The ‘evil’ communist regime is no longer a threat and stands as the sole superpower with no matching rival. Gone are the days when the communists were the villain at
Hollywood and in James Bond movies, as this role has now been given to the Muslims. After all, someone had to fill the vacuum in the entertainment industry.
A quick analysis of
the media and entertainment industry would illustrate that it is rare for Islam to be mentioned
without being accompanied by “terrorism”, “extremism”, “radicalism”, etc.
As an example, a couple of months ago, BBC aired a drama called “Spooks” in
which:
The drama made it apparent that all Muslims are
terrorists, except the ones that immerse themselves into the West and its ways. Not at any point is
it felt that the "hero" is a good Muslim, his moral fibre comes from the west not Islam.
Needless to say there are no Muslim actors in the cast. All this programme
does is demonise and dehumanise Muslims and Islam. It is based in a real city with a real Muslim
community – Birmingham, UK.
This is the first step on a very dangerous path, identify the enemy, demean,
dehumanise and kill. As a matter of fact, this was one
of the strategies used by Hitler in his brutal massacre of the Jews.
The media is relentlessly working towards creating this fear in the hearts of the
general public. The word “Jihad” causes panic and the
thought of bearded men with Quran in one hand and a Kalashnikov in another probably occupies the
mind.
The tragic events of 11th September have been fully utilised by
the media in accomplishing their goals in further demonising Islam by accusing it of being the cause
of this atrocity rather than to acknowledge the fact that it was owing to the foreign policies,
double standards and unwanted intervention of the US with the affairs of other countries.
Those who can leave blind prejudice aside may be interested in knowing what Islam really has
to say on these matters and hence I would like to quote some verses of the
Quran.
“if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and)
to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life,
it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind”
[Quran 5:32]
“…and do not act corruptly, making mischief on the earth”
[Quran
2:60]
“Do not take any human being's life which God has declared to be sacred other
than in (the pursuit of) justice: this has He enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason.”
[Quran 6:151]
"O you who believe! Stand out firmly
for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and
whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your
hearts), lest you swerve, and if you distort (the truth) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is
well-acquainted with all that you do."
[Quran 4:135]
“Nor take life - which Allah has made sacred - except for just cause. And if
anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive): but let
him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life for he is helped (by the Law).”
[Quran
17:33]
"O Mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made
you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the
sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you"
[Quran 49:13]
"And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the
difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for those who know".
[Quran 30:22]
“And those who, when an oppressive wrong is inflicted on them, (are not cowed
but) help and defend themselves.”
[Quran 42:39]
“The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto: but if a person
forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah for Allah loves not those who do
wrong.”
[Quran 42:40]
“But indeed if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong (done) to them,
against such there is no cause of blame.”
[Quran 42:41]
“The blame is only against those who oppress men and wrongdoing and insolently
transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice: for such there will be a
penalty grievous”
[Quran 42:42]
“And fight in God’s cause against those who wage war against you, but do not
commit aggression – for verily God does not love aggressors.”
[Quran 2:190]
There are simply too many verses in the Quran relating to this matter and it
would be difficult to list them all here.
Often many of the verses from the Quran are deliberately taken out of context and
then quoted, such as:
“And slay them wherever you may come upon them”
[Quran
2:191]
Why do the bigots not quote the whole verse?
“And slay them wherever you may come upon them, and drive them away from wherever
they drove you away – for oppression is even worse than killing.”
[Quran 2:191]
The above verse was revealed regarding a counter-attack on the Pagans of Mecca
who had driven Muslims out of the city after severe torture.
Another verse which is taken severely out of context and is quoted
as:
“kill the polytheists wherever you find them, and
capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush”
[Quran
9:5]
Again the bigots quote this verse out of context. If the chapter is read from the first verse it becomes clear
that it was revealed in a context of war when the Pagans of Mecca had violated their peace treaty
with the Muslims and had attacked and killed many Muslim preachers despite the 10 year peace
treaty.
Islam has very comprehensive laws even when it comes to
combat. Prior to any military expedition, Prophet
Muhammad would summon his followers and advise them "do not kill women, infants, old
persons, monks, those who surrender, nor to burn or destroy houses and crops or uproot
trees."
Right, so Islam does not teach terrorism
then. So who are the terrorists? The terrorists are those who impose inhumane sanctions on
countries for their economic gains and in this process kill thousands of innocent civilians. The terrorists are those who drop hundreds of tonnes of
carpet bombs on innocent civilians. The terrorists are
those who support illegal occupation. The terrorists are
those who violate the international treaties while they preach others to abide by them. The terrorists are those who are keen on disarming some countries while fully arming
others.
The Author is a Software Engineering student and the President of IACN (www.iacn.org.uk),
a non-profit organization. He contributed above article to Media Monitors Network (MMN) from the United Kingdom.