Right or Wrong in Islam?
Right, if done in an actual jihaad. Wrong, if done to kill innocent people.
Then again what is "Jihaad"?. In today's world Muslim countries are fighting between themselves and guess what, they are are both supposedly fighting Jihaad.
Sorry for bringing this up because it should be a different thread altogether. But before I shut up I would like to say that in today's times Jihaad is no longer around. In my opinion, fighting the Israelis would be Jihaad. Fighting in Chechnya would be jihaad. Unfortunately...all we are doing is sitting aroung and watching our Muslims brothers being shot to death. These are signs of Qiamat. The Day is very near.
[This message has been edited by Shakir75 (edited May 23, 2001).]
Wrong either way.
Suicide is forbidden, and Allah SWT has left no doubts about that in the Quran. Intentional self harm is very different than the 'desire to die' in the path of Allah SWT. They are two different concepts.
A group of sahaba sat together just before embarking upon the battle of Uhud, and they prayed to Allah SWT to enable them to fight the strongest of the kuffar, and then wished that they receive maximum amount of pain and hurt in the path of Allah SWT, and prayed that they overpower the kaafir in the end and get martyred themselves.
Nowhere did the sahaba wish for death as a direct measure. They wished for a battle. Not a sneak attack, which is what a suicide bombing is.
There can be instances where such an act may be considered as allowed. However, such allowance can only be in the battlefield, as a last resort, while fighting a war. For instance, a suicide mission to destroy the ammunition store of the enemy – while in a state of war – or a suicide mission to defend one’s people against the onslaught of the enemy may be considered as allowed. Nevertheless, a suicide mission – carried out in a covert fashion – to disrupt the civic life and to terrorize a society can by no means be considered as allowed.
Because of the fact that suicide bombings and other terrorist activities – without a war being declared by the state – against civilian targets is generally carried out in the name of ‘Jihad’ (generally translated as ‘The Holy War’), it is therefore imperative to understand the meaning and implication of the Islamic term ‘Jihad’.
The Islamic term ‘Jihad’ has generally been misused in our present times to imply ‘killing the opponent using any means, whatsoever’. This is the reason why in the present times, many terrorist activities are carried out in the name of ‘Jihad’. However, this implication of the term ‘Jihad’ is far from being correct. ‘Jihad’, on the contrary, is governed by strict laws and rules – derived from the Qur’an and the teachings ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh). For instance, ‘Jihad’, according to the Qur’an and the teachings ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) – after the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) – is a declared warfare against injustice and oppression carried out by an organized Islamic state.
Keeping the above definition of ‘Jihad’ in mind, it can safely be said that no terrorist activities can fall within the scope of 'Jihad’, even if they are sponsored and silently backed by an organized state.
Besides the above definition, there are also some moral rules and ethical teachings regarding ‘Jihad’. These moral rules and ethical teachings are also based on the fundamental teachings of the Qur’an and those ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh). For instance, if a Muslim nation has entered into a no-war pact with another nation, ‘Jihad’ cannot be carried-out against that other nation – even against injustice and oppression – until the appointed time of the pact expires or until the Muslim nation openly declares its withdrawal from such no-war pact. Furthermore, even in case of a declared warfare, women, children and the elderly can in no case be made a target of aggression.
I hope this helps.
They shoot partypoopers, don’t they?
[This message has been edited by Mr Partypooper (edited May 24, 2001).]
What are your views on the bombings carried out by Hamas and the Palestinians for the intifada - The most recent attack being the bomb blast at the Israeli mall ?
a1shah: I think that people who equate these actions of mindless violence to Jihad should have a huge neon sign hanging around their neck saying "I have absolutely no clue what I am talking about".
They shoot partypoopers, don't they?
[This message has been edited by Mr Partypooper (edited May 24, 2001).]
There is a good article on Martyrdom Operations on Qoqaz.net - Check the following link:
The article pointed out by Cooldude lacks some real work on "suicidal attacks on public for terrorizing". It does show that boy told king how he may be killed, but look at it from this perspective: he is a boy, he knows he can't run away from a KING!
In Pharaoh's case too, the family knew that they can't run away so they spelled their wish and steadfast on their beliefs. The morale of the two stories is not "suicide", but to hold on to your imaan whatever the situation be.
If suicide is haram, it is haram, prophet didn't command it, didn't allow it, Allah didn't allow it.... remains haram. If someone has to fight, it should be against an army. It is haram to kill children and women even in state of war.
We oughta be Changez like, don't we?
The article was geared towards the martyrdom operations in Chechnya against the Russian Soldiers. Where did it condone killing innocent children??
Suicide is NOT permissable, no matter which way you look at it. It is attaining death by wish.
Let's not get confused with Martyrdom and Suicide. Two totally different concepts.
We have not given the life, therefore we have no right to take a life(in this manner anyway).
From a realistic point of view, what does the suicide bomber actually achieve?
The real Jihaad has not come upon us as yet, and even if it did, suicide will still not be permissable.
Where the Muslims are being persecuted, it is the responsibility of the Leader and fellow Muslims to protect. However, this is not happening.
The Holy Prophet PBUH has stated' do not wish for death as wishing for death you will deny yourself the opportunity to worship Allah SWTA more, and do not wish for no death, in case you have sinned and are sinning more and therefore denied the chance to worship Allah SWTA more'.
Noone is given a burden in life, which they cannot cope with. Clearly confirmed in the Qur'aan.
In the wars of old, one camp used to besiege the other and wait for days and even weeks, until a surrender was forthcoming. If not, the best soldier would then come forward and fight one on one etc. Minimal life was taken.
Therefore, suicide is not permissable no matter which way you look at it and what name you give it.
There is no doubt that what suicide bombers who target shopping malls and other public areas, taking the lives of civilians, of innocent people are doing is wrong. There is no question about that.
What I am asking, is when people sacrifice their lives knowingly, for a specific cause - the liberation of their people, the freedom to practice the word of Allah swt - is it wrong?
GFQ
Desire to die, and intention to die are two different concepts. The first one, desire to die, is highly placed in Islam. This concept was very extensively practiced by sahaba karam, and everyone had the desire to lay down their lives in the path of Allah SWT.
That is not to be confused with the intention to die, no matter what the circumstances. You are supposed to fight for the liberation and freedom to practice Islam. You are supposed to defend your right. A suicide bombing strips you of that right, doesnt it. Essentially you put a limit to what your worth is for the cause of Islam by doing so.
To those of you who say that suicide bombing is not allowed either way, how would you rate the situation which happens on battle-field where a very risky offensive is planned and there is zero chance of coming back alive (behind enemy lines or whatever). Is it allowed for muslims to volunteer for such an offensive.. considering they will be dead?
Most of you will answer that it as allowed, cz it is a real battle-ground situation, and a muslim soldier is not a coward and does not fear for his life.
So will it make permissible a mission to carry out a risky bombing of enemy military target even if no formal war is being fought but muslims are fighting gorilla war?
Will it make permissible a mission to kill an enemy leader who is oppressive towards muslims, even if the mission means certain death to the muslim soldier?
It is not easy to define Jihad nowadays, especially when muslim forces are fighting muslim forces, or predominentaly muslim forces are fighting zionists under the flag of arab nationalism.
Those who view "suicide missions" in a war as equal to suicide are completely off the mark.
Islam allows the former, it only disallows the later. Peacemaker makes a very good point here. Suicide missions in general or suicide bombings in particular are not suicides where you take your own life, rather they are missions of war where you achieve an objective and are willing to sacrifice your life for it. These are acts of bravery and (if in the right cause)
will earn the person the status of shahadah. Not everyone has the commitment to carry out such missions, ot the will to sacrifice themselves for a cuase.
When we equate suicide missions with suicide as Akif does we must take into account the intention, is it to take your life? or is it to achieve a task? The answer inevitably is that it is to achieve a task no matter what the cost. This is what earns a Mujahid Shahadah. Those going on a suicide mission may live through it (yes even a suicide bomber).If they do not then they are shaheed, simple as that.
The only thing I am addressing here is the principle of a suicide mission. Whether they are justified on "civilians" is not what I am interested in right now.
