Does Islam promote suicide bombing?

Topics: Suicide Attacks, Terrorism Views: 5936
5936

The question is emerging as a topic in the so-called dialogue of civilizations. As far as this writer can make out, three answers are circulating in the Muslim world at present.

The first could be described as "yes-yes". It comes from the groups that recruit and use would-be suicide-bombers. Their argument is: because we regard Israel as evil, we not only have a right but also a duty to fight it, if necessary, in ways that are otherwise evil.

The second answer came from the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Malaysia, last month. That answer could be described as "yes-but". The ministers had gathered to define terrorism. Confronted with the issue of suicide bombers, their debate was put off course. The ministers, in effect, approved suicide bombing as a legitimate form of action provided it was not used against their own governments. As for the definition of terrorism, the purpose of the gathering, they said that was a job for the United Nations. This was interesting because some participants also claimed that the UN was a mere tool of the United States.

The third answer could be described as "no-but" and has come from Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad. The argument is: since suicide is forbidden in Islam we cannot sanction such acts. At the same time we cannot condemn people who, driven to desperation, use such methods.

All three answers are problematic. It is disingenuous to claim that suicide bombers are ordinary youths who suddenly decide to sacrifice their lives to kill some of the "enemy." Organizing and implementing a suicide attack is a complex operation that requires recruitment, training, finance, logistics, surveillance and post-operation publicity. (Often, there is a video cameraman to film the would-be suicide bomber's carefully written testament.) An 18-year old girl may fancy herself as a suicide bomber but, alone, would not be able to organize an operation.

Suicide bombing must, therefore, be regarded as a deliberate act, decided, organized and promoted by politicians as part of a strategy. This is clear from statements by Palestinian leaders who say they had ordered a halt to such attacks to encourage positive evolutions in Israeli behavior. When that did not happen, suicide-bombings resumed.

To promote suicide bombing as a sign of political valor or nationalist fervor is one thing. To present it as a model of Islamic behavior is something else.

Islam forbids suicide without any "ifs" and "buts". Life belongs to He who grants it, not to mortal men who are its trustee. To violate that rule amounts to a claim of divine authority for mortal man. The issue becomes more complicated when would-be suicide bombers are presented as "martyrs". In Islam, however, it is not up to mortal man to decide to become a martyr. A martyr is either one who suffers at the hands of the enemies of Islam, often to the point of death, because of his or her faith, not politics, or someone who falls in a battle against aggressors. The martyr does not want to become one. He knows that the highest value is the preservation of life; he is put to death not by his own hands but by his oppressors.

In a recent editorial, The Washington Post claimed that Islam promoted a cult of death. What the Post ignores is the difference between Islam as faith and Islam as existential reality. Islam, as faith, celebrates life and promotes its enjoyment. There is no cult of martyrs and saints in Islam. There are also no hermits, nuns, celibates and no acquiring of merit through self-torture. Islam teaches man how to live, not how to die.

Anyone familiar with Islamic ethics and philosophy would know that the rule of "the ends justify the means" has no place in either. There are no circumstances under which suicide could be sanctioned, let alone glorified, in the name of Islam. This writer does not know of anything in the Qur'an, or from any prominent Muslim theologian, dead or alive that would qualify that position.

Islam, as an existential reality, is something else. As noted, there are politicians who glorify suicide bombing. But how representative are they? We will never know until there is an atmosphere in which opinions are aired without fear and, more importantly, without taqiyyah (dissimulation). In the meantime to brand a whole civilization as a "cult of death" is unfair, to say the least.

Suicide bombing also is problematic on ethical grounds. Can we condone any suicide bombing, for example the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington? And what about suicide bombings conducted by opposition groups in Iran and Iraq, among other Muslim countries? If not, who decides which suicide bombing is good and which bad? Can anyone decide to become a martyr by killing himself and others? If not, who distributes martyrdom certificates? The key question in any society is: who decides about life and death? The most accepted answer is: the state on the basis of the law. Even war has laws. This is why there can be no revenge killing by individuals, no lynch mobs and no suicide in the service of any cause.

