CSS Forums - Current Wave of Suicide Bombing in Pakistan

[U]Suicide Bombing[/U]:

Suicide bombing is a form of attack on a military or civilian target, wherein attacker — either an individual or a group — intends to kill others knowing that he or she will most likely die. The attack includes vehicles filled with explosives, passenger planes carrying large amounts of fuels, and individuals wearing vests filled with explosives.

Modern form of suicide bombing started in 1980s and mostly concentrated in Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Palestine, from Al-Qaeda fighters, Iraq war starting from 2003 and now many small countries fighting for their freedom from strong countries. From 1980 to 2003, suicide attacks amounted to only 3% of all terrorist attacks but accounted for 48% of total deaths due to terrorism. As per Robert Pape 95% of such attacks are made to get some strategic goal i.e. withdrawal of the occupying forces from a disputed territory.

In 1997, Professor Raphael Israeli in his article "[U]Islamikaze[/U] and their Significance" in ‘Journal of Terrorism and Political Violence’ coined the term Islamikaze as a proposed description for Islamic suicide bombers. According to Professor Israeli, he made up the word "Islamikaze" in an effort to signify that the primary goal of "suicide bombers" is not suicide but the infliction of damage to the enemy. The same terminology was furthered in his book ‘Islamikaze: Manifestations of Islamic Martyrology’ published in 2003.

[U]Suicide Bombing in Islam:[/U]

Some ulema have supported attacks mainly in connection with Palestine. Iraqi Sunni Aalim Sheikh Ahmad Al-Qubeisi has proclaimed that "those who commit martyrdom [i.e. suicide] operations who are, by Allah, the greatest martyrs in Islamic history..." Former President of Al-Azhar University, Ahmad 'Omar Hashem and Sheikh Ibrahim Mudeiris of Gaza have urged on suicide operations by Muslims.

Ijaz ul-Haq is also attributed saying it in a TV channel that suicide bombing is okay in Islam.

Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy of Al ¬Azhar University issued a statement opposing suicide attacks. But, he has now been quoted as supporting suicide attacks on Jews in Israel as part of the Palestinian struggle. Then in mid-2003 he was quoted again as saying "groups which carried out suicide bombings were the enemies of Islam."

Islamic Group ‘the European Council for Fatwa and Research use the Quran'ic verse Al-Anam 6:151 (And take not life, which Allah has made sacred, except by way of justice and law) as reason to prohibit suicide.

Sayed Mohammed Musawi, head of the World Islamic League in London, state "there should be a clear distinction between the suicide bombing of those who are trying to defend themselves from occupiers, which is something different from those who kill civilians, which is a big crime."
Nevertheless, Organisations including Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Islamic Jihad continue to argue that suicide operations are justified according to Islamic law. Irshad Manji, in a conversation with one leader of Islamic Jihad noted their ideology.

"What's the difference between suicide, which the Koran condemns, and martyrdom?" I asked. "Suicide," he replied, "is done out of despair. But remember: most of our martyrs today were very successful in their earthly lives." In short, there was a future to live for--and they detonated it anyway.
In January of 2006, one of Shia marja cleric, Ayatollah al-Udhma Yousof al-Sanei decreed a fatwa against suicide bombing, declaring it as a "terrorist act".

[U]Some Ayate Mubaraka often quoted as condemning suicide/terrorism/suicide bombing:[/U]
[2:195] You shall spend in the cause of GOD; do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction. You shall be charitable; GOD loves the charitable.
[ 4:29] O you who believe, do not consume each others' properties illicitly - only mutually acceptable transactions are permitted. You shall not kill yourselves. GOD is Merciful towards you.
[ 4:30] Anyone who commits these transgressions, maliciously and deliberately, we will condemn him to Hell. This is easy for GOD to do.
[12:87] "....................... None despairs of GOD's grace except the disbelieving people."
(8:61) "If they resort to peace, so shall you, and put your trust in GOD. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient."
(7:199) You shall resort to pardon, advocate tolerance, and disregard the ignorant.
(16:90) GOD advocates justice, charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take heed.
(49:13) O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant.

[U]Current Suicide Bombing in Pakistan:[/U]

In the light of above, some Ulemas favoured suicide bombing only in the context of getting freedom for their country and for fighting a non-Islamic bigger enemy e.g Palestine, however, suicide bombing in Pakistan does not fall under any Islamic point of view, as such in need not to be support terming it Islamic. Since, it is un-islamic, the same should be condemned by every effort. Nonetheless, the root causes of these actions need to be addressed to for saving our nation from civil war.

* source:

[url]http://www.submission.org/jihad/suicide.html[/url]
[url]http://www.apologeticsindex.org/s37.html[/url]
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_bomber[/url]