IslamIsaReligionofViolence

Can the wave of violence sweeping the Islamic world be traced back to the religion's core
teachings? An FP debate about the roots of extremism.
BY AYAAN HIRSI ALI

NOVEMBER 9, 2015

Inthepastfewweeks,bothRussiaandtheUnitedStateshaveescalatedtheirmilitarycampaignsagainstthe
IslamicState.AsthebrutaljihadistgroupcontinuestowreakhavocinSyriaandIraq,ForeignPolicysPeace
Channel,apartnershipwiththeUnitedStatesInstituteofPeace,askedAyaanHirsiAli,authorofHeretic:Why
IslamNeedsaReformationNow,andUnitedStatesInstituteofPeaceactingVicePresidentManalOmar,oneof

theforemostvoicesonpeaceandIslam,todebatewhatisbehindthisnewestbreedofextremismandhowcanit
bedefeated.IntheageofalQaeda,theIslamicState,andBokoHaram,istherealinkbetweentheviolencethese
groupsperpetrateandthefaiththeyprofess?(ReadManalOmarspiecehere.)

Inthe14yearssincetheattacksof9/11broughtIslamicterrorismtotheforefrontofAmericanandWestern
awarenessandthen-PresidentGeorgeW.BushlaunchedtheGlobalWaronTerror,theviolentstrainofIslam
appearstohavemetastasized.WithtractsofSyriaandIraqinthehandsoftheself-styledIslamicState,Libyaand
Somaliaengulfedinanarchy,Yemenbeingtornapartbycivilwar,theTalibanresurginginAfghanistan,andBoko
HaramterrorizingNigeria,policymakersarefartherawayfromeliminatingthethreatofviolentIslamismthan
theywerewhentheybegantheeort.Infact,Westerncountriesareincreasinglywitnessingdomesticattacks
suchasthemurderofBritishmilitarydrummerLeeRigbyandtheBostonMarathonbombingsin2013,the
shootingsatParliamentHillinCanadain2014,theattacksatsatiricalnewspaperCharlieHebdoandataJewish
supermarketinParisthispastJanuary,andmostrecentlytheterroristattackinChattanooga,Tennessee,ona
militaryrecruitingcenterandnavalcompound.
Trending Articles

The Womens March Heard Round the World

A round-up of marches and reactions from Womens March events around the world.

Powered By

ButdoesthisviolentextremismstemfromIslamssacredtexts?Orisittheproductofcircumstance,whichhas
twistedandcontortedIslamsfoundations?
Toanswerthis,itsworthrstdrawingtheimportantdistinctionbetweenIslamasasetofideasandMuslimsas
adherents.Thesocioeconomic,political,andculturalcircumstancesofMuslimsarevariedacrosstheglobe,butI
believethatwecandistinguishthreedierentgroupsofMuslimsintheworldtodaybasedonhowtheyenvision
andpracticetheirfaith.
Therstgroupisthemostproblematicthefundamentalistswhoenvisionaregimebasedonsharia,Islamic
religiouslaw.TheyargueforanIslamlargelyorcompletelyunchangedfromitsoriginalseventh-centuryversion
andtakeitasarequirementoftheirfaiththattheyimposeitoneveryoneelse.IcallthemMedinaMuslims,in
thattheyseetheforcibleimpositionofshariaastheirreligiousduty,followingtheexampleoftheProphet
MohammedwhenhewasbasedinMedina.TheyexploittheirfellowMuslimsrespectforsharialawasadivine
codethattakesprecedenceovercivillaws.Itisonlyaftertheyhavelaidthisfoundationthattheyareableto
persuadetheirrecruitstoengageinjihad.
ThesecondgroupandtheclearmajoritythroughouttheMuslimworldconsistsofMuslimswhoareloyalto
thecorecreedandworshipdevoutlybutarenotinclinedtopracticeviolenceorevenintolerancetowardsnonMuslims.IcallthisgroupmeccaMuslims.Thefundamentalproblemisthatthemajorityofotherwisepeaceful
andlaw-abidingMuslimsareunwillingtoacknowledge,muchlesstorepudiate,thetheologicalwarrantfor
intoleranceandviolenceembeddedintheirownreligioustexts.

