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1. Invincibility of Terrorism:
Few people realise that terrorism is invincible. It cannot be eliminated either by force, propaganda of human rights or spread of liberal education. Terrorism is ‘jihad’ or religious duty committed in the name of Allah, Guru, Prophet, Holy Books or their Preachers. For instance, internally the whole of Islam may not be teaching or preaching terrorism. But there must be some statements in the Holy Books that authorize the terrorists to indulge in terrorism. It might be done just to obey the divine directives or punish the non-believers or propagate it by deeds of violence.
Thousands of terrorists claim to act, either at their own will or on the direction of their mentors, or on these divinely ordained statements. Terrorists are doers and others are passive onlookers. The terrorists do not consider these passive onlookers as believers of Islam.
They see the whole world as anti or non-Muslim. Therefore, in the name of Islam they commit any kind of violence. They are taught or trained to make any sacrifice. No power on earth can, particularly, when they are supported and guided by the leaders of their own government and community, stop them.
Weapons, diplomacy, technology and politics are unable to restrain terrorists. The terrorists and their mentors are trying to possess nuclear bombs. The moment they succeed they would be invincible. Islamic rulers, dictators and political leaders make full use of their commitment to Islam. No other religion or ideology has been able to stand up to face this encounter. Terrorists know this position of all other peaceful religions or ideologies well. Terrorism is treated as an unfailing weapon of religion.
Religions that thrive on teachings of peace, toleration, otherworldly bliss and non-violence simply have either to surrender to them or keep dispassionate, introvert and listless silence. Doggedness of terrorism has disabled the nation-state, viability of democratic systems and protection of well-equipped standing armies.
A large number of scholars, intellectuals and leaders, in the past, already knew the power of Islam, but only a few realize that presently it is also a perennial source of terrorism in the modern world. They fail to face the reality for the sake of their own survival, fear of widespread communal disturbances, dependence on goodwill of the Muslims for protecting their vested interests and sustenance of fragile polities. The killing sword of Islamic terrorism continuously hangs over their head.
Muslims and non-Muslims all suffer from this threat. Any attempt to analyse or discuss the mystery, or casting doubt, criticising or suggesting correction, reform or remedy in the tenets of Islam is likely to result in severe punishment, humiliation, amputation, destruction and death of the person or persons engaged in such acts. Islam authorises every believer to stop and punish non-Islamic acts. A believer, in fact, has no discretion to keep himself away.
Contemporary terrorism has a perennial human source. Out of one billion Muslims, there is likelihood of a few million of Muslims to continue to operate as fundamentalists or terrorists. Under the circumstances, terrorism becomes an all-weather weapon to fight against the enemies, particularly, the US, Israel, and the European Union. The Islamic countries like to push the frontline of terrorists to tread only on the road of terrorism. Islamic teachings provide a perennial and readymade source of manpower to them.
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Military rulers and political leaders of the Muslim states cunningly and knowingly make use of them to realise their political goals. This they do by transforming their political and military goals as the part of teachings of Islam. After the conversion of their politics into religion, there appears no power on earth, which can distract them from their assigned mission.
Whether one is Muslim or a non-Muslim, one has to accept the Holy Book as the last and final word of God. None is allowed to discuss, criticise and object to it. One cannot raise any objection to statements made in it. If someone dares to do it he can be killed on spot. Every Muslim as a soldier of Islam considers it his prime duty to kill the person doubting or objecting to those holy statements.
Developed nations and their citizens foolishly complain that the Islamic extremists in the name of jihad are attempting to mould the whole world into their ideology. They forget that they are doing what they are directed to do. There is no way to advise them to live like good and peaceful citizens.
Their main difficulty is that they all, including the liberals, are, at heart, blind followers of Islam. They have absolute faith in the teachings of the Quran and the Shariat. The Muslims, as a community of faith, know well that the secret of their strength lies in keeping belief in Islam, intact. Even if they like to, they cannot change themselves.
