The explosive events of recent years worldwide have come to symbolise the “Islamic terror’. From the times in the 70s and 80s when Pan Am and TWA planes were hijacked, to the mid-80s in war-torn Lebanon where Americans and Europeans were held as hostages for years, all such incidents have come to be connected with the religion of Islam. Such wrong identification from past and present have undoubtedly affected world opinion. Any Muslim who wants to practice his religion and expresses the pious desire to live under the banner of Islam is labeled as a “fundamentalist” or “extremist”.

Any Muslim man who walks down a busy street in London or Paris with a beard, or Muslimah (Muslim woman) with a scarf on her head is looked upon as being a terrorist who probably has an AK47 stashed somewhere on her person!! Today Muslim women who are veiled can’t move in the Western world without being taunted as being oppressed for covering up. However, are such belies and opinions about Islam really justified?

Exploding the Myth:

We find that the Western world is foremost in propagating this outlook on Islam. So what is the reality of Islam? How does one dispel the myths which have been fabricated and spread so viciously? The only way to examine Islam is to examine its belief system. Let us look at its sources, the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah, and see what they have to say. This is the only way to find what is Islamic view about terror, terrorism and terrorists. One who is sincerely searching for the truth, will do it no other way.

The very name Islam comes from the Arabic root word ‘salama’ which means peace. Islam is a religion which is based upon achieving peace through the submission to the will of Allah Almighty. Thus, by this very simple linguistic definition, one can ascertain as to what the nature of this religion is.

Jihad

We should also define the word jihad which sends shivers down the spines of many Westerners. They readily equate this term with violence and oppression. However, it must be said that the meaning of jihad, as a ‘holy war’, is something which is totally foreign and not from Islam. If anything, such a description belongs more so to Christianity and its adherents. It was terms like this which were used to justify the slaughter and pillage of towns and cities during the crusades by the Christians. By simply looking into the sources of Islam, one is able to know that the true meaning of jihad is to strive/make effort in the way of Allah (SWT). Thus striving in the way of Allah can be both peaceful and physical. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The best jihad is (by) the one who strives against his own self for Allah, The Mighty and Majestic”. Allah (SWT) also says in the Qur’an:

“So obey not the disbelievers, but make a great jihad (effort) against them (by preaching) with it (the Qur’an)” (Al-Furqan 25:52)

By controlling and fighting against one’s desires, the Muslims can then also physically exert themselves in the path of Allah. It is this physical or combative jihad which receives so much criticism. Because of the sheer ignorance of this type of jihad Islam is regarded as terror, and Muslims are regarded as terrorists. However, the very purpose of this physical jihad is to raise the word of Allah uppermost. By doing this, it liberates and emancipates all those who are crying out for freedom all over the world. If the likes of the pacifists of this world had their way, then the world would indeed be full of anarchy and mischief. The combative jihad seeks to correct this as Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:

“And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of another, the Earth would be full of mischief. But Allah is full of bounty to the worlds” (Al-Baqarah 2:251)

Such would be the corruption on this Earth if there had never been a combative jihad that Allah (SWT) says:

“For had it not been that Allah checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where in the name of Allah is mentioned much, would surely have been pulled down. Indeed Allah will help those who help His (cause). Truly Allah is All-strong, Almighty” (Al-Hajj 22: 40)

This combat both defensive and offensive, is something which is commanded by Allah upon the Muslims. Through this command the oppressed and weak are rescued from the tyranny of the world:

“And what is the matter with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and for those weak, ill treated and oppressed among men, women and children whose only cry is; ‘Our Lord, rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors and raise for us from you one who will protect and raise for us from you one who will help” (An-Nisa 4:75)

Anyone who knows the early history of Islam, will know that all those nations and empires which came under the fold of Islam were indeed previously oppressed. When the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) went out for the offensive jihad against the Egyptians, the Persian and the Romans, we find that the people did not resist them at all. Rather, they accepted Islam on such a scale, that it is inconceivable that the jihad of Islam could be anything other than a liberation for these people, a liberation from countries of tyranny. In fact, with the Byzantine Egyptians and the people of Spain, the Muslims were even beckoned to come and liberate these lands from the oppression of their kings. This is the glorious track record of the Muslim jihad. Compare this with the brutal track record of warfare in the Western world over the centuries. From the crusades against the Muslims to the days of colonial warfare, the Western world has killed, destroyed and plundered everything which has come in its way. Even today this merciless killing goes on by some Western nations. While claiming to be about world peace and security, they are ready to bomb innocent civilians at the drop of a hat. The mischief-makers often enter the world’s trouble spots under the guise of being peace keepers. But Allah says:

“… when it is said to them; ‘Make not mischief on the Earth’, they say; ‘We  are only peace makers’. Indeed they are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive it not” (Al-Baqarah 2: 11-12)

The hypocrisy of the West is indeed astounding. By looking at the rules and regulations of those combative jihad it will be clear to any sincere person that this is indeed the religion of truth. Fighting an unjust enemy, it is allowed by Islam that their retreating forces are mutilated, without transgressing the limits. Allah (SWT) says in Qur’an:

“And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you. But do not transgress the limits. Truly Allah loves not the transgressors” (Al-Baqarah 2: 190)

Not transgressing the limits means not to kill women and children, for the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) “forbade the killing of women and children”. Not transgressing the limits means that the elderly, the sick, monks, worshippers and hired labourers are not attacked. Not transgressing the limits means not killing animals wantonly, burning crops and vegetation, polluting waters and destroying homes, monasteries, churches and synagogues:

“Allah 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. Indeed, Allah loves those who deal with equity” (Al-Mumtahinah 60:8)

After reading such passages from the Qur’an and knowing about what Islam commands and prohibits in jihad, the rules of warfare are given a new meaning; a meaning of justice. How sad it is then, that whilst Islam is condemned for striking terror into the hearts of the people, the likes of the Israeli soldiers in Palestine are left untarnished for the atrocities they have committed in the name of warfare.

“ We ordained for Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation for murder or to spread mischief in the land, it would be as if he killed the whole of mankind. And (likewise) if anyone saved a life, it would be as is if he saved the whole of mankind” (Al-Maaida 5:32)

Thus, we can say that real terrorist in present-day is Israel with its occupation of Palestine, killing innocent people only because they are Muslims.

The Media

So by going through the teachings of Islam, it is clear that such a religion has only come to benefit mankind – not to destroy it. So why is there so much hatred for this noble religion in the West? The answer is simple, the media. It is the Jewish influenced media of the West which has portrayed Islam to be something that it is not. During the 70s and 80s when the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) were carrying out daring hijacks on the worlds airways, the media in the West portrayed it as being Islamic. However, it is known by the heads of the media that the likes of the PLO were not an Islamic organisation, and that according to Islam, certain group are outside the fold of Islam, yet such facts are never portrayed by a media which seeks to cover the truth of this religion.

A number of years ago, when the Oklahoma City bomb went off, a headline in one of the newspapers, summed up this attitude. With a picture of a firefighter holding a dead child in his arms, the headline read: “In The Name of Islam”. Time has of course proven that this bigoted assumption was incorrect, as Timothy McVeigh, right wing radical (of course they didn’t say that he is Christian terrorist), was executed for the crime recently. Likewise the bombs which went off in the Paris metro in 1995, were also blamed on Muslim fanatics. Later, it emerged that the Algerian secret service who having routinely bribed many European journalists and MPs, were actually behind it. The desire to throw a veil over Islam is immense by these people.

“They intend to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will complete His light even though the disbelievers hate (it)” (As-Saff 61:8)

Whilst trying to destroy Islam through this instrument of the media, the Jews clearly try to portray an image of themselves as being the oppressed people. Every year, we are reminded as to how many Jews perished under the Nazis in World War II. We are made to feel sorry for these same people who have gone on to commit so many crimes upon the Muslims.

If this media really had nothing against the religion of Allah, then why does it not inform the people that every day hundreds are entering the religion of Islam? Such things will never be highlighted in the Western media, simply because to do so would be against their very interests. With such immense pressure against it, it is indeed a blessing from Allah that Islam goes from strength to strength. It continues to grow faster that any other religion in the world, conquering the hearts and minds of thousands. All this should not even surprise us though, for Allah Almighty has promised us that this religion will prevail:

“It is He who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, so that He may make it victorious over all other religions, even though the disbelievers detest it” (As-Saff 61:9)

It is a must that humanity comes towards the religion of Islam. Without it, we will continue to slip down the road of inequity and darkness. With it we can establish a society of justice and peace. Religion of terror? … no.  The way forward?… yes.