Muslim attitudes towards terrorism

Given that the Muslim community is a diverse mosaic of peoples, various attitudes exist towards Islamist terrorism, ranging from outrage and vocal opposition to support.^[1] Some have viewed a connection between Islam and terrorism, because of some high profile terrorist groups like al Qaeda that profess religious reasons for their attacks. Other terrorist groups, however, profess no Islamic ideology.

Muslim diversity

Muslims are not a monolithic group. National, political and religious variations highlight stark differences and multiple identities among Muslims. The Sunnis, who account for over 80% of Muslims, have over centuries fragmented in to three clear strands - the Political, Missionary and Jihad movements who possess individual characteristics and vary in global view. It is only the Jihadists however that pursue and promote an armed Islamic struggle, which led by the mujahideen can occur in an internal, irredentist or global capacity.^[2]

Condemnation

See also: Islamic terrorism#Criticism of Islamic terrorist ideology

In the article "Why are there no condemnations from Muslim sources against terrorists?" Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance summarizes:

A common complaint among non-Muslims is that Muslim religious authorities do not condemn terrorist attacks. The complaints often surface in letters to the editors of newspapers, on phone-in radio shows, in Internet mailing lists, forums, etc. A leader of an evangelical Christian para-church group, broadcasting over Sirius Family Net radio, stated that he had done a thorough search on the Internet for a Muslim statement condemning terrorism, without finding a single item.

Actually, there are lots of fatwas and other statements issued which condemn attacks on innocent civilians. Unfortunately, they are largely ignored by newspapers, television news, radio news and other media outlets.

Contrary to common image, many Muslims have spoken out against 9/11 [1] [2] and terrorist attacks in general.[3][4]

A 2005 Pew Research study that involved 17,000 people in 17 countries showed support for terrorism in the Muslim world declining along with a growing belief that Islamic extremism represents a threat to those countries.^[1] A Daily Telegraph survey^[3] showed that 6% of British Muslims fully supported the July 2005 bombings in the London Underground. A poll also showed that 20% of British Muslims had sympathy for the "feelings and motives" for those who carried out the attacks.^[4]

The Free Muslims Coalition[5] rallied against terror, stating that they wanted to send "a message to radical Muslims and supporters of terrorism that we reject them and that we will defeat them."

In 2008 the 9 killed Mumbai militants who perpetrated the 2008 Mumbai attacks were refused an Islamic burial by influential Muslim Jama Masjid Trust who stated 'People who committed this heinous crime cannot be called Muslim'.^[5]

Northwest Airlines Flight 253

The bombing attempt on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 was a condemned by Muslim groups. In Canada, a group of Canadian and U.S. Islamic leaders issued a fatwa [6], or religious edict, condemning any attacks by extremists or terrorists on the United States or Canada and declaring that an attack by extremists on the two countries would constitute an attack on Muslims living in North America. "In our view, these attacks are evil, and Islam requires Muslims to stand up against this evil," said the fatwa signed by the 20 imams associated with the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada. It concludes that Muslims "must expose any person, Muslim or non-Muslim, who would cause harm to fellow Canadians or Americans". One of the imams was reported saying: "it is religious obligation upon Muslims, based upon the Qur'anic teachings, that we have to be loyal to the country where we live". The fatwa also indicated that religious leaders have a duty to show others around the world that Muslims in Canada and the U.S. "have complete freedom to practise Islam" and that "any attack on Canada and the United States is an attack on the freedom of Canadian and American Muslims."^[6][7]

2011 Alexandria bombing

In the aftermath of the 2011 Alexandria bombing, the attack was condemned by the Muslim Brotherhood,^[8] who also called upon Muslims to protect Christian churches.^[9] As gesture of solidarity with the country's Coptic Christian minority, Egyptian Muslims showed up at churches on the eve of the Coptic Christmas on 6 January 2011 during mass service forming a "human shield" against any possible further attacks.^[10] In the days before the mass, Muslims and Copts joined together in a show of solidarity that included street protests, rallies, and widespread Facebook unity campaigns calling for an “Egypt for All”.^[11] In Lebanon, separate condemnations came from the Sunni Mufti of the Republic Mohammad Qabbani and Deputy Head of the Shiite Supreme Council Abdul Amir Qabalan.^[12] Hamas has also condemned the bombing in Alexandria, assigning the blame to hidden hands that do not wish well for Egypt and its Muslim and Christian people and seek to inflame sectarian strife. Hamas in its statement sent condolences to Egypt and the victims' families, and hoped that facts would be disclosed the soonest and that those responsible would be brought to justice.^[13]

In respose to the attacks, Amr Khaled, an influential Egyptian Muslim preacher, launched a campaign to fight sectarian incitement made on the internet, which he believed to be a cause of the violence witnessed on New Year's Eve.^[14]

Yemen

In November 2010, thousands of Yemeni tribesmen vowed to back the government's efforts in its battles against Al-Qaeda and promised to fight alongside the troops. Chieftain Naji bin Abdul-Aziz al-Shaif of the northern powerful Bakeel tribe and the organizer of the rally stated: "We will fight against al-Qaida group as it harmed the reputation of the country, Yemeni tribes and Muslims...We expressed our sorrow to all countries and people who were harmed by al-Qaida and we demanded President Ali Abdullah Saleh to handle the situation and we will stand by him."^[15]

Perceived support

Further information: Islamism

Iranian Ayatollah Ozma Seyyed Yousef Sanei issued a fatwa (ruling) that suicide attacks against civilians are legitimate only in the context of war.^[16] The ruling did not say whether other types of attacks against civilians are justified outside of the context of war, nor whether Jihad is included in Sanei's definition of war.

Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, a Muslim and the general manager of Arab news channel, Al-Arabiya has said it is a "fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims." Statistics compiled by the United States government's Counterterrorism Center present a more complicated picture. Slightly more than half of the fatalities of known and specified terrorist incidents from the beginning of 2004 through the first quarter of 2005 were attributed to Islamic extremists but a majority of over-all incidents were considered of either "unknown/unspecified" or a secular political nature.

Recent Polls

Recent (2009) Polls show a disparity of views regarding terrorism, with between 15% and 30% of respondents in most Muslim countries surveyed holding a positive view (see [7] for the complete results) on various related issues. An average of 30% of respondents in Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan and Morocco held positive views of groups that launch attacks against Americans, while similar numbers held a negative view or a neutral view. With regards specifically to al-Qaeda, in Egypt, 21% of respondents supported their attacks on Americans, while 33% opposed attacks on Americans but supported al-Qaeda's goals and 28% opposed both al-Qaeda's attacks and goals; the remainder held no strong opinion. These numbers were 9%, 19%, and 22% respectively in Indonesia; 16%, 15%, and 22% in Pakistan; and 9%, 31%, and 26% in Morocco. With regards to feelings about the former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Muslims tended to show even stronger support. In Egypt, 44% held positive feelings, 25% held mixed feelings, and 17% held negative feelings. These numbers were 14%, 21%, and 26% respectively in Indonesia; 25%, 26%, and 15% for Pakistan; 27%, 26%, and 21% for Morocco; 56%, 22%, and 20% for the Palestinian Territories; 27%, 27%, and 20% for Jordan; 9%, 9%, and 68% for Turkey; and 4%, 6%, and 82% for Azerbaijan. Related to this trend is widespread denial of al-Qaeda's role in such attacks as those of September 11 in the United States. Majorities in Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Turkey, and Jordan did not believe that al-Qaeda was behind the attacks, naming the United States government or Israel as more likely culprits.

Western perspectives

Some in the West assume Islam to be polarised between pro-Western and pro-jihadi mentalities, enabling a clear divide between opponents and proponents of violent action.^[17] In reality however, Islamic ideological and political spectrums are far more diverse than this idea suggests. American policy is unpopular among some Muslims, yet this hostility does not directly translate to support or participation in Al-Qaeda’s global jihad and for political Islamists who support non-violent measures it can not be assumed that they are in agreement with Western agendas.^[2]

See also

• Islamic terrorism
• Definition of terrorism
• Peace movement
• Anti-war attitudes
• Fasad
• Political aspects of Islam

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Islamic Extremism: Common Concern for Muslim and Western Publics". Pew Global Attitudes Project. Pew Research Center. 2005. http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=248. Retrieved 2006-06-25. 
2. ^ ^{a b} International Crisis Group. Understanding Islamism: Middle East/North Africa Report. No 37, March 2005
3. ^ King, Anthony (2005). "One in four Muslims sympathises with motives of terrorists". News (London: Telegraph Group Limited). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/23/npoll23.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/07/23/ixnewstop.html. Retrieved 2006-06-25. 
4. ^ http://www.icmresearch.co.uk/pdfs/2006_february_sunday_telegraph_muslims_poll.pdf
5. ^ Mumbai killers to be denied a muslim burial, The Scotsman, 2008-12-01
6. ^ "Twenty imams issue fatwa against attacks in Canada or the U.S.". Toronto Star. Jan 08 2010. http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/748234--twenty-imams-issue-fatwa-against-attacks-in-canada-or-the-u-s. Retrieved Jan 29 2011. 
7. ^ "Attack on Canada, U.S. is attack on Muslims: imams". CBC. January 9, 2010. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/01/08/canada-muslim-fatwa-attack-canada-united-states.html. Retrieved January 29, 2011. 
8. ^ http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=27729
9. ^ http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=27062
10. ^ "Egypt's Muslims Attend Coptic Christmas Mass, Serving as 'Human Shields'". Fox News. January 15, 2011. http://nation.foxnews.com/coptic-christians/2011/01/15/egypts-muslims-attend-coptic-christmas-mass-serving-human-shields. Retrieved 2011-01-21. 
11. ^ http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/95/3351/Egypt/Attack-on-Egypt-Copts/Ministers-and-movie-stars-turned-out-for-troublefr.aspx
12. ^ "Lebanese Leaders Condemn Alexandria Church Massacre". iLoubnan. 1 January 2011. http://www.iloubnan.info/politics/actualite/id/53775. Retrieved 1 January 2011. 
13. ^ "Hamas condemns Alexandria church bombing". Ahlul Bayt News Agency. 2011-01-02. http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=219398. 
14. ^ http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/3406/Egypt/Politics-/Amr-Khaled-calls-for-Facebook-users-to-fight-secta.aspx
15. ^ "Yemeni tribesmen voice support for fight against al-Qaida". People's Daily Online. November 9, 2010. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/7192595.html?. Retrieved January 29, 2011. 
16. ^ "Iran: Ayatollah Issues Fatwa Against Suicide Attacks". adn kronos international. adn kronos international. 2006. http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.245083220&par=0. Retrieved 2006-06-25. ^{[dead link]}
17. ^ Michael Doran. ‘Somebody Else’s Civil War. Foreign Affairs. January/February 2002.