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They have learnt that theirs is the last, final and universal faith. They have to appear diehard, and there is no way out. Being the last message of Allah, the Holy Quran stands over and above everything. There can be no change in it. It has to be obeyed by the whole of Ummah (the community of the believers) spreading the world over in millions. It is the final Law over and above every other law.
Islam is a product or creation of a non-state and non-nation society. It does not recognise entities like state, nation and rule of citizenship, which would bind a believer, or follower of Islam. Islam is global by nature. No state, nation or world-body can claim to stand over and above it. A Muslim in terms of the Holy Quran can live and follow his tenets only when he lives in a community without having a state or nation.
However, if he is compelled to live in a state, or a nation or a community different from his own, he stands at war with it. He can be at peace only in a society of Islam. Muslims tactically can keep patience and show forbearance, or cool down non-Muslims by making liberal interpretation of terror-oriented tenets of Islam, till the opportune moment arrives to transform that polity or community into the version of their orthodox religion. The orthodox believers are to operate as extremists, insurgents and rebels. There is no way to persuade the diehard terrorists to live like good citizens.
Launching war, gunning down or imprisoning them, making sophisticated weapons, outlawing their organisations, stopping aid and shelter to them, and the like does not deter or discourage them.”” It may slow down their speed of action and its effect. In fact, all killings, pains and tortures to them rather make their will and acts much stronger and deadlier. It is almost suicidal to imagine or expect that these terrorists would ever change at their own.
However, invincibility of Terrorism invites reaction, counter-action and challenge from the side of opponents. There are two ways to overcome the threat of contemporary Terrorism: one, the Turkey way, and, two, of emergence of more powerful counter-religion or ideology. Turkey has shown the way that Islamic Terrorism can be met even by the Muslims themselves, provided they are able to throw off their orthodox and conservative Islamic mettle under some powerful leadership. This has to be supported by a strong, modern and secular military.
The second way is either the emergence of one another more powerful, organised and strong religion/ideology or reformulate some already existing virile religion/ideology. It has to inherit another Revelation directly from God covering tenets on all matters of life, commandeering to destroy and eliminate every other form of religion, past and present, of similar jehadi nature. Being based on the universal principles of Justice, Reason and Equality, the new religion can claim itself to be the Last and Final Message of Man.
Such religion would deny all civil, political, financial and existential rights at global level to the differing perpetrators of violence and terrorism in the name of God or holy books. From this point of view, it looks futile to bank upon the Religions of Peace and Piety, or Gandhianism’ for riding mankind of from the scourge of terrorism. Surely, such powerful message superior to hitherto obtained from God Himself would consider itself concerned more to save innocent men, women and children from being killed in the name of Islam.
It would prove a final attempt to stop fanaticism, fundamentalism and terrorism appearing to be defender of God and His Revelation. Any emancipator of humanity from the scourge of terrorism can vehemently claim Revelation from God, the Almighty. Unfortunately, such invention or recovery of another Religion, based on some kind of revelation directly or through some Prophet, Messenger or Avatar is not likely to happen. Even if it is made to happen, it would not be acceptable to the men and women of 21st century.
2. Failure of Liberals:
Another offshoot comes from the liberals. Liberals both Muslims and non-Muslims everywhere are in majority. But they are unable to stop the terrorists from committing such heinous crimes. Particularly, Muslim liberals, fail to reject jihadis ‘claims that the terrorists cannot be judges unto themselves and have divine sanction to use force.
Terrorism happens to be the ideology of the super-sovereigns. It depends only on the individual understanding, training and education of the terrorists that to what extent they would, in the prevailing manner, fight for the cause of religion. But, unfortunately, as supporters of use of force and violence for religion, all stand along with the terrorists.
