Aian Tribune : Islam was wrongly bracketed with extremism and terrorism - Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
Sun, 2009-12-06 02:00
Islam does not permit at all the massacre of innocent citizens, and explosions, and suicide bombing in business centers, streets and markets, and mosques, national installations, and other public places.
The terrorists and their groups are perpetrating obvious deviation and digression from the Islamic teachings, and, are spreading rebellion and militancy, and massacre and carnage, and disruption, dissension and strife on earth. The officers and men of the armed forces, and the law enforcing agencies, and the innocent citizens falling victim to these terrorist activities, and laying down their lives in the discharge of their sacred duty of the defense of the motherland are doubtlessly Shaheeds, the martyrs.
The founder and the patron in chief of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, and Chairman Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Shaykh-ul-Islam, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, issued his detailed edict today while addressing an overcrowded press conference from Canada through video conference.
Describing the background of his edict he said: A torturous wave of terrorism has been maligning Pakistan, in particular, and the Muslim Umma, in general, for last many years. This is doubtlessly evident that, while the Muslims as a collective entity condemn, resist and fight terrorism, and are not ready to accept even its remotest possible link with Islam there are some people who are also seen supporting it on quiet. Instead of opposing and condemning it openly and downrightly, they confuse it, making it a hotchpotch.
Among the national, regional and international factors responsible for terrorism the conspiracies of anti-Islamic forces, their severe violations of the Muslims' rights, the double standards maintained by the influential powers in the international disputes and injustice and oppression done to the subjugated and the oppressed communities are basic.
Similarly, the armed strife and disruption by the terrorists, the carnage and slaughtering of people, the suicide bombing against the innocent and peaceful communities, and explosions in the mosques, shrines, educational institutions, business streets, government institutions and buildings, trade centers, the defense training centers, embassies, transports, and places of the civil society have become a daily routine. These people mix up the brutal killing of the hundreds and thousands of people and the activities of butchery and slaughter of humanity with Jihad , and make, in this way, topsy-turvy the entire Islamic concept of Jihad . This is causing great ambiguity, doubt and perversion to the youths, in particular, and the simple and clean-hearted Muslims, in general.
Besides, the media in the Western world highlight only the incidents of terrorism with reference to Islam, and do not at all present the positive aspects and activities of Islam. As a result, first, Islam was wrongly bracketed with extremism and terrorism and now, the state of things is that the moment Islam is mentioned, extremism and terrorism start shaping in the Western mind. Due to that, not only the Muslim youth, born and fostered in Western societies, are afflicted with anxiety, anguish and unrest but the younger generations, throughout the Muslim world, are practically suffering from distortion of faith and intellectual instability. This perplexity and disorientation is gradually strengthening among them the tendency of aversion to Islam.
Moreover, this state of affairs is further deteriorating tension, frictions and conflict between the Muslim world and the West. Not only the destructive elements and the anti-human forces are gaining cushion in strengthening their case against Islam and the Muslim Umma, but the way is also being paved for greater intervention and pressure against the Muslim states due to increase in terrorism. This gulf is not only pushing humanity towards inter-faith hostility at international level, but is also causing extinction of chances for tolerance and moderation, and peace and security for the global human society.
He maintained that this had rather become inevitable to enlighten the Muslim Umma and the whole world about the truth of the terrorism issue; to make Islam's stance precisely evident in the light of the Quran and Sunna and its creeds and jurisprudence in Arabic, English, Urdu and some other popular languages of the world; and to convey this standpoint to all the influential groups and communities in all the various regions of the world, from the East to the West, so that all the Muslims as well as non-Muslim circles, suffering from misunderstanding, ambiguity and doubt, might be assisted in clearly comprehending the real concept.
He explained at length, in the light of the Quranic verses, Prophetic traditions, expositions by the eminent authorities of exegeses and hadith, and the Imams of jurisprudence and faith that perpetrating terrorism against the innocent citizens, the massacre of mankind, the suicide bombing, the destruction of national assets and property is absolutely against the teachings of Islam; Islam does not permit such an act on any excuse, reason or pretext.
