The Terrorist Acts of ISIS Are Categorically Forbidden—Evidences from the Quran and Hadith
By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
26 June 2017
There is not an iota of doubt that the crimes of ISIS — beheading, killing of innocent people including Muslims and non-Muslims, bombing public places, suicide attacks or disfiguring the dead bodies—all are categorically forbidden and anti-Islamic acts. Compare such acts of ISIS to the following Quranic verses and a number of Ahadith and it will be clear ISIS does not represent the true form of Islam.
Evidence from the Qur’an: 1
“Indeed, Allah enjoins justice and benevolence (towards everyone), and giving away to the kindred, and forbids indecency, evil deeds, defiance and terrorism (Baghya). He admonishes you so that you may remember with concern” (16:90)
The Arabic word ‘Baghya’ used in the verse above takes multiple meanings like terrorism, transgression, oppression, aggression, injustice, unfairness, tyranny and offense etc; each one of them has been declared forbidden or Haram, according to the aforementioned Qur’anic verse.
Evidence from the Qur’an: 2
“Say: ‘Come, I will recite to you those things which your Lord has forbidden to you: Do not set up anything as a partner with Him; be morally excellent with parents; and do not kill your children owing to poverty. We alone give you sustenance and (will provide for) them as well. And do not draw near to shameful deeds (whether) open or hidden. And do not kill the soul whose (killing) Allah has forbidden, except when it is rightfully due (according to law in self-defence against disruption and whilst combating terrorism). It is these (injunctions) He has enjoined upon you so that you may apply reason.” (6:151)
Evidence from the Qur’an: 3
“And if any of the idolaters (caught in an armed encounter) seeks asylum with you, provide him with protection until he listens to the Words of Allah. Then escort him to his place of safety. This is because these people do not possess the knowledge (of the truth)” (9:6)
Evidence from the Qur’an: 4
“Say: ‘My Lord has declared unlawful only (all) the indecent acts which become known and which remain hidden, and sins and unjust excesses” (7:33)
Evidence from the Qur’an: 5
“On account of this, We prescribed (this commandment in the Torah sent down) to the Children of Israel that whoever killed a person (unjustly), except as a punishment for murder or for (spreading) disorder in the land, it would be as if he killed all the people (of society); and whoever (saved him from unjust murder and) made him survive, it would be as if he saved the lives of all the people (of society, i.e., he rescued the collective system of human life). And indeed, Our Messengers came to them with evident signs. Yet, even after that, the majority from amongst these people are certainly those who commit excesses in the land” (5:32)
The message of the holy Quran is clear. Yet even after that, the ISIS militants are brutal beyond imagination to anyone –Christian, Jew, Yazidi, Shiite and Sufi-Sunni Muslim who is not aligned with its Wahhabism. Thus, in accordance with the afore-mentioned Quranic verse, it is these ISIS militants today who are committing excesses in the land.
Historically, it is irrefutable fact that during the earliest period of Islam of about twelve years in Makkah, the Muslims were savagely tortured, beaten, persecuted and even many of them were killed. The holy Qur’an testifies to this fact:
Evidence from the Qur’an: 6
“And remember when (numerically) you were small (i.e., in the minority, in the Makkan period,) and oppressed in the country (i.e., economically unstable and victims of exploitation). You were (also) afraid that (the powerful) people would snatch you away (i.e., socially too you were neither free nor secure). So, (after migration to Medina,) He (Allah) provided for you a free and secure abode, and strengthened you with His help and supplied you with sustenance of pure and wholesome things so that you may give thanks to Allah (by means of absolute submission to Allah’s commands)” (8:26).
Evidence from the Qur’an: 7
(Eliminating the evil i.e. Terrorism, Violence, oppression etc. by means of good i.e. love, mildness, tolerance, moderation etc.
Nowhere the Qur’an says to repel good with evil deeds like terrorism, radicalism, extremism, fanaticism, barbarism, violence, unjustness, oppression and aggression etc. Rather it commands to eliminate the evil by means of good.
“And who remain steadfast in seeking the pleasure of their Lord, and establish Prayer, and spend (both) secretly and openly out of the sustenance We have provided, and continue eliminating evil by means of good; they are the ones for whom there is a (beautiful) home in the Hereafter” (13:22).
Evidence from the Qur’an: 8
“Repel evil in such a way as is best of all. We know best (the things) they say” (23:96)
Evidence from the Qur’an: 9
(Treating enemies in such a way they become the most warm-hearted friends)
“And good and evil cannot be equal. And remove the evil in a better (way) with the result that the one with whom you had rivalry becomes your most warm-hearted friend” (41:34)
Evidence from the Qur’an: 10
(During the Medinite period, Muslims were commanded to forgive their past enemies)
During the Medinite period (622-632), when the Muslims were safe from all kinds of oppression, aggression and terrorist activities of militant Arab pagans, they were commanded to forgive their past enemies. The following verse points out to this fact:
“And never let the enmity of a people incite you to aggression (against them) since they barred you from the Sacred House (i.e., visiting the Ka’bah). And always support one another in (the works of) righteousness and piety, but do not become accomplices in (works of) sin and transgression. And fear Allah persistently. Indeed, Allah awards severe punishment (to those who disobey and defy)” (5:2)
Evidence from the Qur’an:
11 (The balanced Approach of Islam towards every community)
“And, in the same way, (O Muslims,) We made you the best Ummah (Community—fair to all with a tolerant, moderate and balanced outlook) so that you may bear witness to the people, and (Our exalted) Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) bears witness to you. And We appointed the Qibla (the direction of Prayer), which you used to face before, only to bring to light (by trial) who would follow (Our) Messenger and who would turn back upon his heels. And this (change of Qibla) was indeed a hard task, but not for those whom Allah blessed with guidance (and gnosis of spiritual truths). And it is not Allah’s Glory to void your faith (without any reason). Allah is surely Most Clement, Ever-Merciful to mankind.” (2:143)
Evidence from the Qur’an: 12
“And from amongst you there must be a community comprising the people who invite mankind towards piety, enjoin righteousness and forbid evil. And they are the successful people”. (3:104).
