Saudi Gazette

NO part of the earth, these days, has been left without being affected by the scourge of terrorism. It is for this reason that one must understand the true dimensions of terror in all its manifestations.

To define terrorism is not an easy task. The phenomenon has spread its tentacles so far and wide that it is difficult to differentiate between a fight for a just cause and sowing the seeds of hatred between two or more communities.

The best offered definition of terrorism is: «Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general innocent public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes.”

However hard one may try, the act under any circumstance, is unjustifiable. Irrespective of the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked, the curse of terrorism would remain an abhorrent practice of its apologists who give illogical and incoherent meaning to it.

“Islam, Aalami Biradari and Saudi Arabia,” the Urdu book under review and co-authored by Dr. Muhammad Laiqullah Khan and Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salfi, offers a varied definition of terrorism with a special focus on its causes and effects. Different manifestations and means of terrorism — ideological, electronic, national and international, individual and collective — have been dealt with adroitly and dexterously. Besides, the main reasons behind different forms of terrorism — political, social, religious, cultural, economic and ideological — have been elaborately discussed.

The book also shatters the myth based on oft-repeated insinuations in some quarters that terrorism and Jihad are synonymous with each other. The authors have very clearly drawn a line separating them and went on to prove that they both run parallel to each other.

Jihad, according to them, is an exercise that seeks to reform society — individually and collectively — whereas terrorism sows seeds of hatred and venom among different sections of society and aims at destroying its fabric. The authors have conclusively proved that both the phenomenon have nothing in common between them; in fact, they are poles apart. Jihad is allowed and recommended whereas terrorism is frowned upon. Jihad safeguards human dignity of the peace-loving people whereas terrorism seeks to destroy the bonhomie between different classes of society.

The book has rightly been divided in three sections: To point out the real historic and various other reasons behind terrorism and to differentiate between terrorism some centuries back and its modern symptoms and cure. The first section section deals at length on different militant organizations like Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and ultra Jewish groups operating in Israel and elsewhere. These and many other similar groups are creating havoc on society in the name of religion, caste and creed. Besides, these organizations have been thriving due to the double standards the West has adopted in recognizing and dealing with them. The phenomenon, according to the authors, does not have any religious connotations but has everything to do with misuse and misinterpretation of the religion.

Terrorism, according to the book, has no religion, is away from civility and seeks to destroy peace and serenity of the globe. The book also laments the criminal silence and at times duplicity of the several so-called reformist movements originating in the West. The book sheds light on various terrorist movements in the world; their aims and aspirations and ways and means adopted by the world community to deal with them.

The second part of the book that deals with the subject of Islam and terrorism has successfully smashed the myth of oft-proclaimed notion that the two are in sync with each other. By presenting the historic and modern perspective of terrorism and the true teachings of Islam on the subject, the authors have proved — beyond an iota of doubt — that certain groups with vested interests have juxtaposed the two to malign a religion that promotes peace, tolerance and co-existence.

The third part of the book focuses on Saudi Arabia’s efforts and determination to root out the scourge of terrorism from the face of the earth. It sheds special light on the efforts of Saudi government, the council of senior Islamic scholars, intellectuals and academicians to tackle the phenomenon that has wreaked havoc on society. Saudi Arabia has set a precedent for the world on how best to fight the terrorism menace, the book concludes.