Terrorism is Forbidden

Given the clear teaching of Islam that all creatures are members of God’s family, it is ironic and unfortunate that some Muslims are engaged in killing innocent people, and that, too, in the name of Islam. This is wholly un-Islamic. Violence is not the right approach when conflicts arise between Muslims and other communities. The Quran instructs us that “reconciliation is best” (4:128). The proper way to solve conflict is not through violence but through peaceful discussion and dialogue. One must seek to adopt constructive, not destructive, approaches to conflict resolution. Terrorism can be defined as using arms by actors other than the state. Terrorism is, thus, illegitimate violence resorted to while seeking to have one’s demands met. Those Muslims who seek to present their terrorism supposedly as jihad are making a mockery of Islam. Jihad in the sense of qital or war can only be declared by a regular government or state authority, not by ordinary citizens or non-state actors. Today, terrorism broadly takes two forms: proxy war and guerrilla war. I can confidently say that both are haraam or forbidden in Islam. According to Islam, a proxy war is illegitimate because Islam requires that a declaration of war be explicitly made before war can actually be waged, and proxy war is, by definition, one that is unannounced and engaged in indirectly. Likewise, guerrilla war is also forbidden in Islam because such a war involves civilians taking up arms against an established government, and this cannot be considered legitimate jihad because, according to Islam, the right to declare jihad in the sense