CURBING VIOLENCE & RETURNING TO ISLAM
Modern psychologists and specialist doctors in the field
had discovered that an excess of drugs and other intoxicants lead to terrorism
and violence in the various forms they exist. Under these circumstances, the
American and European mass-media have caught the golden chance to present the
Muslims as a band of terrorists in the late 20th Century for the
simple reason of frightening the non-Muslim world and to tarnish the image of
Islam. And, during the 1990s, the mass media embarked on an aggressive campaign
to accuse the Muslims as barbaric people who are still living in the
pre-Islamic age and given to debaucheries by frequently using the connotation “Jihad” in their own distorted
comprehension. This campaign of theirs have gained all the more weight at the
turn of this new era (the 21st Century) when a so-called or
well-planned venture to depict Muslims as terrorists was put into execution
with the terrorist attacks of 9/11 (the World Trade Centre and Pentagon
Attacks).
Islam's Legacy: Non-violence
The greatest Muslim and non-Muslim historians can bear
testimony to the fact that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has never, on any
single occasion during his prophetic mission in Mecca or Medina used violence
to counteract his enemies’ persecutions, but it can be safely said, without
exaggeration, that he was the first leader to have taught “non-violence”.
However, today “non-violence” is associated with Gandhi, Martin Luther King or
Nelson Mandela when people at large tend to forget the teachings of Islam which
are universal. It is equally true to mention that with the present situation,
almost all religions in this modern age are in a state of crisis; but Islam
being a complete code of life does not lack solutions to the problems of
violence affecting society.
'No' to Aggression; Only self-Defence'
In the first place, the word “Jihad” as it is widely used by the Muslims and understood in a
distorted manner by the non-Muslims, must be given its exact definition. “Jihad” which means “Qital” or fighting with weapons can only be
affective, from the religious point of view, if it is applied in “Self-Defence”
but not to aggress or kill innocent people as indicated in the Holy Quran: Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do
not transgress the limits, for Allah does not love the transgressors.
(2: 191)
For example, as soon as the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) returned to Medina
after winning the Battle of Badr, he reminded his companions that the “smaller Jihad” is over and the “Greater Jihad”, which is the struggle to combat
evils, now begins; meaning that the “Jihad
against self” or the “Greater Jihad”
is more important in order to combat the devils which tempt mankind to commit
sins.
Protection of Civilians versus Acts of Terror
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) instructed that women, old
and infirm men should not be ill-treated, nor trees and crops destroyed. Unfortunately,
nowadays the extremists and terrorists, they are those who are sullying the
image of Islam and the teachings of Islam. We, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam,
condemn all acts of terrorism which are against the teachings of Islam. We
absolutely condemn all attacks which have perpetrated in France and Belgium and
the other countries where those kinds of extremists are causing havoc.
Re-Imagining Islamic Education
The most important step to take in order to curb violence
is to review the whole system of education at Madrassa level. Even though it
would not eradicate all evils affecting Muslim societies, at least, it could
help to reduce them to a bare minimum. A new curriculum which consists of what
is worthwhile to the environment of the Muslim children must be introduced in
order to assist them to cope with the new trends in the development of Islamic
Education, which can create the true spirit of Islam, to realize the necessity
to perform prayers regularly, to observe fasting in the Holy Month of Ramadan
and to acquire the basic fundamental principles of Islam.
To achieve these aims and objectives, the active
participation of parents is imperative and highly solicited to closely monitor
the progress of their sons and daughters. An important problem which may crop
up at this stage is that some parents may find themselves unable to assist
their children in the learning processes due to lack of proper Islamic
education. However, it can be suggested that “Adult Islamic Education” could be organised by the Amirs and the
missionaries in Islam with the intention of encouraging them to participate in
the shaping-up of the complete personality of their sons and daughters in
accordance with the Holy Quran and the Hadiths of the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh). In this connection, the Holy Quran says: O
you who believe, enter (practise) Islam in its totality. (2: 209)
Becoming "Muslim": Finding the Purpose of 'Life' in Society
Islam does not simply mean to submit to Allah and His
prophet Muhammad (pbuh) partly but only complete submission to the will of
Allah can give an opportunity to the Muslim Youth to realize their existence
for coming to this world and what must they prepare to take with them when
their life is drawing closer to its end.
After equipping them with the tenets and basic fundamental principles
of Islam, no doubt they will develop a positive attitude to tolerate and
respect their neighbours, not only of their own community but of the various
communities living around them. Then, with the greatest conviction, they will
reject all the evils, including violence and drugs and other intoxicants and vices
and evils affecting their community, society and country to which they belong.
It is only after undergoing purification of the mind and soul that they can
boast of belonging to such a community which can set the best example for
others to imitate.
Allah says in the Holy Quran: You
are the best people among mankind enjoining what is Right, forbidding what is
Wrong, and Believing in God. (3: 111)
---Friday Sermon of 08 April 2016 ~(29 Jamad’ul Aakhir 1437 Hijri) Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din
Al-Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) of Mauritius.