Killing Oneself is not “Jihad”, It Is Forbidden in the Qur’an

The main act of terrorism carried out in the world in the past 20 to 30 years, especially those by terrorist groups originating in the Middle East, usually took up the form of suicide bombing. Killing oneself, or suicide, is a sin in the eyes of the Qur’an. But how can a person strap bombs to his chest and walk into a crowd before blowing himself up, or drive a bomb-laden car right into the middle of a crowd of civilians?

The majority of Arab countries were to some extent touched by post-World War II communism. The Ba’ath Party that became strong in Egypt, Syria and Iraq, the Shanghai block that was established under Chinese auspices and quietly placed Arab countries and Iran under its protection, and al-Fatah, which grew under Yasser Arafat‘s leadership, never concealed their communist/socialist leanings. It is no secret that much blood was shed by Arab socialism mixed with extreme nationalism in Arab countries. Those who are unaware of that history should have a look at the situation in those countries now or how Hafez Assad‘s legacy is preserved in Syria.

Such savagery is inevitable in the socialist or communist mindset. In that false worldview, putting an end to one’s own life is regarded as much a contribution to world progress and to the “cause” as putting an end to someone else’s life. Therefore, putting an end to one’s own life, regarded as valueless, in order to put an end to other lives also regarded as worthless, is an even greater contribution in the eyes of this savage system. This is an extraordinarily false logic, but that is the subject of separate criticism.

Some people, who are misinformed about Islam, wrongly believe that it allows suicide bombings, when in fact it is a religion of peace and love. The most important reason for this misconception is the effort of the said terrorist organizations to legitimize this horrible act, banned by Islam, through various invented sources and interpretations. If a suicide bomber claims to be perpetrating his action in the name of Islam, then that is a disgrace, and a slander against Islam. There are the most profound and terrible errors here.

A Muslim can never kill. This is a sin. God reveals in the Qur’an that “… if someone kills another person – unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth – it is as if he had murdered all mankind.” (Qur’an, 5:32)

The verse is explicit. Just like it is a sin and murder to kill someone else, it is also a sin and murder to kill oneself. It is not “jihad,” but a sin to blow oneself up in a restaurant. Those who drive their vehicles into people waiting on a bus stop or shopping in a marketplace do not wage jihad by doing so; they are committing an unlawful act. Those who honour and glorify such things and imagine that the person has become a “martyr” are applauding murder, not jihad. Killing defenceless civilians together with himself is not jihad, but murder.

Jihad means to strive through knowledge and science to bring someone to the truth and to establish communication with love and respect; not to kill him.

Martyrdom means losing one’s life while striving on the path of God, while seeking to spread the love, friendship and brotherhood demanded by Islam using fine words and through goodness. Killing is a murder and a sin. It is not a virtue to be honoured. And those who perpetrate attacks that target innocent civilians do not attain the rank of martyrdom; they are only committing the unlawful act of murder.

But suicide bombers and their supporters spread the propaganda of a religion that commands others’ deaths. And their religion is not the religion of God, either. Very few of those who follow that faith may realize that. There are many people who imagine this false religion to be true and who seek to adhere to it.

The real problem is this: People who do not know their own religion are being diverted toward nonsense. And unless they learn their own religion and the true love in the Qur’an, there will continue to be suicide bombers and those who encourage and even honour them. Military precautions are not the way to teach them the truth. The only way is correct education. And in order to provide a true education, people of love from among sincerely devout Muslims, Christians and Jews must all come together. Once the power of unity has been established, then those people on the wrong path will begin to follow the right path.

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