Essay Sample on the War on Islamic Law: The Impact of Terrorism on Religious Relations

Introduction

Terrorism has been one of the greatest security challenges in the world for many years. In the recent past, East Africa (EA), the Middle East, and North Africa have been most vulnerable areas for terror attacks. The acts of terror in such countries have been motivated by a wide range of reasons, either against the countries domestic policies that do not favor terrorism operations or focused on extra- national targets such as the Western targets located in the regions. In the recent terror attack in Kenya for example, the Al Shabaab admitted having carried out the terror attack at DusitD2 Hotel to send a message to the American president, D. Trumph for his interference with Israel and his support to Jerusalem becoming the new capital city for the country (Silas Nyamweya, 2019). Notably, in as much as this attack was meant to oppose a political policy, the main motivation for the attack was the religious tension in Israel, as both the Muslims and Jews claim Jerusalem as their center of worship. This rivalry has been extended and has fueled further religious division worldwide. Therefore, religious radicalization associated with terrorism has resulted in religious mistrust and conflict in countries affected by terrorism both in Africa and the Middle East.

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Terrorism is largely related to radical Islamic terrorism, which is radical campaigns by Islamic sects who interpret Hadith and Quran for their own personal motives. This justification has been used by the four major Islamic extremist groups; ISIS, Boko Haram, the Taliban, and the Al-Qaeda. These four Islamic groups have conducted more than 70% of terror operations in the Middle East affecting countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Syria (Daskin, 2016). Further, in East Africa, specifically Somalia, the Al-Shabaab is the main terrorist group which has carried out almost all terror attacks in the East African region for many years (Aden, 2009). The justification of terrorism by the Islamic terrorists is based on the concept that "Islamic is exalted and nothing is exalted above it." This concept has therefore made many terror operations have a direct link with the religious faith. Notably, most of the terror acts are against other religious groups, mostly Christians (Daskin, 2016). These five terror groups in Islamic faith have resulted in massive death of people and violation of multinational criminal justice.

Terrorism and Religious Relations

In as much as most of the terror attacks can be related to Islam, it is undeniable terrorism cannot be constrained and blamed on one religion. Chiefly, terrorism marks the extents of strained religious tensions and consequently results in the conflict between the religions. Notably, most of the religions teach positive values to the people (Presler, 2016). However, extremist practices in these religious beliefs based on wrong interpretation of the scriptures result to the radical expression of religious motives that result in a massive violation of international law (Ranstorp, 1996). A number of terror attacks have been directly linked with certain religions in the world. These terror attacks have been conducted by movements such as ISIS (Islamic) in Paris, San Bernardino, and Orlando, Christianity as in the case of Colorado Springs attack, Judaism in the West Bank Killings, Hinduism as in 2002 Gujarat riots among other attacks(Mills & Miller, n.d.). However, in the case of East Africa and the Middle East, the conflict has been majorly witnessed between Christianity and the Islam faith, most of the attacks coming from Islamic extremists (Presler, 2016). This has escalated tension in how the religions relate to each other.

Justification of Terrorism in Islam

The justification of terrorism among the Islamic terror groups is based on their doctrinal justification of violence. These are principles, values, rules, and norms that are coded by a certain religious or political entity, which is the basis of justification to their actions (Mohsen, 2009). They act as moral anesthesia to manipulate and shape violence acceptance in a certain context (Ranstorp, 1996). The spread of such doctrines is spread through rumors, slogans, vague ideas and symbols to the lower classes by the leading cadres (Aden, 2009). Where propaganda channels, relative deprivation, and intense discontentment exist, the receptivity of such messages is relatively high (Daskin, 2016). The aim of such doctrinal explanations is to transform passive discontent, propaganda, and deprivation into the active sentiment that accepts violence as the ideal option. Doctrinal justification takes several steps before it can transform into the active sentiment of hate and thereof violence. First, there is the identification of the sources of discontent and deprivation which is followed by the process of enemy creation. This step involves the identification of political agents or groups that could be blamed for the prevailing conditions (Mohsen, 2009). Thereafter, the symbolic violence (enmity) is made into policies with the aim of rejecting the system or belief of the target audience. Correspondingly, identity creation takes place with enemy creation (Daskin, 2016). The steps involve glorification of legends, myths, and communal history, mostly from religious references. This stage creates responsibility and guilt towards the future and past generation while creating historical pride. Further, the creation of new norms, communal awareness, and moral standards followed (Ranstorp, 1996). These are believed to be higher than the rest. This disconnection between discontent groups and the identified enemies creates a higher possibility of violence against such systems and groups (Daskin, 2016). Consequently, the use of violence results as the discontent groups feels that it is their right to fight for the right course and what is theirs.

