By Dr. Munawar A. Anees - The Milli Gazette Online
Abstract from Periodica Islamica
Monday, 12 June 2006
In recent times, a violent culture of martyrdom has arisen that glorifies suicide terrorism as a means to salvation. In the last five years alone, starting with the September 11 tragedy, there has been a significant increase in suicide terrorist attacks across the Muslim world. Among the major victims of this self-destructive act is the Islamic concept of salvation itself. Whereas there is no Quranic evidence to support the myth of multitudes of perpetually regenerating virgins in paradise, as popularized by the Western media, the Qur’an unequivocally condemns the perpetrators of suicide to Hell:
“And do not kill yourselves. Surely, God is Most Merciful to you. And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for God.” (4:29-30)
Islam teaches that life is a sacred trust given to human beings by the Creator. Like other Abrahamic faiths, it prohibits suicide as a grave sin. It is forbidden under all circumstances, including war.
It is debatable whether the politics of occupation in Palestine, Afghanistan, and Iraq plays a pivotal role in formulating a highly radicalized theological stance among some Muslims. However, one must question the use of suicide terrorism for resolving intra-Muslim conflicts. These terrorist acts remain widely spread across several Muslim countries where sectarian strife is ripe.
Beyond wild generalizations and stereotyping, any understanding of the motivation for these ghastly acts - committed in the name of a religion that expressly and forcefully rejects and condemns them - poses a daunting challenge on several counts: theological, political, social, and economic. Nonetheless, given the pristine teachings of the Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet against suicide, a highly distorted theology is at work behind this terrorist macabre. It plays upon the young vulnerable psyche that yearns for leading a purposeful life. It systematically misconstrues and misrepresents the Islamic doctrine of salvation to the point of instilling the belief that taking one’s own life is the highest form of worship that pleases God.
The death cult erected around the use of religion as a political weapon portrays suicide terrorism as an act of heroism and ultimate atonement. The individual who supposedly “redeems” his soul offers the highest sacrifice in the name of his religion for earthly glory and the final salvation. The indoctrination exploits the religious sentiments as well as the political realities to prepare the youth for the self-sacrifice whereby they come to feel it as an honorable act not only for themselves but for their family, country, and religion as well.
Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist, writing in the early 20th century, gave us some important insights into behavioral dynamics of suicide. His study showed that while no religion has a monopoly over the crop of suicide bombers, there are behavioral traits that may help us understand the personality of the suicide terrorist. For instance, the idea of total immersion of the self is one that may be extrapolated to gain some insight into the behavior of the bomber.
As we observed, along the ideational spectrum, the life of a Muslim is totally devoted to the pleasure of God. The fine line is drawn by the Qur’an itself where, in addition to God’s mercy, good deeds are deemed to be required for salvation. It is precisely for this reason that Qur’an asks Muslims to pray to God for success both in this world and in the afterlife. Extremism in devotion to this world or to the afterlife is, therefore, antithetical to the balancing spirit of the Qur’an.
It is the latent need for the balance in life that hermitism never gained a strong foothold among the mainstream Muslims. Perhaps a simple exception could be made for a small group of sufi devotees who renounced the worldly acts for total devotion to religious rituals. On the contrary, a more refined form of Sufism, apart from its scholastic high status, has made enormous contribution in peacefully spreading the message of Islam to places as far as Malaysia and Indonesia.
At one time or another, all nations have transgressed the rules of war. What distinguishes the war waged by the suicide terrorist from the rest is that the combatant serves as a metaphor for a grotesque vision of Islamic doctrine of human salvation. The commission of sin by suicide and the vengeful murder of innocents notwithstanding, this is the ultimate debasement of Islamic ideals.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
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Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Salvation: An Islamic Perspective
By Dr. Munawar A. Anees - The Milli Gazette Online
Abstract from Periodica Islamica
Monday, 12 June 2006
In recent times, a violent culture of martyrdom has arisen that glorifies suicide terrorism as a means to salvation. In the last five years alone, starting with the September 11 tragedy, there has been a significant increase in suicide terrorist attacks across the Muslim world. Among the major victims of this self-destructive act is the Islamic concept of salvation itself. Whereas there is no Quranic evidence to support the myth of multitudes of perpetually regenerating virgins in paradise, as popularized by the Western media, the Qur’an unequivocally condemns the perpetrators of suicide to Hell:
“And do not kill yourselves. Surely, God is Most Merciful to you. And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for God.” (4:29-30)
Islam teaches that life is a sacred trust given to human beings by the Creator. Like other Abrahamic faiths, it prohibits suicide as a grave sin. It is forbidden under all circumstances, including war.
It is debatable whether the politics of occupation in Palestine, Afghanistan, and Iraq plays a pivotal role in formulating a highly radicalized theological stance among some Muslims. However, one must question the use of suicide terrorism for resolving intra-Muslim conflicts. These terrorist acts remain widely spread across several Muslim countries where sectarian strife is ripe.
Beyond wild generalizations and stereotyping, any understanding of the motivation for these ghastly acts - committed in the name of a religion that expressly and forcefully rejects and condemns them - poses a daunting challenge on several counts: theological, political, social, and economic. Nonetheless, given the pristine teachings of the Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet against suicide, a highly distorted theology is at work behind this terrorist macabre. It plays upon the young vulnerable psyche that yearns for leading a purposeful life. It systematically misconstrues and misrepresents the Islamic doctrine of salvation to the point of instilling the belief that taking one’s own life is the highest form of worship that pleases God.
