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So anyone who perpetrates this heinous crime against humanity should fear what Allah has said about killing of human beings without justification. It is similar to the killing of one’s self and society at large. Ikim Views
By SUZALIE MOHAMAD, THE STAR
Jihad with its multitude of branches has very strict rules, especially when it relates to confrontation with an enemy. ONE cannot find words strong enough to condemn the Sept 11, 2001 tragedy. It is not human if one does not share the pain and suffering that the affected families are going through and will endure for a long, long time to come. Those who choose to define this violent act as jihad or “holy war” need to know that Islam is such a structured and comprehensive guidance that even the procedure to attend to the call of nature is explicitly taught to us by the Messenger of Allah. If one follows those rules while going to the bathroom, it becomes an act of worship. Islam had nothing to do with this action (Sept 11), even if, after a thorough investigation, those that perpetrated it turned out to have Muslim names or had come from Muslim lands. Islam does not permit violence. Unfortunately many ignorant Muslims and non-Muslims are not fully aware of this fact, or choose not to acknowledge it. Jihad with its multitude of branches has very strict rules, especially when it relates to confrontation with an enemy. Indiscriminate killing or harming of women, children, old men, people who take refuge in their houses, animals and even plants, especially those of economic value, is forbidden at all cost. War is permitted in Islam, just as it is permitted in many other religions, provided it is a pure act of defending the religion, life and state. The act of waging a war is bound with condition and responsibility. Waging war must be justified with ample evidence that allows defensive actions to be initiated. No war without valid evidence will be engaged since war means killing people. On this basis, Islam clearly stipulates to only fight (defending oneself) in the cause of Allah against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits as we all know that Allah does not love transgressors. The war must be immediately ceased if the enemy seeks peace, and we are obliged to enter into a peaceful deal. War is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the syariah. So anyone who perpetrates this heinous crime against humanity should fear what Allah has said about killing of human beings without justification. It is similar to the killing of one’s self and society at large. The verse referred to (al Ma’idah 5:32): “We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person, unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land, it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear Signs yet even after that many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.” The fundamental teaching of Islam is to respect and help each other, no other than to seek His blessing so that we can live harmoniously and fully benefit in the life before death on this earth. The so call Muslim fundamentalists who fully adhere to the fundamentalist teaching of Islam will definitely abide by this rule and bring prosperity to their neighbours and society. It is thus absurd to associate what terrorists have done with Islam. If one looks at history, especially since the rise of Europe, and of the United States now, and what has been the effect of this rise on the Muslims, one can easily see why there is so much resentment against this domination. The Crusades, the super-holocaust in Spain and many other parts of Europe, oppressive demolition of the Khilafat, more than two centuries of colonial oppression, and more recently 50 years of oppression and bloodshed in Palestine and Kashmir, more than 50,000 children dead in Iraq, and innumerable other unjustifiable massacres and oppressive wars, have driven many impatient Muslims to desperation. It is human nature that in a situation of desperation people commit insane deeds. In this case, many misled Muslims, victims of situation, have taken the law into their own hands to solve problems. Despite wrong images having been painted of Islam around the globe, people want to know more about Islam. Why its followers react as such, emotionally? What makes the noble content of Islam misinterpreted? To the fact that Islam is growing all over the world, especially in the Western hemisphere. Why is this happening? Because they know that Islam can provide them with peace and tranquillity, turning them into dignified persons. The least religious leaders of society therefore are advised not to sensationalise or distort Christian-Muslim relations into a confrontation issue by rallying people to continue with the “Crusade”. This is unwise thinking and behaviour. It not only provides justification for the crimes of the terrorists and may provoke them further, but also makes the work of those who wish to bring about a change in the world through peaceful means harder. We, as peace lovers, must work hard to defeat the confrontational, domineering and “crusade-minded” attitude of any government through dialogue and peaceful means, to the best of our endurance, and not let those who are ignorant of Islamic law and impatient in their attitude take unjustifiable and unlawful shortcuts through terrorist attacks. It does not serve Islam well and is despised in the sight of Allah.
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