Blaming
Islám for Terrorism
Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway College/Univ. of London /UK. Date 28Sep2001.
“As-salámu
'alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!” [Wait
for adhán]
“A-úthu
billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir
rahmánir raheem.
Al
hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi,
wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa.
May-
Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajida lahu waliyan murshida.
Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh,
wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”
My Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Islám,
These
are difficult times for the Muslim Ummah, at home in Muslim lands, or abroad.
These are especially dangerous times for the poor people of Afghanistan, a
country exhausted by years of warfare and poverty.
Whoever
was responsible for the terror attack on the World Trade Centre and the
Pentagon, it is ultimately Islám that gets the blame, and Muslims who will
suffer the punishment. Already, there are reports of attacks on Muslims in many
countries. No doubt this situation may get much worse in the future, given the
negative associations in the media. The logic seems to be, if you’re a
practising Muslim, you are a Fundamentalist. And if you are a Fundamentalist,
then you must also be a terrorist.
Whether
Osama bin Laden or some other Muslim group was responsible for the terror
attacks, or whether it was in fact, some dark conspiracy hatched by others to
discredit or demonise Islám and the Muslims, I doubt that the truth will be
known in the immediate future. Maybe the truth will not be known until Judgement
day. Alláh alone knows the truth, and He will most certainly dispense His
justice, in His own time, in His own way.
What
we Muslims should now concern ourselves with, is that whatever we do, we must do
with the intention of pleasing our Creator. Whether we choose a course of study,
or start a career, or bring up a family or fight a war, we must always remain within
the limits set by Islám. Whatever the provocation, we must not be tempted to do
things that will incur Alláh’s anger on us. We must not behave in any way
that compromises the good name and the dignity of our faith. In the long history
of Muslims in warfare, there are many examples of noble conduct and the rules of
battle as set out in The Holy Qur'án and Sunnah of Muhammad sws. Even when
fighting in self-defence, we have to beware of committing injustice towards our
enemies.
In Sura Al-Máida, verse
8, we are told: “O
you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah as witnesses to fair dealing; and
let not your hatred of a people, lead you to act unjustly towards them. Be just:
that is next to Piety: and fear Allah for Allah is well acquainted with all that
you do.”
It
is no use trying to speculate who was responsible for this terrible loss of
innocent lives. We will hear all kinds of rumours and all kinds of accusations.
There are even theories going around, that Palestinian groups may
have been infiltrated at some high level by Mossad, the Israeli secret service,
and their agents could have masterminded the attack. How could such theories be
proven or disproved? Now that the USA and its allies are already on a war
footing, will the evidence they claim to have, ever be made public? Will the
world ever know who was the real culprit? The key question is, who benefits? Who
gains most from this appalling act of terror? Certainly not Islam, certainly not
the Muslims. We have in fact the most to lose. So, who, then is the mastermind
behind it all? Alláh alone knows best. We do know
that there are those who seek to defame the good name of Islám with acts of
terror. There are very powerful interest groups who want to destroy any cohesion
and unity amongst Muslims, and who want this so called “war against
terrorists” to become a war against Islám and Muslims everywhere … as if
the terms Islám, Muslim, Fundamentalist and Terrorist are interconnected and
inseparable.
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, we must not lose heart and become unduly depressed. We
must remember, that everything that happens in life, can only happen with the
permission of Alláh. Like good Muslims, indeed, like ordinary human beings, we
extend our condolences and our sympathy to those families who lost loved ones in
the USA. There were people from many nations,
including Muslims, who perished in those twin towers. To them and to their
grieving families, we say,
"Inna lillaahi wa inna
ilayhir raaji oon
"From
Alláh have we come, and to him is our return.
As
for the future, we know that not a leaf falls from a tree, but it is known to
Alláh swt. We must bring ourselves ever closer to him in everything we do, so
that we
can earn His good pleasure, and deserve His protection and mercy. To be a practising Muslim in Britain,
Europe and North America these days, life will become especially challenging.
But seeking the help of our Creator, we will, insh-Alláh, rise to that
challenge. We will be tested in our imaan and our Taqwa' as never
before. As we are promised in Súra Al Baqara v.214:
“Or, did
you think that you will enter Paradise without such trials that came to those
who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were
so shaken in spirit that even the Apostle and those of faith who were with him
cried: “when will come the help of Alláh?”
“Alaa
inna nasrallaahi qareeb”
“Truly,
the help of Alláh is ever near.”
My
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind, that
at some point in the future [and it may not be in our lifetime] this war against
Islám will be over, and it is truth, not falsehood that will triumph. We, or
our children or our grandchildren, will once again see the meaning of that
beautiful verse:
“Wa qul jaa-alhaqqu wa zahqal baatil. Innal baatila
kaana zahooqaa.”
“And
say: Truth has come, and Falsehood has perished, for falsehood by its very
nature, is bound to perish.”
“Alhamdu
lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen.
Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-yee, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een.
Ammaa
ba’ad:
Innalláha
wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi
wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama
salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, wa alaa
áli Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen,
innaka hameedun majeed.”
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,
What
can we do, in our individual
capacity, to help ourselves out of this difficult and sometimes dangerous
situation?
Firstly,
we must renew our commitment to Alláh, and through our salaah, du’ah and
thikr, plead with Him to help us, and to help all Muslims in this hour of need.
Secondly,
we must help our fellow Muslims elsewhere, who are desperately short of food,
clothing, medicines and basic healthcare. It is our duty to help them in their
hour of need. There are several organisations like Human Relief International,
Muslim Aid and Islamic Relief that will put our money to good use.
Finally,
we must do everything in our power, to counter the negative propaganda about Islám
and Muslims. The best way to do this is to show in our speech and in our
behaviour, the excellent qualities that are prescribed in our Qur'án and
Sunnah. We must at all times, and especially in times hardship and distress, we
must be models of dignity and excellence of character, that will inspire others
and win over their hearts and minds.
Alláh
has described His ideal people in The Holy Qur'án: Súra Al ‘Imraan, v104:
“Waltakum minkum ummatuy yad'u_na ilal
khairi wa ya'muru_na bil ma'ru_fi wa yanhauna 'anil munkar(i), wa ula_'ika humul
muflihu_n
“Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that
is good; enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones
to attain success.”
Our
job is simply to persevere in patience and constancy, in speaking the truth and
living the excellent example, which is our duty and destiny.
Dear
brothers and sisters, let us pray to Alláh:
“Rabbanaa laa tuakhiznaa inna sie’ naa au akta'naa . Rabbanaa walaa tahmil alaynaa isran kamaa
khamaltahu ‘alal latheenal min qabalinaa. Rabbanaa walaa tuhammil naa maa laa
taw qatalanaa bih. Wa’ fuan naa wagh-firlanaa war-hamnaa. Anta mawlaanaa
fansoornaa alal qawmil kaafireen.”
"O Allah,
condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden
like that which you laid on those before us; Our Lord! lay not on us a burden
greater than we have strength to bear. Blot
out our sins and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You
are our Protector; help us against those who stand against faith."