Islam & Weapons of Mass Destruction (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note
Exam code: 1RB0
The Problems and Benefits of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Weapons of mass destruction (WMDS) are weapons that can inflict death and destruction on a massive scale
The most powerful WMDs are nuclear weapons
The first nuclear weapon was used in 1945 towards the end of the Second World War, when the USA dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the Japanese had ignored an ultimatum from the American President, Harry S. Truman
The consequences were devastating, with some 200,000 civilians killed
Since then, peace has been kept between countries in possession of nuclear weapons by a policy known as mutually agreed destruction, or MAD. These nations will not attack one another because they know the other country could destroy them
Other WMDs include:
chemical weapons
Any toxic chemical that can cause death, injury or sensory irritation is considered a chemical weapon
Examples include nerve agents such as sarin, blood agents such as hydrogen cyanide and blister agents such as mustard gas
biological weapons
These are bacteria, viruses and fungi used as weapons of war, for example the bacteria which causes anthrax
Biological weapons can be used to target an individual, a group, or an entire population.
The problems and benefits of WMDs
The benefits of WMDs are:
They are an effective deterrent because of the MAD policy
They can bring a swift end to conflict
They cause less suffering for the party using them
They do not require a country to invade another to attack
The problems of WMDs are:
They deliberately target innocent civilians and mass casualties are inevitable
The scale of destruction is immense
They cause damage that can never be repaired and will affect future generations
They threaten the extinction of the planet as we know it
Their use could be considered a war crime
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) has said that WMDs "could have incalculable consequences for global stability and prosperity"
Many people have campaigned against the use of WMDs, supporting organisations such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
Muslim Teachings Around Weapons of Mass Destruction
Most Muslims oppose the use of WMDs
A Muslim just war must avoid killing innocent civilians and cause the minimum amount of suffering
WMDs target the innocent and are indiscriminate in what they attack
“Do not kill any child, any woman, or any elderly or sick person” Hadith
Just war must use proportionate force
WMDs are never proportionate force, because they could destroy the world as we know it
They can never be justified because of the immense damage they can cause
Just war must end as soon as the enemy lays down their arms
WMDs would mean that the enemy would be destroyed
The influential Muslim leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, warned that
‘In addition to nuclear weapons, other WMDs such as chemical and biological arms also pose a serious threat to humanity. We declare the use of such weapons as impermissible (haram) and believe that protecting mankind from this great disaster is a public duty.’
(Grand Ayatollah Khamenei)
Some Muslim scholars think that Islamic countries should have WMDs as a deterrent, but not use them
They would support this because of the teaching in the Qur’an that believers should prepare themselves to be able to frighten off enemies of God
‘Prepare against them [disbelievers] whatever forces you [believers] can muster … to frighten off these enemies of God and of yours.’ (Qur’an 8:60)
Others reject the use of WMDs even in self-defence
Islam and Non-religious Attitudes Towards the Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Most humanists and many atheists would oppose the use of WMD given the extensive damage they can cause
Humanists believe human life is special and should not be destroyed, even though they don’t believe that life was given by God
‘We should be against the possession of weapons which provide the potential for the murder of millions, if not billions of people, and the destruction of the one planet we’re able to call home.’
(Paul Simms, British Humanist, 2014)
Some would say it is acceptable to have them as a deterrent as long as other countries have them. They accept the concept of MAD has kept the peace
Some people might use utilitarian principles to justify the possession of nuclear weapons
Following MAD policy, those who possess them benefit from knowing they won’t be attacked and have to suffer the terrible consequences of war
Therefore possessing WMDs secures the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, as everyone is happier living in a state of peace than a state of war
Muslims would agree with the views of humanists and atheists because of the grave effects of using WMDs
However, they would apply the teachings of the Qur’an to support their views on these weapons
Worked Example
Explain two reasons why many Muslims would not support the use of weapons of mass destruction
(4 marks)
One reason why many Muslims would not support the use of weapons of mass destruction is that a Muslim Just War should avoid killing innocent civilians and cause the minimum amount of suffering, and weapons of mass destruction cannot avoid killing innocent civilians (2 marks)
Another reason is that any Just War should only use proportionate force. WMDs are never proportionate force, because of the immense damage they can cause. They could destroy the world as we know it and this can never be justified (2 marks)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Evaluation questions on this topic may ask you to debate statements such as these:
'The use of weapons of mass destruction can never be justified.'
'There are more problems than benefits from the use of weapons of mass destruction.'
'Weapons of mass destruction may be terrible, but having them helps to maintain peace in the world.'
Think about what arguments might be made to support and oppose each of these statements. How would Muslims respond? How would non-religious people respond? How would you conclude each of these discussions?
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