Islamic Views On Terrorism & Suicide

"And abuse not those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they, out of spite, abuse Allah in their ignorance. Thus unto every people have We caused their doings to seem fair. Then unto their Lord is their return; And He will inform them of what they used to do." - Quran 6:108

You may also be interested in reading our book, "In Pursuit of Justice: The Jurisprudence of Human Rights in Islam", in which Dr. Maher Hathout examines core democratic and human rights principles from an Islamic persprective. Subjects include Justice, Constitutionalism, Democracy, Sanctity of Life, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, The Status of Women, Non-Muslims, Property Rights, Citizenship, Freedom of Association, Freedom of Movement, Children, Security of Person, Slavery, and Social Services.

THE SUICIDE CULTURE

By Dr. Maher Hathout

The idea of glorifying self-destruction to destroy others for whatever cause is as ancient as pre-Biblical times. We can fairly say that this style of fighting was scarce and rare throughout the history of Islamic civilization with the exception of the aberration of the assassins in the early Dark Ages. It is very alarming to see that this ugly, anti-Islam, anti-nature and anti-life phenomena is reappearing and growing among Muslims nowadays. (read more...)

IN WHOSE NAME DO THEY KILL?

By Dr. Aslam Abdullah

Over a million people end their lives every year globally by committing suicide. Those killed also include many that never intended to commit suicide. Suicide bombers first appeared among the Jewish Sicaris in the 1st century. Ten centuries later, Muslim Hashishiyun practiced it while Asians in the 18th century revived it. The beginning of the 21st century has seen an unprecedented rise in incidents of suicide killing. (read more...)

TERROR IS NOT ISLAM

By Dr. Kari Ann Owen

The Quran states that Muslims may "Fight in the cause of God against those who fight against you, but do not transgress limits. Lo! God loves not aggressors..." (2:190). What are those limits? (read more...)

THE REAL ORIGINS OF SUICIDE BOMBINGS

Motives, History and Evolution

There are many motives for suicide attacks: religious beliefs, nationalistic ideologies, obedience to charismatic and authoritarian leaders, or desire for political change. The modus operandi may vary, whether to use one or several suicide bombers, whether to use men or women. The explosives can be concealed on the human body, on an animal, or in a vehicle, and conveyed by sea, or over land. The targets can be senior government officials, military targets, economic installations, or public transport vehicles, while the level of operations can range from scores of attacks to solitary or sporadic attacks. (read more...)

RELIGIOUS VIEWS ON SUICIDE

Perspectives from World Religions

Suicide is the act of ending one?s own life. It is considered a sin in many religions and a crime in some jurisdictions. On the other hand, some cultures have viewed it as an honorable way to exit certain shameful or hopeless situations. (read more...)




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