The 'Stigma' Terrorism for Muslims

Say the word 'Terrorist' think Muslim? Be honest...is this not the similitude that is made instinctively these days? The great focus on a extreme minority of Muslims driven by political goals, clothed in Islamic themes has been expounded upon so greatly that it would be hard for the average person 'not' to believe Islam promotes aggression, violence and terror.

The following article was written recently in the Toronto Sun

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Prescribing world terrorism

By ERIC MARGOLIS

Pundits and self-appointed experts on Islam are wringing their hands and trying to explain why two Muslim doctors and at least six other medical workers were involved in this week's failed bombings in London and Glasgow.

It certainly sounds horrific and counter-intuitive. Physicians, trained to heal, turned into would-be mass murderers with cars packed full of explosive materials and nails. Since I'm writing a book on why the Muslim world is so angry at the West, let me venture some heretical thoughts.

First, there is nothing sacrosanct about doctors. Behind carefully cultivated veneers of icy detachment, they have the same emotions as ordinary mortals. The most evil, frightening man I ever met -- and I've met a lot -- was Haiti's tyrant, "Papa Doc" Duvalier, who was a crusading country doctor before he turned into a Voodoo-crazed despot.

Second, the amateur, would-be killers who staged these bungled attacks were not, as many Western pundits claim, driven by some sort of homicidal perversion native to Islam. An entire cottage industry of publicity-seeking anti-Muslim writers is at work seeking to confirm the increasingly popular prejudice that Islam is a sick, demented, homicidal faith. These pundits are merely licking the hand that pays them.

The two accused doctors now under arrest in Britain were most likely driven by rage over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, pure and simple.

Nothing ever excuses killing civilians. Those who stage horrific bombings against Israelis, Europeans, Americans and fellow Muslim civilians are criminals. Nothing excuses their behaviour. But we must understand why it happens and why it will continue.

Right response

Britain's new prime minister, Gordon Brown, responded the right way to the London and Glasgow incidents. Unlike Tony Blair, who raised anti-Western attacks to hysterical, apocalyptic levels, declaring civilization in peril, the dour Brown properly characterized the latest outrages as "criminal" acts to be handled by the police.

The two doctors suspected of trying to kill British civilians were most likely motivated by the same ferocious fury as the suicide squads who attacked New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001.

Their attacks were not the result of some innate sickness in Islam, misreading the Koran, brainwashing, or hatred of Western shopping habits. Our governments and media just refuse to face the ugly reality that such attacks are a direct reaction to our own violent actions in the Mideast and South Asia.

We can't expect to go on bombing and shooting up Iraq, or shredding Afghan villages with cluster bombs and 20mm gatling guns, and not expect violent reaction. The increasing deaths of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the ongoing agonies of Palestine, have enraged the Muslim world against the West.

Most Muslims simply complain. But a tiny number, as in Britain, forget rationality, humanity, or common sense and try to strike back at what they believe are the oppressors of the Muslim world.

Such violence is criminal and, worse, to paraphrase Tallyrand, a mistake. They undermine whatever cause the militants are fighting for, making them into criminals with no possible justifiable grievances. In the end, innocent Muslims in Britain and other Western nations become victims of these mindless attacks.

But revenge attacks will continue, and even intensify, until the West reassesses its policies in the regions that are generating such anti-Western violence.

Intensified police work is needed at home to prevent more attacks. Muslim leaders must keep telling their people that attacks against civilians are immoral and self-defeating.

But Western governments have to face the fact that the wars they are waging against the Muslim world are the primary generators of terrorism. In the intelligence business, it's called blowback.

Blaming every violent incident on the shadowy al-Qaida is a handy excuse for avoiding reality and responsibility.

But it won't change the fact that a good 20% of the world's population is increasingly enraged at the U.S., Britain and Australia.

And, now, Canada.
http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Margolis_Eric/2007/07/08/4322737.html

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The writer has suggested (see bold type) that the motivation of the attackers was a response to oppression, although we do not know the motives of the accused, the column does allude to something that few writers (Muslim included) have aptly pointed out. The motivation of many 'Muslim Terrorists' is often political and an extreme (and violent) reaction to oppression. Islam completely opposes such actions (as has been pointed out in many places in this forum and site), but the key point here is that it is political activism, nationalism and violent reaction to invasion and not Islamically motivated/legislated aggression.

