Epigraph:
On account of this, We prescribed for the children of Israel that whosoever killed a person — unless it be for killing a person or for creating disorder in the land — it shall be as if he had killed all mankind; and whoso gave life to one, it shall be as if he had given life to all mankind. And Our Messengers came to them with clear Signs, yet even after that, many of them commit excesses in the land. (Al Quran 5:33)
Malaysian Airline Boeing 777
Poll created by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times
I have heard all sorts of theories and details about Malaysian airline flight 17, but, no one has raised a fundamental question. Was shooting down of a civilian plane with 295 civilians on board an act of terrorism or not?
Those who shot it down, were they Christians, atheists or Muslims?
Click here to participate in two polls.
Additional reading
Malaysia Plane Crash Victims Included About 100 AIDS Conference Attendees
Malaysian airliner downed in Ukraine with 295 aboard
Categories: Counter Terrorism, Europe, Europe and Australia, Highlight, Malaysia, Russia, Terrorism, Ukraine
I think it has been clearly demonstrated during the last few years that the word ‘terrorism’ relates only to ‘Muslims’. Any similar action by others is usually ‘an unfortunate accident’.
I don’t think that the question is so straight forward, though I acknowledge that if the perpetrators were Muslim, ‘Western’ reaction would probably have been different. Regardless of that, it may well have been a mistake, i.e. those firing the missile may have assumed it was a military plane. Military planes have been downed in this conflict earlier. That’s not to say that those involved are absolved of responsibility even if that’s what’s happened. There is still very much a case to answer.
The Australian government is currently considering this very question of whether or not to designate it as a terrorist act. If it does designate it as such, it opens the way to government payments to the families of the Australians killed – payments which are mandated under Australian law to be received by terrorism victims.
The word terrorism has become synonymous with Muslims and Islam because and because of Islamic terrorism today we have heightened tensions all over the world. When things like the downing of the Malaysian Airliner happen it indeed is an “unfortunate accident” as it is a one off, you are right “accident” and not a regular incident like Islamic terrorists cater to.
The word terrorism has become synonymous with Muslims because the vast majority of the International Press is owned by Jewish families.
“The word terrorism has become synonymous with Muslims because the vast majority of the International Press is owned by Jewish families.”
Or maybe it’s because many of the terrorist incidents in recent times have been perpetrated by Muslims. Of course, it doesn’t mean all Muslims are terrorists, but then nor are all Jews anti-Muslim, as your post could be seen to suggest.
The key focus of the poll is to have a precise definition and understanding of terrorism, rather than a narcissistic one, namely, if you are for me you are a patriot or a freedom fighter and if you are against me you are a terrorist.
The Holy Quran assigns infinite value to each human life and equates killing of every innocent human being to a genocide:
Dear Brother,
When German Muslim scholar Pierre Vogel was asked about terrorism and Islam. He said:
1- Who started the First World War? Muslims?
2- Who started the Second World War? Muslims?
3- Who killed about 20 millions of Aboriginals in Australia? Muslims??
4- Who dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Muslims??
5- Who killed more than 100 millions Indians in North America? Muslims??
6- Who killed more than 50 millions Indians in South America? Muslims??
7- Who took about 180 millions of African people as slaves and 88% of them died and were thrown in Atlantic Ocean? Muslims??
8- Who created 30 million victims of Hindu famines? Muslims??
No, they weren’t Muslims!!! First of all, you have to define terrorism properly… If a non-Muslim does something bad, it is crime, but if a Muslim does the same, he is a terrorist…If a Jew leaves his beard, he simply is practicing his religion, but if a Muslim leaves his, he is a terrorist. If a Nun wears her scarf and covers herself up she is modest, but if a Muslim woman wears her hijab she is simply deprived and so on and on and on. So first, we have to remove this double standard…then come to the point!!!………..
9- Who killed more than 20 million Congolese? Muslims? No they were killed by the greedy Aristocrats of Belgium/Europe.