Inability of liberals and non-Muslims to oppose jihadi or religious terrorism is very much prominent in the field of supremacy of state. Forgetting the role of modern state, they consider the non-believers, even sympathisers of the West, US, Israel, Hinduism etc. as criminals and connive at the acts of the terrorists. Even the liberals do not accept that state now is the supreme, secular and sovereign organisation, claiming monopoly of obedience of all citizens.
The liberals too maintain that state has to be subordinated to religion. They do not like to permit state to stand over and above all individuals, groups and organisations. They regard only divine law as superior to all other laws. In the field of international relations, states are placed next to the United Nations Organization – an effective confederation of 191 states. They claim even the UNO subordinate to Islam.
Because of their innate commitment to the religious fundamentals, the liberals remain unable to isolate orthodox Muslims from supporting jihadi terrorism and eschew their indirect support to terrorists. Most of the liberal interpretations of Islam have largely been to justify the use of violence by the individual believers on old lines. This results in permitting the continuation of terrorism and breaking of civil laws. These liberals fruitlessly continue to permit jihadi (war) when it is no more permissible to do so.
As the liberals can be declared as renegade or kafir, they cannot tell the believers that now no individual or organisation or community has the right to exercise force and violence except in a very narrow area of ‘self-defence’. They are unable to inform or educate the terrorists that now state has taken over all of their earlier functions; under the universal ‘rule of law’, democracy has evolved means and methods to redress injustice, oppression and exploitation; anyone using violence stands against the ‘rule of law’ and the constitution; and, a practitioner of violence can, therefore, be treated as a criminal, rebel or insurgent.
If they muster courage to do so, they rightly fear that conservative kazis and mullas would declare them as anti-religion, renegades and Satan (evil). Unfortunately, the liberals also forget that maintaining apathy or silence amounts to providing moral and religious support to the terrorists. Thus, the liberals, because of the basic call of Islam and their submission to them, cannot go in a different direction.
3. Solution through Law:
For this purpose, the UNO can prove to be the most appropriate body to solve this problem. The Security Council can pass a resolution and constitute a high power body which would, upholding the principles of democracy, freedom and human rights, be authorised to appoint two expert committees of scholars. Its success would lie in finding out suitable and impartial persons to do the job of separating pure and simple religion from religion-related fundamentalism.
The First Expert Committee consisting of scholars and practitioners of various religions would be formed to trace out portions, parts, sentences, sayings or statements of the holy books which the extremists and fundamentalists claim to have authorised them to resort to terrorism for divine goals.
They should be able to find out and explain the correct meaning and application of controversial divine directions that are maligned by the fundamentalists for their cruel ends. The Second Expert Committee would collect literature, books, leaflets, newspapers and speeches of the leaders of the fundamentalists and terrorist organisations and compare and contrast them with the original statements of the Holy Books. It would determine the places and point out where the terrorists go beyond the permissible limits of law, society and government.
Such exercise would help them to ascertain criminality of the acts and intentions of the terrorists, their trainers and supporters. Conclusions drawn by these two expert committees would be reported to the high power body which would forward it to the UN. Their reports would be discussed and a resolution passed by majority in the General Assembly. It would be the responsibility of the Security Council to get the resolution implemented through the member-states, various UN organs and organisations including recognised NGOs.
On the basis of that resolution, the UN, and later on, other international bodies can declare that such commandments, directives etc. and their teaching excite and encourage terrorism, therefore, are illegal and against International Law, Human Rights, Democracy and Freedom. The member-states would be requested to frame, repeat, and reformulate laws accordingly, and implement them in letter and spirit. The Security Council Resolution no. 1373 and others already show the desired way.
Laws framed in this direction by a state or the world body would prevent, restrict and disallow every kind of preaching, inciting, training and encouraging people to indulge in spreading extremism, fundamentalism and terrorism. In that situation even the local authorities of the states, big and small, would be able to prevent and stop terrorism of all kinds. In this way, all terrorism in the making can be intercepted before it comes into existence. The huge task of eradication of worldwide terrorism, thus, would be decentralised and effectively implemented at different levels.
