Islam and Terrorism
The Truth about Islam
Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, mercy, and the flourishing of the earth. It enjoins facilitation and glad tidings, and prohibits hardship, alienation, and bigotry. It is a religion founded upon security, justice, and benevolence, which safeguards rights, deters oppression, prohibits aggression and corruption, commands the fulfillment of covenants, and forbids all that harms humans, animals, or the environment, so that the universe may remain in harmony and goodness may prevail among people.
Islam does not differentiate between people based on their colors, ethnicities, or tribes; in its scale, they are equal, and no distinction is made among them except through piety. It calls for mutual affection, mercy, and solidarity, so that the elder is compassionate toward the younger, and the younger respects the elder, ensuring that society remains based on mutual respect and strong human bonds.
The concept of peace in Islam extends from the individual to society; it is founded upon love, cooperation, and avoiding conflicts that threaten people's stability. To this end, Islam calls for maintaining family ties and establishes the family upon affection and tranquility, making it a secure nucleus from which society draws its strength and cohesion. When peace prevails among individuals, the values of solidarity and mutual support are reinforced, security is achieved, and society becomes capable of contributing to the consolidation of global peace. Peace in Islam is not a transient slogan but a firm creed and a major legal objective that manifests the higher purposes of Sharia in preserving life, dignity, and rights.
Security is among the greatest blessings of God, and Islam has made it an essential objective without which life cannot be upright. From this foundation, Islam presented the world with an early humanitarian charter that prohibits terrorism in all its forms and establishes the preservation of life as an inalienable right. Any action that terrorizes the secure, any aggression that targets the innocent, and any behavior that spreads chaos lies outside the path of Islam; for this religion was founded upon mercy and established upon justice. Sharia has decisively blocked every avenue leading to terrorism: blocking it legislatively with strict rules, blocking it ethically by reviving noble values, and blocking it in its higher objectives by making the preservation of life a fundamental principle.
Islam prohibits all forms of aggression, whether individual violence, organized terrorism, or attacks on a secure society. The prohibition of assault against life stems from the fact that security is a fundamental objective of Sharia, inherently criminalizing any action that brings chaos and ruin to a stable society. Islamic Sharia, with its precise texts and firm objectives, stands as an impregnable barrier against any attempt to exploit religion to justify violence. At no stage in its history has Islam been a religion that condones injustice or permits the shedding of blood; rather, it came to protect human life and establish a society based on security, tranquility, and justice.
Based on these firm principles, accusing Islam of terrorism after the events of September 11, 2001 contradicts its true nature. Islam is not a terrorist religion, for terrorism has no religion. The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) lived his entire life calling for peace in word and deed, embodying the highest meanings of mercy and tolerance, and making peace the motto of a Muslim with himself and with others. Peace (As-Salam) is one of the beautiful names of God and the banner of the prophets; whoever takes refuge in it lives in the tranquility of this world and prepares for the Abode of Peace in the Hereafter. The Prophet (peace be upon him) called for peace, mercy, and coexistence, and established clear rules prohibiting aggression against life, property, and dignity, and mandating the restoration of rights to their rightful owners.
The true image of Islam is that of a religion that calls for global peace, universal mercy, comprehensive justice, balanced moderation, moral integrity, human equality, and social solidarity. It is a call in harmony with sound human nature, striving for human happiness in this world and the next. Herein lie the tolerance and sublimity of Islam's teachings, demonstrating that it is a religion that rejects violence and terrorism, and prohibits the killing and terrorizing of the innocent.