10- Who are the ones plotting to topple legitimate governments and replace them with puppets to loot and plunder their resources? Muslims? No they are USA, Britain and France deploying state terrorism as foreign policies. .
11- Let not forget to mention IRAQ, Palestine, Libya, Vietnam, Panama and the list are long…
We are the real axis of evil!
6 Convincing Reasons Debunking the Myth of Islam Promoting Hatred of Jews and Christians
Zia Shah, how easy it is for you to put up misinformation on TMT, as you are the editor, but one sided arguments weighed exclusively in favor of what you prefer is not what debates are meant for.
Sammys long winded thesis about the innocence of muslims was replied to by me and which was not published.
Dear musalmaan masala, look at it from another perspective. The Muslim Times is one site standing alone to diffuse the distortions created by thousands others.
So, we have to be a little selective in choosing what is reasonable.
I believe that exceptions to free speech that the European Union has claimed for herself, should be allowed to each publication, country or religion, until we can have truly a Global Village and then we will need a universal understanding of these issues.
European Convention of Human Rights
I think many of the exceptions for freedom of speech are tackled in the Article 10 of European Convention of Human Rights.
This Article provides the right to freedom of expression, subject to certain restrictions that are “in accordance with law” and “necessary in a democratic society”. This right includes the freedom to hold opinions, and to receive and impart information and ideas, but allows restrictions for:
We would certainly need the best legal minds humanity can offer to give concrete and legalistic details of the above exceptions that may be acceptable to people of all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities.
If the Supreme Court Justices do not come to our rescue, may be a good and an accomplished writer can help out with a best selling book. But, the key is to at least, win the moderates, in all the established religions of the world and among the agnostics and atheists.
People who kill innocent people, have no religion, no values and no humanity.
Re: ” the word ‘terrorism’ usually relates only to ‘Muslims’. Any similar action by others is usually ‘an unfortunate accident’.”
I agree with the first sentence, and the reason is quite simple. These days our brothers usually kill IN THE NAME OF ISLAM, and the target is almost always non-Muslims or Muslims of a different sect.
We all know that Malaysian airplane incident had nothing to do with religion, in fact we also know that it was an accident … the plane just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The issue in Ukraine is strictly ethnic and it was surprising to see you drag it in Muslim Times as if it was done in the name of Jesus Christ. How unfortnate 🙁
As far as today’s terrorism is concerned, does it matter who started World Wars or Nuked Japan? If Muslims are terrorizing IN THE NAME OF ISLAM today, then do something about that instead of writing hateful articles telling Muslims that Christians have done bad things in the past or are doing them today. Are they doing them in the name of their faith and justifying them with verses from bible?
Al Qaeda, ISIS, JI, LT, LJ, Taleban, are all Muslim outfits with the terrible track record of any humanitarian work. If I didn’t know better, I would have been afraid of Muslims and think that Islam is the problem.
I do not think that we mentioned that the Malaysian plane was shot down in the name of Jesus. And, yes, we always try to show that those doing terrorist acts in the name of Islam are wrong. We promote ‘the Khalifa of Peace’ versus ‘the Khalifa of terror’. Have you not noticed yet? Please keep reading The Muslim Times! (and thanks for your comments).
In response to the comment above, let me just quote from Wikipedia, from the article on Terrorism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism
Misfortunes have fallen upon Malaysia after the passed a law that only Muslims of their restricted definition call Allah and not others. Although Allah invites all mankind to turn to Him and recognize Him as the One and Only God.
It’s extreme misfortune and my heart goes out to the innocent victims but collective responsibility lies on the legislation and supreme court of the nation who have crossed the line here.
THE TRUTH!
THE ONE and ONLY MOST POWERFUL knows best; HE is THE TRUTH, THE ONE and ONLY POSSESSOR OF FOREKNOWLEDGE.
O THE ONLY PERFECT ONE! Increase your creatures with knowledge, and conducive to HARMONY and PEACE on your most Diverse and Splendid Planet.
Peace, La Paix, Shalom and Salaam
Umar Solim – England