Murder most foul.

Recently we have been bombarded with increasingly murderous acts of modern militancy throughout the Islamic world. The latest and one of the most savage, involved the bombing and shooting of many innocent mosque attendees on their day of congregation. The notion of violating the sanctity of a religious place, in modern times, can be seen as dating back to the attack on the Holy mosque in Makkah in 1979. This attack was led by Jeheman al-Etaibi and Mohamed al-Qahtani, the latter claiming to be the awaited Mahdi (the guided leader). Hundreds of innocent people were murdered in this act of callous and premeditated violence. Jeheman was one who perhaps introduced the idea of armed religious insurgency, in this century, to unseat a ruler and to replace him with one claimed to be the righteous and guided one. From this moment the seed for existing extreme political ideology in Islam was sown.

In the ensuing years, after massacre in Makkah, we have seen the rise of al-Qaedah and ISIS(Daesh) which carry the banners of religious confrontation and rejection of all else in the name of pure Islam. Armed confrontations, such as these, continue to damage the beautiful name of Islam. As a result many opportunists and ignorant people out there took, and continue to take, the opportunity to call all Muslims terrorists and the sublime Quran as a manual for terrorism.

The attack that has just happened in Sinai in the mosque on a Friday, killing over 300 mosque goers, was a brutal, inhumane and unjustifiable act, whatever the motives behind it. For true Muslims it is unbelievable that an armed group of fellow Muslims should enter a Mosque and indiscriminately open fire on the congregation. How has this brutal concept crept into Islam? And who are the people who preach this concept of extreme ideology?

Looking back over the last few years at similar confrontations that happened in Pakistan, we see that, perhaps for the first time in  Muslim history, suicide bombers enter a mosque on a Friday, the Day of weekly congregation, blowing themselves and others to pieces.

Islam, the religion, gains nothing by such acts of brutality and murder. Only political activists, those who are angry and resentful, bereft of intelligence and clear thinking and regardless of the fact that their acts are damaging Islam, think they can benefit. They are wrong! These acts are a straightforward violation of Islamic teachings and against the purpose of Islamic revelation written in the Quran. 

Violence has taken over in the Muslim world and has invaded the conflict resolution process in many areas of our daily life. Most dangerous of all are the extreme thoughts and intolerance expressed by many who regard themselves as Muslims. Justification of violence and the use of brute force in solving any problem is un-Islamic. Islam endorses education and the first word of the revelation of the Holy Quran was ‘Iqra’ – Read.

Education and the development of human thinking is a prime goal of Islamic teachings. True Islam is decent and kind and promotes human decency to be kind and compassionate even to our enemies.

We are taught to take pride in the fact that Islam was the first religion that banned any suppression or compulsion in religion. People must not be forced, against their will, to accept any religion or interpretation of their religion.   

In a hadith the Prophet Muhammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, said: ‘I am the leader of a house in the outer Paradise for those who relinquish any confrontation even though he might have been right. And I am the leader of a house in the middle of the Paradise for those who relinquish lies, even in their jokes. And I am the leader of a house in the upper Paradise for those who have the best manner’. Narrated by Abu Daud

We now appear to be hovering on the brink of total destruction with no thought for what this may bring down upon us. This twisted mentality is becoming all pervading and one wonders where it is going to lead us. The Quran describes such people in these words. ‘There are the types of men whose speech about this world’s life may dazzle you and he calls Allah to witness about what is in his heart. Yet it is he the most contentious of enemies. When he turns his back, his aims everywhere are to spread mischief through the earth and destroy crops and progeny. But Allah loves not mischief. When it is said to him: Fear Allah’, he is led by arrogance to more crime.  Enough for him is Hell, an evil bed indeed (to lie on). S2 V204-206

Islamic teachings, which should be a pacifying force for the believers in terms of violence, seem to have an opposite impact on many who may be only loosely connected with Islam. No person who fears Allah and follows the path of real Islam can commit brutality or such murderous acts, as he knows he would be accountable for every act by Allah.

We hear the divine words, the words of Allah, the beautiful prophetic guidance that encourages us to be Muslims of high calibre and manner, but they seem to have no impact on us whatsoever. The guiding revelations of Allah have been, in many people’s minds, reduced to political goals or personal ambitions. We no longer use them to benefit humanity and serve the cause of Allah or in the ways of Allah. The beautiful recitations of the Quran, by eminent reciters, seem to have become musical entertainment, with their words inciting no inspirations, but to be enjoyed only as a pastime.  

These continual violent upheavals in Islam, particularly those taking place in the Muslim countries in violation of the religious character of its teachings, provoke great sorrow in many of us. We also feel low, violated and helpless. Our Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, says: ‘Islam is superior and nothing can supersede it.’ This is not a falsely boastful claim against other religious systems. It indicates the character and the Islamic manner with which we deal in all our affairs. Islam is all about good manners and best character. If this is deleted from people’s life then it is Islam itself which will disappear from our lives and not just the impact of Islamic teachings.

Islamic disciplines of belief and commitment are disappearing fast from within the lives of Muslims. We need to love Allah and commit to the leadership of our Prophet, Muhammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, and restore ourselves back to the guidance of the Holy Quran and Prophetic Sunnah. That is the purity we need and only that will result in our salvation.