From the Editor’s Desk

 

Terror Strikes Only Worsens The Problem

 

The terror bombing in London on 7th July has shaken the world once again. Whosoever is behind this bombing – it is not very clear so far as no one has claimed responsibility except an obscure group – should know that revenge attacks, apart from being immoral, worsens the situation. The Qur’an says with great clarity remove evil with goodness and it is this doctrine, which will build goodwill and peace in the world.

 

It is true that Bush and Blair are responsible for attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq and thousands of innocent people died as a result of these brutal attacks on these two countries. But attacking innocent citizens and maiming them in retaliation would not in any way solve the problem. If anything it will aggravate it. Violence will beget more violence. Hatred will create more hatred.

 

Moreover, killing innocent people does not punish the real culprits. It punishes those who are in no way responsible. Thus it is not even according to law of retaliation. Retaliation can be permitted only against the one responsible for the crime. And best religious act would be to pardon and to try to end violence. Perpetrators of crime be they Bushes or Blairs or unknown terrorists are shame on humanity.

 

The Qur’an says killing one innocent person without justification amounts to killing the whole humanity and saving one life amounts to saving the whole humanity. If we judge the London bombing or any bombing for that matter, it amounts to killing whole humanity, killing all that is just and humane, to destroy all civilized values. Such terror bombs will not strike terror in the hearts of Bush or Blare; on the contrary will strengthen their hands to justify their inhuman attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq. It will defeat the very purpose for which bombs were planted in London.

 

U.K. is a multi-religious and multi-cultural society today and one has to celebrate this multi-religious, multi-cultural nature of human society. The bombs will destroy this multi-religious nature of British society and will only encourage fanaticism and racial and religious hatred. Muslims have begun to feel heat in U.K. A mosque and a gurdwara were set on fire and threatening e-mails are being received by Muslims. Whose cause this serves?  Such acts will destroy fines values of humanity.

 

A truly religious person should be free of all hatred and malice even towards enemy and put the enemy to shame by sheer strength of truth, compassion and an act of pardon. Truth is certainly not on the side of Bush and Blair, it is on the side of the victims of their repeated aggression. Bush and Blair are wrong when they repeatedly declare that “our values shall prevail”. In fact they represent no values. They are symbols of oppression and exploitation.

 

Truth is on the side of the oppressed and exploited and it is the oppressed who will ultimately triumph, not by use of force, but by adhering to truth and non-violence. We thus strongly condemn violence whosoever uses it. Brutal violence as used in London bombing, to say the least is reprehensible and puts humanity to shame. We oppose it and condemn it in no uncertain terms.

 

By Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer

 

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