N.S. Venkataraman for BeyondHeadlines
It is extremely sad and distressing that in the holy month of Ramzan, some terrorist groups indulged in un Islamic act of killing 63 people in three continents on Friday 26th June,2015.
The civilised people around the world are shocked at such brutal massacre and refuse to believe that such terrorist activities could have been carried out by any genuine follower of Prophet Mohammed, who understand the teachings of Holy Quran.
Islam is a peace loving religion and constantly talks about the need for love , compassion and peace in the minds of individuals all over the world. Anyone who justifies killings and terrorist acts in the name of protecting Islam could only be a person with a sick mind and cannot be considered as a genuine Muslim. Such people are really doing great harm to the cause that are espoused in the Holy Quran and are damaging the great reputation of Islam.
The terrorists in the name of Jihad have killed 37 people and wounded 36 others in Tunisian resort town of Soussi on Friday. On the same day, another suicide bomber struck a Shiah mosque in the Kuwaiti capital during Friday prayers, killing at-least 25 people and wounding many others.
On the same day, at-least one terrorist launched a day light raid on an industrial gas factory in France and pinned a severed head to their gates. What to make of these grave incidents and what to think of these terrorists behind these violent attacks? What do they really gain and what point do they try to make? What cause are they trying to espouse? Are they not doing great injustice to the thoughts and philosophy of Prophet Mohammed?
These violent persons foolishly think that they are fighting for a cause and are also sacrificing their lives under misdirected guidance. How to protect the reputation of Islam from such people, who thoughtlessly execute violence, thinking that violence can be the means to what they perceive as victory ? Obviously, they have been so brainwashed that they do not have the mental frame work to know that violence can never achieve any ends and it only cause more sufferings and will beget more violence. Many people now think that civilised society can well be without these misdirected people.
Muslims live in an honourable and dignified way in many countries around the world, following the teachings of Holy Quran in letter and spirit. They are citizens in many countries mingling with the local population and living as integral part of the country where they reside. When some terrorists indulge in such violent methods and kill people in the name of protecting Islam, the honourable Muslims living in various countries have the task of convincing the fellow citizens that they disapprove such methods and also explaining that Holy Koran do not approve such methods.
It is high time that the world society recognise that any terrorist is a violent and undesirable person and should not be linked to any religious group or any other class and should be condemned and punished in a way that he deserves.
A strong anti terrorist movement is now called for all over the world that should be supported by individual world citizens. Since quite a number of these terrorists carry out their violent acts in the name of protecting and defending Islam, the Muslims all over the world, in particular, should actively participate in such anti terrorist movement, so that there would be no blot on this great religion of Islam.
(N.S.Venkataraman is a Chemical Engineer from Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu and Director of Nandini Consultancy Centre. He can be reached at nsvenkatchennai@gmail.com)
