Source: Guardian
It’s a question even liberals can find themselves asking after attacks such as the one in Westminster. But the answer can’t be yes – and here’s why
Since the Westminster attacks, many people seem to have been getting stuck on the following question, as they do after most acts of jihadi violence: “Is there something special about Islam? Something that lends itself to terrorism?”
I’m not just talking about the Katie Hopkinses of this world (they have already decided to privilege gut feeling over actually finding out, so this piece isn’t really for them). Or even the Roger Scrutons: on Radio 4’s Start the Week on Monday, he said: “We do need to have a discussion about the Qur’an … how do we deal with those difficult suras [chapters] which are full of these tetchy pronouncements.” It sits at the back of progressives’ minds too, the kind of people who think it’s not good to generalise, and that there are definitely lots of nice Muslims, but still …
And, in fact, it’s not an unreasonable thought if you’re unfamiliar with Islam. It provides an easy-to-grasp account of acts that otherwise seem inexplicable. Who knows (or can be bothered to find out) what those verses say, and how they have been interpreted? The media uses shorthand, focuses on the present and immediate past rather than the vast contemporary and historical context, and therefore nudges us towards the conclusion that there’s something fishy about this faith.
Suggested Reading
Explaining Islamic Extremism to a Christian Audience
Defensive War in the Holy Quran in 600 Words
Karen Armstrong: Author that Paris needs to bring Christians & Muslims together; nominating her for Nobel
Demystifying ISIS: Religion or Politics?
Categories: Accepting Islam, Collection of articles, Counter Terrorism, ISLAM, Terrorism, The Muslim Times
Though Islam cannot be blamed but Muslim literature is full of confusion . Read the tafaseers and books , listen the speeches of renowned moulvies , one gets the impression that Islam is another name of intolerance . If you raise any question , believe me you will have to leave this world . If you are not Muslim you are bound to go to the hell . If a Muslim changes his religion , he should be ready to cut his throat because he is a murteed . Muslim literature is full of hatred for Jews , and if you have a Jew friend you are doing unislamic act . One or two Americans are now trying to make Muslim- free America but Muslim literature is waiting for the man who would make kafir- free world by sword since long . When a Muslim says that Islam does not accept the murder of a innocent , it is nothing but a joke because the same person is ready to cut the throat of a murteed . Is a murteed not innocent ? When Muslim literature says that Hazrat Isa will give only two options to kafirs , either embrace Islam or will be killed , how can it be said that Islam hates the killing of innocents ? If we want peace , if we want that there will be no islamophobia or hatred against Muslims , we will have to reject this Islam which can be everything but true Islam.
Islam didn’t bring violence to him. He brought violence to Islam. Accept the facts. He got a Muslim name.. That’s enough for Islamophobic Muslim haters sick people to bash 1.8 billion Muslims. Even they are not ashamed to hide American killing 47 and 233 civilian in Syrian and Iraq on 23 and 26 of this month. His lifestyle & behaviour is not one fitting of a Muslim or any decent human being. He was a British Christian terrorist that u guys are ashamed of therefore thinking the right place to dump pig blame is to associate him with Islam….Shame on u.
Lets not also Forget, He was a Christian for 45 years Adrian Russell.. he become violent and stabbed people while he was a Christian… I guess maybe that a very Christian upbringing isn’t it??
This man has a string of crimes and violence before using any religion has an excuse. I would just call him a crazed Brit. where did the guy in London state anywhere that he was doing it in the name of Islam … nowhere. The sad thing is more people have died at the hands of kids going into schools and shooting their class mates. Over the last decade than any attack blamed on religious or political purposes. More unharmed men have died at the end of a police officers gun. But they blame Islam.
Police investigating the Westminster attack have concluded that Khalid Masood acted entirely alone for reasons that may never be known. We have GOT to stop treating every act of violence involving a Muslim as an “ISIS attack” right out of the gate. Sadly, the guy was just a plain old case of mental illness left undealt with (care (!) in the community – lack of training in spotting mental problems – low awareness). Not an Islamic terrorist. This man was a psychopathic killer long before he took a Muslim name. He was an angry Christian for many years and would have done something like this regardless of religion. He was a druggy nutcase like so many of our unemployed and criminals. We need to replace welfare with national service and keep the poor off drugs and help them get fit and healthy. The devil makes work for idle hands.
Before you rant about Islam, the US-coalition murdered nearly 260 civilians in only one day in Mosul and Raqqa the other day. Now, who is the terrorist? Nearly every single “Islamic” terrorist who have attacked in the West have been a Salafi drug addict who drink alcohol, run nightclubs or commit any other grave sin. Anyway, when Muslims are murdered, or mosques burnt down in the West, no one who call themselves as “experts on Islam” seem to go on a rant. So, tell me again, who is the terrorist?
I was watching the other day BBC news and they were talking about his childhood, why? He killed 3 people on Wednesday and another person died after. I don’t care he was from Kent, which school we went, what did he do in Arabia Saudi etc. He killed innocent people. Newspapers and TV should be talking about those innocent people who died more than this disgusting person. Despite what some haters would want you to believe, Islam strictly forbids killing indiscriminately, killing non-combatant, destroying the environment, poisoning wells or chopping down trees and plants, destroying properties, wanton killing of animals etc. In short, as far as Islam is concerned, there is no such thing as necessary collateral damage.
“We must all accept that there is a possibility we will never understand why he did this. That understanding may have died with him.” There are a 100m devout Muslims in the world ….if Islam itself was so dangerous and threatening, we’d all be dead by now! Yes….this guy was ‘radicalised’…..he was also a violent offender well before that……he was also suffering, in all probability and from all the evidence, from an overwhelming obsessional mental health problem. There isn’t one single factor to explain what he did…..the combination made him a ticking bomb.
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk