Islamist terrorism Details, Meaning Islamist terrorism Article and Explanation Guide

Islamist terrorism Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

Islamist terrorism, sometimes called Islamic terrorism, is terrorism that is carried out to further the political and religious ambitions of a segment of the Muslim community.

Table of contents

1 Controversy
2 Organizations
3 Terrorist view
4 Other Muslim views
5 Historical roots
6 Verdict of the Qu'ran
7 Islamist terrorist groups
8 See also
9 External links

Controversy

"Islamic terrorism" is a contentious term; many Muslims, particularly those supporting liberal movements within Islam do not accept that attacks on civilians can ever be justified by religion. From this perspective, describing terrorism as "Islamic" is seen as a slur on Islam. Although "Islamic terrorism" is commonly used by Western media to describe the activity of a wide variety of groups, "Islamist terrorism" is a more accurate term and would respect the sensitivities of Muslims. Moreover, "Islamic terrorism" is in fact an oxymoronic juxtaposition - a contradiction in terms, as the word 'Islam' is derived etymologically from the word for peace (Salam), which means it would translate as 'peace terrorists'.

Organizations

The most international of these groups, Al-Qaida, also has its origins in a particular nationalist struggle; namely, rebellion against the royal family of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi regime is perceived as being too closely associated with American foreign policy, particularly through its support of the US liberation of Kuwait during the first Gulf War. Al-Qaida's ideology is an extreme form of Islam as a political movement, and among its ideals are pan-Islamic unity. So thereafter, the Saudi regime was seen as insufficiently Islamic. Such a view may seem bewildering to Westerners, who often cannot imagine anything more 'Islamic' than the country's Wahhabi brand of Islamic law. But to Al-Qaida in particular, the world is viewed as a struggle between their extreme Islamist ideology versus a secular Western ideology. This view of the world has ironically been strengthened by the War on Terror.

Terrorist view

In the view of the terrorists involved, they are supporting or spreading Islam. Modern Islamic terrorist groups are often inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood. Some Islamist terrorist groups have employed suicide bombers, in spite of the comdemnation of suicide by Muslim religious authorities. These groups refer to suicide bomber attacks as martyrdom operationss and the suicides are characterized as shohada (plural of "shahid"). The nature, extent and support for Islamist terrorism among the general Muslim population is subject to considerable debate and disagreement among Westerners.

The members of such groups are more likely to see themselves as freedom fighters rather than terrorists, as the political origins of such groups in Israel/Palestine, Soviet-occupied Afghanistan, Chechnya and most recently post-Saddam Iraq are often rooted in political demands for statehood and nationalist self-determination.

Other Muslim views

Abdel Rahman al-Rashed the general manager of Al-Arabiya asked: "It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims."

Muslim scholars in North America in a statement just after 9/11: "We encourage Muslim medical professionals and Muslim relief agencies to assist in whatever possible way with humanitarian and relief efforts both locally and nationally. Moreover, we urge people of diverse religious traditions, faith groups and spiritual expressions, including Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and members of other communities, to share their grief and sorrow together as one family, the human family."