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American Muslims hear the truth: Islam forbids terrorist acts Date published: 8/28/2005
WASHINGTON--Why are some Muslims willing to kill in the name of their faith, despite clear Islamic injunctions against committing such heinous acts? The debate usually boils down to "they hate us" versus "they hate our policies." In his new book, "Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism," Robert Pape suggests that terrorism has little to do with the teachings of any religion--but is, rather, a response, albeit a criminal one, to policies that condone occupations. Pape posits that suicide bombings, whether by Hezbollah in Lebanon or by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, are designed to compel the retreat of an occupation force. He notes that when Israeli forces left Lebanon, Hezbollah did not follow them to Tel Aviv. This explanation, while credible, does not absolve the perpetrators of their crimes. Islam, like other faiths, allows for defensive war against combatants--but unequivocally forbids the killing of civilians. Muslims today have many legitimate grievances. Some of these grievances are the result of foreign occupation, some are the fruits of brutal authoritarian rule, and others are a consequence of Muslims themselves failing to adapt to a rapidly-changing world. But again, none of these griev-ances should ever be used to justify the unjustifiable. Normative Islam does not allow Muslims to retaliate in kind against inhuman behavior. The Quran, Islam's revealed text, issues a call to moderation when it states: "And thus have We (God) willed you to be a community of the middle way, so that (with your lives) you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind." Moderation is to be exercised in both spiritual and temporal matters. Terrorism is certainly not the path of moderation. What then is the motivation of those who commit acts of terror in the name of Islam? Terrorists seem to be driven by a messianic desire for justice. In order to achieve that goal, they are willing to precipitate an apocalyptic civilizational conflict. Members of Al-Qaeda and their ilk have deluded themselves into thinking that such a conflict will somehow produce a victory for the "believers"--defined as only those Muslims who agree with their misguided interpretation This view of the world places most Muslims squarely in the cross-hairs of the terrorists. Only Muslims can counter this extremist ideology, which unfortunately resonates in some of the isolated and darker recesses of Muslim societies.
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