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Islam and Terrorism, (Time to call spade a spade)

Islam and Terrorism, (Time to call spade a spade)

Author: Bal Raj Madhok
Publication: Organiser
Date: October 7, 2001

The terrorist attacks on World Trade Center at New York and Pentaon at Washington, in which more than 6000 innocent people lost their lives, have brought the problem of terrorism in the name of jehad from which India has been suffering for a long time into focus. It has opened the eyes and stirred the conscience of many who had been underplaying the gravity of the problem. The US resolve to go to any length to root it out has upset those who refuse to learn from history and experience or lack the moral courage to call spade a spade.

Owing to my Hindu samskars and belief in the Vedic concept of "God is One, Wise Call Him by Many Names" and that the "Whole World is One Family" and my experience during my formative years-I was born at predominantly Muslim Askardu, the capital of Baltistan and educated in Kashmir valley among Muslim classmates-I too like most other Hindus believed that Islam was just a different path of worship. But my later experience, killings of thousands of Hindus and Sikhs in Kahuta area of Rawalpindi in 1946-47 and my in-depth study of Islam on the call of Punjab branch of the Indian Liberal League that brought me first prize-that study was published at Lahore in early 1947 under the title, "Hindustan on the Corss roads" - enabled me to understand the fundamentals of Islam and the roots of Muslim communalism, separatism and Islamic terrorism.

My studies as a student and teacher of History, my experience as a political leader and parliamentarian during the last 50 years and my visits to countries like Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Cyprus, Israel and the Philippines to study their Muslim problem have confirmed my findings of 1946. Some recent writings of Anwar Sheikh, an erudite Islamic scholar from Pakistan now settled in the UK, particularly the books entitled Islam, the Arab National Movement, Islam and the Arab Imperialism and Islam, Sex and Violence. and the Koranic Concept of War written by Brigadier Malik of Pakistan army have been especially enlightening.

Islam as a form of worship has a secure future in India which believes in Sarva Panth Sambhava, i.e. "equal tolerance for all paths of worship". Unfortunately, Islam is not just a way of worship. It is basically a political movement, the ideology of which is enshrined in the Koran, methodology in Hadiths and exemplified in the life of' Mohammad and the 1400 years history of Islamic expansion.

Fundamentals or governing principles of Islam are "Millat" and "Kufr", "Dar-ul-Islam" and "Dar-ul-Harab" and Jehad. Their clear understanding is essential prerequisite to understand the true character of Islam.

Millat and Kufr: Islam does not accept the unity of mankind. It divides the human race in two groups- "Millat" and "Kufr". Those who put absolute faith in Mohammad and accept him as the last prophet of Allah and his life pattern as model and in the Koran as the last word of God constitute the believers, the "Millat". Those who do not do so are unbelievers, i.e. kafirs. There can be no friendship or coexistence with them even if they be blood relations.

There are a number of Koranic injunctions in this regard. For instance Ayat 10.9.23 of Koran says: "Oh, ye who believe choose not your fathers nor your brothers nor friends if they take pleasure in disbelief. Those of you who take them for friends are wrong doers". Likewise Ayat 17.21.98 says: "Oh, ye (idolators) and that which ye worship besides Allah are fuel of hell". Ayat 6.5.51 says: "Oh, ye who believe take not Jews and Christians for friends...." Ayat 5 of para 10 of Sura 9 says: "Then when the sacred month bath passed, slay the idolators wherever you find them and take them (captive) and besiege them and prepare for their ambush. But if they repent and establish worship (i.e. become believers or Muslims) and pay the dues, then leave their way".

These Ayats do not require any explanation. They rule out brotherhood of man, humanism and coexistence in peace between Muslims and non-Muslims on the basis of equality.

Dar-ul-Islam and Dar-ul-Harab: This Islamic fundamental divides the world in two parts. Those countries that are ruled by Muslims constitute "Dar-ul-Islam" or the land of peace. Those that are ruled by non-Muslims constitute "Dar-ul-Harab" or the land of war or the enemy countries. They must be subdued and converted into Dar-ul-Islam. Some Islamic scholars also talk of Dar-ul-Aman, the land that is not ruled over by Muslims but has been granted the right to live in peace on fulfillment of certain conditions by its ruler. This is a little known concept. The apologists of Islam lay stress on it only to divert the attention from the basic concepts of Dar-ul-Islam and Dar-ul-Harab.

During the hearings of the Ahmadiya Riots Commission set up by Pakistan government under the chairmanship of Justice Munir, the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Justice Munir asked Maulana Ataullah Bukhari, a top Muslim clergy, whether a Muslim can be a loyal citizen of a Dar-ul-Harab. Maulana's reply was: "No". This reply was published in the Hindustan Times of New Delhi in 1954 and was never contradicted.

Jehad: The third fundamental is jehad. It is the Koranic name for the war that all Muslims and Dar-ul-Islam countries 'must wage against non-Muslims to eliminate them or convert them to Islam and against Dar-ul-Harabs to convert them into Dar-ul-Islam. Jehad is a continuous process. Brigadier Malik has spelt it out in detail in his book, The Koranic Concept of War. According to him, terrorism is an essential part of Jehad. Terror must be struck in all possible ways in the hearts of kafirs and rulers of Dar-ul-Harab countries to soften them and prepare them for complete submission. Those who do not submit have to be eliminated.

Anwar Sheikh has dwelt upon jehad at length. According to him, Mohammad attached the greatest importance to jehad. Those who take part in it are rewarded by the lands, property including women of the vanquished for their enjoyment. Those who die fighting a jehad are assured of a place in heaven-jannat where each one of them will get 70 houris. The description of Islamic jannat as given in Islamic scriptures is most alluring. There are ever greed gardens in which streams of liquor, honey and milk flow. It is this description of jannat and lure of houris that provide the motivation for jehadis.

So, long as Islam remains wedded to these fundamentals that are basically political and have nothing to do with any kind of spiritualism and way of worship it is not possible to draw a line between Islam and terrorism.

Those Muslims who are really honest serious about their opposition to terrorism being perpetrated in the name of Islamic jehad, must openly distance themselves from these barbaric and inhuman concepts, publicly disown and reject them and own and accept the concept of Sarva Panth Sambhava. Then they would also pray to God like the followers of different sects of "commonwealth of Hinduism" for good and happiness of all-Sarbadh ka bhala ie. Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina... instead of good and happiness of Muslims only. That would make them good Indians and good Muslims at the same time.
 


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