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Since 9/11, international terrorism has, sometimes erroneously, been associated with Islam, so this Ramathan, let’s dismember our religion from this association, Nasser writes
By Thursday next week, Muslims all over the world will be fasting, having started their holy month of Ramathan. Not eating from dawn to sunset, striving not to do anything sinful, and a complete change in behaviour among other things will be expected of them for 30 days. Mosques will be full to capacity, streets beggars will be “happy”, alms will be given to the needy and so many other good things will be done.
However, according to Sheikh Abdul Matovu, due to the recent terrorist incidents where they are said to have been involved, Muslims should use this Ramathan to rinse their religion. Since 9/11, international terrorism has been, sometimes erroneously, associated with Islam– Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, and Al Ittihad al Islamia, among others. So far, for the July 11 Kampala double bombings, all the top suspects are Muslims - Ali Issa Ssenkumba, Idris Magondu, Hussein Hassan Agade and Mohammed Aden Addow.
Over time, there has been an international ‘conception’ that relates terrorism to Islam. Whenever terrorists strike, most people think it’s Muslim-related.
Regrettably, many terrorists groups have used the name Islam to promote their cause and this gave many non-Muslims a chance to asperse Islam and label the Muslims as terrorists. Deliberately ignored on the other hand, are terrorists who happen to be Christians or Jews. Terrorism as an act of violence has been committed by people from all religious and political backgrounds.
According to Shamim Monero, a Muslim student at the Islamic University in Uganda, some terrorists were not Muslim but used religion to support their task.
“It is very unfair for terror to be associated with Islam. Kony and Lakwena used religion to blind their followers, but was it Islam?” She asks emotionally
.
According to Jamal Omar Habib, a Muslim from Kisenyi in Kampala, after the recent bombings in Kampala, many, including security operatives, started watching Muslims closely. “Some people look at us as terrorists because we dress in Islamic attire, more so when you are of Somali origin or look Somali,” says Habib.
Shaban Nkutu, a student at the Islamic University in Uganda, also condemns those who relate Islam to terrorism and says human life should be taken only in the fight for justice. According to him, it’s the law of the land that differentiates between justice and injustice, so it’s in a government’s power to kill for injustice.
Islamic teachings condemn terrorism. In most instances, terrorist claim that they kill people in revenge. But, the Quran asks us not to allow anger drive us into temptation: “Do not be provoked by your conflicts with some people into committing injustice.” 5:8.
Following the 9 11 bombings in America, Islamic organisations and Muslims all over the world condemned the act, calling it cowardly.
“Attacking innocent people is not courageous, it is stupid and will be punished on the Day of Judgment. ... It’s not courageous to attack innocent children, women and civilians. It is courageous to protect freedom, it’s courageous to defend one and not to attack,” Shaykh Muhammed Sayyid al-Tantawi, imam of al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, Egypt, said at the time.
As we fast this season, let us unite as Muslims and cleanse our religion of this association with terror, by being good examples in society through being peaceful. The religion of Islam should not be confused by what these so-called Muslim terrorists have done. They actually, by the definition of the Quran, are not Muslims or at least as much Muslims as the Ku Klux Klan are good Christians. We should not let our emotions overcome our logic and understanding.
Since 9/11, international terrorism has, sometimes erroneously, been associated with Islam, so this Ramathan, let’s dismember our religion from this association, Nasser writes
By Thursday next week, Muslims all over the world will be fasting, having started their holy month of Ramathan. Not eating from dawn to sunset, striving not to do anything sinful, and a complete change in behaviour among other things will be expected of them for 30 days. Mosques will be full to capacity, streets beggars will be “happy”, alms will be given to the needy and so many other good things will be done.
However, according to Sheikh Abdul Matovu, due to the recent terrorist incidents where they are said to have been involved, Muslims should use this Ramathan to rinse their religion. Since 9/11, international terrorism has been, sometimes erroneously, associated with Islam– Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, and Al Ittihad al Islamia, among others. So far, for the July 11 Kampala double bombings, all the top suspects are Muslims - Ali Issa Ssenkumba, Idris Magondu, Hussein Hassan Agade and Mohammed Aden Addow.
Over time, there has been an international ‘conception’ that relates terrorism to Islam. Whenever terrorists strike, most people think it’s Muslim-related.
Regrettably, many terrorists groups have used the name Islam to promote their cause and this gave many non-Muslims a chance to asperse Islam and label the Muslims as terrorists. Deliberately ignored on the other hand, are terrorists who happen to be Christians or Jews. Terrorism as an act of violence has been committed by people from all religious and political backgrounds.
According to Shamim Monero, a Muslim student at the Islamic University in Uganda, some terrorists were not Muslim but used religion to support their task.
“It is very unfair for terror to be associated with Islam. Kony and Lakwena used religion to blind their followers, but was it Islam?” She asks emotionally
.
According to Jamal Omar Habib, a Muslim from Kisenyi in Kampala, after the recent bombings in Kampala, many, including security operatives, started watching Muslims closely. “Some people look at us as terrorists because we dress in Islamic attire, more so when you are of Somali origin or look Somali,” says Habib.
Shaban Nkutu, a student at the Islamic University in Uganda, also condemns those who relate Islam to terrorism and says human life should be taken only in the fight for justice. According to him, it’s the law of the land that differentiates between justice and injustice, so it’s in a government’s power to kill for injustice.
Islamic teachings condemn terrorism. In most instances, terrorist claim that they kill people in revenge. But, the Quran asks us not to allow anger drive us into temptation: “Do not be provoked by your conflicts with some people into committing injustice.” 5:8.
Following the 9 11 bombings in America, Islamic organisations and Muslims all over the world condemned the act, calling it cowardly.
“Attacking innocent people is not courageous, it is stupid and will be punished on the Day of Judgment. ... It’s not courageous to attack innocent children, women and civilians. It is courageous to protect freedom, it’s courageous to defend one and not to attack,” Shaykh Muhammed Sayyid al-Tantawi, imam of al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, Egypt, said at the time.
As we fast this season, let us unite as Muslims and cleanse our religion of this association with terror, by being good examples in society through being peaceful. The religion of Islam should not be confused by what these so-called Muslim terrorists have done. They actually, by the definition of the Quran, are not Muslims or at least as much Muslims as the Ku Klux Klan are good Christians. We should not let our emotions overcome our logic and understanding.
