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_001.jpg) Trying to convince people that Muslims are not
terrorists, or that Muslim women are not oppressed, or that not all Muslims
represent Islam is becoming increasingly difficult. A Muslim man
with a bushy beard is presumed to be planning an attack – on something. If a
Muslim woman chooses to dress modestly it is taken for granted that she was
forced to wear such clothing. Although one can hardly pick up a newspaper or watch
the news without hearing something about Islam or Muslims, it is usually a
gross misinterpretation or misrepresentation.
Into this volatile mix comes the Muslim himself or
herself, sometimes Muslims are their own worst enemies. They
often speak without knowledge or even without weighing up the effect of their
words. Sometimes Muslims react without looking at the bigger picture. Often
they react to the misconceptions without realising their behaviour sometimes
affirms the incorrect notions. Not
all Muslims represent Islam.
We live in interesting times, and
according to an old Chinese proverb or perhaps a western spin-doctor, this is
anything but a blessing. Muslims call such a period of time, fitnah
(trials and tribulations). Life rushes ahead beckoning us into the unknown but
in a strange sort of way it has all been done before. This is not the first
time in history that Muslims have suffered from the effects of lies and
misrepresentations. However, when the lies and misunderstandings are piled
high the truth seekers of this world have a way of finding the gold buried in
the dirt. Islam is like that gold, it can lie quietly, and it looses none of
its beauty by doing so.
By far the greatest threat to Muslims and the Muslim way
of life, now, is the “war on terror” and the subsequent demonizing of Muslims.
The mainstream media focuses on the bad behaviour of Muslims who
more often than not have very little understanding of their religion. The overwhelming
majority of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims condemn acts of terror and the unlawful
killing of innocent civilians; so to do the majority of Muslim scholars and
leaders, yet unfortunately, the religion of Islam is almost invariably
implicated in the thinking and behaviour of criminals.
The wrongdoings of Muslims are often used
to justify or encourage hatred of innocent Muslims or the religion of Islam
itself. Over and over again, verses from the Quran are taken out of context
and criminals are said to be following Islamic dogma, when
in reality nothing could be further from the truth. To understand Islam’s
stance on violence and war one must refer to the original sources, the Quran,
and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him. It is not feasible to take one verse from Quran and deduce its
meaning without reading the preceding and following
verses. Fully understanding the depth and subtlety of Quran is only possible
when one understands the historical context and reason for revelation, as well
as in depth knowledge about the life of Prophet Muhammad.
Therefore, what exactly does Islam say about war and
violence?
Islam is a religion revealed by God for
the benefit of humankind and it wholeheartedly forbids harming innocent people
in any way. This includes their bodies, wealth, or honour. Islam teaches
Muslims to treat everybody, no matter their religion ethnicity colour or social
status, with respect and kindness. Islam forbids oppression and safeguards
rights and it commands the Muslims to live in peace and harmony and uphold
justice even towards ones enemies and even in times of war. It is never
permissible to kill a person who is not hostile or who has a peace treaty.
“God does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those
who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your
homes. Verily, God loves those who deal with equity.” (Quran 60:8)
When Prophet Muhammad sent his companions into battle he
said “Go out in the name of God and do not kill any old man, infant, child or
woman. Spread goodness and do good, for God loves those who do good.” “Do not kill the monks in
monasteries” or “Do not kill the people who are sitting in places of worship. Once after a battle the Prophet saw the corpse of a
woman on the ground and said, “She was not fighting. How
then was she killed?”
This way of behaving in times of war was
further emphasised by Abu Bakr, the leader of the Islamic nation after Prophet
Muhammad. He said, “I command you ten things. Do not kill women, children, or
an aged, infirm person. Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees. Do not destroy
an inhabited place. Do not slaughter sheep or camels except for food. Do not
burn bees and do not scatter them. Do not steal from the booty, and do
not be cowardly.”
If an enemy inflicts harm upon the Muslims, or drives
them out of their homes and homelands then the Muslims are commanded by God to
stand up for them, but even under duress a Muslim must behave justly.
“Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but don't transgress
limits; for God loves not the transgressor. And fight them on until there is no
more oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in God; but if they cease
let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression.” (Quran
2:190-193)
“O you who believe! stand out firmly for God,
as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you
swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety, and
fear God. For God is well-acquainted with all that you do.” (Quran 5:8)
The message from Quran is clear. The
taking of life, any life, unjustifiably, is a grave sin. Both the Quran and
the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, are imbued with an overwhelming sense of justice and forgiveness. The
message of Islam is for all of humankind, and Islam demands mercy and wisdom in
all dealings even in times of war. When atrocities that defy belief and defy
the teachings of Islam are committed, it is important to remember that not all
Muslims represent Islam.
“We ordained that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation
of murder, it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life,
it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.” (Quran 5:32)
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