Any terrorist action, no matter who does it and for what purpose, is the greatest threat to democracy, peace and humanity. For this reason, no one and certainly Islam and other religions don’t allow any terrorist action. Terrorism has no place in one’s quest to achieve freedom or salvation. It costs the lives of many innocent people.
The world must be assured that, although there might always be some who use any religion just for their interests, Islam does not support terrorism in any form. Terrorism cannot be used to achieve any Islamic or personal goal, in fact no terrorist can be a true Muslim, and no true Muslim can be a terrorist. Islam orders only peace and the Holy Quran demands from each true Muslim that he or she should be a symbol of peace and support the maintenance of essential human rights. If a boat is carrying ten criminals and one innocent person, Islam does not allow the ship to be sunk just to punish the criminals, for doing so would violate the rights of innocent person.
Islam respects all rights of individual person and states clearly that none of them can be violated or changed, even if doing so would be in the community’s favor. The Quran says that one who takes a life of innocent person has, in effect, taken the lives of humanity, and that one who saves a life has, in effect, saved the lives of humanity. Also Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says that a Muslim is one who does no harm with either her or his hand or tongue.
The term ‘Muslim terrorist’ is used to consider Islam as a terrorist and dangerous religion. This is completely wrong, some people and terrorist groups are trying to damage the image of Islamic religion by teaching wrong concepts. It should be noted that the violent actions of a small group or an individual do not necessarily represent the values of any religion, nor is that religion responsible for such brutal actions. Therefore, the media’s labeling of those who are responsible for these actions as ‘Muslim Terrorist’ and relating such actions to Islam or the Holy Quran, is totally incorrect. Muslims are even supposed to be kind to animals and are prohibited to hurt them. Once the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“A woman was punished because she imprisoned a cat until it died. On account of this, she was doomed to Hell. While she imprisoned it, she did not give the cat food or drink, nor did she free it to eat the insects of the earth.” (Saheeh Muslim, Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
Islam never supports criminal activities like High jacking planes, bombing building, kidnapping and killing innocent people. Some people are arguing that if the terrorist have the knowledge to fly a plane; it means they have a good level of intelligence, then why they don't understand the concept of Islam or other religion. The main reason behind is they are not thinking in the right direction, they are capable of thinking and learning, but they are not using there intelligence in right direction. Other reason is wrong concepts, they are taught by big terrorists’ gangs that these acts are not violent, but you are doing these acts to save your religion and you will be rewarded after death, in the form of heaven. It is like I have the ability of making computer programs, but I am not using my abilities in right direction, instead I am involved in hacking.
In reality, Islam not only condemns terrorist actions and suicide bombing missions, but also prohibits them completely. Religion Islam commands love, peace and mercy. Terror, on the other hand, is the opposite of religion; it is unkind, merciless and demands killing and misery. Islam is a religion which provides freedom of ideas, thought and life. It has issued commands to avoid and prohibit tension, disputes and even negative thinking among people. In the same way that it is determinedly opposed to terrorism acts, terrorist and all acts of violence. Islam allows war only for defensive purposes. Muslims are strictly warned against the use of unnecessary provocation and violence.
Islam is a religion of mercy, peace, and forgiveness, and the majority of Muslims have nothing to do with the brutal events. If any Muslim is committing any act of terrorism or violence, this person would be guilty of breaching the laws of Islamic religion.
The Jews in Israel and in other places are both the perpetrators and victims and of terrorism. I can understand where Jews are not happy over violent acts committed against them. But I have also looked and I know what is going on in the middle east and in Palestine, it's pretty clear to me that there is an attitude of organized ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians and other Muslims and this is not only wrong but it also makes me ashamed. Jews and Catholics are also prohibited from any terrorist acts, they are not allowed to kill anyone or hurt anyone. People who are committing these acts and pretend to be Muslims, Jews or Catholics, are just terrorists, they don’t belong to any religion. Their aim is to destroy the image of all religions and to hide the actual beliefs and values of religion.
Religion and terrorism are incompatible, if a Muslim is fighting with a Hindu or a Hindu is fighting with a Sikh, they are fighting for their own reasons, religion is not involved at all, they lack complete information about their religion and they just think we right and all other religions are wrong. Sometimes religion is not the only reason for fighting or violence, there might be some personal and family or land disputes, and in India it is the major cause of all fighting between Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. Take Kashmir as an example, Muslims and Hindus there are just fighting over land disputes, religion is not the main reason, they are not even concerned about their religion, and their aim is just occupy the land. Same case is in Palestine, where Jews are fighting and killing Muslims for land dispute, although religion is also involved but is not main reason, so people all over the world take it as religion terrorism.
As we have seen that there is a major difference between Islam, real Muslims, and between those who claimed to be Muslims, same is the case with other religions. They just want to destroy the image of Islam and due to the lack of knowledge and understanding; most of the time people misunderstand Islam and believe that only real Muslims or Catholics condemn and support all evil deeds. All religions are brave and fight its enemies face to face, not kids, women, old and innocent people.
Saheeh Muslim, Saheeh Al-Bukhari: Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2422, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2365