In the case of the Palestinians, the decision must come from the Palestinian National Authority, their embryonic organ of state. That authority, as far as this writer knows, has never organized or condoned suicide bombings. Its head, Yasser Arafat, has condemned such acts on several occasions, at least when speaking in English. No state can order suicides because that would amount to human sacrifice.

It is easy to make heroic statements about Palestinians from a distance, as long as only the Palestinians and the Israelis pay with blood. The key question in ethics is this: Are you prepared to practice what you preach? In this case: can you become a suicide bomber? Are you prepared to urge your offspring to become human bombs?

Ethics can explain, even understand, evil; but can never justify it, let alone confuse it with good.



  Topics: Suicide Attacks, Terrorism
Views: 5936

Related Suggestions

 
COMMENTS DISCLAIMER & RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
The opinions expressed herein, through this post or comments, contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessarily those of IslamiCity. These are offered as a means for IslamiCity to stimulate dialogue and discussion in our continuing mission of being an educational organization. The IslamiCity site may occasionally contain copyrighted material the use of which may not always have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. IslamiCity is making such material available in its effort to advance understanding of humanitarian, education, democracy, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and such (and all) material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.


Older Comments:
SAFIULLAH FROM USA said:
We are commanded to follow the Shariah no matter what the conditions are. If we told that we cannot kill women, children, and non-combatants, then we are not allowed to kill them! Maybe Allah is punishing the Palestinians for straying away from Islam just as Allah punished the Jews for straying away from the Torah. If we follow Islam, Allah can take away all of our trials and tribulations. Don't forget we believe in Qadir, Allah controls what happens. If we follow Islam (such as the laws of Jihad) Allah will bless us. If we don't follow Islam (killing innocent people; women children elderly) then Allah will curse us, just like those Jews who did not follow the Torah were cursed. But the Jews that did follow the Torah, Allah blessed. Learn Islam and speak of what you do know, not out of ignorance
2003-09-24

FALAK FROM SINGAPORE said:
An eloquent and informative piece of writing. Suicide has been forbidden categorically in Islam, in all its forms. The increasing rate of suicide bombings can be attributed to, amongst other factors, those mis-informed clerics who condone this un-Islamic act and encourage it. For instance, a headline in an American newspaper was : "Suicide bombing legal, says leading cleric"
A leading cleric in Cairo declared that a suicidal act that resists and dispenses with an aggressor is a legal act under Islamic law.
The cleric was quoted as saying:
"Any person who commits suicide to blow up the enemy, the aggressor, the vandal invading their homeland is considered a martyr, a martyr, a martyr."
Such clerics should be reprimanded for misleading the people.
2003-04-08

NAEEM FROM DAMMAM-SAUDI ARABIA said:
When you talk of suicide bombing, in our mind the picture appears is of Palestine people going for suicide bomb attacks. This cause is for their legitimate land and NOT for propagating Islam or fighting against the immediate enemy of Islam or Muslims. It has always been the practice of the Western Media (Jewish Managed) to link these incidents with Islamic tenets to create an atmosphere of hatred in the minds of other non-Muslims. It is quiet natural that a person who loses everything including his family members becomes desparate and sees no point of his living hence thinks of taking revenge. He finds it difficult to resist killing of his neighbours and recollects how the army of the enemy killed hundreds of innocent people from his side and simply he too goes for the same!!

When you cannot criticize these killings of unarmed innocent people with the help of tanks, guns and missiles from helicopters, how could you prove unjustification of killings by the victims.

When Palestine people are not allowed to develop their weaponry, store their arsenal, acquire any Military Equipment, how could they be able to fight ONLY with Military. Allow them access to all the above manhunting equipment and then see, how long the Occupiers and Oppressors remain in their illegitimate place.

