Anatomy of Revenge

No doubt Murad Ali Baig's article is well intentioned and commendable. But it is not just the revenge that is central to terrorism. Revenge, quite often, is only a pretext - many a time invented; real driving force is elsewhere. Would a true Muslim be able to disown the following verses which supposed to have emanated from the all powerful, most merciful, compassionate and the benevolent :

Slay the unbelievers wherever you catch them (2:191)

Fight them until there is no more dissent and religion is that of Allah (2:193)

Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you." (9:123)

The vilest of animals in Allah's sight are those who disbelieve (8:55)

The idolaters are nothing but unclean (9:28)

Those who disbelieve among the people of the scripture and the idolaters, will abide in fire of hell. They are the worst of created being (98:6)

Let not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than believers; and whoever does this, he shall have nothing of (the guardianship of) Allah... (3:28)

Those it is whom Allah has cursed so He has made them deaf and blinded their eyes. (47:23)

...surely unbelievers are your open enemy (4:101)


It is extremely difficult for a person like me to accept that such words could be from God.

Is it not that the entire matter calls for much deeper introspection and that Islam needs to come to terms with the present day value system, vis a vis the non-Muslims and those who don't agree with the Islamic world view, in its entirety?

Allah is not found to have a word of goodwill for those who don't submit to him unconditionally; and in his domain there is no space for the non-believers to exist with freedom, dignity an equality. He is the one who claims assertively that 'there is no other God than Allah' ad nauseam, and ordains that every Muslim should strive to bring only Allah's rule all over the world, at any cost and through whatever means.


Quoting of some seemingly cosmetic verses in an apologist's vein (as many tend to do nowadays) is not going to help the matter much.

I am not a votery of any religion nor do I practice one; not worried about the nonexistant afterlife and have no reason to submit to god if one exists. The statement 'Terrorists have no religion' much in circulation today, is quite self-deceptive to be fully true.

Iran mathematics team ranks third in Int'l Mathematics Competition
Tehran, Aug 10, IRNA

Bulgaria-IMC-Iran
Iran's students team on mathematics from Sharif Industrial University (SIU) ranked third in the 14th International Mathematics Competition (IMC) in Bulgaria.


According to SIU public relations office report on Friday, In the 14th IMC which was held in Blagoevgrad University, Bulgaria, 140 teams from 36 reputable universities competed on 3-9 August, 2007.

In the competition, Iran grabbed six gold, one silver and one bronze medals and ranked third after teams from Hungry and Russia which took first and second ranks respectively.

1391/1771

Mr Baig
“…as when they are done out of revenge and especially if they are done in the name of religion”.
This can not be accepted as a generalisation.

Many including Timothy McVeigh and Uni-bombers in USA and others else where, were not brain washed by religion, but by sheer anger and intense sense of injustices in their society against those in power.

The sense of revenge in the present day suicide bombers is, unlike the above examples, more personal and heartfelt as a result of their incapacity to do any thing else other to kill and be killed as a "reaction" to loss of lives inflicted on their entire people by militarily disproportionate power of their enemies.

Brain washed by their religious masters, the religion is only an excuse to justify their action for public consumption, but it is not the main reason.

Once the polity of the grievance is acknowledged, may be we will get rid of the religion in the equation of revenge.
Rashid

Baig Sahib,

This is great writing!

I look forward to reading more from you here on CHOWK.

Ras

You are right Baig. Kharijites have taken over Islam while the so called moderates are serving as a base, a smokescreen, a launching pad for them with their showy mullah-brand ritualistic Islam. Thee is a wise saying in Urdu "Chore ko nah maro chor ki maan ko maro" (Do not kill a thief but kill his mother). America, the most powerful terrorist, has at last seems to have realized this. They are threatening to avenge Islamic terrorism by bombing their holy places. As a reaction even some moderate Muslims of Pakistan have threatened to become suicide bombers. Where will go the humanity?

Murad Ali Baig

Baig bhai, aren't you the guy who wrote that Muslims worship Muhammad, or should be worshipping him, or something of that sort?

After that performance, no one could have expected you to better yourself. But you did.

Congratulations. India has always been the source of the very best.

"Muslim clerics should understand that the philosophy of revenge has made Muslim communities viewed with suspicion in almost all countries. They should lead their followers and go back to the words of their prophet instead of following the words of the revisionists who have hijacked the faith. "

Well said Murad Bhai.

Asd I said, without the attitude of "tyaga" or renunciation and "Kshama" or forgiveness no person can ever have peace in his heart.

All those sword brandishing Alaahu shouting rascal muslim/mullahs are the cause of evil in Islam.

A third rate article, if my English teacher of yore were to read this, he would have said,"If I dipped my arse in ink and sat on a paper it would be better than this essay"