Islam & Issues Surrounding Conflict (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

Divergent Muslim Teachings and Responses to Problems Surrounding Conflict

Terrorism

• Terrorism is condemned by the United Nations, which has stated

• There have been several terrorist attacks during this century that have been reported in the media as acts for which Muslims were responsible

• These include the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, USA on 11 September 2001, the attacks on London on 7 July 2005, and on a concert by singer Ariana Grande in Manchester on 2 May 2017

• While militant groups such as IS may use verses from the Qur’an to justify the use of violence and even acts of terrorism, Islam is a religion of peace

  • The vast majority of Muslims would condemn any acts of terror undertaken by anyone who tries to justify their actions using the teachings in the Qur’an

• The above quotations are among those which have been used by a minority to justify such acts

  • Scholars would say that these verses were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) at the start of the Islamic faith when the Prophet and his followers were battling for the very existence of the religion

  • They do not apply in the same way today and are certainly not justification for acts of terror

Muslim attitudes to violence and terrorism

• Islam teaches that its followers should seek peace and that using violence without just cause is a sin 

• Islam has clear teachings on just war, which would make it very difficult to justify terrorism

• Acts of terror target innocent people, which is completely forbidden by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

• Murder is haram and killing civilians is seen as murder

• Suicide is haram

  • Therefore a suicide bomber is going against both of these teachings and acting against Islam by killing himself as well as bringing harm to innocent people

• The rules for taking up arms are very clear and should be carried out only under certain carefully defined circumstances

Malik’s Muwatta

• Malik’s Muwatta sets out the ten rules of war set out by Abu Bakr, who was the first of the Khalifahs of Sunni Islam

• These rules include:

  • Do not kill women or children or an aged person

  • Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees

  • Do not destroy an inhabited place

  • Do not slaughter sheep or camels except for food

(From Muwatta of Imam Malik, Book 21, Number 21.3.10)

• These rules are broken by anyone who commits a terrorist atrocity

• The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) predicted that terrible acts of evil would be committed by people after him who called themselves Muslims and said that they would be the "worst of creatures"

• Many of the attacks and conflicts in the modern world that are ascribed to Islam are carried out for political or economic reasons and have nothing to do with religion

How Muslims Have Worked to Overcome Issues of Conflict

• The vast majority of Muslims are opposed to terrorism and work hard to prevent it happening

• Muslim leaders and organisations have spoken out against acts of terror and condemned violent acts done in the name of Islam

• The Muslim Council of Britain

  • Works to educate non-Muslims about the true nature of Islam

  • Works closely with the police to help develop counter-terrorism policies 

  • Has funded adverts to condemn terrorist acts

  • Speaks out to condemn terrorism and urges Muslim communities to join them in doing this

• In North America, Muslims have formed a group called Muslims Against Terrorism

• In India, over 70 thousand imams signed a document condemning global terrorist activity

Islam and Non-religious Views About the Issues Surrounding Conflict

• Humanists and most atheists strongly condemn terrorism

• It is completely without justification to target innocent civilians and inflict violence in this way, even if the terrorists are trying to achieve what they consider a valid goal. The ends can never justify the means

• Some non-religious people have blamed religions such as Islam for acts of violence and terrorism

  • The atheist novelist Jane Caro pointed out that while religious people have murdered others in the name of their god throughout history, no atheist has ever killed anyone in the name of atheism

Muslim responses to the non-religious views about conflict

• Muslims would point out that the teachings of their religion do not cause people to commit terrorist acts. It is ignorance or misinterpretation that causes such actions

• They would say that The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advised his followers to take action against people who are oppressing others in extremist ways

• They would also say that the majority of terrorist acts in the world in recent history have nothing to do with Islam

  • ThinkProgress Organisation reports that between 2009 and 2013, less than two percent of terrorist attacks were religiously motivated