By Shafee Ahmed Ko., TwoCircles.net
Chennai: Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam has demanded Union Home Minister Mr. P. Chidamabaram to withdraw his objectionable statement wherein he equated Jihad with terrorism as it has hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community.
“Your statement has caused anguish and resentment affecting the good relations between the Muslim community and the party in power at the Centre. It is our hope that you will be gentlemanly enough to withdraw your statement,” TMMK President Prof M.H. Jawahirullah said in an open letter to the Home Minister today.
Delivering 22nd Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture in New Delhi on December 23, Chidambaram had equated Jihad with terrorism and said that the objective of Jihad is war against unbelievers. Making a distinction between Crusades and Jihad Chidambaram had termed Crusades as “conventional wars” and Jihad terrorism.
“Your reported speech at the recent Intelligence Bureau meeting equating two diametrically opposite concepts viz., the noble Jihad with the abominable terrorism, has very badly hurt the sentiments of the Muslim minority community,” Prof. Jawahirullah said in the letter.
“Jihad is admittedly a struggle but against what and against whom is the question? It is a striving against injustice and falsehood. That Islam teaches that, this should be done through violence, is an unadulterated lie,” the letter reads.
Prof. Jawahirullah has also expressed concern Chidambaram’s view that Crusades were conventional wars but Jihad is terrorism.
“Making a distinction between the “Crusades” and “Jihad” it is reported that you have chosen to call the former a “conventional war” and the latter “a war against unbelievers.” I am sorry to say, with all the emphasis at my command that nothing is farther from truth than the said statement of yours. The Crusades were regular full-fledged wars between two states viz., two communities – Christians and Muslims – sponsored by the rulers of the respective groups, led by their respective military Commanders. It is only if and when Muslims engage themselves in such a kind of war, it is taken to be a Jihad. Even during such war Muslims have been directed not to attack priests, aged, women and children. Islamic war etiquettes also direct that places of worship, fruit bearing trees, crops and water sources should not be damaged at any cost,” the letter reads.
TMMK president has also made it clearly that terrorist activities of Muslim groups are not at all Jihad.
“Muslim groups who engage in terrorist activities have no right to claim that they are involved in Jihad. Prophet Muhammad warned his companions to avoid extremes – which he explained was the cause of the destruction of earlier communities. If certain Muslim indulges in terror activities then they are indulging in acts which are against God. Anyone who tries to justify such atrocities ultimately fails, since both the Sacred Law and theology abhor such acts as moral sins that run contrary to the essence of Islam. The Qur’an instructs Muslims in times of adversity to act with justice, perseverance and patience. Terrorists apparently never think of relating their acts to the elementary principle that Islam places great value on: the sanctity of human life,” he wrote.