What Does Islam Say about Terrorism?

jazakallah khairan for sharing
With my sister
Islam forbids terrorism in all its form. The rules of Jihad are very clear which we as Muslims and the Western world have to understand. The rules of Jihad are
-You are not allowed to burn any trees, houses or any other place which is necessary for that area, and without it the people wont survive.
-You are not allowed to kill the elderly, women, or children.
-You must treat a prisoner of war with respect and dignity.
-Combat must cease, in all its forms once the area is conquered or the people of the area declare that they have lost.
Unfortunately more and more often, Islam has been associated withterrorism and violence due to the actions of a few extreme individuals who’vetaken it upon themselves to do the most heinous crimes in the name of Islam.

Tragic events such as the attack on the twin towers in New York, the bombings of Bali, Madrid and London are assumed to be justified by Islam in the minds of some people. This idea has been fueled further by many media channels which defame Islam by portraying these bombers as ‘Islamists’ or ‘Jihadists’, as though they were sanctioned by Islam, or had any legitimate spokemenship on behalf of Muslims. The actions of a few fanatical individuals who happen to have Muslim names or ascribe themselves to the Muslim faith should not be a yardstick by which Islam is judged. For the same reason, that one would not do justice to Christianity if it where perceived as sanctioning the genocide of the Native Americans, the atrocities of world war II or the bombings of the IRA.
To understand Islam’s stance onterrorism, one must refer to its original sources, the Quran and the teachingsof Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him,whichare explicit in their prohibition of any form of injustice including that ofwanton violence which seeks to instill fear, injury or death to civilians.
TheQuran turns our attention to the high value of human life, whether it is Muslimor Non-Muslim and makes it absolutely forbidden to take an innocent lifeunjustly. The gravity of such acrime is equated, in the Quran, with the killing of all humanity.
“On that account: Weordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it befor murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew thewhole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the lifeof the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clearsigns, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in theland.” (5:32)
Notonly is human life sacred in Islam but the property, wealth, family and dignityof all individuals in society are to be respected and protected. Those who transgress these rights and sow fasad (corruption) asthe Quran describes it, incur the wrath of Allah.
"…and seek notcorruption in the earth; lo! Allah loveth not corrupters " (28:77)
Likewisein another verse
“The blame is onlyagainst those who oppress men and wrong-doing and insolently transgress beyondbounds through the land, defying right and justice: for such there will be apenalty grievous” (42:42)
Islam goes further than justprohibiting oppression and safeguarding rights, it commands its faithful to dealkindly and compassionately to all those who seek to live in peace and harmony
"Allah forbids younot, with regard to those who fight you not for your faith, nor drive you out ofyour homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: For Allah loves those whoare just" (60:8)
In times of war and conflict,where enmity can obstruct an individual’s judgement to act morally, Islamcommands that justice be upheld even towards one’s enemies.
"O ye who believe!stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatredof others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: thatis next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that yedo" (5:8)
Centuries before the GenevaConvention was drawn up, Muslims were bound by a code of conduct which theProphet Muhammad, peace be upon him, set. Heforbade the killing of women, children and elderly in war. In an authentic narration theProphet (pbuh) warned that he who kills anyone who has a covenantof peace with the Muslims will not smell the scent of Paradise. In fact, he taughtthat justice is not only to humans but must be shown to animals and all livingthings. In a narration the Prophet (pbuh) informed us about how a lady was sent to hell because of a cat she had locked upuntil it starved and died. If suchis the sanctity which Islam places on the soul of an animal, how much more graveis the killing of hundreds of innocent humans?!
Abu Bakr the first Calipha ofthe Muslims reflected these prophetic teachings when he advised his generalYazid, who was confronting Roman armies,"I advise you ten things, Do not killwomen or children or an aged, infirm person. Do not cut down fruit-bearingtrees. Do not destroy an inhabited place. Do not slaughter sheep or camelsexcept for food. Do not burn bees and do not scatter them. Do not steal from thebooty, and do not be cowardly."The message of the Quran is clear as we haveseen, that the sanctity of any human life is to be respected and any violationin that regard is paramount to the worst crime. Mercy is at the heart ofthe Islamic call, “We sent thee (O Muhammad) not save as a mercy for thepeoples” (21:107); a totally different message to what the terrorists aresadly imparting to humanity.