Muslims must unite Against Terror

By: Farzana Hassan

The carnage continues, with yet another series of terror-inspiring bomb blasts, this time in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai, India—with more than 160 innocent commuters dead and hundreds more injured.

Still, the Indian government has demonstrated exceptional restraint not to point a   finger at any particular group, though speculation is rife that this latest act of murderous brutality may be the work of Kashmiri separatists driven by a fanatical religious zeal.

Unfortunately a wave of militant fanaticism appears to be spreading across the Muslim world.  If this is a case of deja vu, then the tribal mentality which demanded equal retribution for wrongs committed by one clan against another in the sand dunes of Arabia, is taking hold of the radical Muslim imagination. “You kill a member of my tribe, I will slaughter a member of yours, even if he is not directly responsible for the crime” the argument goes! 

One must therefore ask again and again: are moderate Muslims doing enough to combat militancy and fanaticism or are they turning a blind eye to the continued atrocities committed by their radicalized coreligionists?More importantly, what can the moderate, progressive Muslims from the silent majority do to counter the murderous tendencies of their non-secular coreligionists?

Are the mosques emphasizing the pacifist side of Islam enough? Are religious leaders and imams exhorting Muslims to uphold their duties as law-abiding citizens of nations first, or are they fanning Muslim ire by highlighting political conflicts affecting Muslims? Could these cause resentments in impressionable minds directly or indirectly? Is the message of forgiveness, charity and humanity being deliberately sidelined in the interest of furthering political agendas?

More importantly, are Muslims condemning violence and terrorism enough? Certainly Muslim organizations swiftly condemn terrorism or suspected terror in terms that are unequivocal and forceful, but are the same sentiments being echoed among the masses? In any case, why should moderate Muslims enter the polemically dangerous arena of apologetics on behalf of some crazed fanatics in our midst?

Terror, some say, will be rooted out only if there is a grassroots movement against it from within the Muslim community but I am not so sure. From biblical times, we have been hearing that fear is the key—but King Solomon, I think, meant fear of the Lord your God. Do we see any demonstration of that fear of the Lord of the Worlds in today’s insecure and almost insane world? I have my doubts.

It is about time Muslims rode on their hobby horses out into the streets in throngs, as they often do when registering insults to Islam or the prophet of Islam. 

Terrorism too, is a colossal insult to Islam, but they know this not!

Again, it is about time they told the extremists to stop hijacking Islam’s peaceful message for political gains.  Our leaders, imams and religious scholars must continue to drill the message of tolerance in young impressionable minds who would otherwise fall a prey to more militant ideologies.

Enough is enough!  This is a communal responsibility that moderate Muslims can no longer afford to shirk.  It is a duty we owe to Islam, to our coreligionists and most importantly, to all the peace-loving citizens of the world.


Farzana Hassan-Shahid is a freelance writer and host of the Radio Program: Islam Faith and Culture.