The death cult erected around the use of religion as a political weapon portrays suicide terrorism as an act of heroism and ultimate atonement. The individual who supposedly “redeems” his soul offers the highest sacrifice in the name of his religion for earthly glory and the final salvation. The indoctrination exploits the religious sentiments as well as the political realities to prepare the youth for the self-sacrifice whereby they come to feel it as an honorable act not only for themselves but for their family, country, and religion as well.
Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist, writing in the early 20th century, gave us some important insights into behavioral dynamics of suicide. His study showed that while no religion has a monopoly over the crop of suicide bombers, there are behavioral traits that may help us understand the personality of the suicide terrorist. For instance, the idea of total immersion of the self is one that may be extrapolated to gain some insight into the behavior of the bomber.
As we observed, along the ideational spectrum, the life of a Muslim is totally devoted to the pleasure of God. The fine line is drawn by the Qur’an itself where, in addition to God’s mercy, good deeds are deemed to be required for salvation. It is precisely for this reason that Qur’an asks Muslims to pray to God for success both in this world and in the afterlife. Extremism in devotion to this world or to the afterlife is, therefore, antithetical to the balancing spirit of the Qur’an.
It is the latent need for the balance in life that hermitism never gained a strong foothold among the mainstream Muslims. Perhaps a simple exception could be made for a small group of sufi devotees who renounced the worldly acts for total devotion to religious rituals. On the contrary, a more refined form of Sufism, apart from its scholastic high status, has made enormous contribution in peacefully spreading the message of Islam to places as far as Malaysia and Indonesia.
At one time or another, all nations have transgressed the rules of war. What distinguishes the war waged by the suicide terrorist from the rest is that the combatant serves as a metaphor for a grotesque vision of Islamic doctrine of human salvation. The commission of sin by suicide and the vengeful murder of innocents notwithstanding, this is the ultimate debasement of Islamic ideals.
Abstract from Periodica Islamica
Monday, 12 June 2006
In recent times, a violent culture of martyrdom has arisen that glorifies suicide terrorism as a means to salvation. In the last five years alone, starting with the September 11 tragedy, there has been a significant increase in suicide terrorist attacks across the Muslim world. Among the major victims of this self-destructive act is the Islamic concept of salvation itself. Whereas there is no Quranic evidence to support the myth of multitudes of perpetually regenerating virgins in paradise, as popularized by the Western media, the Qur’an unequivocally condemns the perpetrators of suicide to Hell:
“And do not kill yourselves. Surely, God is Most Merciful to you. And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for God.” (4:29-30)
Islam teaches that life is a sacred trust given to human beings by the Creator. Like other Abrahamic faiths, it prohibits suicide as a grave sin. It is forbidden under all circumstances, including war.
It is debatable whether the politics of occupation in Palestine, Afghanistan, and Iraq plays a pivotal role in formulating a highly radicalized theological stance among some Muslims. However, one must question the use of suicide terrorism for resolving intra-Muslim conflicts. These terrorist acts remain widely spread across several Muslim countries where sectarian strife is ripe.
Beyond wild generalizations and stereotyping, any understanding of the motivation for these ghastly acts - committed in the name of a religion that expressly and forcefully rejects and condemns them - poses a daunting challenge on several counts: theological, political, social, and economic. Nonetheless, given the pristine teachings of the Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet against suicide, a highly distorted theology is at work behind this terrorist macabre. It plays upon the young vulnerable psyche that yearns for leading a purposeful life. It systematically misconstrues and misrepresents the Islamic doctrine of salvation to the point of instilling the belief that taking one’s own life is the highest form of worship that pleases God.
The death cult erected around the use of religion as a political weapon portrays suicide terrorism as an act of heroism and ultimate atonement. The individual who supposedly “redeems” his soul offers the highest sacrifice in the name of his religion for earthly glory and the final salvation. The indoctrination exploits the religious sentiments as well as the political realities to prepare the youth for the self-sacrifice whereby they come to feel it as an honorable act not only for themselves but for their family, country, and religion as well.
Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist, writing in the early 20th century, gave us some important insights into behavioral dynamics of suicide. His study showed that while no religion has a monopoly over the crop of suicide bombers, there are behavioral traits that may help us understand the personality of the suicide terrorist. For instance, the idea of total immersion of the self is one that may be extrapolated to gain some insight into the behavior of the bomber.
As we observed, along the ideational spectrum, the life of a Muslim is totally devoted to the pleasure of God. The fine line is drawn by the Qur’an itself where, in addition to God’s mercy, good deeds are deemed to be required for salvation. It is precisely for this reason that Qur’an asks Muslims to pray to God for success both in this world and in the afterlife. Extremism in devotion to this world or to the afterlife is, therefore, antithetical to the balancing spirit of the Qur’an.
It is the latent need for the balance in life that hermitism never gained a strong foothold among the mainstream Muslims. Perhaps a simple exception could be made for a small group of sufi devotees who renounced the worldly acts for total devotion to religious rituals. On the contrary, a more refined form of Sufism, apart from its scholastic high status, has made enormous contribution in peacefully spreading the message of Islam to places as far as Malaysia and Indonesia.
At one time or another, all nations have transgressed the rules of war. What distinguishes the war waged by the suicide terrorist from the rest is that the combatant serves as a metaphor for a grotesque vision of Islamic doctrine of human salvation. The commission of sin by suicide and the vengeful murder of innocents notwithstanding, this is the ultimate debasement of Islamic ideals.
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