Just exactly as the state law regulates punishments of crimes and other aspects of life, such as murder, theft, financial conflicts, traffic fines and so forth. Can you say about states that apply electric chair penalty that the state succeeds in bringing up violent citizens? Can you describe the state as being a terrorist oriented one for setting serious and harsh penalties on serial killers for example?
Take an example on even a smaller scale, can you say that all staff members of a given institution strictly adhere to the internal by law and regulations? Of course not, that is why both internal by law and regulations contain varied punishments that escalate in an adequate manner according to the degree of violation.
Such penalties are there to secure a stable and safe place for all to live in.
Let me now elaborate on this issue. Islam, in some cases, either by mistake or out of emotional reaction, is introduced by Muslims as a synonym of peace specially when any violent event that is pinned on Muslims takes place.
In my effort, I prefer not to take the approach of saying others do this and thus why cann’t we do it. This does not explain but rather confirms the allegations.
When those who attack Islam and describe it as being a violence oriented religion, they miss other details that must never be ignored, such as Allah Say Commanding His Messenger:
” Invite (humankind, O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better.” (Quran 16:125)
“And if anyone of the polytheists seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur'an), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.” (Quran 9:6). This Ayah in particular came after a set of other Ayahs regulating the fight against those who didn’t believe in Arabia at that time. The set of Ayahs ended with a clear command to grant those who don’t declare war against Muslims or breach their agreements with them, the right to a safe escort when they needed it.
“Invite (humankind, O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.” (Quran 16:125)
By the way, inviting for the way of Allah is not only restricted on non Muslims, but it primarily involves Muslims when we must remind each other in cases of failure to comply with Islamic teachings some how or the other. There is an Ayah that regulates this meaning saying:” You [true believers in Islamic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways, etc.)] are the best of peoples ever raised up for humankind; you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah. And had the People of the Scripture believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have faith, but most of them are rebellious.” (Quran 3:10).
For Muslims to fit the description given by Allah as the best people, we must enjoin good and forbid evil. But this does not mean doing so with non Muslims in a violent manner.
In cases of verbal or any other type of conflict, Allah Commands us to just ignore like in this Ayah:
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish (i.e. don't punish them).” (Quran 7:199). Take an in depth look at this Ayah, you will see how comprehensively it covered the best mannerism in dealing with the opponents. Why did those who criticise Islam ignore this Ayah? This is a fundamental rule in Islam. The underlined word (light blue font) in Arabic has more than one meaning, it is a command to the Messenger salla Allah a`lyhee wa sallam as well as the followers to always choose the easy way of doing things (everything commercial transactions ..etc), it also calls for forgiving others, in addition to spending extra. While the other green colored part in Arabic say command with what is established, which means call others to follow what is established in Muslim societies of principles and traditions, such as the difference between marriage and committing illegal sexual relation (zina) and last a command to turn away from foolish. The translation here is not actually accurate. The Arabic word say from the ignorant. Allah here sets the rule of not to argue with the ignorants. Ignorants are not those who have no knowledge, but rather those who have knowledge but distorted one and insist on spreading it. We are to turn away from them, not to argue or discuss with them.
This is how we are commanded to handle situations. Why do they ignore this? (
3. Fighting /struggling in the name of Allah (Qital/jihad):
As for the other violent incidents taking place in the Muslim world,
each self bombing operation has its own given circumstances and thus religious ruling. For example what is permissible in Palestine is not Halal in Egypt and so forth.
To cover this area, let us first start by why at the beginning I mentioned the use of violence instead of terrorism.
There is an Ayah in Quran that Says:
“And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war (tanks, planes, missiles, artillery, etc.) to
<b>threaten
</b> the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others besides whom, you may not know but whom Allah does know. And whatever you shall spend in the Cause of Allah shall be repaid unto you, and you shall not be treated unjustly.” (Quran 8:60)
The underlined word in this Ayah in the Arabic text is turheboun, the word turheboun is derived from erhab which is terrorism. The Ayah says prepare every possible means to instill terror in the heart of who? The enemy, the Ayah is so clear in setting the conditions of why and against whom we should prepare ourselves (as part of the comprehensive system as mentioned before and in an effort to attain state security, why are Muslims denied this right?). I cann’t for example by virtue of this Ayah ride a tank and decide to take position on the corner of your block instilling terror in your and your neighbors’ hearts just like that. The Ayah encourages Muslims not to fall short of means of self defense including to instill terror in the other side’s heart. The factor of causing disturbance and confusion in the enemy’s lines is an important military tactic as you probably know.
Having said that, we must then move to the difference between fighting (Qital) and struggle in the cause of Allah (jihad).
Just to give an example in an effort not to really prolong the post, look at the next Ayahs:
“And fight in the Way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors * And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And fitnah is worse than killing. And fight not with them at the Sacred Mosque (the sanctuary at Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.* But if they cease, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.* And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah) and (all and every kind of) worship is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against the wrong-doers” (Quran 2:190-193)
These are the Ayahs regulating the action of Qital, we should not initiate qital except when we are attacked, we should only fight those who fight us, and not to transgress, we are commanded to immediately stop if they stop. I don’t think I need to really repeat the contents. How can such teachings be interpreted into violence oriented?
Look at the coming one:
“Jihad is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” (Quran 2:216)
With all due respect to the translator and his effort, but the word jihad is not used in the Arabic.
The Arabic goes like this:” Kutiba `alaykumu al-Qitālu wa Huwa Kurhun lakum” so you can see that the word is Qital and not Jihad. Much difference.
Let us see how Jihad is mentioned in Quran” Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame, etc.), and those who strive hard and fight (better use struggle which is jihad) in the Cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives” (Quran 4:95)
“Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and emigrated and strove hard and fought (struggled) in Allah's Cause with their wealth and their lives are far higher in degree with Allah. They are the successful.” (Quran 9:20)
Note how Allah Puts first the struggle with wealth before lives. Jihad here is an act that contains many deeds including Qital. Qital is one item of Jihad. Jihad can be performed with money, self (which is either Qital in a battle field or to struggle against oneself in order to refrain from Haram and follow what is Halal in every possible situation), Jihad is how to put Allah First before oneself, is how to refrain oneself from following its desires.
Alhamdulelah Who Guided us to this and if it was not for Allah we wouldn’t have been guided. I invoke upon Allah to Accept my humble effort strictly to Allah, Forgive my shortcomings in case I failed to properly introduce a point, and Increase my knowledge ameen.