Part of Concepts of Ahl as-Sunnah (series completed)
· Lesson 1138 of 1251
Summary of Sunni concepts | Concept (1136) | Terror and terrorism in the balance of Islam
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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A summary of the concepts of the Ahl al-Sunnah.
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Awe and terrorism in the balance of Islam.
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While global nations and organizations have failed to agree on a specific definition of the term "terrorism" and the means to combat it,
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we find that "awe" (rahbah) and "terrorism" (irhab) have specific meanings in Islam.
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The root r-h-b in the language refers to fear, alarm, and disturbance,
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or fear accompanied by caution and agitation.
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The root r-h-b appears in the Qur'an in three primary usages.
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First:
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Awe of Allah.
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As in His saying:
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"And fulfill My covenant, I will fulfill your covenant, and fear Me alone."
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This is the most common usage of this root in the Noble Qur'an,
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appearing in twelve places.
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Also falling under this meaning is the word "monks" (ruhban) and "monasticism" (rahbaniyyah) among the Christians,
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which refers to the application of awe in the worship of Allah the Almighty.
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Among these is the saying of Allah the Almighty:
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"And monasticism, which they invented; We did not prescribe it for them except seeking the pleasure of Allah."
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“Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:27)
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The monks are the clergy among the Christians.
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Allah the Almighty said:
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“They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One Allah. There is no Allah save Him. Be He Glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!” (9:31)
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Second:
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Awe in the sense of natural, innate fear,
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such as that which all humans fear.
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As Allah the Almighty said to Moses, peace be upon him:
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"And draw your hand close to your side to be free from the fear."
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He, glory be to Him, commanded him to press his hand to his chest
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to dispel the fear that had come upon him
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when he saw the staff turn into a serpent.
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Third:
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Awe and intimidation from one person toward another,
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or from one group toward another.
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As in His saying:
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“He said: Throw! And when they threw they cast a spell upon the people's eyes, and overawed them, and produced a mighty spell.” (7:116)
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“He said: Throw! And when they threw they cast a spell upon the people's eyes, and overawed them, and produced a mighty spell.” (7:116)
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And as in the awe the hypocrites feel toward the believers.
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“Ye are more awful as a fear in their bosoms than Allah. That is because they are a folk who understand not.” (59:13)
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“Ye are more awful as a fear in their bosoms than Allah. That is because they are a folk who understand not.” (59:13)
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Terrorism in this latter sense
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includes what is praiseworthy in the balance of the Shari'ah,
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and what is blameworthy.
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The praiseworthy is as in the saying of Allah the Almighty:
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“Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others beside them whom ye know not. Allah knoweth them. Whatsoever ye spend in the way of Allah it will be repaid to you in full, and ye will not be wronged.” (8:60)
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“Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others beside them whom ye know not. Allah knoweth them. Whatsoever ye spend in the way of Allah it will be repaid to you in full, and ye will not be wronged.” (8:60)
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“Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others beside them whom ye know not. Allah knoweth them. Whatsoever ye spend in the way of Allah it will be repaid to you in full, and ye will not be wronged.” (8:60)
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Allah knows them.
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Preparing strength in all its forms,
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and military strength in particular,
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is an obligation upon the Muslims according to their capacity,
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"as much as you are able."
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This is to strike fear into the enemies of Allah
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and to prevent them from anything that harms the call of Islam and its people.
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This strength and this "terrorism" (intimidation)
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lead to:
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First:
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Preventing the disbelievers from attacking the Abode of Islam,
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which is protected by that strength.
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Second:
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Ensuring the safety of those who wish to enter Islam
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from being attacked by disbelievers or hypocrites.
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Third:
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That the awe and intimidation reach the enemies
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so that they do not stand in the way of the Islamic expansion
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as it sets out to make people worship the Lord of the Worlds
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and liberate them from the yoke of oppressive tyrants.
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Fourth:
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That this strength breaks every power on earth
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that assumes for itself the attribute of divinity,
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rules people by its man-made laws,
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and does not acknowledge the oneness of Allah the Almighty
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in divinity and sovereignty.
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Thereby, the word of Allah becomes the highest,
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and the religion becomes entirely for Allah, as He, glory be to Him, willed.
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And His saying:
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“Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others beside them whom ye know not. Allah knoweth them. Whatsoever ye spend in the way of Allah it will be repaid to you in full, and ye will not be wronged.” (8:60)
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Al-Biqa'i said regarding it:
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It refers to the hypocrites.
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Meaning that when the hypocrites see the strength of Islam and its people,
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and their severity against the enemies of Allah,
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they conceal themselves and refrain from attacking Islam and the Muslims.
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As for the terrorism that Islam condemns,
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it is the terrorism and harm directed at Muslims,
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transgressing against them in their religion, their blood,
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their wealth, or their honor.
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Likewise, the terrorism that harms the dhimmis (protected non-Muslims) or those with a treaty,
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or non-combatant disbelievers,
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such as children and women.
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Terrorizing all of these and frightening them
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is an injustice that Islam forbids,
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and it is a form of oppression and aggression
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for which Islam prescribes punishment in this world and the Hereafter.
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This is so.
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Some fiqh academies have defined
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blameworthy terrorism by saying:
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Terrorism is the aggression practiced by
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individuals, groups, or states
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as a transgression against a human being
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in their religion, blood,
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wealth, intellect, or honor.
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It includes all forms of intimidation, harm,
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threats, and unjust killing,
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and what relates to forms of banditry, terrorizing the path, and highway robbery.
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The evidences for prohibiting this blameworthy terrorism are many and well-known.
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Among them is the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
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"Indeed, Allah will punish those who punish people in this world."
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Narrated by Muslim.
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And regarding non-combatant disbelievers specifically, it was narrated:
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The saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him:
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"Fight those who disbelieve in Allah.
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Go forth, do not act treacherously, do not exceed the limits, do not betray,
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do not mutilate, and do not kill a newborn."
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Narrated by Muslim.
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And the saying of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him:
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"You will find people who claim they have confined themselves for Allah,
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so leave them to what they have confined themselves for.
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Do not kill a woman, a child, or an elderly person."
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Narrated by al-Bayhaqi.
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With this Islamic perspective on terrorism—the praiseworthy and the blameworthy—
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it becomes clear that Muslims adhere to purity and the preservation of rights during jihad,
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and that they are as far as can be from the blameworthy terrorism
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in which the tyrants of the earth, from among disbelievers and hypocrites, are mired.
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A summary of the concepts of the Ahl al-Sunnah.