Source: https://www.alislam.org/library/articles/religious-terrorism-causes-remedies/

Naseer Ahmad Qamar, Editor Al-Fazl International, London, UK
Ahmadiyya Gazette USA | Urdu version (pdf)

Today, the entire world views Islam as an aggressive and terrorist religion. Often, the killing of innocent people, suicidal bombings, and terrorist activities are carried out by people who claim to be Muslims, though in reality, the rebellious actions of these ignorant people have nothing to do with Islam. Rather, the real responsibility for these malicious and rebellious acts lies with the so-called scholars of Islam, who after the age of prophethood and Khilafat, were gravely mistaken in understanding the issue of Jihad, and considered the unjustified killing of human beings by sword a religious duty. These people, because of the distortion of their hearts, wrongly interpreting some of the Mutashabihat (complex and multifaceted) verses of the Holy Qur’an equated Islamic Jihad to rebellion, and associated self-concocted imprudent beliefs to Islam.

Hadhrat Aqdas ^(as) says:

The people who call themselves Muslims, but are convinced that Islam should be spread by sword, are not aware of the inherent excellences of Islam, and their actions are like the actions of beasts. (Taryaq-e-Quloob, Roohani Khaza’in, volume 15, p.167)

Hadhrat Aqdas, Promised Messiah ^(as) says:

“Islam is such a religion, which does not need the support of sword for its propagation. Rather, the inherent excellences of its teachings, its truth, enlightenment, reasoning, arguments, and the active assistance of God the Exalted, the signs, and His personal attention are such matters that always drive its progress and propagation…The message of Islam does not need any compulsion for its propagation… To mention that the Ghazis (Islamic veterans of wars) of the Frontier Region raise rebellion in the name of Jihad is an absurd thought, and it is nothing but foolishness and ignorance to call these rebellious people by the name of Ghazi. If an ignorant Muslim harbors even the least amount of sympathy for these people considering them performing Jihad, I tell the truth, that the one who calls a rebellious person ghazi, and praises those who bring a bad name to Islam is an enemy of Islam… In England, France and other European countries, Islam is very harshly criticized to have been spread by the use of force… The real truth is that this rebellion has been spread by the Maulvies (Islamic clerics), who are the unwise friends of Islam. They did not understand the reality of Islam, and provided an opportunity to others to raise objections because of their concocted beliefs. The beliefs concocted by them greatly aided the Christians. If they had not deceived others about jihad or misunderstood the meaning of jihad, no one would have taken advantage of the opportunity to criticize Islam.” (Malfoozat, volume 3, p. 176, 177)

Hameh  Isa’iyyan ra adh maqal khood madad dadand
Dalairee ha padeed amad parastaran mayyat ra

They aided all the Christians with their beliefs, and hence became the cause of emboldening the worshipers of the dead.

Rebuttal of the Bloody Concept of Jihad

We briefly mentioned that the real reason of the display of the religious extremism, oppression, violence, and terrorism by some unwise Muslims, is the wrongful interpretation of the issue of jihad adopted by some of the so-called Islamic scholars known by the name of Maulvies.

The Prophet of the time, the Arbiter and the Judge, Hadhrat Aqdas ^(as), has shed comprehensive light on various aspects of this issue in his two… read more at source.