Terrorism Has Nothing To Do With Religion

There is a sincere question we must ask ourselves:

If these bandits were truly faithful Muslims, why would they be shedding innocent blood especially in the holy month of Ramadan?

Ramadan is a month of mercy, restraint, repentance, and spiritual purification. It is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed as guidance for humanity. It is not a month of violence.

The Qur’an clearly states:

وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا

“Whoever saves one life, it is as if he has saved all of mankind.” (5:32)

This is the moral foundation of Islam: the sanctity of human life.

Some argue, however, that the Qur’an contains verses about fighting. Yes, it does.

 But those verses must be understood within their historical and textual context. The Qur’an says:

وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ

“Fight in the way of God those who fight you, but do not transgress. Indeed, God does not love transgressors.” (2:190)

The command here is DEFENSIVE, not aggressive. It is about resisting oppression  not committing it. 

Even in warfare, Islam strictly prohibits killing women, children, the elderly, monks in monasteries, or destroying crops and livestock. These were explicit instructions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The Prophet did not wage war for conquest, power, or domination. 

As Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse beautifully expressed:

لِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ الْـهَاشِمِي الدَّهْرَ مَا غَزَا ## بَلَى صَـــدَّ عُدْوَانًا وَرَدَّ ضَــلاَلاَ

“For the Hashemite Prophet never fought throughout his life except to repel aggression and to correct misguidance.”

In other words, he did not initiate violence  he responded to persecution and defended his community.

Therefore, anyone who kidnaps children, massacres villagers, burns homes, and spreads terror, especially during Ramadan is not following the Prophet. 

They are contradicting him.

Terrorism is not Islam.

And if we are honest, no religion teaches terrorism. Christianity teaches love of neighbor. Islam teaches justice and mercy. Judaism teaches the sanctity of life. 

Every authentic faith tradition promotes moral responsibility and peaceful coexistence.

It is unjust to blame an entire religion for the crimes of violent individuals. 

We do not hold Christianity nor any other religious group responsible for every crime committed by someone who claims to be religious.

 Likewise, Islam should not be blamed for the atrocities of criminals who misuse its name.

Banditry and terrorism in our region are driven by criminality, greed, poverty, weapons proliferation, political failure, and moral collapse, not by Islamic theology.

Everyone is suffering from this insecurity crisis, Muslims and Christians alike. Blood does not ask for religion before it flows.

Let us call these people what they are: terrorists.

But let us not weaponize religion or punish entire communities for the sins of a few.

I say this in peace.