THE SOLUTION TO PRESENT-DAY TERRORISM

The Solution to Present-day Terrorism Some books of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan that provide a counter-ideology to Muslim extremism. P resent-day terrorism has become a worldwide menace. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan explains that the present-day violence being perpetrated in the name of Islam is due to the political interpretation of Islam. While Islam is a religion whose commandments have to be followed by people of their own free will; the political interpretation wrongly shows Islam to be a religion of enforcement. As such, it is not a case of gun versus gun; it is a case of ideology versus ideology. Those Muslims who are engaged in violence today have become victims of this wrong ideology that justifies violence to enforce Islamic commandments. The only way to solve this problem is to present to these Muslims the peaceful interpretation of Islam, which is a religion of following (not enforcement). This will serve the purpose of a counter-ideology and take away the justification for using violence. Maulana has provided a counterideology in many of his books such as, The Political Interpretation of Islam, The Ideology of Peace and The Prophet of Peace. This counter-ideology has worked among Kashmiri militants. After reading Maulana’s books, many Kashmiris with a militant bent of mind have left off violence and are working in the field of education, peace and interfaith harmony.