Moreover, Islamic teachings do not allow anyone to take up arms and wage an armed struggle by raising up the banner of war against any Muslim country despite the fact that whosoever is in power. This is sheer mischief-mongering and civil war. Islamic law regards it rebellion and insurgency, massacre of humanity, and violence on earth. He clarified that, despite the fact that the Muslims get persecuted at the hands of foreign non-Muslims powers, and Muslim governments remain silent over it, still no group of Islamic state can individually be allowed to wage an armed struggle against the oppression in the name of Jihad, and massacre the innocent people, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, through suicide bombing as a reaction, leave alone committing terrorism against Muslims in business streets, mosques and homes on the pretext of oppression by non-Muslims. Calling such an act Jihad is sheer ignorance and straying from the right path.
He strongly condemned the state-sponsored terrorism against the innocent Muslims in Kashmir, Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that perpetuation of terrorism and violence against innocent Muslims and peace-loving unarmed citizens, despite whichever country they belong to, and whatever religion they are followers of, represents negation of Islamic teachings and is anti-Islamic in its entirety. Citing various Quranic verses, Prophetic traditions, sayings of the Companions, renowned jurists and scholars of Hadith, he made it clear that even in a state of war, Islam strictly prohibits the killing of peaceful citizens, women, children, the sick, and the old, and to top it all, it advises against destroying trees, crops and their worship places, leave alone allowing any self-proclaimed group to kill the Muslims and peaceful non-Muslim citizens. He said that such elements were in fact playing in the hands of anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan forces and were responsible for bringing Islam, Pakistan and Muslims into disrepute. He said that the actions of the terrorists were part of heinous conspiracy to destabilize Pakistan, destroy its law and order, economy, getting her declared as failed state, thereby paving the way for foreign intervention on the pretext of lack of safety of nuclear assets.
He also drew attention to the fact that sufficient evidence was available about the terrorists using arms and ammunition which had a clear signature of anti-Pakistan forces, which corroborated that they were playing in the hand of enemies of Pakistan. Whether they are getting weapons, training, financial help or any other logistic support, these actions of terrorists are part of heinous conspiracy against Pakistan.
He made it clear in the light of Hadith, sayings of the Companions, and commentary of the jurists that the first terrorist mischief that reared its head in Islamic history was that of Khawarij and Harooria, who raised the banner of revolt against Hazrat Ali (ra), the fourth Caliph, during the days of the rightly guided Caliphate. These misguided Khawarij declared Hazrat Ali (ra) as infidel and started terrorism in the name of Jihad by invoking the slogan of supremacy of Divine Law. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) identified these Khawarij in more than fifty Prophetic traditions, and ordered the believers to chop off their heads wherever they clashed with them. Thus, Hazrat Ali (ra) and the holy Companions waged Jihad against these Khawarij for their elimination.
He appealed to every Pakistani, scholars, intellectuals, and opinion-makers to give up discussion about who these people were, who were behind them, why they were doing all that and in reaction of what. Despite their identity, the nature of their slogan, place and background, it should be known that they are enemies to Islam. Their actions were against teachings of Islam, Muslim Umma, and Pakistan. They are in clear contravention of what Islam stood for. Their each action was premised on bringing harm to Islam, Pakistan and Muslim Umma. Their existence is an open danger against the survival and integrity of Pakistan, identity of Islam, its civilization and culture. The entire nation should dissociate themselves from these elements and condemn them in the strongest possible terms unequivocally and with one voice. The Pakistan nation is in a state of war at the moment. It is high time we formed unity among our ranks at every level. The entire nation should stand behind their armed forces that are busy in fighting a war for protection of the lives of the innocent citizens and securing the national defense.
He made it clear that his religious edict was neither in support of the US and its allies, nor should it be taken as an approval of their expansionist designs and steps. In the same way, it did not support the disputed policies of the government of Pakistan, unpopular style of governance and undemocratic attitude. He presented this religious edict to clearly present the case of Islam to the world and distinguish terrorism from our great religion, Islam, in the light of the Holy Quran, Hadith, books of exegeses and jurisprudence.
He told that his detailed religious edict consisted of more than 150 pages, and he clarified his point of view in the light of dozens of verses from the Holy Quran, hundreds of Prophetic traditions, countless commentaries of jurists, etc. This religious edit is getting printed in the form of book in Arabic, Urdu and English languages this week.
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