Monday, 13 April 2015

ISLAM, MUSLIMS, TERORISM, JIHAD, MEDIA AND THE WORLD

http://www.afternoonvoice.com/islam-is-the-religion-of-peace-part-i.html http://www.afternoonvoice.com/media-biased-towards-islam.html


Everything and every phenomenon in the world other than man is administered totally by God made laws, i.e. they are obedient to God and submissive to his laws, they are in the State of Islam. Meaning of Islam is commitment to live in peace through submission to the will of Allah and Muslim is a person who makes an obligation to live in peace through servitude to Allah. Islam never supports for terrorism and converting people to Islam by force or oppression is never termed as Jihad as per Islamic teaching but a serious crime. Killing a soul is equal to killing the whole mankind and Islam never backs for such incidents and behavior and those who are killing innocent people for the sake of Islam and on the name of Islam is not representing the Islam. Islam is the religion of peace and who indulge in any set of violence is not Muslim as per Islamic law and teaching. World media is propagating Muslims and terrorism as synonymous but it’s not true. Media is representing the false image of Muslims to the world.

Islam and Muslims 

“Certainly, the only acceptable way which Allah will accept is Islam.” [Holy Qur’an 3:19]

Islam is derived from the Arabic root “S­­­­_l_m_ i.e. Salema” meaning peace, purity, submission and obedience to Allah. The word Muslim is an adjective derived from the noun Islam. The most fundamental concept of Islam is the oneness of God means ‘Tawheed’. To the believer there is all sign (aayat) of Allah. Islam asks total submission and there can be no option in the matter because submission requires conscious and fully effort to submit to the Allah and obedience to His law. 

“It is not fitting for the believing man or the believing woman that whenever Allah and His Messenger have decided any matter, that they should have any other option.” [Holy Qur’an 33:36]

Islam teaches the oneness of God and brotherhood of all races and remains tolerant and respectful of all other religion and believes. Whatever Allah and His Messenger have set the way of Islam is incumbent on the believer (man or woman) to follow completely.  
 
“…and obey Allah and His Messenger” [Holy Qur’an 3:132]

“He who obeys the Messengers has indeed obeys Allah.” [Holy Qur’an 4:80]

Terrorism and Jihad 
           
Terrorism is bigger sin than murder. Qur’an strictly forbids murder. 

“…and do not kill a soul that Allah has made sacred, save lawfully.” [Holy Qur’an 6:151]

Here, the meaning of ‘save lawfully’ is murder is not allowed in Islam but death penalty imposed by the government for any crime is permitted and without any authentic reason killing anyone is equal to killing the whole mankind.

“…who so kills a soul, unless it be for murder or for wreaking corruption in the land, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind; and who saves a life, it hall be as if he had given life to all mankind. ” [Holy Qur’an 5:53]

If the motive of terrorism is religious like ISIS, Taliban etc. are trying to propagate, it is impermissible in Islam and no verse of Qur’an supports it. According to Qur’an there is no compulsion in religion.

There is no compulsion in religion…” [Holy Qur’an 2:256]

“You have your religion and I have mine.” [Holy Qur’an 109:6]

People can adopt any religion and it’s up to their will and choice. But once if you surrender yourself to Allah follow the path of His Messenger and be on Imaan till die. The killing of innocent non-combatants is banned in Islam. Abu Bakar-al-Siddiq, the first Caliph of Islam instructs his army that ‘Do not kill women, children, the old or the sick; do not cut down fruit bearing trees; do not destroy any town.’ 
 
Jihad is actually a Christian term meaning ‘justifiable war’. According to Islamic teaching Jihad means ‘struggle’ and ‘strive’ against evil thoughts and aggression against person, family, society or country. If a so called Muslim involves in any terror activity, media used the term ‘Islamic Terrorism’ for such incident but there is no such phrase or term in Qur’an or any religious book of Muslims by which such an inhuman act is justified. Media and other people use misunderstood Jihad as ‘Holy War’ but in Islam there is no such evidence. Actually this terminology was originated in Europe during Crusades and their war against Muslims. Islam respects all humans and faiths as long as there is no religious oppression, forbidding Muslims from serving Allah. 

Jihad is usually associated Islam and Muslims, but in fact, the concept of Jihad is found in almost all religion including Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and political/economical ideologies such as Capitalism, Socialism and Communism etc. Islam is the religion of peace and harmony and didn’t support violence or terror in any form. Islam welcomes the enemy with open heart for the sake of peace and brotherhood. 
 
But if the enemies incline towards peace, do you also incline towards peace and trust in Allah. He hears and knows all things. ” [Holy Qur’an 8:61]

The word ‘peace’ is mentioned 58 times in Qur’an and it is one of the attributes which Allah has named Himself in Qur’an. 
 
He is Allah beside whom there is none worthy of worship, The King, The Holy, The Peace, The Watcher, The Almighty, The Compeller, The Supreme. Glory be to Allah, He is above all that they try to associate with Him as partners.” [Holy Qur’an 59:23]

Islam is essentially and basically concerned with establishing societies in which the rights of freedom of belief, human right and protection of life, dignity and property are secure from internal and external threats.

Media and the World  

Western and biased media is propagated Islam as ‘militant religion’ and people take it further as ‘religion of blood, fire, sword and terrorism.’ In the Nazis’ Holocaust against Jews which was done by Hitler and more than 60,000,000 Catholic Christian died is termed as an example of terrorism. Operation ‘Agent Orange’ which was done by US Vietnam is not terror incident but 9/11 and Peshawar Military attack was highlighted by act of terrorism by biased media. 

After 9/11 attacks international media tend to negative depict of Islam by associating it terrorism mainly the media houses of UK and US equated terrorism as Islam. By doing so they want to justify the war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Palestine etc. TV news and newspaper are the most important source of public knowledge of world events and people believes on which print and electronic media feeds in their mind. According to Mc Quail (1995), in certain conditions, media can help the government dealing with terror issues by giving a negative label or name to terrorist groups and generating some panic situations to terrorists through the information spread. Lowenthal (1989) claims that without the collaboration of the media, terrorism would be impotent. 

Terrorism is an indirect psychological strategy which avoids direct contact with opponents. So, without media coverage terrorism disappears. After 9/11 the terms "Muslim" and "Terrorist" became synonymous in many western countries. Since this event, many experts and activists in the field of human rights have warned of the escalation of Islam phobia and racism against Muslims in many western countries. 

In India, media is following the same trend as western media. Any accident in which ‘Muslimfundamentalists’ are associated are termed as terror attack but in which ‘Hindu fundamentalists’ are associated is not termed as terror attack. Indian print and electronic media is totally biased in the name of Muslim and propagate false things. Media give negative effect on handling terrorism even though a government does some filtrations in selecting information for neutralization purpose.
 
There is no changing to the creation of Allah. That is the right religion, but most men know not.” [Holy Qur’an 30:30]

References
  1. Lowenthal, G. (1989) The Role of the Media in the Struggles Against Terrorism. In Nentanyahu, B.(ed.) International Terrorism: Challenge and Response. California: Transactions Publishers.
  2. Mc Quail, D. (1995) Media Performance: Mass Communication and the Public Interest. London: Sage.
  3. The Holy Qur’an
4. Yusof, S. A. (2013) The Framing of International Media on Islam and Terrorism. European Science Journal. Vol.9, No,-08

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