Islamic Politics and Terrorism - Essay Example

Running Head: Is Islamic Politics since 1979 driving towards terrorism Trends and Processes of Islamic Politics towards terrorism By ____________________________ It is true that Islam, which was perceived as 'the religion of peace' suffered at the hands of the Muslims throughout the world. Islamic Ideology never changed, what changed were the actors in Muslim political world, the policies adopted by the Muslim countries and above all the ethnic boundaries which distributed Muslims into casts and races. Political events emerged in the Muslim world during the 1970s. Esposito (1987) while analysing the then political extravaganza mentions in his book, "Contrary to accepted norms of political development, with its secular presuppositions, and the expectations of many analysts, religion did not recede in the Muslim world but rather reemerged in the politics of countries such as Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Malaysia". (Esposito, 1987, p. 152) Iran and Afghan War - 1979 Revolution It is presumed that Iran's revolution of 1979 declared the Muslim world to think on various 'political' aspects. It was the 1979 revolution of Iran that made the Muslims to think about their future as Islam was declared by the name of 'Islamism', which acted as adversary to the western world particularly America. The main reason started with the Iran political agenda of 1979 when the constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran declared 'Shiaat' as its official religion instead of declaring the one and only 'Islam'. Emergence of 'Shiaat' Islam 'Shiaat' when declared as the official religion caused rage among the 'sunni' Muslims, which existed in minority in Iran and Iraq, however the cold war started between shiaa and sunni Muslims after the execution of many 'sunni' Muslims in Iran. This was the time when Shiites all over the countries like Lebanon, Syria, Beirut and Iraq were strengthened and were supported by various movements in order to support 'Hezbollah' (Iran) (Moubayed, 2005) From this day onwards, Islam has been labeled as 'Fundamentalist', rather it would be better to say that, the creation of 'Hezbollah' was the first move towards extremism. The main political agenda, which started in the 1980s responsible in declaring Islam as 'fundamentalist' or 'terrorist' religion is due to the rise of 'Hezbollah' which has ground deep political influences which goes in the favour of Muslim 'mullahs' and politicians. In fact these two groups have served as rouges for taking Islam to the heights not only as a terrorist religion but also as a 'terror' practiced by Muslim countries. History reveals that groups like Hezbollah and Al-Qaida have been responsible in gaining defame to their religion in the form of 'terror'. Their main aim was to fight for Islam, despite of the fact that Islam does not under any circumstances encourage terrorism. All they have done so far is disguised 'Jihad' by adopting extremist attitude, though Islam is not an extremist religion. The rules followed in Afghanistan are their own 'Holy laws', misused in the name of religion. On November 04, 1979 Iran leaded a new movement with the help of United States by the name of 'Iran Hostage Crises', which was failed for the loss of lives of the eight US soldiers. However, history reveals that United States was an ally of Iran during and after the World War II. 1979 was the year when Iran's shah 'Mohammad Raza Pehlavi' was overthrown by 'Ayatollah Khomeini' for the western influence he persuaded in Iran. When the US government offered a new relationship with the new Government, Khomeini not only rejected it, but also opposed thereby blaming America for causing 'satanic events' by influencing western culture in Iran. Muslim political era would not be completed without the concern for division in the name of 'Shiaa' and 'Sunni' Muslims. Iran with other countries having majority of Shiaas murdered a massive Sunni Muslims whose beliefs and rituals they found detestable. (Whittaker, 2004, p. 20) Whittaker (2004) writes while commenting on the Muslim perception "This dedicated mission group bears a weird sketch which is parallel to today's Hezbollah bombers coming out of Lebanon. Success and suicide for ancient and modern assassins ensure a place in Paradise as well as veneration as a martyr". (Whittaker, 2004, p. 20) This is the common misperception of 'Jihaadis' which multiply terror in the name of 'Islam' and that even to such heights that families have ended up in alleviation. The young illiterate generation of Afghanistan is brainwashed and hallucinated in the allure of heaven and gifts. These false perceptions are given by many of the 'Mullahs' and politicians, so that they may influence young growing minds. On February 01, 1979 Khomeini conquest the new Government by a vision of the future of Iran that placed religious leaders at the very heart of political life, "he had an organisation dedicated to making that vision a reality, and he had the overwhelming support of the masses of people who had taken effective control of the streets". (Daniel, 2001, p. 175) It was at this stage when the Iranian Revolution was about to become