After that if suicide bombing continues, then your talk of gathering the whole world around you will be meaningfiul.
2002-07-13

MIR BAADSHAH FROM SOUTH KOREA said:
Islam prohibts to rasie the sword against those who don't fight you or don't wage a war against Allah and his Holly Prophet (pbuh). Similarly, Islam prohibts killing childern, women and the old even in war and not to spoil their crops. And, we have the example of fateh Mecca, when Holly Prophet (pbuh) asked the muslim forces to fight only those who would resist their entry into the holly city.
What lesson we get out of these sayings and the precedents is that don't harm those who don't harm you. Under this cardinal principle,those killed in terror bombing or suicidal attacks are the innocent people, who are not at war with you, may be even not agaisnt of u. Under the conditions there is no reason to take innocent lives. Secondly, Islam prohibts to do somthing wrong even in reaction or at extreme provocation, the reason behind is that Islam is meant to guide and not to be guided and set examples of high moral standards so that the others could understand the crdinal message of Allah, who wants peace on this world of his. The ultimate objective of Islam is to convey the grand message of Allah to others and the holly duty could be performed only when u interact with others in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere. We need to think for a moment that is it possible to convey the message of Islam to non-muslims when we are in the state of war with them. No, this could be done only in peace, so peace is somthing the muslims should be longing for. We are here to save the humanity from committing mischiefs and guide them on the right path and not to fell in their trap and be misguided by them.
2002-07-12

AHMED FROM EGYPT said:
No doubt on the face of it he is one who has committed suicide, whereby he has made certain he will be killing himself before anyone else. However, this can be permissible if he is in warring kuffaar territory, and knows he will sooner or later be killed at the hands of the enemy, or will face severe torture and has not found any ploy except to blow himself up and kill others from the enemy (who subject the Muslims to torture) along with himself. In doing so, killing a number of them thereby weakening their strength/force and reducing their harm and scaring them. So this can be permissible even if it involves killing the person himself, if he knows he will certainly be killed, or persecuted and wishes to rid himself of their harm and attain ease for himself, and his matter is with Allaah the Almighty.
2002-06-30

YOHO FROM U.S.A. said:
I totally agree with tis artical. It hits the subject from all angels.
2002-06-04

ABDUL FROM CANADA said:
Islam is one of the peaceful religion on the face of the earth. every muslim know that As a muslim we should know that,our final goal is not on this planet, but we use this world to achive our final goal which is paradis. the only way to get in paradis is to obay the commenment of allah. like five pillar of islam you know what i'm talking about.my palestine Brother& sister Suicide bombing is VERY WRONG ,in a bagage of war the rule number one is that STAY ALIVE.
but let me give you a tip brother & sister there is word call PATIENT that can be a powerful weppon. so go back to your deen.read the Qur'aan sura AL_'ASR {The time.}THE PROPHET MUHUMMAD already told us in his hadeeth how the END is going to be.
okay got to go now
take care
2002-05-26

NADIM FROM BRITAIN said:
Those who argue in favour of suicide bombing engage in semantics, that is why they try to get around the prohibition on suicide by redefining the term as "martyrdom operations" and "self-sacrifice" attacks. It is difficult to say if merely changing the word used to refer to an act changes the nature of the act itself, but, according to many Muslims who employ this line of reasoning, it does - and only the very brave or very foolish would raise an objection in a wider Muslim society where emotions and anger win out against everything, and which cannot distinguish between support for the Palestinians, and a criticism of one particular method of resistance (suicide bombing).
2002-05-19

DAWOOD FROM PAKISTAN said:
The brother who says that judgments should only be given by mufti makes a good point - but then he himself gives a ruling based on a Hadith (translated into English). One must ask whether he is himself mujtahid?

The author was not making jugment - he is asking a question: "Does Islam promote suicide bombing? "
2002-05-19

YUSUF FROM LOUISIANA said:
Sufian Jundi: the author does not claim to give a ruling on suicide bombing, indeed, he says with regard to whether it is permitted:

"Islam, as an existential reality, is something else. As noted, there are politicians who glorify suicide bombing. But how representative are they? We will never know until there is an atmosphere in which opinions are aired without fear and, more importantly, without taqiyyah (dissimulation). In the meantime to brand a whole civilization as a "cult of death" is unfair, to say the least."

He is merely saying that such rulings cannot be made in this atmosphere of fear and strong emotions, and that it is an open question - one that has not been settled.