When is it justified? when not? What is Jihad, what not? These other questions require us to take into account many other factors before we can say anything about them.
The particular case of Israel/palestine for example. I would call it justified there, but is it? That as I said will require us to look into other things.
But the question of suicide missions that concerns us here is clear, these are allowed,,,,,,,in principle.
[This message has been edited by Ahmed (edited May 24, 2001).]
Its Haram.
*how would you rate the situation which happens on battle-field where a very risky offensive is planned and there is zero chance of coming back alive *
Such an offensive is not comparable to a 'suicide bombing'. A suicide bombing is explicitly a situation where you use your body as a bait to inflict harm upon someone else. Whereas in case of a war, risky offensives do not in anyway turn you into bait. And for that matter, just about everything in a war is risky. You risk death at all times during a war, not just during an offensive.
Islam allows the former, it only disallows the later.
Can you provide some precedence related to that statement regarding where Islam has allowed such measures to be taken?
When we equate suicide missions with suicide as Akif does we must take into account the intention, is it to take your life? or is it to achieve a task? The answer inevitably is that it is to achieve a task no matter what the cost.
Achieving a task paralleled with guaranteed death, that is.
I quoted an incidence from the battle of Uhud above, where the Sahaba went as far as to pray for pain and affliction to come upon them as the result of severe fighting in the path of Allah SWT. But thats all they did. They only prayed for that. And if that pain came to them as the result of the war, that was genuine. But if they prayed for that pain, and then went on and afflicted the same upon themselves, it wouldnt be the same.
There is a very fine line we tread here. Fighting for a cause, no matter what the consequences, is one concept. However, putting the consequences ahead of you before u go out and fight amounts to tampering with fate.
[quote]
Originally posted by Akif:
*how would you rate the situation which happens on battle-field where a very risky offensive is planned and there is zero chance of coming back alive *
Such an offensive is not comparable to a 'suicide bombing'. A suicide bombing is explicitly a situation where you use your body as a bait to inflict harm upon someone else. Whereas in case of a war, risky offensives do not in anyway turn you into bait.
[/quote]
This is silly. The body is NOT used as a 'bait'! This is not even the question.
[quote]
**
I quoted an incidence from the battle of Uhud above, where the Sahaba went as far as to pray for pain and affliction to come upon them as the result of severe fighting in the path of Allah SWT. But thats all they did. They only prayed for that. And if that pain came to them as the result of the war, that was genuine. But if they prayed for that pain, and then went on and afflicted the same upon themselves, it wouldnt be the same. **
[/quote]
EXACTLY! You have hit the nail on the head. If someone just simply takes his life without it being part of an important task in war then it wouldn't be the same. That would be haram. But if it is as a result of a task in war then it would be genuine.
You say there is a very fine line we are treading here... that may be correct but when a soldier is given a task by a commander to blow up something then the soldier has to do that, if the only way for him to do that is to die and there is no other way then the solider has to do just that. He has to carry out that order. It is his job to make sure that the plan he devises is one that works. By no stretch of imagination can we call this 'suicide'. And it is not tempering with 'fate' either.A soldier going on a mission to carry out a commander's orders is not committing 'suicide'.
The stuff that a suicide is made of is completely different.
Linguistically we may use the term 'suicide mission' but that is different.
[This message has been edited by Ahmed (edited May 24, 2001).]
Its easy to call counter arguments silly, but hard to provide precedence, isnt it:)
In the absence of any precedence, or anything even remotely related to suicide attacks in the anals of Islamic history, I dont know how you can split the hairs of a sternly and eloquently narrated order, where Allah SWT prohibits suicide. If there were exceptions, I am sure they would have been noted somewhere.
Having that argument out of the way, does these concepts change significantly when we move the discussion from regular warfare to gurilla warfare (like Palestine or Chechniya)?
By the way, a suicide bombing simply means that the soldier is going to bomb the target and there is very little chance that s/he will be able to come out of it alive.
How does it differ significantly from a regular army mission to go behind enemy lines and blow up their ammunition dump in the Rann of Kach? (Just an example of course) Assuming such a plan will almost mean that there is minimal chance the soldier will make it back alive. Is it haraam?