and defenseless people heinously. Terrorism changes with the developing and changing world conditions and steps up its impact and power with the new means made possible by the developing technology. In particular, mass communication tools such as the Internet extends the scope and influence of the terrorist activities considerably.

Besides USA and Europe originated Western organizations, there are also other terror organizations of Middle East origin. Some terrorist attacks are carried out by these groups in all corners of the world. Yet there is an important point to be remembered here. The fact that the perpetrators of various terrorist acts carry Christian, Muslim or Jewish identities cause some people to develop some erroneous ideas and put forward some claims which do not concur with divine religions. The fact remains however, that even if the terrorists have Muslim identities, the terror they perpetrated cannot be labelled “Islamic terror”. In the same way, it would not be called “Jewish terror” if the perpetrators were Jews or “Christian terror” if they were Christians. That is because, murdering innocent people in the name of religion is unacceptable. We need to keep in mind that, among those who were killed in Washington or New York, there were people who loved Jesus (Christians), Prophet Moses (Jews) and Muslims. Unless forgiven by God, murdering innocent people is a great sin that brings torment in Hell. Thus, a religious person who has fear of God can never commit such an act. The aggressors can commit such violence only with the intention of attacking religion itself. It may well be that they carried out this violence to present religion as evil in the eyes of people, to divorce people from religion and to generate hatred and reaction against pious people. Consequently, every attack made in the name of “religion” on innocent people is actually an attack made against religion.

Religion commands love, mercy and peace. Terror, on the other hand, is the opposite of religion; it is cruel, merciless and it demands bloodshed and misery. This being the case, while looking for the perpetrators of a terrorist act, its origins should be sought in disbelief rather than in religion. People with a fascist, communist, racist or materialist outlook on life should be suspected as potential perpetrators. The name or the identity of the terrorists is not important. If he can kill innocent people without blinking an eye, then he is a disbeliever, not a believer. He is a murderer with no fear of God, whose main ambition is to shed blood and to give harm. For this reason, “Islamic terror”, “Jewish terror”, “Christian terror” are quite erroneous concepts. That is because, neither the religion of Islam, nor other religions can by no means concur with terror. On the contrary, “terror” (i.e. murders committed against innocent people) in Islam is a great sin and Muslims are responsible for preventing these acts and bringing peace and justice to the world.

The full-text of this article is available on http://www.islamdenouncesterrorism.com