His conclusions are ethical considerations, and not fatawa, and he does not pretend otherwise.
2002-05-19

SUFIAN JUNDI FROM USA said:
There is 2 thing I would like to Comment on, one for the author and one for the other muslim brothers in the discussion.
1. For the author of the article. Prophet Mouhamad peace up him said and excuse my translation " Three kind of the judges, one in heaven and two in hell, a judge that he have the knowledge but he judged against what is right is in hell, a judge that he do not have the knowledge and he judge without the knowledge goes to hell, and a judge that he got the knowledge and he judge with his knowledge goes to heaven"
Issues like this should come from a "mufti" which is a mujtahid, and a mufti is a judge that he should have the full knowledge of qouran and hadith, know it by heart, adding to this some other rules to be a mufti, I do not know if you Sir are a mufti, this subject is not an openion thing, looking at your article shows that it is more of openion, and it lacks support from the holy qouran and hadith qouts. Islam is not a religion of openions, it is a religion that sourced from qouran then hadith then Ijtihad. Imam Ali ben Abi talib said "If the religion is taken by openion then it would be more logical to clean the "khof" (shoes) from the bottom not from the top".
2.To the brothers in this discussion, the prophet said "A man would say a word not seeing anything wrong with it could drop him in hell for 70 automs". So be carefull brothers when saying something from the religion in the discussion that it is true and not just personal openion because our openion should be sourced from Islam not the other way around.
In conclusion I ask allah that what I say will benifit of muslims and not to offend any muslim brother or sister.
2002-05-19

HUSSEIN FROM LEBANON said:
if you have no other way to defend your way to survive or to promot your self an a human being that your land and your life has been taken by enemies, so yesssssssssssssss
2002-05-18

AISHA FROM USA said:
Well written article.
2002-05-18

IQBAL FROM CANADA said:
To all those people who say that desperation and the fact that the Palestinians "have no choice" invalidates the rules against suicide, please provide evidence:

a)That Islam allows the rules against suicide to be invalidated when one is "desperate". [or, as the author put it - "the ends justify the means"]
b) That suicide bombing is indeed the only option (military or otherwise) available to the Palestinians.
c) That suicide bombings are spotaneous, tactical unplanned acts of self-defense, not strategic acts of revenge.

wasalaam
2002-05-18

CALEB STRIK FROM AUSTRALIA said:
assalamualaikum
In Australia there are many discussions concerning suicide bombing.Recently i was involved in a discussion with other muslims which led to shaytan coming between us.Muslims must remember that everyone is entitled to their own opinion,but should always relate back to the quraan and sunnah.My PERSONAL point of view is that suicide bombing has given the israelis an opportunity to say to the world "we need to hunt these terrorists".And the result from the israelis going looking for these organisations,has led to very bad conditions for the palestinians to live under(much worse than what they have ever experienced).This has also led to many more muslims dying.I think there are a number of issues people should consider when agreeing with suicide bombing.
1. Every sahabah that went out to fight jihad still had a chance in living.So muslims shouldn't interpret the hadith by saying that when the sahabah was in the battle field and was out numbered,and died as a shaheed he performed suicide. He got killed and never killed himself.
2. Who are making conditions of suicide bombing? Can women and children be killed? Are muslims basing suicide bombing on their emotional feelings?
3. We know the media shows extensive bias towards the israelis on suicide bombing, but they have the resources to use these acts against islam. If suicide bombing continues, more brain washing follows, and yet the result can be difficult in performing dawah. Muslims must go back to the sunnah and want non muslims to see what the real islam is all about.
4. Palestinians must fight for islam and not just think it is an arab jew war. Muslims must remember that Isa(a.s) is from the jewish race and when he comes back he will be leading a army of believers. And a believer doesn't put their nationality ahead of their religion, as seen by many muslims in the world today.
5. " the blood of the muslim is holier than the kaba". And there have been many more muslims lives lost than israel
2002-05-18

ILIANA HUSSEIN FROM MALAYSIA said:
Killing civilians are always forbidden in our relegion, therefore I never support any form of suicide!
2002-05-18

