Terrorism
Terrorism means the threat or use of force
against civilians or armed forces for the political or personal interest.
Terrorism has become one of the most dangerous forms of international crimes.
Terrorists attack the civilian population to create terror or general
harassment in society. They resort to bombing, killing, hijacking and large
scale destruction of property. A large number of innocent civilians have been
killed in these savage attacks. A wave of terror and insecurity has travelled
around the globe. People are wonder-struck and terrified at the cruel
activities of terrorists in spite of great measures of security and defense.
Terrorism is the most horrible threat of today.
The main motive of international terrorism is to weaken a country politically,
socially, economically and administratively. Though much effort is in progress
to eliminate terrorism from society but it cannot be rooted out unless some
international laws of justice are devised.
As a wise man said:
“Whenever and wherever, there is
injustice,
Terrorism cannot be eradicated.”
Narrow mindedness, fanaticism, fundamentalism,
intolerance and religious extremism are considered the main causes of terrorism
politics and religious extremists do not tolerate their opponents and try to
eliminate them. While some culprits do it for temptations of money. It is also
a fact that some intelligence agencies cause terrorism in enemy countries to
destabilize them.
Edward Cribbonsaid:
“Fanaticism
obliterates the feeling of humanity.”
Recent hijacking of American passenger airlines
and crashing them against the towers of the World Trade Centre in New York, and
pentagon in Washington is probably the worst incident of terrorism in the
worlds. Americans want to punish some individuals and countries whom they blame
for terrorist activities in various parts of the world. Usama Bin Ladin and
some specific countries are their targets.
It is said that:
“Terrorism never leads to victory.”
Islam is the most misunderstood and
misinterpreted religion in the West. A religion that stands for peace and
justice has been misrepresented as a religion of war and fanaticism. The
Muslims are depicted by the western media as extremists, fanatics, terrorists,
backward and devoid of disciplines. On religious issues, they are emotional and
intolerant. Fundamentalists believe that they are the right people and all the
rest are heretics. As Anatale France
said:
“It is better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot.”
On the other hand, there is no organized Muslim
media anywhere in the Muslim world that can refute this western disinformation
and give an accurate picture of what is really going on. The west is in fact
under the psychological pressure of the glorious past of the Muslims. Soon
after the demise of communism in the Soviet Union, Islam was perceived as the
only ideological force to overcome the whole world.
A philosopher has rightly said:
"Terrorism is nothing but the accumulation of all the
evils."
The Muslim concept of Islamic fundamentalism is
the strict adherence to the age of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H). It is an effort to
implement the Islamic principles of the golden age in the world of today for
the revival of Islam. Jihad is totally different from the acts of terrorism.
Jihad means exertion, striving and endeavor for the cause of God. Its object is
to bring an end to oppression and aggression against Islam. Its object is not
to propagate Islam by the use of sword.
The Holy Quran has emphasized Jihad for noble cause:
“It is Fight against those who
treat
Helpless men, women and children
cruelly.”
Terrorism is also different from political or
liberation movement. The Kashmir liberation movement against India, the
Palestine liberation movement against Israel and Chechen liberation movement
against Russia cannot be regarded as the terrorist movements. They are engaged
in an armed struggle to get freedom from the cruel rules. They are fighting
against aggression.
Craft Sagan said:
“If we like them, they are freedom fighters...
If we don't like them, they are terrorists.”
Terrorism is an evil. It must be fought against
at all levels. Government and nations must join hands to crush this evil and
its agents. At the same time, the United Nations must take steps and leave no
stone unturned to remove the reasons of deprivation and germs of
dissatisfaction, deprivation and injustice from various regions of the world.
As Martin Luther king said:
“Mankind
must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression
and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”
May Allah avoid
us from such horrible destructions of terrorism. (Amen)