It should be propagated, recommended and reiterated again and again that none of the tenets of any religion inciting terrorism in any form, past or present, will be permitted to stand against the fundamentals of Human Rights. In fact, acceptance of Universal Declaration of Human Rights does not leave any room for existence and operation of Terrorism. But it lacks the teeth to fight against and eliminate it.” ‘ These provisions can be given a concrete shape by denying citizenship or entry into a country to a person if one does not subscribe to an anti-terror oath, to be prescribed by each and every state.
4. Existential Challenges:
To eliminate contemporary Terrorism, all orthodox Muslims in general, and fundamentalists and terrorists in particular, and the Islamic diehards should be motivated and encouraged to question and reconsider their basic tenets of Terror.’ The Islamists may not allow any other to do that. Those who do this are likely to meet fat was of death, torture and imprisonment. But, as human beings, they should be asked to listen to others. All of them are to be somehow told that if Allah is the Almighty, He can do everything for man and his cosmos directly.
Why should He supposedly act through some Messenger? God is not helpless or powerless without pronouncing some Message. He does not need to depend on the doings of own creation, the humans. For the Almighty there is no need to make revelation either at His own will or at man’s request through some human agency. The specific event of divine revelation, in effect, downgrades the status of the Almighty, who is All-pervading, just and All-creating. He is disabled and made partisan that way.
Why can He not do it so by using other own and natural means so as to benefit all men equally upon earth. Presence of some fanatic followers is not necessary to prove His Existence or the truth of His Revelation. Such assumption automatically deprives the rest and posterity from getting similar messages from Him for all time to come. Obviously the whole arrangement is to establish superiority of Islam over all other religions making them redundant, ineffective or invalid. Plurality of religions disappears or dies in the Islamic manifesto.
If God (or Allah) is everywhere, and is all powerful, there is no need of His dependence on some people – extremists, fundamentalists and terrorists, to prove His Existence by killing and destroying others. God does not require proving that He granted Revelation/Special Message to a particular community, much less through some Incarnation, Prophet or Messenger. Acceptance of the need of any Incarnation, Prophet or Messenger to learn Divine Discipline makes Him powerless, limited, and dependent.
It is an insult to God to attribute to Him that He himself felt need to do so. No person can claim to know timings, place and need of God’s desire or feeling to make Revelation. The Almighty God as Impartial Judge and Controller of Creation cannot make a particular revelation for a particular people. Knowledge of such a God or Revelation cannot be confined to a particular place, in a particular language, addressed to and through a particular person or community, and meant for some particular Objective or Mission.
A Message as such can never be the last, final and irreversible. Creation by Him does not stop. God cannot be bound by His own Message. How an intelligent man can be sure that somewhere, some such Message or Revelation took place. How can one believe without some valid proof that the Revelation has that particular Form, specific Contents and hidden or open Meaning. Who would witness that God Himself uttered that particular Revelation? Would God not have been God without making that Revelation?
Even if God made that Revelation, the utterances of God or Prophet appearing in the past cannot be right for the man of today. Therefore, a man should not accept all that what has been said and written in the Holy Books by order, threat or teaching thrust upon in childhood or thereafter. Why is there no room for the use of reason or arguments or modernity in religious matters? Intuition cannot compel others to obey its bidding.”
Why should a man, community or group of people of today accept a particular Revelation: the Quran, the Bible, the Gita, and others? Why and how should they believe that it had happened in the past at a particular time and place and among the members of some particular community and made in a particular language and is useful, last and final one? On this questionable basis, a terrorist has no authority to compel others to do what he likes.
A Revelation cannot be acceptable to or be thrust on others even if a large number of fanatic followers believe in it. If some followers of any Religion feel and do like that, why should others feel and like to do the same? What would happen if some other people claim Revelation in the same manner and determine to execute its teachings in the manner of Islamic terrorists or jehadis?