TANWIR AHMAD FROM USA said:
AOA, though the argument is good. let me ask you question. if you are in the war (constant war against israel)and you sacrifice yourself to damage your enemy so that you can safe your nation from oppressor. what would you call yourself, a hero or a suicider. i leave the answer to yourself, but i know in my country when my country army was fighting against enemy (india) in 1947, five army guys(may Allah have blessing on their souls) laid down under the ground packed with bombs so when indian tanks rolled over their body it destroyed india tanks from front to back. now my country brand those army guys as 'shaheed' (martyr). i personally see no difference between these army guys and a palestanian who has the same objective behind his action. i leave this for you to judge.
by the way, the big question is not to adress the action(suicide) itself but to eliminate the cause of action which is israelis. i dont think we should call any israeli living on occupide land as "inocent people" because they know from the start that the land they are living in was made by killing or throwing out "innocent palestanian." Any body who support evil by living on occupied land and making money and luxrious life from palestanian property is an evil too.
i hope that you put some thought into the core of the palestanian issue not the CNN talk shows.
May Allah guide us to truth....Ameen!
2002-05-18

HASSAN FROM US said:
Palestinians are martyrs because they have no other way to fight back. Israel threatens the entire Islamic world and ummah. It is not that they make themselves martyrs but only that they are forced into a situation where the survival of there people depends on the only defense they have left.
2002-05-18

ABU JIHAD said:
ok.....ok.......
suicide bomber is act of barbaric........
but where are we when al aqsa was in danger.........
where are when (palestinian) moslem was butchered by enemy.....
I guess we all have sin coz we let that happened
we let al aqsa in danger we let our brothers and sisters killed we let our brothers and sister became suicide bombers
we should all go to jahanam because we let them happened
2002-05-17

IRFAN AHMED FROM ALLAH KNOWS BEST! said:
To not to have the right to have an Army for a nation to defend itself is Suiccide of that nation indeed, if a succide is assisted as in European Medicine today, than it is not the suiccider who is to blame but Question is wether the assistant to suiccider is a murderer? In ISlam if u are Murdered , u have the right to take the life of Murderer, but if it a war than it is ones duty as a Muslim to Offer life against weapons when it comes to saying Allah is not the GOD! instead of becomming a Mushrik like Jew or a Christian or Hindu.
you cannot sorround the world with Nukes in Skies, Seas and Grounds to kill all life on it over and over agian in a mass suiccide of Humanity in total
as western christian world and blame ISlam for showing you the mirror!, Islam has one and true answer to this Question of Suiccide bombing and that is a Question for us to answer sincerely, "Is it suiccide that is Haraam or is it Hopelessness in?
We as Muslims need to answer from nothing but Quran to be able to get out of these confusing hell like times we face today all over the world.
Killing innocent is haraam, it is no less haraam kill civiliansfrom a b52 , or a single person acting as a B52 to hit a needed target and accidentally lucnch in civilian area as it usually happens in war between two nation of this modern military age with planes missiles and rockets. Those who we call suiccide bombers are infact sacrificing there lives to be strong enough in strength as humans to beat material strength of material(millitary hardware)a modern sword they are denied, to free civilians despite knowing the strength of opponent makes death a certainity, but thats where the GOd interferes and calls them 'Shaheed' as history proves the departing of the sea for Prophet Moosa(pbuh). Faith is killed by Hopeless ness, Islam calls Hopelessness Haraam, Youth of Plaestine are risking their lives for the hope of a Home for their Families with boundaries and de-fense, Hope is there so it is not succi
2002-05-17

NINA FROM PAKISTAN said:
i think suicide bombing is not permitted,infact any kind of suicide is not permitted in islam.
life is a gift of god and only he can take it back.
2002-05-17

RANI FROM USA said:
A very good article and I hope you will work on getting it printed in the western world. it will answer a lot questions.
2002-05-16

JOANN FROM USA said:
This a good article with the exception of the author making claims to things he cannot be sure of ie. Arafat "has never organized or condoned suicide bombings" which in effect discredits his article.

Reading the other comments it seems that most of the muslims that commented ARE IN A STATE OF DENIAL!

I'm sick and tired of every "good" muslim saying how all the problems in Islam comes from everybody else BUT us. Always backing up some stupid act by another muslim with some grand conspiricy theory.

Until we, the UMMAH, wakes up and takes responsibilites for each other we will forever be the door mat for the rest of civilization to wipe it's feet on!

If you believe in what you read in the Qur'an then you HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OURSELVES, we are responsible for our own actions...even if the so-called Kafir is opressing us. There is no "time-out" from the responsibility ALLAH put on our souls...even if some Jew is stealing our lands.

