Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | October 30, 2001

After September 11, a misconception that has gained ground is that Islam allows and even encourages violence. Nothing can be farther from the truth. It's true that Islam permits its followers to fight in self-defence, but that's allowed by all religions and legal systems. Perpetration of violence, though, is altogether another matter. And it's forbidden in Islam.

The purpose of violence, in the sense in which the term is generally used, is to coerce or destroy one's enemy, and it is neither justified nor sanctioned by Islam. If one individual is regarded as an enemy by another, Islam does not make it lawful for the latter to engage in violence aimed at his destruction.

A study of the Quran shows that Islam does make a distinction between an enemy and an aggressor. If one group unilaterally commits an act of violent aggression against another, the latter have the right, according to the Quran, to counter this action in self-defence using the necessary means of violence in retaliation. In the words of the Quran: "Permission to take up arms is given to those who are attacked." (22:39)

But dealings with an enemy are a totally different matter. The stand of Islam on this subject is exactly the same as that of Christianity. The Holy Bible says: "Love your enemy." (Matthew, 5:44) In the same spirit, the Quran offers the following advice: "And who is better in speech than he who invites men to the service of God, and does good work and says, 'I am surely of those who submit'. And good and evil are not alike. Requite evil with good, and he who is your enemy will become your dearest friend." (41:33-34)

It only establishes that according to Islam, our duty is not to annihilate the enemy, but to befriend him. If he is treated with unilateral good behaviour, the enemy of the past will be transformed into the friend of the present. So, let us understand why people resort to violence. Ideological extremism is one of the reasons. There will be no violence in the absence of such zealotry. That is why the Prophet has directed his followers to shun extremes. To quote his words: "There is no extremism in religion."

Anger is another reason for resorting to violence. And Islam regards anger as a major moral lapse. The Quran, in fact, defines true believers as the ones who "when angered are willing to forgive." Obviously, if people are prepared to forgive and forget then the need to resort to violence will not arise at all.