From your previous words it is apparent that you are a free thinking human being, in particular in the sphere of hearing the words of others. You don’t seem to have any prejudices in this regard. The Holy Quran, which is the book of guidance and law of Muslims, says about this matter: “Then (Oh Prophet) give glad tidings to my servants! Those people are they, who when they hear a speech they follow the best of it; they are those whom God has guided, and those it is who are the men of understanding.”[1] The question which you asked about assassinations was apparently not about the nature of assassinations but your goal was to become familiar with Islam’s viewpoints on this matter.

Firstly, it’s necessary for us to know that the oppressive and arrogant powers do certain things in order to strip the rights of people. Firstly, they accuse their subjects of causing chaos in the order of society, corruption, and also engagement in acts of assassinations. Subsequently, they are totally justified in their torture and killing of these subjects. The result of these actions is that not only will people of the world not protest to these sinister acts, but they will in fact outwardly encourage and support the powers to be. Many times the people who are accused of the crime of terrorism are people who love God and are working in his way. We should know that jails, assassinations and exile are the tools that these oppressive powers have used throughout history in order to oppose and strip the rights of people for their own ends. These sorts of accusations are in reality a type of revenge from the side of the arrogant powers of both east and west towards the true Muslims who invite people towards the oneness of God and invite people towards combating polytheism. In this day and age this fight is against the oppressive powers of both east and west and their agents, who are the representatives of polytheism today.[2]

Islam and Aggression

The impartial citizens of today’s world who have some familiarity with Islam know that Islam is a religion of kindness and mercy, which even in times of war only allows honorable and fair methods of warfare; for example destroying homes is strongly prohibited. Just like it has these rules in times of war Islam also applies these precepts during times of peace. Other examples include not allowing the bombing of civilian cities, poisoning the enemy’s water supply, and the killing of prisoners of war. It has also instructed that Muslims are to treat any prisoners captured during the course of the war with gentleness and kindness and to do good towards them, no matter what degree of animosity and rancor exists between the two parties. It has also prohibited assassinations of the enemy.[3]

Islam and the lives and property of human beings from the viewpoint of the great figures of religion

Imam Ali (a) (one of the great leaders of the world of Islam), in one of his instructions to Malike Ashtar Nakhai, at the time when he appointed him as the commander of Egypt, wrote: “In The Name of God, The Merciful, The Gracious. This is a command from the servant of God Ali to Malik Bin Harith Ashtar….Oh Malik…fill your heart with mercy, love, and kindness towards the people and do not be (towards your subjects who are Muslim, Christian, and Jew….) as an animal on the hunt who sees them as prey. Your people are not more than two types: either they are your brothers in religion or [in the case of them not sharing the same religion] they are human beings just like you.”[4] In another of his sermons Imam Ali (a) said: “Some painful news has reached me that people from Muawiya’s forces entered the homes of Muslim and non Muslim women (who had taken sanctuary in the Islamic Government and lived there) and have plundered their necklaces, bracelets, and other pieces of their jewelry. These women had no recourse from this oppression but to plead, cry, and wish for death. These raiding parties of Muawiya have returned to their home territories without even one of them being injured or killed. If a Muslim man was to die of grief and sadness from this event, not only would there be no problem with this, but in my opinion this would be a worthy reason for dying.[5]

What sort of religion and ideology has these types of attitudes towards people? What religion gives people such respect simply for being human beings? What sort of ideology has this attitude towards oppression of a minority member of their society and says that if a Muslim was to have died from hearing of such an event it would have been an appropriate response?

Vulnerability and acceptance of aggression and terror

A revolutionary society and religion is one which does not submit in the face of terror and fear. The question which remains is how do people free themselves of this fear and stand in the face of it. In today’s world many of the people who are accused of terrorism are the same people who are the victims of terrorism. Due to the reason that the power of propaganda is in the hands of the oppressive powers they end up showing the oppressors as being the oppressed and the oppressed as being the oppressors.

Has it ever occurred where you asked yourself why a group of the defenseless people of Palestine are fighting with sticks and stones against an army that is armed to the teeth? They oppose the Israeli Army weaponless and scores of them are killed on a day to day basis. Why is it that the oppressive powers of both east and west never lift a finger to defend them nor do they ever speak in their defense? Have you ever asked yourself who the rightful owners of this land called Palestine are? After all this can you really say that Muslims are terrorists?

With this said Islam is also against the concept which occurs in certain religions which states that if someone slaps you on the right side of your face you should expose the left side of your face to him. If someone, in order to oppress another, throws a stone in their direction (and remains firm on his intention to oppress) then that stone should be picked up and thrown right back where it came from.

Imam Ali (a), the great leader of the Muslim world, has said about this matter: “Return the stone from the place whence it came for evil can be repelled in such a manner.[6] Islam does not accept the oppressors nor does it accept for people to allow to be oppressed. If you have any further questions on the ideology or philosophy of Islam please feel free to ask and we will do our best to answer them.