Notes On Violence and Muslims

Abstract

Needless to say violence and Muslims have become inalienable concepts for media, particularly western media. However, this will not stand any scrutiny or critical inquiry. The media does not care to investigate things in depth. It adopts very superficial approach based on prejudices rather than facts. It is therefore very necessary to put things in proper perspective through critical inquiry. Like Muslims, Islam is also associated with violence. It is not only the western scholars and media but also Muslims themselves who are responsible for spreading such a view. They often talk about jihad very loosely without knowing the Qur’anic position about it or its situational context. So Muslims also have to do a lot of re-thinking about jihad and its true concept. Loose talk about it harms the image of Islam. I have often emphasised that peace is central to Islam and war (harb or qital, not jihad) incidental but this has been reversed in popular public imagination and war (harb, qital) has become central and peace incidental. Muslim (not Islamic) history is partly responsible for it. Islam, in fact, appeared in the midst of inter-tribal war in the Arab society and so peace became its main mission. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) went to Madina from Mecca as peace -maker.