on islam and terrorism -

Here is part of an email exchange from last summer concerning London's terror attacks. I was trying to describe the muslim reaction at my end. I'd rather quote myself than write something on this subject because that would probably just mean linking you up to a site.

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"yeah everyone here is saddened about how persistently sickening all this inhumanity is. At the same time, there's also this concern about making clear to others again that islam forbids terrorism emphatically. although i dont think people in europe are just going to up and start all out discrimination against muslims after this, i do think that that's a scenario which makes people feel like they now have to constantly defend themselves by explaining to everyone what islam really is."

I added later on:

"btw, here are a couple of links that show the islamic stance on terrorism, in case you might find them helpful:http://thewahhabimyth.com/ ----> this is a website for the book by Haneef James Oliver. it offers a free pdf download of the book here. though contains discussion of different media-misrepresented matters, there a good section on terrorism.http://www.spubs.com/sps/sLF/sLF.cfm?sc=channel&CID=3 "

Some more:

"well, since islam is a way of life, it provides guidelines for all situations for all times. For the situation where muslims are being oppressed and have no power to defend themselves against the terrorism;the islamic equivalent/counterpart of a non-violent demonstration is the islamic call for the individual muslims to return to righteousness,correcting ourselves soul-wise, maintaining patience and a faith in God, seeking the help of God. here are two verses from the Quran which help explain this:

"Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the Fasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)." (24: 55)

Indeed, never will Allaah change the condition of a people, until they change themselves. [Quran 13:11]

It is a call to change from within - believing that this will bring peace eventually."

(Okay, yeah, so there was some linking)