TERRORISM IS FORBIDDEN
Terrorism can be defined as using arms by actors other than the state. Terrorism assumes, broadly, two forms: proxy war and guerrilla war. Both of these forms of terrorism are haraam or forbidden in Islam.
If properly understood, Islam is the opposite of terrorism and has nothing to do with it. The word ‘Islam’ is derived from the root silm, which means ‘peace.’ Hence, Islam, correctly interpreted, is a religion of peace. Naturally, a religion that describes itself as a religion of peace can have no relation with terrorism if that religion is interpreted in the right manner. In the Quran, the Prophet Muhammad is referred to as rahmat al-’aalamin or ‘a mercy to the world.’ (21:107) He is said to be a mercy for all humankind, not just Muslims. Naturally, then, his teachings, properly understood, can have no room for terrorism at all.
According to a Hadith report, the Prophet Muhammad is said to have declared, “All creatures are part of God’s family.” (Musnad al-Bazzar, Hadith No. 6947) This is a wonderful expression of true universalism. It indicates that all of humankind, irrespective of religion or community, belongs to the same family of God. This Hadith report resonates with the slogan about the world being a global village with which we are familiar today.
Given the clear teaching of Islam that all creatures are members of God’s family, it is ironic and unfortunate that some Muslims are engaged in killing innocent people, and that, too, in the name of Islam. This is wholly un-Islamic. Violence is not the right approach when conflicts arise between Muslims and other communities. The Quran instructs us that “reconciliation is best” (4:128). The proper way to solve conflict is not through violence but through peaceful discussion and dialogue. One must seek to adopt constructive, not destructive, approaches to conflict resolution.
Terrorism can be defined as using arms by actors other than the state. Terrorism is, thus, illegitimate violence resorted to while seeking to have one’s demands met. Those Muslims who seek to present their terrorism supposedly as jihad are making a mockery of Islam. Jihad in the sense of qital or war can only be declared by a regular government or state authority, not by ordinary citizens or non-state actors.
Today, terrorism broadly takes two forms: proxy war and guerrilla war. I can confidently say that both are haraam or forbidden in Islam. According to Islam, a proxy war is illegitimate because Islam requires that a declaration of war be explicitly made before war can actually be waged, and proxy war is, by definition, one that is unannounced and engaged in indirectly. Likewise, guerrilla war is also forbidden in Islam because such a war involves civilians taking up arms against an established government, and this cannot be considered legitimate jihad because, according to Islam, the right to declare jihad in the sense of qital, as I mentioned earlier, rests only with established state authority.
Today, there is violence in various parts of the world, which some self-styled Islamist groups claim to be Islamic jihad. The fact is that this violence is clearly a combination of proxy war and guerrilla war, and so it is haraam or forbidden, according to Islam. Some Muslims complain that the media is unfair by describing this terrorism as ‘Islamic terrorism’, thereby giving Islam a bad name. However, the question is, when people who call themselves ‘Muslim’ engage in this sort of terrorism in the name of Islam, can we blame others for referring to this violence by this name? It is for Muslims to desist from this un-Islamic violence and stop giving Islam a bad name by wrongly claiming this terrorism to be jihad.
According to another Hadith report, God gives in return for gentleness what He does not in the case of hard-heartedness (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 16455). This report relates to the consequences of one’s behaviour or approach. If one has a dispute or conflict with someone, fighting him or her will not solve the matter. The only way to solve it is through peaceful dialogue and exchanging views.