Morerecently,andcorrespondingwiththeriseofIslamicterrorism,athirdgroupisemergingwithinIslam
Muslimreformersor,asIcallthem,modifyingMuslimswhopromotetheseparationofreligionfrompolitics
andotherreforms.Althoughsomeareapostates,themajorityofdissidentsarebelievers,amongthemclericswho
havecometorealizethattheirreligionmustchangeifitsfollowersarenottobecondemnedtoaninterminable
cycleofpoliticalviolence.
ThefutureofIslamandtheworldsrelationshipwithMuslimswillbedecidedbywhichofthetwominority
groupstheMedinaMuslimsandthereformerswinsthesupportofthemeccanmajority.Thatiswhy
focusingonviolentextremismistofocusonasymptomofamuchmoreprofoundideologicalepidemicthat
hasitsrootcausesinIslamicdoctrine.
TounderstandwhetherviolenceisinherentinthedoctrineofIslam,itisimportanttolookattheexampleofthe
foundingfatherofIslam,Mohammed,andthepassagesintheQuranandIslamicjurisprudenceusedtojustify
theviolencewecurrentlyseeinsomanypartsoftheMuslimworld.InMecca,Mohammedpreachedtohisfellow
tribesmentoabandontheirgodsandaccepthis.Hepreachedaboutcharityandtheconditionsofwidowsand
orphans.(Thismethodofproselytizingorpersuasion,calleddawainArabic,remainsanimportantcomponentof
Islamtothisday.)However,duringhistimeinMecca,Mohammedandhissmallbandofbelievershadlittle
successinconvertingotherstothisnewreligion.So,adecadeafterMohammedrstbeganpreaching,heedto
Medina.Overtimehecobbledtogetheramilitiaandbegantowagewars.
AnyoneseekingsupportforarmedjihadinthenameofAllahwillndamplesupportinthepassagesinthe
QuranandHadiththatrelatetoMohammedsMedinaperiod.Forexample,Q4:95states,Allahhathgranteda
gradehighertothosewhostriveandghtwiththeirgoodsandpersonsthantothosewhosit(athome).Q8:60
advisesMuslimstostriketerrorinto(theheartsof)theenemies,ofAllahandyourenemies,andothersbesides,
whomyemaynotknow,butwhomAllahdothknow.Finally,Q9:29instructsMuslims:Fightthosewhobelieve
notinAllahnortheLastDay,norholdthatforbiddenwhichhathbeenforbiddenbyAllahandHisMessenger,
noracknowledgethereligionofTruth,(eveniftheyare)ofthePeopleoftheBook,untiltheypaytheJizyawith
willingsubmission,andfeelthemselvessubdued.
MainstreamIslamicjurisprudencecontinuestomaintainthattheso-calledswordverses(9:5and9:29)have
abrogated,canceled,andreplacedthoseversesintheQuranthatcallfortolerance,compassion,andpeace.

AsfortheexampleofMohammed,SahihMuslim,oneofthesixmajorauthoritativeHadithcollections,claimsthe
ProphetMohammedundertooknofewerthan19militaryexpeditions,personallyghtingineightofthem.Inthe
aftermathofthe627BattleoftheTrench,MohammedfeltfreetodealharshlywiththeBanuQurayza,executing
theirmenandsellingtheirwomenandchildrenintoslavery,accordingtoYaleProfessorofReligiousStudies
GerhardBoweringinhisbookIslamicPoliticalThought.AsthePrincetonscholarMichaelCookobservedinhis
bookAncientReligions,ModernPolitics,thehistoricalsalienceofwarfareagainstunbelieverswasthus
writtenintothefoundationaltextsofIslam.
ThereliesthedualitywithinIslam.Itspossibletoclaim,followingMohammedsexampleinMecca,thatIslamis
areligionofpeace.Butitsalsopossibletoclaim,astheIslamicStatedoes,thatarevelationwassentto
MohammedcommandingMuslimstowagejihaduntileveryhumanbeingontheplanetacceptsIslamorastate
ofsubservience,onthebasisofhislegacyinMedina.ThekeyquestionisnotwhetherIslamisareligionofpeace,
butrather,whetherMuslimsfollowtheMohammedofMedina,regardlessofwhethertheyareSunniorShiite.
Today,theWestisstillstrugglingtounderstandthereligiousjusticationfortheMedinaideology,whichis
growing,andthelinksbetweennonviolenceandviolencewithinit.Twomainviewpointshaveemergedinthe
debateonthecausesofviolentextremisminIslam.Thedierencebetweenthemisreectedinthedierent
terminologyusedbyproponentsoftherivalviews.
PopularacademicssuchasJohnEspositoatGeorgetownandauthorKarenArmstrongbelievethatreligion
Islam,inthiscaseisthecircumstantialbitandthattherealcausesofIslamistviolencearepoverty,political
marginalization,culturalisolation,andotherformsofalienation,includingrealorperceiveddiscrimination
againstMuslims.TheseapologistsforIslamusewordssuchasradicalism,violentextremism,andterrorism
todescribethevariousattacksaroundtheworldcommittedinthenameofIslam.IfIslamismentionedatall,itis
tosaythatIslamisbeingperverted,orhijacked.TheyarequicktoassertthatIslamisnodierentfromanyother
religion,thatthereareterribleaspectstootherreligions,andthatIslamisinnowayunique.Thatviewismoreor
lesstheocialviewofpolicymakers,notonlyoftheU.S.government,butalsoofmostWesterncountries
(thoughpolicychangesarebeginningtoappearonthisfrontinsomecountriessuchastheU.K.,Canada,and
Australia).

