A scholar’s perspective on Islam and terrorism
Aaron Driver does not speak in my name, the name of my community and my faith, Islam. His views are strange, illogical, unethical, dangerous and contradict all what I know about my faith and my community.
As a Canadian Muslim and a spiritual leader of the Canadian Muslim community, I pledge here and now to stand firm against the evil of terrorism and terrorists. I also applaud the efforts of the RCMP and its partners in thwarting a planned attack.
Unfortunately, with this planned attack on our own soil by this young misguided man, the relationship between Islam and terrorism is, once again, the subject of widespread speculation.
Let me share with you a Muslim perspective on the matter.
The sanctity of human life is at the heart of all religions — in Islam, it is supreme. One of the most-quoted passages of the Qur’an affirms “that to kill one person is like killing all of humanity ... And to give life to one person is like giving life to all of humanity.” (5: 32)
In the same spirit, the Messenger Muhammad advised Muslims: “‘Help your brother (or sister) whether he (she) is an oppressor or an oppressed person.’ A companion asked: ‘Messenger of God (it is true) I will help an oppressed person, but please tell me how I am to help (one who) happens to be an oppressor.’ The Prophet answered: ‘Check (prevent) him/ her from doing injustice. Because preventing/stopping (someone) from committing aggression is a help …’” (Bukhari)
Regrettably, there are ignorant and arrogant Muslims in the world who have falsely proclaimed terrorism as morally permissible and who believe that certain levels of terrorism, according to their warped discretion, are justified.
Their beliefs and assertions are categorically against the letter and spirit of Islamic law.
Islamic juristic tradition has historically asserted complete hostility toward terror as a means of political advancement or resistance. In fact, during the first three centuries of Islamic history, Muslim jurists exhibited remarkable tolerance toward political rebellion, differences of political opinion, by holding that political rebels may not be executed, nor may their property be confiscated.
Later, however, classical Muslim jurists grew uncompromisingly harsh toward rebels who used what they described as undercover, or devious, attacks, which resulted in spreading terror among people. Terrorist attacks against unsuspecting and defenceless victims were thus denounced as wicked and immoral crimes, and their perpetrators were treated as major offenders/ criminals. Under the category of crimes of terror, classical jurists included abductions, rape, the poisoning of water supplies, arson, attacks against travellers, assaults under the cover of night and attacking densely populated areas where innocent bystanders would inevitably be harmed.
For crimes such as these, regardless of the religious or political convictions of the perpetrators, Muslim jurists demanded the harshest penalties. Most importantly, they also maintained that penalties must be the same whether perpetrators or victims happened to be Muslim or not.
It is because of this tradition that pre-modern terrorists had become so notorious and reviled in Islamic history.
Today, however, criminals who happen to be from the Muslim faith are arguing that the only effective means of resisting oppression or occupation is through terrorism and that terrorism is therefore justified as a necessary evil. But this type of unprincipled and opportunistic logic is not supported by the rigorous ethics of Islamic classical heritage, nor by true contemporary Muslim scholars.
There is also another dimension to the problem of relating terrorism to Muslims. Modern terrorist groups, especially those whose members happen to be Muslim, are rooted in nationalistic liberation ideologies of the 19th and 20th centuries, not in the core Islamic intellectual tradition.
Although such terrorist movements are quick to claim theological justification in order to gain the support of the masses, their behaviour, ideologies, symbols, jargon and organizational structure reflect the anti-colonial struggle of the developing world — not genuine religious values.
Groups that espouse terrorism, regardless of the words they use to mask it, often invoke expressions such as hizb (party), tahrir (liberation), taqrir al-masir (self-determination), harakah (movement), harb muqaddasa (holy struggle) and of course the “mother of all” abused words in our day — jihad (spiritual struggle or discernment).
As lofty as they may sound to the religious but intellectually vulnerable hearer, such phrases are almost exclusively political rather than religious. They were imported from national liberation struggles against colonialism and did not emerge from the Islamic intellectual heritage. As Dr. Abou El Fadl, an academic, Muslim thinker and author, suggests: “Modern terrorism that is associated with Islam is part of the historical legacy of colonialism and not the legacy of Islamic law.”
According to the Islamic juristic tradition, terrorists would be given no quarter. Although Islamic law clearly endorses the right to legitimate self-defence, it also regulates this right so as to prevent abuse.
As one classical jurist put it: “If political convenience becomes the law, nothing will remain of this religion.” Indeed, “if political correctness prevails at all times, ethical values will vanish.”
Furthermore, even if one assumes that some countries are guilty of carrying out indiscriminate attacks against so-called Muslim societies resulting in civilian casualties, attacks against their civilians, anywhere, could not be justified from an ethical or theological point of view. In fact, it is a well-established Qur’anic principle that “the injustice of others does not excuse one’s own injustice.”
As Canadian Muslims, we must face up to our challenge responsibly — as people of faith and as faithful citizens, and clear our position with regards to the issue of terrorism, especially when the alleged terrorists claim that they have done those gross acts in the name of Islam.
Our duty as world’s citizens who profess the faith of Islam, and specifically citizens of this great country Canada, is to clarify some important points in regards to the topic, not for the sake of political correctness or any sort of external pressures, but out of our sincere conviction that Islam is a religion of peace and its final goal for humanity is that they attain that peace: peace with God, peace with themselves and peace with others.
Our words and actions have to emphasize universal messages of Islam — the message of peace. Islam teaches Muslims that all human beings are our brothers and sisters in humanity. Humanity in this globalized world lives in a global village where peaceful and fair interaction is a must. A grave threat to all of us nowadays is the scourge of religious and political extremism that manifests itself in various forms of violence, including terrorism.
On the basis of the Islamic formative principles, namely the Qur’an and the Sunnah as well as declarations issued by the Muslim religious scholars and leaders of the East and the West on the topic of terrorism, the following points and ruling could be subtracted:
a) All acts of terrorism that target the life and property of civilians, whether perpetrated by suicide or any other form of attacks, are strictly forbidden (Haram) in Islamic intellectual tradition;
b) It is also Haram (totally forbidden) for Muslims to cooperate with any individuals or groups who are involved in any sort of terrorism or violence of any sort;
c) It is Muslims’ civic and religious duty to undertake full measures to protect lives of all civilians and ensure the security and well-being of our brothers and sisters in humanity; and
d) Finally, it is Muslims’ duty — social and religious — to report to the authorities any person who plans, in any way, to harm Canadians and this great nation.
These four points send quite obvious messages: According to the teachings of Islam, ends do not justify means and innocent civilians (Muslims or non-Muslims) should never pay the price for the misdeeds of others or be used as pawns in settling political and military conflicts.
Thus, the prohibition of taking innocent life in Islam is seriously dealt with in the faith principles and the scholarly discourse and is, as such, considered one of the most serious sins that a person can commit in life.
According to the teachings of Islam, ends do not justify means and innocent civilians ... should never pay the price for the misdeeds of others...