Terrorism and jihad in the light of the Quran and the Sunnah in global peace and security perspective

Abstract

Contemporary global terrorism has emerged during the ending period of the twentieth century as manifested in Tanzania and Kenya by al-Qaeda attacks on the US embassies in 1998. Then the heinous 9/11 attacks at the dawn of the 21st century has led the world towards a historical turmoil. The Western world held the al-Qaeda and its mentor Usama Bin Laden (OBL) responsible for the fiercest terrorist attacks. Eventually, the religion of Islam and its followers, the Muslims, have been blamed for the terror perpetrations. But, OBL was indeed neither the spokesman of Islam nor the leader of Muslim Ummah. Nonetheless, the Muslims across the non-Muslim world came under the threat of hatred and sometimes revenge violence. The ongoing persecution, brutalities and atrocities of Israeli Defence Forces over the Palestinians and the Lebanese got impetus still more. Two weak-most Muslims states were invaded by the only superpower of the world in combination with other Western big powers in the name of eradicating terrorism. All their counter measures have only caused to spread terrorism around the world. On the other hand, the religion of peace, Islam and its key tool to contain terrorism ‘Jihad’ have been misinterpreted and misunderstood and also misused pathetically. Where as, Islam does not force anyone to accept its belief. Moreover, killing of innocents, committing suicide, carrying out atrocities - all are strictly prohibited in Islam. How then, the Muslims are stigmatized as terrorists? A small section of people does not represent the Muslim Ummah. OBL in no way is the role model of Islam or Jihad. Only the Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (SAAS) is the role model of Islamic revolution till the ‘Qiyamah’ i.e. the date of the destruction of the universe (doomsday). He (SAAS) himself never perpetrated, or ordered, or supported any type of terrorism. Rather, he (SAAS) eradicated terrorism from the den of terrorists, the Arabian Peninsula through a peaceful way. Indeed, the Messenger (SAAS) of Allah was directly guided by the holy Qur’an to combat the then terrorist groups for bringing peace and stability in thesociety. And thus, he created an environment wherein an individual enjoyed the full liberty to choose his own religion whatsoever. But unfortunately, ‘Jihad’ is being used as a key tool to perpetrate terrorism, which is a highly misinterpreted and misunderstood word in the modern world. Many groups and communities are using ‘Jihad’ as the trump card for conducting their secession movement, liberation war, resistance war and even for narrow personal as well as communal issues. The wrongheaded jihadists are even killing innocent civilians in the name of jihad which is strictly prohibited in Islam. However, the main objective of this study is to orchestrate the difference between Jihad and terrorism. To investigate the subject, the historical method has been adopted for conducting this qualitative type of research work. The holy Qur’an has been followed as the primary source while Hadith and other Prophetic biographic literature are consulted as the secondary sources. Nevertheless, the available books, journals, articles have also been studied vigorously as the secondary sources while conducting the study. At the same time a few of the notorious terror perpetrations have also been investigated personally which took place in Bangladesh. After carrying out the thorough investigation, it is found that Jihad and terrorism are indeed two archrival social phenomena. Jihad was conducted by the great Prophet (SAAS) to eradicate terrorism. The Qur’an neither suggests nor supports any kind of violence, rather terms atrocity as the worse possible act of crime. The Prophet (SAAS) also never resorted to violence although he had been the worse victim of terrorism. Therefore, jihad and terrorism can’t exist together. Now, this is the most important task of the Muslim Ummah to clarify the global misconception about Islam and terrorism. The OIC and KSA may take the lead to formulate and propagate the true picture of Jihad across the world. In this regard, the front liner Islamic scholars from various countries may sit together under the auspices of KSA and forge a shariah board to regulate the jihadi activities around the world and stop terrorism in the name of jihad or Islam.