Most would disagree with that...hence the problem with the Ummah.

There is a new generation of Muslims comming up...and we will DO EVERYTHING to remove the man-made political values injected into our religion and those who support them.

Watch and see....
2002-05-16

AHMED FROM UK said:
These suicide bombings happen just when Ariel Sharon needs them to occur. He needed an excuse to invade the West Bank and destroy the Palestinian infrastructure, and he got the "Passover massacre". When he needed to wreck Powell's "peace mission" he got another suicide bombing. When he was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza he got the latest bombing - and the bomber was from Gaza - how convenient. Who is pulling the strings in this suicidal strategy of suicide bombing?
2002-05-16

ABDULLAH FROM AUSTRALIA said:
The same Muslim leaders who make excuses for suicide bombers would never tolerate such a campaign against their own governments. Indeed, after a single suicide bombing in these places there would be an enormous and brutal crackdown that would make Israel's disgusting actions look humanitarian in comparison.
2002-05-16

RAMAZAN KOYU FROM TURKEY said:
Dear Brother,
You have explained it in a brilliant way keep up the good work.

Assalam Walaeykum.
2002-05-16

MOHAMMED FROM KUWAIT said:
Salaamualaykum,

An interesting article.
The solution to the worldwide crisis is our own 'amaal'. We have forgotten a big responsibility, i.e. DAAWAH. Allah says in the Quran that you are the best of the Ummath's as u do good and recommend good and u abstain from evil and recommend others to do so.
Well about frustration and anger. Islam forbids both. Jihad means struggle or strive for Islam and succumb to emotions. Most of the people treat suicide bombing as a tool to express anger. If its a FIDAYEEN, thats a different situation.
And Allah (SWT) knows best.

Jazakallah.
2002-05-16

ADIL ALAWADHI FROM UNITED ARAB EMIRATES said:
I agree with many comments you made. Although you enlightened the problem, but you failed to give a solution. I know that it is coplex situation.
Simply the palestenians are in war. Is there any other method. The Isrealies use their F-16 and Apaches to blow up places and kill children, the palestenian use human missles to fight back.
2002-05-15

ABDULLAH ABDULRAHMAN FROM CANADA said:
Bismillah Arahman Arahim. Assalemu alaikom wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatuhu. I would just like to say that I find this article entirely useless. This provides no clarification towards clearing up this issue. There is one thing that I have to say, however. If the Muslims, that is we,(Myself included) were to stop being so cowardly, wishy washy and stand up and fight to defend the oppressed amongst us, there would be no need or desperation or whatever it is that causes suicide bombing. I am sick and tired of us western Muslims fingerpointing and cheering on one side or the other from the comfort of our pathetic little lives. My only question is this; Is the Palestinian conflict Jihad or not? Is Gujarat a Jihad or not? is Afganistan a Jihad or not? If any one of these are, my question is...what are we doing here? Everyone is so quick to condone or condem these actions but no one is quick to come to their defence. So I want to know; Jihad or not, and if it is Where do I sign up to go? Assalemu alaikom wa Rahmatu allahi wa barakatuhu.
2002-05-15

MUHAMMED FROM USA said:
This is a good article because it raises an important issue without fear. Suicide bombing is condoned by many Muslims (out of ignorance, or because of a tendency to be irrational and over-emotional), and it is a brave person who would dare raise any objections to it.

The zionists should be fought, but in the Islamic manner, not by adopting the tactics of the state-Shinto inspired Kamikaze of World War 2 (who to their credit, did choose military targets, not the weakest and most vulnerable of the enemy).
2002-05-15

MUSSIN5765 FROM KAZAKSTAN said:
the author of this article forgets that muslims in the world are put into conditions where we cannot protect our faith, land, or freedom by the means other than war or so-called suicide bombings. people who accomplish such missions do not have any other means of protesting against the atrocities of the tyrants.
2002-05-15