Under the prevailing form of democracy, rule of law and world community, no one can be equipped with the divine, even civil, right to use force in ‘self-defence’ and fight against oppression anywhere in the world. Under UN Charter no one can have any divine injunction to wage wars and convert peoples and communities.’ No such right can be legitimised for liberating a people in this nuclear age even if they have been oppressed and tyrannised. They have to seek redressal through courts and parliaments.
Coming under the control and command of the terrorists or fundamentalists simply means elimination of other religions and communities. This eliminates plurality of religions world over. Hardly anyone would like to see such Revelation to be the only religion of the world. A country may not like to permit citizenship, even residence, to any brand of fanatics who consider themselves to be at war, when living in Non-Islamic states, till they are ruled over by Islam.
In fact, Islam of terrorists and the Modern State cannot go together.”^ No modern state can be organised and operated on the tenets of Terrorism and vice-versa. That is not possible within a democratic set up. The believers are asked to bring non-Muslims to their faith. On particular occasions, they are allowed to harass, punish, torture and kill the non-believers, particularly the idolaters. Some religions require absolute faith in religion and do not allow supremacy of state, law and other regional and global arrangements.
A large number of orthodox Muslims indulging in contemporary Terrorism do not consider themselves bound by the Constitution or Judiciary as it clashes with the teachings of the Quran. Their Faith of Violence is not ready to accept and implement the ‘rule of law’ in the modern sense of the term. Most of the Islamic states do not like to abide by international laws and implement the resolutions of the UN. It is also a mistake to think that terrorism can be guided by the US and Europe, or even by the sponsor states.’
There is little doubt that ‘the world is facing a dangerous escalation of violence by extremists and fundamentalism who are the self-proclaimed enemies of free and democratic family of nations. The key for world peace and security cannot be left in the hands of terrorist organisations and their sponsor states who publicly proclaim their evil strategy.”
Some scholars feel the need to focus on ideas, and the need to alter the ‘dynamics in the minds of men’ that legitimise the use of indiscriminate violence. The latter has, according to them, arisen out of the policies of western powers as well as authoritarian rulers of Islamic states who use extremism in Islam as an instrument of strategy.” Huntington advises the ‘West to maintain the economic and military power necessary to protect its interests in relation to these (Confucian and Islamic) civilisations.
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It will also, however, require the West to develop a more profound understanding of the basic religious and philosophical assumptions underlying other civilisations and the ways in which people in those civilisations see their interests.’
But this is not enough. Perhaps, for their survival and safety, liberal democracies, and their leaders will have to take steps towards “Anti-Terrorism”. They will have to repudiate all concepts, ethos, strategies, and goals of terrorism.
The world community or the UN will have to, irrespective of the claims, origins, grievances, and preparations of the terrorist outfits, attack, destroy, and eliminate, fiercely and forcefully, all elements – men, material, and weaponry, including teaching and training camps. Wherever they are, and, whatever be their colour, creed, ethnicity, identity, origin and culture, they have to be done away with. In no case, the terrorists and their sponsors, should be permitted to possess WMDs and nuclear weapons.
Contemporary terrorism, practiced in the form of ruthless ‘violence’, has to be earmarked, targeted, and attacked. Objects of attack include specific contents of terrorist teachings, its teachers, trainers, organisation and weapons of terror. Its supporters and financiers also stand on the same footing. But the programme “Fight against Terrorism” cannot be undertaken unless the Fighters undertake their task in a more serious and effective manner.
The outcome of the war between the Terrorists and these Fighters would depend ultimately on the superiority of will, weapons, action, and organisation of science and technology. Future survival and progress of mankind will depend on the achievements of these anti-terrorist Fighters in their war against Terrorism. For this everyone will have to make resolve, act and go ahead more effectively than the forces of Contemporary Terrorism.