Terrorism (Islam & the West)

(maryam khizar, lahore)

Terrorism is any hostile act that posses threat to security. Neither it’s a new phenomenon nor it is traced back to the incident of 9/11. But it is fact that after the event of 9/11 it became a matter of great concern not only for the West but for the whole world. For combating terrorism a number of meetings and attempts were made but most of them were doomed to failure because the major actors behind these meetings were serving their personal interest. They never tackled the conditions conductive to terrorism nor did they address its root causes. They should be aware of the fact that fighting the diseased without the disease would be no use. The sates who waged war to combat terrorism also failed because they have dark historical records of oppression, human violation, efforts for absolute supremacy, pre-emptive wars and crushing the will of people etc. If they are appointing themselves as the judge of justice, they are actually violating the basic rule of justice.

There is always a misconception in West related to Islam. They always took Islam as their enemy and challenge Islamic values, a large number of examples exist, such as the declaration by an Italian official of the western civilization’s supremacy over Islam. A large number of campaigns are conducted against jihad. Do they people really know what jihad is in fact? Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “let your invasion be in the name of Allah and for His sake. Fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Invade but do not exaggerate nor commit treachery. Never deform the corpse of the dead person, do not kill an infant child or a woman and do not cut a tree until it is inevitable”. How one can say that Islam support or address terrorism?

The second common practice in the West is to attacking Mosques, Islamic centres, harassing Muslims, accusing Muslim states of protecting terrorists, attacking Islamic financial institutions, discrediting Islamic educational institutions and fighting against Islamic laws. If we look at the Islamic values we will come to know that Islam is religion which provides moral and educational security. “It is He Who has sent amongst the unlettered an apostle from among themselves, to rehearse to them His signs, to sanctify them” (Al-Quran). Islam also provides social security to all mankind irrespective to their tribalism, their culture, caste, creed, colour, geography and also rejects all destructive elements. Islam endeavours to achieve peace and security for mankind at large. Even environmental, natural and animal security is also guaranteed in Islam. The concept of terrorism which posses threat to human security is utterly rejected in Islam. The normal conclusion is that we cannot eradicate the disease by only eliminating it. There are various factors which lead people towards terrorist activities, these factors are following:
1: Spread of fear, hatred and fanaticism among people
2: spread of poverty, hunger and deprivation
3: loss of spiritual inhibitors
4: spread of anti-human culture and ideologies e.g. supremacy trends, fascism, Nazism, Zionism and Maxims etc.

For the development of a peaceful society it is important to overcome these all issues, the other thing which is important is the dialogue between Muslims and the western thinkers to resolve the very complex problems that provides a favourable breeding ground for terrorism. Mutual mistrust and hatred marked relations between these two blocks with historical frictions and continuous conflict over centuries. Through dialogue both communities will be able to overcome their differences and it will also help to formulate a plan for the eradication of such plagues. A mutual understanding among religions is necessary and along with this some other efforts e.g. support developmental programmes either they were started by the West or by the Muslim states, alleviate the suffering of Muslims in world and enhance morality should be done. Islam is a peaceful religion which never ever supports the killing of innocent people. There is need of the realization of this fact to the West.
 

maryam khizar
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