IT IS SOMETIMES alleged that Muslims should investigate their own faith and if they do so, they will discover that it is violent. In order to support this argument, Islamophobes point to the extremists who appear to be zealously supporting and acting in the name of their faith. It is then suggested that the vast majority of Muslims who do not turn to extremism and violence are simply unaware of their own teachings. But, is this fair? Is it reasonable to suggest that young people who suddenly become radicalized without proper investigation and study are true representatives of a faith?
Is it also sensible to argue that some people who convert to Islam and soon turn to extremism are legitimately following their faith? If so, is it correct to further suggest that people like the Khalīfa of Islam, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa who have spent a lifetime learning about and teaching their faith are simply unaware of the very core teachings of Islam? Such blanket statements are of course expected from people who wish to spread Islamophobia and misinformation about Islam. The extremists on the other hand tend to misuse such impressions, which are held by Islamophobes, in order to bring legitimacy to their own causes. Regardless, the fact of the matter is that Islam – or any religion for that matter – cannot be understood by following this methodology. It is pure fallacy to say that radicalized youths suddenly discovered the true teachings of their faith, and in fact this is an insult of those professors and scholars who spend decades studying the origins and teachings of Islam and vehemently oppose violence in the name of Islam.
At the end of 2015, a short video was made by Dutch video bloggers showing how Christians could not tell even when quotations from the Bible were read to them.94 The video involved wrapping a Bible in the cover of a Quran and approaching Christians and others, asking them if they knew such violence and misogyny was in the Holy Quran. They appeared shocked at what they thought was the Holy Quran, but when it was revealed that such teachings were actually Biblical in origin, Christians and others just laughed away the ignorance of their own Scripture. Now, such Christians are unaware of their own scripture and are peaceful at the same time. Does that mean that Christianity is violent in its roots? Of course not!
Comparatively, a gun-maker in Florida designed an assault rifle with a cross and the Biblical verse, “Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle”, etched on each side.95 This is an example of a radical Christian who is using scripture to justify his violence. In this case again, it would be wrong for us to conclude that Christianity is a violent religion based on the action of a radical who is quoting from the Bible. It is him, not the vast majority of peaceful Christians, who is unaware of Christian theology.
The same is the case of “Muslim” extremists and fundamentalists who are simply unaware of or unwilling to follow the numerous peaceful teachings of the Holy Quran. In most cases, if they even so much as read the Holy Quran thoughtfully and carefully, they will see nothing but condemnation of their actions. For instance, the taking of innocent lives is severely condemned in the Holy Quran (5:33). Similarly, taking of one’s own life in a so-called “suicide bombing” is also severely condemned in the Holy Quran:
..kill not yourselves96
…and cast not yourselves into ruin with your own hands, and do good; surely, Allah loves those who do good.97
Suicide is also completely forbidden and condemned in various statements of Prophet Muhammadsa:
Prophet Muhammad sa said, “He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hell Fire and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell Fire”.98
We witnessed (the battle of) Khaibar. Allah’s Messengersa said about one of those who were with him and who claimed to be a Muslim, “This (man) is from the dwellers of the Hell Fire.” When the battle started, that fellow fought so valiantly and bravely that he received plenty of wounds. Some of the people were about to doubt (Prophet Muhammad’ssa statement), but the man, feeling the pain of his wounds, put his hand into his quiver and took out of it some arrows with which he killed himself (i.e. committed suicide). Then some men amongst the Muslims came hurriedly and said, “O Allah’s Apostlesa! Allah has made your statement true; so-and-so has committed suicide”. Prophet Muhammadsa said, “O so-and-so! Get up and make an announcement that none but a believer will enter Paradise and that Allah may support the religion with an unchaste (evil) wicked man.99
If the extremists had read these few verses and Aḥādīth, they would have understood that there is no such thing in Islam as suicide during warfare, justified or not.
An article by the Pew Research Centre stated, “Recent surveys show that most people in several countries with significant Muslim populations have an unfavorable view of ISIS, including virtually all respondents in Lebanon and 94% in Jordan”.100
These surveys show that even if all Muslims may not be well-versed in their faith, they do know that ISIS or Daesh has nothing to do with the religion of Islam and that its actions are against the teachings of Islam.
Therefore, it is possible that people belonging to a certain faith may not be completely aware of all its teachings. Our contention is that once a person learns about the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammadsa, he becomes a servant of humanity in accordance with this instruction contained in the Holy Quran:
You are the best people raised for the good of mankind; you enjoin what is good and forbid evil and believe in Allah.101