The above process of doctrinal justification has been followed by many terror groups worldwide, especially the Islamic terrorist groups. For example, the ISIS uses a similar semantics. The ideology behind the formation of the movement is the use of defensive Jihad as they interpret current/prevailing conditions as a threat to the existence of Islam faith (Osman, 2016). They defend the terror acts as a necessary evil towards the realization of the formation of a new caliphate. The blame states such as Israel, UK, USA, France, and Turkey for the collapse of the previous caliphate (Kimunguyi, 2009). The enmity to such states is expressed through the use of violence against their citizens and allies, especially non-Muslims and those Muslims groups who do not subscribe to their ideology (Aden, 2009). Therefore, the religious conflict through terrorism in extremist Islamic actions is a war within and war without targeting non-Muslims and those Muslims who do not support such movement's ideology (Daskin, 2016. In rebel against other non-Muslims, the ISIS engages in takfiri practices which are the rebel against fellow Muslims who object and refuse to adhere to their extremist ideology.

The indoctrination into the ISIS is mainly through mosques, online platforms, conversational groups, schools, and other such institutions (Zara, 2017). This indoctrination process is prior to joining the group and is followed by courses on Shariah law, radical Islamic thought and military training (Daskin, 2016. Primarily, they back their political agenda with religious references. They emphasize on the rule of "hear and obey" in a formulated slogan in reference to the prophets prediction that nearing the end times, there will be foundations of rules based on prophethood (Kimunguyi, 2009). Therefore, the role played by religion in the formation of the organization is justification and legitimization.

Social and economic deprivation in the East African States and the Middle East countries are the predisposing factors to terrorism. As a result, the poor social-economic conditions in the region allows for the growth and expansion of Islamic extremism (Kimunguyi, 2009). Al-Qaeda operations in East Africa, for example, were founded as early as the early 1990s when they founded a base in Sudan (Mohsen, 2009). Consequently, terrorist attacks followed in the years that followed, including the attack of the US embassy in Kenya in 1998, Us Embassy in Dar es Salaam later in 2002, and attacks in Mombasa targeting an Israeli charter aircraft("Reflections on the U.S. Embassy Bombings in Kenya and Tanzania," n.d.). These operations are represented as jihads by the Al-Qaeda. Sheikh al-Ali in 2006 made a statement that Muslims in Africa, Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan were obligated to participate in jihad (Daskin, 2016. They identify Somalia as the Southern gate to Jerusalem, and if lost, Muslims will be haunted by repentance, horror, regret, and stress (Kimunguyi, 2009). In Darfur, the conflict has involved victimization of Christians by the Muslim dominated leadership (Osman, 2016). Notably, the Islamic rivalry in the Horn of Africa is majorly a struggle between Sufi Islam and Salafi and Wahhabi Islamic interpretation. Other groups in the region such as Tablighi Jamaat embrace a spiritual focus that accepts the doctrine of non-violence, making it a unique group that does not support terrorism in the region.

Religious Divisions and Conflict Within Islam

The Middle East for a long time has been characterized by brutal conflict, sectarianism, poor governance, and economic malaise. The conflicting interpretations of the Islamic foundations and the existence of different divides within the Islamic faith have fueled most of the conflicts in the region (Ali Ahmed, 2013). Each of the religious sects is characterized by ambitions for regional dominations which have been fueled by theological differences (Aden, 2009). The sectarianism existence in the Middle East has been the primary cause of conflict within the region. The conflict has been majorly between the Shi'a Muslims and the Sunni Muslims who fight to dominate each other in the region (Skaik, 2012). Notably, Islam is divided into different sects; the Sunni, the Shi'I and the Surf. However, there exist other small splinter groups within the region.

Centuries following the foundation of the Islamic faith witnessed a series of disagreements on the interpretation of the faith. The Quran and the Hadith were the main references for the faith, but the lacked enough details and answers on how the Islamic world and faith was to be governed and interpreted. As a result, different scholars developed different schools of thought which people could not agree on, marking the inception of sectarianism in the region. Consequently, the Sunni, who comprises 90% of all Muslims, the Shi'I and the Sufi, emerged (Skaik, 2012). These sects had great theological differences. However, the major split and conflict that exist to date are between the Sunni and the Shi'I Muslims.

The Sunni are the followers of Hanifa, Malik, and Shafi schools of thought and are the mainstream traditionalist. They strictly follow their three sources of law; the Hadith, the Quran, and the consensus of Muslims (Skaik, 2012). The Shi'ites Muslims, on the other hand, was founded after a disagreement on the successor to Muhammad. They believed that the right successor of Muhammad ought to have been his son-in-law, Ali. They differ greatly with the Sunni Muslims on their understanding of both the Hadith and the Quran. However, the sect is divided into other different sub-groups...