This is an important point for the level-headed and just individual to be aware of, amidst a sea of propaganda and anti-Islamic misinformation. We invite you read and learn about Islam on this website and learn about the reality of Islam.

Post edited by: islaam.ca admin, at: 2007/07/21 06:00

Don't Abuse the Concept of Jihaad

"Don’t Abuse the Concept of Jihaad"

RIYADH, 22 August 2003 — Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority urged Muslims yesterday to shun extremism and avoid waging unjustified jihaad as the Kingdom cracks down on militants.

In a lengthy statement, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh told Saudis to listen to their religious authorities and ignore fanatical interpretations of Islaam.

“One of the fallouts from extremism in understanding Islaam is that some people call for jihaad for the sake of God without justification,” Sheikh Abdul Aziz said.

“These people raise the banner of jihaad to draw the young into their ranks and not to fight for God,” he added.

Militants like Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden have often called for jihaad against countries they consider “infidel” such as the United States, urging his followers to target Western interests in Saudi Arabia and abroad.

Other militants have also used Islaam as a rallying cry, justifying attacks by saying they are doing God’s will.

“Young Muslims must try and better themselves and their country but not through violence, because Islaam is not a violent religion, it is a merciful religion,” he said.

“A Muslim must understand his religion. It is the duty of the young and the whole Muslim world to know that violence is not a way to achieve reform,” Al-Sheikh said.

The grand mufti emphasized that the struggle against a perceived evil should not lead to a greater evil.

“The Prophet (peace be upon him) told us to combat evil. But there is a general rule to look at both advantages and disadvantages. And if fighting an evil leads to a greater one, then that fight is forbidden,” he said.

The grand mufti said one of the reasons some people attacked and frightened others was ignorance.

“Ignorance is a killer disease because a person thinks that he is right when he is wrong,” he said and stressed the importance of right guidance. “One of the reasons also is mistrust of our scholars. It is people’s duty to trust their scholars and leaders,” he said.

Last week, the Kingdom’s highest Islaamic authority denounced terror attacks in the Kingdom, describing them as “serious criminal acts,” and pledged its full support for the government.

“Acts of sabotage such as bombings, murder and destruction of property are serious criminal acts and an aggression against innocent people... which warrant severe and deterrent punishment,” the Council of Senior Islaamic Scholars said in a statement.

The 17-member council, headed by the grand mufti, declared its support for the actions being taken by the state to track down terrorists in an effort to shield the country from their actions.

The Islaamic body had called on the Saudi people to “stand behind the country’s leadership and their scholars,” at these difficult times in the fight against “evildoers.”

The statement dubbed “misguided and ignorant” those who claim that terrorism was part of jihaad, or holy war. It said people who provide shelter to suspected militants were committing a “grave sin.”

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Arab News
[Extracted from http://fatwa-online.com/news/0030822.htm]

Mufti of Saudi Arabia: Those responsible are Mischief makers, Sinners and Criminals!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

A Questioner asked the Mufti of Saudi Arabia Abdul Azeez Aalu Asy-Shaykh :

You are most probably aware-noble Grand Mufti- of the suicide bombings, which have resulted in the killing of innocent people, that have taken place in Algeria and Morocco in the name of jihad, what advice do you offer in light of this?

The Shaykh anwsered :

I say: What occurred in Algeria and what occurred in Morocco is in no way Jihad. Actually this is oppression, transgression and a criminal act. Anyone who calls this Jihad is clearly mistaken...

The horrendous explosions that went off in Algeria that killed thirty three people and injured more than two hundred and what happened in Morocco, when those people blew themselves up, those responsible for these acts are not to be called Mujahideen. We refer to them as mischief makers, sinners, criminals and individuals who are upon error.

ref. http://www.sahab.net/forums/showthread.php?t=346664
http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=26&Topic=5986