By: DR. SHAKEEL SAMDANI
Terrorism and Muslims have become synonymous. Be it fact or fiction, that may be a completely different matter, yet the media is certainly projecting such a scenario. Whenever and wherever any terrorist activity takes place in the world, from the very first moment, media pronounces judgement that it is the handiwork of Muslims. Electronic media takes lead, print media follow suit, politicians also take cue and within a short span of time, the whole world believes that Muslims or some Muslim organisations are responsible for that act of horror. People, who have not executed such a crime, find themselves in trouble and the life and honour of their near and dear ones come to a standstill. In this article, let’s try to find out realities behind such a sorry state of affairs, initiators of terrorism and why terrorism is on an increase.
Before going into detail, we must understand that since Europe has registered tremendous developments riding on the high wave of industrialisation, it along with the United States has tried every conceivable means to rule over the globe. It has succeeded in enslaving large parts of the world. It has enslaved whole Africa, Asia and Latin America, and heaped upon the masses worst ever tyrannies in human history. It forcibly made slaves and transported them to other countries like animals. When Europe gained more power militarily as well as economically, it targeted Khilafah and after the World War I succeeded in bringing to an end the Ottoman Caliphate in Turkey.
After World War I, Britain and France jointly embarked upon an unholy mission of occupying Arab nations. They occupied it some States directly and enthroned their puppets in some other States. After World War II, great injustice was done to the Muslims. On Arab lands, these force settled Jews migrating from the whole world. Palestinians were ousted from their lands and recently migrated Jews occupied those lands by force. It was thus that Israel came into existence on the Palestinian land. Thousands of Palestinians were forced to take shelter in other countries as refugees and still they continue to be refugees.
The 21st century began with a major terrorist attack. On September 11, 2001, the World Trade Centre of America witnessed an attack in which life and property on a large scale was destroyed and along with America’s false pride to be a world leader also went down. In the subsequent developments, American forces attacked Afghanistan by taking excuse of Taliban, the attacker. The land of Afghanistan turned red with the blood of innocent Muslims. America went a step further and declared several organisations terrorist and banned them. American expansionism did not stop and with the help of Britain, it crushed the sovereign government of Saddam Hussein and occupied Iraq. An atmosphere of fear and destruction engulfed Iraq and lakhs of Iraqis were either killed or detained. Saddam Hussein and his companions were sent to gallows with the active help of local collaborators and in reward they were enthroned as rulers in Iraq. After that America and its allies directed their ire towards Somalia and Sudan. There, they categorised Islamic people as terrorists and after crushing them handed over the governance to their puppets. There are examples galore but I shall try to analyse terrorism only on stated historical facts.
As I have already stated that America and Europe tried their best to rule over the globe by misusing their economic and military superiority and terrorising people. By displacing Palestinians from the lands, they established a new nation, Israel by force. Blame of attack on World Trade Centre was thrown upon Taliban and Al-Qaida and by taking excuse behind these lies, they overthrew the government of Mulla Umar in Afghanistan. Americans claimed that Osama Bin Laden was behind these attacks. When Taliban asked for proof, Americans declared that they are not bound to give proof. When Taliban suggested that the case of Osama bin Laden may be initiated in a Shari’ah Court of any Islamic country, Americans rejected this offer also. Their aim was to overthrow the rule of Taliban and they did the same. They however could not give any proof of the involvement of Osama. The same modus-operandi was applied in Iraq. In the name of destructive lethal chemical weapons, America attacked Iraq, executed Saddam Hussein, and installed its own puppet government but failed to detect any such weapon. Now Iran is on target. It is propagated that Iran possesses nuclear weapons and preparations are on to attack it at any time. At the same time, American policymakers are conveniently sidelining Israeli nuclear arsenal. This is the biggest example of double standards and duplicity.
There is not a single definition of the terrorism which is accepted universally. Whenever, such a definition is evolved, it is opposed by one nation or the other because in its ambit that nation itself falls. It means, if a honest definition of terrorism is ever allowed to evolve, all the powerful nations like America, Britain, France, Russia, China, Italy, Israel and Germany will be categorised as culprits of terrorism. If we analyse the state of violation of human rights, then it is proved beyond any doubt that biggest violators of human rights are America, Israel, Britain and Russia. Consider the case of Chechnya where Russia has slaughtered more than three lakh people during the last 15 years.
If we take up the question ‘why largely Muslims are found involved in terrorist activities’ then we must consider the fact that the countries where Europe and America have either initiated occupation or tried to do so, have 90 per cent Muslim concentration. Naturally masses of these countries are struggling to regain their birth-land and get it free from foreign occupation. According to popular worldly perception it is "freedom struggle" and in the dictionary of America and its allies it is being called "terrorism". If this struggle is in Indonesia or Tibet, then it is fight for independence but the same conflict in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine or Chechnya is terrorism. The whole world has accepted this duplicity and Muslims are not responsible for such an unjust definition.
If analysed from another angle then we must acknowledge the fact that if an individual has committed a terrorist act, it is not proper to make the whole community responsible for that. If a Muslim has committed such a crime then dubbing Islam or the whole Muslim community responsible for that is ethically wrong. And, moreover, if that is the trend, then for torturing Jesus Christ, all Jews should be called terrorists. In the same manner, for Hitler’s atrocities and terrorism all Christians, for assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi all Sikhs, for assassination of Rajiv Gandhi all Tamils, and for killing of Mahatma Gandhi all Hindus should also be called terrorists. If on these factual grounds, it is not appropriate to term Hindu terrorism, Sikh terrorism, Jewish terrorism, Christian terrorism and Tamil terrorism then why use the term Islamic or Muslim terrorism?
They have floated the idea: ‘all Muslims are not terrorist but all terrorists are Muslim." In fact when terrorism of other people and communities are treated as simple law and order problem, and simple law and order problem emanating from Muslims is treated as terrorism then certainly such an unhealthy trend will emerge. If we see, impartially, wherever is terrorism in the world, it is due to all those nations that are pursuing imperialistic designs. Palestine was occupied by Jews and Christians, in Afghanistan first communists and then Jews and Christians, in Iraq also Jews and Christians are the culprit of occupation with the help of America and Britain and in Chechnya it is Russia which is the invader. In this way, it can be said that it is America, Britain, Russia and Europe that are responsible for terrorism. Muslims are trying to liberate their countries. They have no military power. They have only firm belief in Allah and they are trying to save their life, honour and faith. If the so-called civilized societies and nations treat these freedom fighters as terrorists, then it makes no difference to them because they perfectly know that Ghulami mein na kaam aati hain shamsheeren, no tadbiren, / Jo ho zouqe yaqeen paida to kat jaati hain zanjeerein, (Neither sword nor strategy work in servitude but love for faith can break the chain of slavery).
How I wish at least peace and justice loving persons take the problem of terrorism in right perspective and establish rule of justice and equality in the world.
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