Evidence from the Qur’an: 13
“And who can be more pleasing in speech than one who calls towards Allah and does pious work and says: ‘Surely, I am of the obedient servants (of Allah and the Holy Prophet)’?” (41:33).
From the verses above it is very clear that Mutilations, beheadings, and killings of innocent lives, citizens including Muslims and non-Muslims—committed by ISIS and its likes are strictly forbidden, forbidden, forbidden (Haram) in Islam. So, the ISIS has no Islamic justification to prove its atrocities. Besides, one should always remember that no matter ISIS and its likes stipulate those conditions which are in fact not meant in the holy Qur’an; these conditions will be invalid in Islam and hence it will remain the religion of peace.
Evidence from the Hadith: 14
The prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said: "What about the people who stipulate conditions which are not present in Allah's Laws? Whoever imposes conditions which are not present in Allah's Laws; these conditions will be invalid for him, even if he imposed these conditions a hundred times. Allah's conditions (Laws) are the truth and are more solid." (Sahih al-Bukhari 2561, Book 50, Hadith 2)
As for the majority mainstream Muslims of peace, harmony, liberal attitude, they should keep on disseminating peace around the world and repelling every kind of terrorism, extremism and violence from the entire world. Apart from that, they ought to preach true spirit of Islam i.e. tolerance, peace, mutual harmony, love, requesting all not to trade revelations of Allah Almighty for a small (worldly) price, as the holy Qur’an says:
Evidence from the Qur’an: 14
“And believe in (the Book) that I have revealed (to My Messenger Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]), whilst it confirms (originally) that which you possess. And do not be the first to deny it, nor trade My Revelations for a small (worldly) price. And fear Me alone” (2:41).
Evidence from the Qur’an: 15
If ever anyone had best understood the holy Quran, it is the beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He never resorted to injustice, oppression and violence, but rather he treated others with mercy; which is the irrefutable point that the message of the Quran is truly based on justice and not on atrocities.
Allah Almighty says to his beloved prophet: “And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds.” (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:107).
This reflects that the Prophet’s distinctive quality was that he was the embodiment of a blessing in word and deed, not only for a particular Muslim community but for the entire world. His impassioned engagement and dedication was just with the distribution of love, peace and tranquillity among all mankind.
Evidence from the Hadith: 16
According to a tradition recorded in Sahih Muslim, when the Prophet’s opponents greatly increased their persecution, his Companions asked him to curse them. At this, the Prophet replied, “I have not been sent to lay a curse upon men but to be a blessing to them.” His opponents continued to treat him and his Companions unjustly and cruelly, but he always prayed for them.
Evidence from the Hadith: 17
Once, while the Prophet was on the way to Ta’if where the Hijaz aristocracy used to while away their summer days, he was so badly stoned by his enemies that the blood streamed from all over his body. When he attempted to call them to Islam, instead of listening to his words of wisdom, they set the street urchins upon him, who kept chasing him till nightfall. Even after all this, he did not curse them. When he was at all exhausted and bleeding from head to toe, all he said was, “O my Lord, guide my people along the true path, as they are ignorant of the truth”.
Evidence from the Hadith: 18
According to a Hadith, the Prophet once said, “A true believer is one with whom others feel secure and one who returns love for hatred.” The Prophet made it clear that we should never think that we should treat the people well only if they treat us well. Not only Love for love but we should be rather accustomed to being good towards and forgiving those who nurture hatred for us.
Evidence from the Hadith: 19
The Prophet said, “Whoever suffers an injury done to him and forgives (the person responsible), Allah will raise his status to a higher degree and remove one of his sins.” (Sunan At-Tirmidhi)
Evidence from the Hadith: 20
According to another Hadith, the Prophet once said, “By Allah, he is not a believer, by Allah, he is not a believer, by Allah, he is not a believer, with whom his neighbours are not secure.”
Taking into consideration all the afore-mentioned verses of the Quran and Ahadith, one can and should not feel any sort of doubt in believing that the Qur’an does not allow beheadings, mutilations and killing of any human being. But rather, Islam has made it equally forbidden for anyone to kill any innocent, Muslim or non-Muslim.
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A regular Columnist with www.NewAgeIslam.com , Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is an Alim and Fazil(Classical Islamic scholar) with a Sufi background, Islamic writer and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator.
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