Buttheapologistspositionhasbeenacompletepolicyfailurebecauseitdeniesthereligiousjusticationsthe
QuranandtheHadithprovideforviolence,genderinequality,anddiscriminationagainstotherreligions.
Proponentsofthealternativeview,suchasthelateacademicPatriciaCroneandauthorPaulBerman,relyon
dierenttermssuchaspoliticalIslam,Islamism,Salasm,Wahhabism,andJihadism.Allofthesetermsare
designedtoconveythereligiousbasisofthephenomenon.Theargumentisthatanideologicalmovementto
imposesharialaw,byforceifnecessary,isgaininggroundacrosstheMiddleEast,NorthAfrica,SoutheastAsia,
andeveninEurope.InaspeechthispastJuly,BritishPrimeMinisterDavidCameronsaid:[S]implydenyingany
connectionbetweenthereligionofIslamandtheextremistsdoesntwork,becausetheseextremistsareselfidentifyingasMuslims.ThefactisfromWoolwichtoTunisia,fromOttawatoBali,thesemurderersallspoutthe
sametwistednarrative,onethatclaimstobebasedonaparticularfaith.Nowitisanexerciseinfutilitytodeny
that.Iagree.
TheviewthattheideologyofradicalIslamisrootedinIslamicscriptureunderstandsfullythecauseofterrorism;
ittakesreligiousargumentsseriously,anddoesnotviewthemasameresmokescreenforunderlyingreal
motivations,suchassocio-economicgrievances.Thisschoolofthoughtunderstandsthattheproblemof
radicalizationbeginslongbeforeasuicidebomberstrapsonhisvestoramilitantpicksuphismachinegun;it
beginsinmosquesandschoolswhereimamspreachhate,intolerance,andadherencetoMedinaIslam.
WesterngovernmentshavetriedtoengagewithmoderateMuslims:imamsandcommunityleaderswho
denounceterroristattacksandclaimtorepresentthetrue,peacefulIslam.Butthishasnotamountedto
meaningfulideologicalengagement.Theseso-calledmoderaterepresentativesofIslaminsistthatviolencehas

nothingtodowithIslamandasaresulttheintolerantandviolentaspectsoftheQuranandtheHaditharenever
acknowledgedorrejected.ThereisneveranydiscussionaboutchangewithinIslamtobringthemorallyoutdated
partsofthereligioninlinewithmodernityorgenuinetoleranceforthosewhobelievedierently.
Despoticgovernments,civilwar,anarchy,economicdespairallofthesefactorsdoubtlesscontributetothe
spreadoftheIslamistmovement.ButitisonlyaftertheWestand,moreimportantly,Muslimsthemselves
recognizeanddefeatthereligiousideologyonwhichthismovementreststhatitsspreadwillbearrested.Andif
wearetodefeattheideologywecannotfocusonlyonviolentextremism.Weneedtoconfrontthenonviolent

preachingofshariaandmartyrdomthatprecedesallactsofjihad.

WewillnotwinagainsttheMedinaideologybystoppingthesuicidebomberjustbeforehedetonateshimself,
whereverhemaybe;anotherwillsoontakehis(orher)place.WewillnotwinbystampingouttheIslamicStateor
alQaedaorBokoHaramoral-Shabab;anewradicalgroupwilljustpopupsomewhereelse.Wewillwinonlyifwe
engagewiththeideologyofIslamistextremism,andcounterthemessageofdeath,intolerance,andthepursuitof
theafterlifewithourownfarpreferablemessageoflife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappiness.

ReadManalOmarspiecehere.
Photocredit:MAHMUDHAMS/AFP/GettyImages

YOU MAY LIKE

SPONSORED LINKSBY TABOOLA

OVER 100,000 COUPLES CHOSE ZOLA TO CREATE THEIR WEDDING REGISTRY. SEE WHY.
STYLEMEPRETTY FOR ZOLA

PHOTOS CAPTURED AT WALMART THAT WILL LEAVE YOU SPEECHLESS

LIFESTYLOGY

20 EMBARRASSING MOVIE COSTUME MISTAKES THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE MADE IT ONTO THE SCREEN
SCRIBOL

HERE ARE THE TOP LUXURY SEDANS FOR 2016

VOTEITUP REFERRALS

MORE FROM FOREIGN POLICY

THIS MAP SHOWS CHINAS HILARIOUS STEREOTYPES OF EUROPE

WHAT RUSSIA COULD LOOK LIKE IN 2035, IF PUTIN GETS HIS WISH

BY TABOOLA

WHAT RUSSIA COULD LOOK LIKE IN 2035, IF PUTIN GETS HIS WISH

THE STARTLING PLIGHT OF CHINAS LEFTOVER LADIES

5 THINGS THE PENTAGON ISNT TELLING US ABOUT THE CHINESE MILITARY

A MAP OF CHINA, BY STEREOTYPE

THE REAL SHAME IN PAKISTAN