Ìàòåðèàëû ñàéòà
Ýòî èíòåðåñíî
Islam and terrorism
ýEver since the September 11 incident in 2001, the media has been constantly ýýportraying Islam of being synonymous with terrorism, though the truth is right in front ýýof everyone, Islam is not a religion of terrorism but the exact opposite. ý
ýThere is no exact definition of terrorism but there are general ideas of it. According to ýýPiceton University, terrorism is “The calculated use of violence against civilians in ýýorder to attain goals that are political or religious…” This means that terrorism is ýýmass violence to innocent people to gain goals that are political (Government wanting ýýpower), religious (Religion wanting followers).ý
ýIslam is a religion of peace, the word Islam itself means peace, and it is a religion of ýýmercy and does not tolerate terrorism. The prophet Mohammed, peace and blessings ýýbe upon him, used to forbid soldiers of killing women and children he would say: ýý{…Do not betray, do not be excessive, do not kill a newborn child}(Narrated in ýýSaheeh Muslim, #1731). When presenting Islam it is not done as the Christians do and ýýsay “ accept this or you will not be saved”. Such as in the Crusade war of the Middle ýýAges when true Christians engaged in a “holy” war and brutally tortured and ýýslaughtered thousands of Muslims for there conquest of Jerusalem where Muslims, ýýJews and Christians lived under Islamic rule in peace until it became a of extensive ýýbloodshed. In Islam, the message is simply presented and then it is up to the others to ýýaccept it if they are convinced.ý
ýIn sociology, there are functions of religion that are to provide a basis for social ýýcontrol, a social cohesion role, and to help people develop a sense of meaning and ýýpurpose in their lives. Islam provides social control by informing us on what not to ýýeat, what to wear and how to speak, it also provides a meaning and purpose in life by ýýtelling us that there is an after life and the reward is heaven and that this life is a test.ý
ýThe West often gets some verses from the Qur’an and present them out of there ýýcontext that seem violent and connected that with terrorism, or take the example of ýýwhat they call “suicide” bombing. An example of a verse taken from the Qur’an is the ýýfollowing: {Soon shall we cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they ýýjoined companions with God, for which He had sent no authority: their abode will be ýýfire: and evil is the home of the wrong-doers.} Surah 3 Verse 151. Yes this does talk ýýabout terror but no in the westerner sense of belief. To fully understand this verse it ýýmust be read with the previous and following verses: {O ye who believe! If ye obey ýýthe Unbelievers, they will drive you back to your heels, and ye will turn back (from ýýFaith) to your own loss. Nay, God is your protector, and He is the best of helpers. *. ýýSoon shall we cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined ýýcompanions with God, for which He had sent no authority: their abode will be fire: ýýand evil is the home of the wrong-doers.} Surah 3 Verse 149 – 151. So, according to ýýAl-Qurtubi, the verses actually mean “O believers, if you follow the disbeliveers who ýýurge you to forsake Islam and revert back to paganism, you will fall back to darkness! ýýHence, you will turn losers, for no one will come to your aid. But if you stay put and ýýkeep firm on the right path, Allah will protect you and will cast fear into the hearts of ýýthose disbeliveers. Thus, they will not dare attack you. This is because they have ýýrejected Allah’s way and ascribed unto Him partners.”. So this verse is not a call for ýýviolence or terrorism in the meaning of killing the innocents. ý
ýThe second point is about suicide bombing. It is hated in Islam for a person to take his ýýown life deliberately. Mohammed, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Whoever ýýcommits suicide with a piece of iron will be punished with the same piece of iron in ýýHell. Whoever commits suicide by throttling shall keep throttling himself in Hell ýý[Forever], and whoever commits suicide by stabbing shall keep on stabbing himself in ýýHell [forever]”. However, when committing your own death is part of resisting ýýaggression and injustice it becomes a different case. In this case, it is considered a ýýstriving in noble cause of upholding truth and justice, as well as defending honor and ýýdignity. Thus it will be viewed as taking place in Allah’s cause. If a person sacrifices ýýhis life in this way then he/she will be considered as a martyr. ý
ýIn a study by a sociologist known as Marks Durkheim, that compares religious ýýbelievers and their participation in religion and their likelihood that they would ýýcommit suicide, found that religious people who attend religious services often were ýýless likely to commit suicide than those who do not. Muslims attend five religious ýýprayers (services) a day, so the likelihood of a Muslim committing suicide is clearly ýývery low.ý
ýThe real terrorists in the world are no where near the Islamic boarder they are many ýýpeople in different places; between 1889 and 1909 over 1700 African-Americans ýýwere brutally murdered in the United states by white Southern extremists. In 1946 the ýýKing David Hotel in Jerusalem blew up killing 91 British soldiers as well as British, ýýJewish and Arab civilians was done by Jewish terrorists. In 1994 a bomb was set off ýýat an abortion clinic killing 2 receptionists this was done by American anti-abortion ýýextremists who also murdered 2 abortion clinic workers in 1995 and assassinated 3 ýýdoctors in 1993, 1994, 1998.ý
ýIn conclusion, The portraying in the media of Muslims and Islam is untrue and indeed ýýfar from the truth. Terrorism cannot be generalized in a society or religion; a group or ýýan individual who may use the name of religion wrongly cannot be taken to represent ýýthe whole of religion.ý
ý ýý Referencesý
ýBadr, Kamal. (2002). Ask about Islam: Faith and Practice: Commentary on “suicide” ýýbombers. www.islamonline.net. Accessed: 16/08/2004. Last updated: 10/10/2004.ý
ýBall, Lamaan. (2002). Ask about Islam: Culture and Society: Helping fellow students ýýunderstand that Islam is not terrorism. www.islamonline.net. Accessed: 16/08/2004. ýýLast updated: 05/08/2002.ý
ýIbrahim, I. (1996). What does Islam say about Terrorism? A Brief Guide To ýýUnderstanding Islam. Darussalam: Houston.ý
ýLove, R. (2002). Q&A about Islam and Terrorism. www.strategicnetwork.org. ýýAccessed: 22/08/2004. Last updated: 01/01/2002.ý
ýSurah 3. Al-‘Imran. The Noble Qur’aný
ýWordnet. (2003). Terrorism. www.dictionary.com. Accessed: 22/08/2004. Last ýýupdated: 2003.ý
ýUahya, H. (1995). Islam is Not the Source of Terrorism, But its Solution. ýýwww.islamdenouncesterrorism. Accessed: 19/08/2004. Last updated: unknown.ý
ýYasser, M. (2004). Religion. The Sociological Imagination. Lecture notesý