Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh
Every day you see on the news how there are suicide bombings all over the Muslim world, but why is it that Muslims do it? Is it compatible with our religion Islam? Or is this something that is done out of ignorance?
In this article I’m going to argue that suicide bombing is haraam in Islam and I’m going to prove it with verses from the Qur’an and Hadiths.
Let’s first define what a suicide bombing is:
Suicide bombing would be when a person delivers an explosive to an location, detonates it and dies because of the explosion willingly. This tactic is being used currently in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Chechnya and Somalia by different groups who claim to fight in the name of Islam.
Unfortunately this tactic isn’t only used to target military targets but also civilian targets.
Firstly I would clear up why it is completely haraam in Islam to kill civilians even in times of war.
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
“On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew all of humanity: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved all of humanity. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.”[1]
” Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities .Lo! Allah loves not, aggressors.”[2]
Furthermore Shiekh Abdel Sattar Abdel Jabbar, Spokesman for Shurah Council of Muslim Scholars says about killing civilians.
” Killing and slaughtering innocents is not an Islamic teaching. Contrary to this, Islam teaches us to honor the human being, regardless of his faith. In the Glorious Qur’an, Allah says, “We have honored human beings”. Therefore, killing innocents and slaughtering them is not of our teachings.”[3]
I believe my point has been made clear now, according to Islamic rules of warfare, civilians are not to be hurt. If we look back in history to the Crusades when Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub re-captured the city of Jerusalem from the Crusaders ( who killed everyone in Jerusalem when they took it, it has been recorded that 70.000 men, women and children lost their life), he did not kill anyone, but promised the Christians a safe passage to Christian lands. This is what Islam teaches us.
Now it should be crystal clear for everyone that the killing of civilians is forbidden according to Islam.
Now to the next point, the actual suicide bombing.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
” Destroy not yourselves. Surely Allah is ever merciful to you”.[4]
“And do not throw yourselves in destruction”. [5]
There is also a Hadith about suicide:
The Prophet said: “Amongst the nations before you there was a man who got a wound, and growing impatient (with its pain), he took a knife and cut his hand with it and the blood did not stop till he died. Allah said, ‘My Slave hurried to bring death upon himself so I have forbidden him (to enter) Paradise.’[6]
“Indeed, whoever (intentionally) kills himself, then certainly he will be punished in the Fire of Hell, wherein he shall dwell forever”[7]
The verses from the Qur’an and this Hadith makes it quite clear that taking your own life is forbidden, the hadith even says that Allah forbade the man from entering paradise.
This is how severe it is to take your own life. If going out on a suicide bombing mission then the intention to commit suicide is there and hence this verse from the Qur’an and this Hadith fit the situation very well.
Numerous Fatwas have been issued against the act of suicide bombings, and the ‘Ulama agrees that this act is sinful and not according to Islam.
Muslims should stop being so ignorant about the rules of war in Islam, we have many rules that we must follow. You cannot think that something that has been haraam would suddenly become halal, this is not Islam. Suicide is forbidden not only by our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam, but by Allah, the Creator. Seek knowledge from the people of knowledge, and not from Muslims who have little or no knowledge and come up with their own rulings. Many of these attacks are only done for political reasons and not for religious reasons, but no one should be fooled that you will gain the status of a martyr when doing something that is a great sin.
I hope that this article also clears up some misconceptions in the non-Muslims minds, there are a lot of corrupt and false information about Islam in the media and on the internet, don’t believe everything people tell you. Go and ask Muslims who have real knowledge about issues. If you do not believe in what I have written then I ask you to research it yourself, from honest websites that represent Islam, I will also provide some links for further reading below.
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full Knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things).”[8]
-Fredrik “Fady” Lundström
Vocabulary:
Haraam: Unlawful
Halal: Lawful
Fatwa: Religious ruling
‘Ulama: Scholars
Qur’an: The holy book of Islam
Hadith: Oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam.
Islamic rules of war:
[1]Qur’an 5:32
[2]Qur’an 2:190
[3] http://www.islamonline.net/livedialogue/english/Browse.asp?hGuestID=AmEEc9
[4] .Qur’an 4:29
[5] Qur’an2:195
[6] Sahih Bukhari 4.56.669
[7] Bukhari 5778 and Muslim 109&110
[8]Qur’an 49:13
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