the Islamic Revolution. PIJ And Suicide Bombings This Islamic Revolution where on one hand took privilege of the Islamic laws by using them in their own interest, on the other hand the Revolution was responsible for brainwashing many Palestine Muslim students in the name of 'Jihad'. Therefore, in 1979, the revolution inspired and created an Islamic fundamentalist 'Fathi Shaqaqi' who was the founder of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) (Oreck, 2007a). Shaqaqi while leading PIJ started measures in order to acquire freedom from Israel and therefore headed the first terrorist campaign against Israel in 1981. (Oreck, 2007a) Shaqaqi and Hezbollah joined together and led a carefully planned suicide attack against the US Embassy in Beirut in December 1981, killing 69 people. (Haddad, 2004) PIJ along with 'Hamas' (Palestinian terrorist Organisation) and 'Gaza strip' carried out many attacks including suicide bombings. The era of 1980s initiated the trend of suicidal killings. Soviet Union and Afghan War The year 1979 is also significant in conducting Afghan Mujahideen war against Soviet Union, which lasted till 1989. The ten years of war and bloodshed indulged heavy shelling and equipment, which were brought in by the Soviets. At that time it was thought that Afghans would end up in victory but due to the heavy backup by countries like America and Pakistan, Afghans were able to break up Russia, which overwhelmed the population. According to Khan, (1991) "the Soviet military resorted to excessive use of firepower to terrorise the population into submission and crush the rebels. There were frequent reports of severe retaliations against villages known to have harboured the mujahideen. When antigovernment protests swept Kabul, Soviet soldiers appeared on the streets in support of the government, and Soviet planes and helicopter gunships reportedly buzzed overhead in a display of strength". (Khan, 1991, p. 84) The Soviets ended up in defeat, thereby realising that they were unable to cope up with their inefficient heavy arms against light weapons of Afghan operating in Afghanistan's mountainous and undergrounds. After succeeding the Afghan war, the Afghanis instead of governing in the name of Islam started the Government in the name of 'Afghan Holy laws', which negates Islamic preaching and were not according to the Muslim Governing Rules. Taliban's regime was influenced by inhuman laws which not only negated the teachings of Islam but also it would be likely to say that was not in accordance with any religion, because no religion teaches inhumanity. Ellis (2000) mentions, "After the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan, the changes became more uniform. Heavily armed and funded Mujahideen groups battled each other for control of the country and imposed fundamentalist restrictions on women as an extension of their control. Security for women became nonexistent, as their homes were invaded and their bodies were used as rewards for victorious soldiers". (Ellis, 2000, p. 40) It would be better to say 'Taliban's religion' than to say 'Muslims', so 'Taliban's holy religion' was based on the principles of extremist fundamentals of leading life of which 'Jihad' was one, they followed. This extremism did not allow them to provide their women with any kind of literacy or freedom to take their own decision. This has been evidenced by many of the cases in which Taliban's law found it necessary to execute a woman. However according to them, only Talibans were the one who followed and practiced a true Islam, the rest were all fake followers of Islam and 'non-Muslims'. It is due to the 'Talibans' that Afghanistan is often called as the 'country with no pictures' as press freedom never existed in Afghanistan. Taliban's so called 'Holy laws' executed many of the American reporters as well, after which U.S. raided Afghanistan. One of the main reasons for invasion was the shrewd attitude of Afghanis when U.S. asked for Bin Laden. Their flatly refusal in surrendering 'Bin Laden' became one of the main reasons for Afghan invasion. During this invasion Pakistan's support was in favour of the U.S. Government. Of course Pakistan was unable to afford any conflicts with the U.S Government, particularly after the suicidal bombings occurrence in Pakistan, she had to keep herself aloof from the political extremism for the blame she acquired for guiding Afghanis with all sorts of military assistance and troops. On the other hand, Iraq governed by the then Muslim ruler Saddam Hussein all of a sudden attacked Kuwait; the astonishing fact was that a Muslim nation attacked by another Muslim nation. However, the move was not at all encouraged by any of the Muslim nation and therefore Iraq was beaten by 32 Muslim states in which Pakistan was amongst one. America while utilising this opportunity invaded Iraq. It was at this time the increase in suicide bombings amazed everyone in Iraq, which was a way to demonstrate rage and fury for the U.S. Government. Mujahideens backed by America Today's mujahideen are what America wanted to create. It would not be wrong to say that behind Afghan support was America and Pakistan. In the reign of 'Zia-ul-Haq', America was on the front in providing all sorts of arms and ammunitions to Afghanistan for the Soviet war. On the other hand Pakistan took the onus to provide full-fledged military training to the Afghanis. Afghan refugees while taking this opportunity started penetrating into Pakistan and Iran. One reason for this was the devastation of the Afghan countryside, which proved to be of critical importance not only in the growth and development of the Afghan Resistance (Khan, 1991, p. 84), but also in devising the political turnover among the Muslim world. And of course all moral support of Pakistan Government in the era of Zia-ul-Haq was with Afghans. Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s was a religious minded person who had other tactics in mind. He wanted to unite the Afghanis and the rest of the Muslim world to form a Muslim block, but was mysteriously confronted to death in a C-130 airplane crash. The strong intentions of Zia-ul-Haq was in favour of the Muslim World whom he thought must not under any circumstances tolerate the indulgence of U.S. in their personal matters. The most amazing thing, which happened under the reign of Bhutto (Before Zia-ul-Haq) was that he also had the same intentions in mind i.e., to create an Islamic block devoid of any indulgence of the Western World. But unfortunately, Bhutto was executed in the era of Zia-ul-Haq. After Bhutto, Zia-ul-Haq had the same dream but at times it is proven that America's strategies have never permitted any nation to think independently, particularly when the concern is of the Muslim World. The incident of 9/11 shocked the U.S. Government to take action against Al-Qaida's intentions. So, the U.S. Government demanded Osama Bin Laden from Al-Qaida to be handover to America. Mullah Omar instead of handing over Bin Laden to U.S. Government counteract against the decision and thereby started an era followed by massive suicidal bombings. Although Islam does not permit suicide and declares it forbidden but what could be done to the Afghan 'Holy Laws' which massacred umpteen innocent lives, brainwashed tremendous teenagers and misused the term 'Jihad' in the name of Islam. The question, which evokes here, is that what drove the so-called 'Muslims' of Palestine and Iran towards terrorism or suicide bombings. If we analyse 'terror attacks' from religious dimensions, according to Johnson & Kelsay (1991) "the Arab-Israeli conflicts constitute a Jewish and Christian incursion onto territory due to which Jerusalem is controlled and fraught with religious significance for Muslims". (Johnson & Kelsay, 1991, p. 216) "The fact that Israel is a self-proclaimed Jewish state accentuates the religious nature of the conflict. It is not surprising that in discussing the Palestinian cause, Muslims frequently appeal to jihad. In Muslims' vocabulary jihad is associated with a war of unchallengeable legitimacy, a righteous struggle on behalf of just cause". (1991, p. 216) Jihad, the noble pilgrimage of Islam is obligatory in conditions where there is a threat of being alleviated, or under crucial circumstances, where there is no way out to survival. The way Muslims has misused 'Islam' has not only bought them defame and label of 'extremism' but also it has bought them rouge politics which has been successful throughout the decades in dividing them among casts and further sub-religions. Islam does not under any circumstances allow killing or massacre. Irrespective of any religion, the Holy Koran insists that killing a single man, irrespective of any religion is the killing of an entire humanity. Esposito (2003) writes, "There can be no excuse for terrorism in the name of Islam. Suicide attacks, bombings, assassinations in the name of any cause, whether justified in the name of God, justice, or state security, are still terrorism". (Esposito, 2003, p. 160) Today, Muslims throughout the global platform are identified as 'fundamentalists' for the name they have earned to their religion. No doubt they are influenced by imprudent moves and decisions due to which it seems that they follow the slogan of 'Divide and Rule', and one cannot assume for how long they will continue being succumb to it. References & Bibliography Daniel L. Elton, (2001) The History of Iran: Greenwood Press: Westport, CT. Ellis Deborah, (2000) Women of the Afghan War: Praeger Publishers: Westport, CT. Haddad Simon, (2004) A Comparative Study of Lebanese and Palestinian Perceptions of Suicide Bombings: The Role of Militant Islam and Socio-Economic Status In: International Journal of Comparative Sociology. Volume: 45: 5. Page Number: 337 Johnson Turner James & Kelsay John, (1991) Just War and Jihad: Historical and Theoretical Perspectives on War and Peace in Western and Islamic Traditions: Greenwood Press: New York. Khan M. Riaz, (1991) Untying the Afghan Knot: Negotiating Soviet Withdrawal: Duke University Press: Durham, NC. Mandaville Peter, (2001) Transnational Muslim Politics: Reimagining the Umma: Routledge: London. Whittaker J. David, (2004) Terrorists and Terrorism in the Contemporary World: Routledge: New York. Wehner Peter, (Jan-08-2007) Accessed from Moubayed Sami, 20 Apr 2005 Accessed from Oreck Alden, 2007a Accessed from Read More