Still in shock: On the London Bombings
Published by Haseeb July 16th, 2005 in Current NewsRecent news has uncovered the names of four of the men directly responsible for the London Attacks last week. Three of the four: Hasib Hussain, 18, Shehzad Tanweer, 22, and Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, were all young men of Pakistani decent.
Now on a person note, this really sucks, for me since I am a 22 year old American of Pakistani decent. In fact, I even share the first name with one of the suicide bombers. It would be naive to think I won’t be looked at twice as a potential terrorist due to my external experience (beard) and background (Pakistani). But whatever, this is the least significant concern I have regarding this issue…
These bombers were ordinary people. After reading up in the biographies of these three men (less is known about the fourth suicide bomber), it is really scary to think what would make such people commit such atrocious acts.
I have said this before and I will say it again: acts of violence in anger and desperation are completely forbidden in Islam. According to the most basic tenants of Islam, you are NOT allowed to hurt innocent civilians, not even in war. Suicide bombing itself is haraam, as human life is sacred, and you can never give up your own live, that God has given you. There is no concept of ‘collateral damage’, or the ‘ends justifying the means’ in Islam. The Quran clearly states that if you kill one person unjustly its as if you killed all of humanity. Anger, violence, are all spiritual diseases. We all know this, and we have all heard it. Islam is indeed a religion of peace.
But the fact of the matter is, that nowadays, most acts of terror are being committed by Arabs/Persians/Desis, who claim to be Muslim. We, as Muslims, need to do a much better job teaching our fellow Muslims what Islam really is. This is not a failure of any government and its foreign policy, this is a failure of our Muslim leaders and communities today which is allowing for the growth of this Muslim population susceptible towards sympathizing with such an attitude and, as we have seen in London last week. susceptible in becoming terrorists themselves!
No foreign government or religious group is hurting Muslims, and the condition of Muslims across the world. It is other Muslims who are our biggest enemies. I wrote this before and have said this time and time again, and i mean it wholeheartedly. Look at Hasib Hussein, for example. He was regular 18 year old Pakistani kid, who got in a lot of trouble growing up. However, according to the BBC, he went to Pakistan for a trip, and came back all religious with a beard, wearing thobes, and a few months later after his parents report him missing, he ends up being one of the suicide bombers. Now what could possibly lead such a young man to change so much, and think that being a terrorist is compatible with Islam??? I just cannot fathom to understand how any connection can be made. Mohammed Siddique Khan, was a 30 year old respected teacher, and a family man. Shezad Anweer, 22 was a well respected young man. Yet these two also were responsible for the London attacks.
This is killing me. Al-Qaeda, and all of its sympathizers and all those who believe in acts of terrorism are the biggest threats to not to the west, but rather ISLAM today. I am calling to everyone in the Muslim community now. We need to step up, because we are failing in our own communities, to our own children, to my brothers and sisters. I believe its time now for US (not the United States, but rather our Muslim communities) to be more critical and look into our own children and brethren, and instill real core Islamic values and teachings to prevent any1 from being brainwashed. If anyone really had an Islamic education, it would be impossible for them to even sympathize with such terrorist activity, let alone be a part of it.
And on top of this, we have to be critical and introspective as well. We complain about our privacy and rights being violated all the time, but people are really scared of us. This is not just a government-induced fear, what FOX News, tries to take advantage of, but a real fear based on actual experience. On 9/11/01 my home was attacked. I feared for the life of my own brother that day, and my home, NYC will never be the same again. On 3/11/02 Madrid was attacked, 7/7/05, London; and there have been other acts of terrorism as well. I now know that if I were to walk somewhere in Middle America, or on a plane, I probably will get looked at twice, because the people who were responsible for those acts, generally looked like me, and fit my background. I’m young, in a Muslim with a beard, im from Pakistani decent; and i cannot do anything about this - this is something I will have to live with. However, as Muslims, this is a test for us, like everything in this dunya is. And we have to make the most of our condition. So what do we do? - We have to be extra open, extra courteous, extra helpful; we must show people that there is nothing to be scared of; answer all questions and concerns, and always greet people with smiles. And on top of everything else be good neighbors, good citizens, good Muslims.
As far as our own communities go - we shouldn’t have to let our local authorities seek our potential “sleeper cells” in our Masjids. If we notice anyone being shady, or speaking out with excessive violence-filled anger, we should confront them, and contact officials if anything dangerous is suspected. Not only are the lives and sanctity of other larger cities at risk, but the sake of whatever reputation and image people have of Muslims today. With all due respect to al those affected directly and indirectly from Islamist terrorism, the war between Muslim (or rather those who claim to be Muslim) terrorists and the west, is just the minor war, the real greater war is the war between Muslims and Islam, and it is about time we start realizing this and acting on it. It is the name of our religion, of our communities, and our homes and lifestyles that is most greatly impacted by all of this.
References:
Muslim Leaders Call for Action
London bombers: Key facts
Suicide bombers’ ‘ordinary’ lives
I constituitionally agree.
Although, I think that the media plays an important role in spreading the negativity, and brainwashing not only non-Muslims, but Muslims themselves. As soon as the media started to label Muslims as ‘terrorist’, voila! We BECAME terrorists…because we’ve been conditioned to think that THAT is our Jihad! So perhaps the solution lies in, as you mentioned, holding on to our faith firmly and….turning off the idiot box for good! Got it? Good.