AL-HADHRAMEE FROM CANADA said:
A nice article I must say (at the least). Islam is far away from suicide bombers and those current preachers who call themselves "scholars" and propagate suicide bombing and regard is as "jihaad" must be asked to recant their statements and repent to Allah for their grievious mistake in misguiding the ummah and particularly the youth. They themselves sit in fancy dwellings peacefully and only know to entice the youth through the media to kill themselves. Why dont they spear head the operations and show an example? Dont they want to die as matyrs too? So we say, the best example is to follow the pious predecessors (salaf as-Saalih) and the worst is to follow the khalaf (those after them). Islam is pure and far from the filthy ideas of these foolish callers to hell.
Finally, one of the prominent scholar of our generation, Shaykh Ibn Uthaimeen (rahimahullah) was asked about sucide bombing and whether its acceptable, and he responded:
"Indeed, my opinion is that he is regarded as one who has killed himself (committed suicide), and as a result he shall be punished in Hell, for that which is authenticated on the authority of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam).

[Indeed, whoever (intentionally) kills himself, then certainly he will be punished in the Fire of Hell, wherein he shall dwell forever, [Bukhaaree (5778) and Muslim (109 and 110)]]."

refer to "Kayfa Nu'aalij Waaqi'unaa al-Aleem - Page 119" by Ibn Uthaimeen or go to www.fatwa-online.com
2002-05-15

JASON FROM USA said:
Suicide is forbidden by Islam... attacking civilians in battle is condemned by Islam. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) spoke out against killing civilians.

"When fighting the beast one must be most careful in not becoming the beast"
2002-05-15

RINA FROM JAKARTA said:
Thanks to IslamiCity for raising the issue that has bothered me a lot. I guess muslim leaders who condone suicide bombing would think a thousand times if it were perpetrated against their countries by say, an opposing guerilla.
Another fact no less disturbing (but not much exposed in the media) is the lynching of suspected Palestinian informants/collaborators. That's barbaric. Even animal slaughter, in Islam, has to follow Allah's rule, let alone fellow human execution.
No one can change it except Palestinians themselves. Please resort to enlightened ways of fighting and Allah will be with you.
Palestinian cause has enjoyed abundant attention (compared to Kashmiri, Kurdish, Cechen, etc.), a big chance to win in another front, diplomatic and media.
2002-05-15

ABUU NI'MATILLAH FROM UK said:
Salaam alaykum
Yes, suicide activities are not Islamic and therefore haraam; but Jihad in the way of Allah is Halaal and will remain so till the Last Hour. Jihad may include some elements which certain people might interpret to be suicidal. I f this happens their opinion no matter how strong and loud will not change the validity of such Jihad activity and the fact that such activists are MARTYRS. What do you call 300+ muslims facing 1000+ enemies? How do you explain some Companions reported to have jumped into the battlefield without any protective shields, saying they smelt the fragrance of Paradise and fighting till they were killed? no doubt, today they will be labelled as suiciders. But all sincere muslims know that those companions and any one now and in the future who follow in their footsteps are MARTYRS. RAHIMAHUMULLAAH - MAY ALLAH HAVE MERCY ON THEM.
Wassalaam alaykum
2002-05-14

AISHAH FROM MALAYSIA said:
The opinion/verdict should be based on what Islam says about it as in the Qr'ran and Sunnah. I am an indian,by race and when i was younger i used to watch a lot of tamil movies. In most of the movies, they view suicide as a way to end one's suffering. I asked my religious teacher about the islamic ruling on it, and i was told that when one kills himself, he will never smell the scent of jannah. This is the view islam has held..so when suddenly someone comes up with this alien concept of suicide bombings, one cannot but wonder where it originated from ( japanese kamikaze perhaps? ). Islam has long forbid this crime to oneself. By saying 'yes' to suicide bombings even in the name of RESISTANCE is creating a big confusion among us. lets stick with what islam has said " NO..and obsolutely NO" Islam orders us to be brave enough to confront the enemy ( which are the IDF in the case of israel ),not to cowardly attract attention by harming non-combatants and innocent civilians. The prophet ( on him be peace ) was very careful to avoid this sin of killing innocents, so why are the modern muslims succumbing to this gross violence? In this world, we are given two tough choice , " Either to be a PROBLEM or a SOLUTION " . lets work on a SOLUTION rather than creating enough problems.

2002-05-14