It is a brief look at the real essence of increasing terror and violence, in the world, as per the recent letter of the supreme leader of Iran, ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, to the western youths.
The painful terroristic attack on Paris once again raised many questions regarding the terrorism, its main roots and causes, in the minds of the western youths. Since the attackers were announced Muslims automatically some of the ignorant people may accuse Islam and its followers of violence and terror. But the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, wrote a letter to the young generation of the west to inform them of some untold truths and facts about terrorism as well as its main causes and roots.
First of all, it has been mentioned, in the letter, that Muslims have been the first victims of terror and violence in many Islamic countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and etc. for many decades. In the mentioned countries millions of people have lost their lives and suffered badly from violence and terror, for the past many years, also they are still suffering massive terroristic attack every day. It is logically wrong and morally unjust to blame terror on the victims of it, and accuse them of supporting or promoting terrorism in the world.
Now a question may arise in the western youth's minds, that if Muslims are opposed to any sort of terrors, then why the terrorists are mostly Muslims, and why terrorism is increasing in the Islamic world? To answer this question properly, we must refer to the Holy Quran and traditions of the Prophet Mohammad (P), as the two main sources of Islamic teachings and doctrines. Referring the two main sources of Islamic teachings, it would become clear that according to the most essential principles of Islam, suicide bomber and terroristic attackers are certainly not Muslims, and terrorism has nothing to do with Islam.
To briefly deal with the Islamic approach towards terror, it could be mentioned that Islam, itself, means peace and according to the Holy Quran "if anyone killed innocent people, or spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind" [1] The Holy Quran explicitly forbids Muslims from intimidating the people saying that killing innocent people and intimidating them is the same as waging a war against Almighty Allah (J) and His apostles, that is why they must be given harsh and severe punishments. [2]
From the other side, the ethical and social conduct of the Prophet Muhammad (P) proves that He as well as his companions and successors were substantially opposed to terror, and did not permit anyone to strike terror into the hearts of people. For instance, in a narration from the Holy Prophet (P) it is said that "A true Muslim and believer do not commit any acts of terrorism." [3] From the aforementioned points it become clear that the terrorist groups and suicide attackers are not Muslims, and no one should consider them as the followers of the religion of peace and mercy.
The main factors of the increasing violence and terror in the Islamic world are not Islamic teachings and principles; therefore, Muslims must not be accused of violence and terror. Instead, the main causes of the tensions and increasing terrorism in the Islamic world is the unjust policy of the western powers in the Middle East and their wrong policies towards terrorism in the world. According to the supreme leader's letter "this violence has been supported by certain great powers through various methods and effective means." [4]
Unfortunately, besides this direct support, the well-known supporters of takfiri terrorism- despite having the most backward political systems- are standing arrayed as allies of the west. The supreme leader also wrote that the western powers support the state terrorism of Israel, it is the state that oppressed people of Palestine; as a result, the poor and innocent people of Palestine have experienced the worst kind of terrorism for the last sixty years. [5]
Conclusively, it must be noted that the main causes of the violence and terror in the world is the wrong and oppressive policies of the western powers towards the Islamic world. These are the untold truths and facts behind terrorism that the western mass media never tell to the western youths. The supreme leader tries to inform the young generation of the west of the realities and make them aware of the wrong policies of their states towards other countries and nations.
Notes:
[1] Al-Ma'idah, 32. مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا
[2] Al-Ma'idah, 33. إِنَّمَا جَزَاء الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُواْ أَوْ يُصَلَّبُواْ أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلافٍ أَوْ يُنفَوْاْ مِنَ الأَرْضِ ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
[3] محمدباقر مجلسی، بحارالانوار، ج 47، ص 137. الایمان قیدالفتک، المؤمن لایفتک
[4] See: http://english.khamenei.ir/news/2681/Today-terrorism-is-our-common-worry
[5] ibid.