To Leehart: The media isn’t labelling ‘Muslims’ as terrorists, but ‘Islam’!!!!! If Muslims were the target then the effect wouldn’t be so immense, because Human nature gives Muslims an excuse to act ‘not perfect’ (sorry?!?!? cudn’t think of beta word) and this fact is universally excepted to all people whicheva religion!!! But ISLAM being ‘perfect’, is considered by the ‘islamaphobiasts’ (is dat a word???) as an obstacle that needed to be ‘removed’ or ‘attacked’, which they have today succeeded in. Any non-Muslim that hears the word Islam thinks Terrorist!!! Muslims being followers of Islam are considered to be followers of ‘terrorism’. This is incorrect but it seems to satisfy the majority of non-Muslims because it gives them an excuse to blame Muslims for acts such as 9/11 (many Conspiracy Theory’s exist yet are being ‘pushed aside’ because Osama Bin Laden being a Muslim is an easier and more convenient target, even though there isn’t strong enough evidence to declare 100% Guilty, the US decided to enter Afghanistan and inflict ‘terror’ thus making them ‘terrorist’ but it isn’t that simple anymore because of Bush’s version of Terrorist are reserved for Muslims) and is of convenience to them when they need oil (as my Physics teacher said: “If Iraq had only Potatoes…do u really think the US would attack????”) Anyways, as Muslims, the best that we can do is set an example to non-Muslims (after 9/11 attacks thousands of non-Muslims ‘reverted’ after researching about Islam!!!!).
The London Bombings ARE condemned in Islam. But that does not necessarily mean that the people responsible for the attrocities inflicted are ‘not’ Muslims. They ARE Muslims!!!! They committed an act that is against Islam yes. But you also commit acts against Islam daily, from when you miss a prayer to when you tell a lie, does that mean YOUR not a Muslim?????? If that was the case then there wouldn’t be a person on the face of this earth who could have the priviledge of calling themselves ‘Muslim’. My point is that it is wrong to criticize other Muslims actions and it is even worse to declare that they are not Muslim. The reason i brought this up is because it is sad to hear so many Muslims trying to avoid being ‘labelled’ as terrorists once again by declaring that the people behind the incident are not Muslims!!!! This method is weak because these Muslims haven’t yet understood that ‘Terrorism’ is especially reserved for ‘Islam’ because it is convenient for the Bush, end of story!!!!! This is evident if you observe all the ‘terrorist’ acts committed by non-Muslims, and trust me there are HEAPS!!!!!
In conclusion; i believe that Muslims have to be strong and united, not weak and divided!!!!! In order to reverse the medias negative portrayal of Islam involves A LOT of patience….
Salam
When you said: “To Leehart”, did you mean to contradict me, or agree with me?
Just wondering, thats all :P.
I still stand by whatever it is that I said!
My point is that it is wrong to criticize other Muslims actions…
I disagree - If you see a Muslim walking around in a beard and kufi and committing a haraam act, in the name of his deen or Islam, you have the right to let people know that that person is not acting as a Muslim. I would be appalled to see a hijabi for example drinking alcohol in public, or touching a non-mehram guy - but to do such an act, in the name of Islam would be ludicrous. In these terrorists, you have people who claim to be Muslim, committing haraam acts in the name of Islam. It is our duty to criticize them and let the whole world, as well as those muslims who sympathize with them that this is competely forbidden in our religion, and will not yield a “straight path to heaven” as many wrongfully claim, but rather an eternal damnation in hell.
I agree with you, in the sense that we cannot just blind ourselves to the fact that Muslims, too, can be imperfect. Thats wrong. Absotivelutely wrong!
Just one other thing, though: We cannot also deny the fact that the media is responsible, as much as any ‘terrorist-camp/school/madrasah’, in instilling this wrong idea that ‘Jihad is the Islamic way to paradise’?! I think the CNN has played a more vital role in informing the ignorant Muslim to act in a ‘haraam’ way, as, say, any extremist organizations [such as some madrasah in Pakistan]. See, its a trick that goes unnoticed most of the time, but this is how it works: “I lie, told often enough, becomes the truth”. So, for example, in South Africa, during the apartheid, the ‘blacks’ were repeatedly TOLD: YOU ARE INFERIOR. YOUR ARE CRIMINALS. YOU SUCK….so, naturally, they responded to this. They ESTABLISHED themselves as inferiors; as criminals; as…suckers :S . And something similar is happening today to Muslims. Many ‘ignorant’ muslims, who dont know any better, are brainwashed in the same way. …(I think i just trailed off the topic here. But, well, i hope i made my point clear. )
Of course, the solution to the problem is not to just point a finger and winge about it! The solution, i guess, is to know where we stand as Muslims, and to understand our religion and our purpose, and to instill the values of peace within ourselves [the real essence of Islam! :)]. And ofcourse, acknowledging terrorism as a forbidden act in Islam, and giving da’waah–like you said. I went to a lecture today, by this person called Dr. Jamal Badawi, who talked on similar issues . Dont know if you know him…but, well, he rox!!
well at least their isnt any guyanese idiots out there like these pakis
hah
lol
at least pakis know real engligh
well at least their isnt any guyanese idiots out there like these pakis
their -> there
isnt -> should be aren’t
aight….my Pakistani english teacher Mr. Ahmed
dem guyanese be too dumb to move out of the island mon
heyy
i dont want to see any hating on my site
just like not all pakistani ppl are terrorists, not all guyanese ppl are dumb!
some are actually very smart
(who knew??? jk jk)
Seeby you know my English is better than yours and I’m Guyanese so whatever.
BTW I liked this entry. Well said and I totally agree with you :o)
West side Guyana is not an island and Guyanese people don’t say “mon” Jamaican people do.