Westminster attack and its repercussions
( March 24, 2017, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Today Muslim community all over the world goes through one of toughest times in Muslim history. Fanaticism dominates thoughts and minds of millions of Muslim youth across the globe. It is not an objective of my article here to examine, evaluate and investigate the internal and external factors that contribute to the growth of extremism in Muslim world today. Rather I will focus on the consequences of this barbaric attack on innocent people on the streets of London on 22/03/2017.
- Increase of Islamophobia attacks on Muslims in Europe:
This type of barbaric attack would generate far reaching reactionary backlashes in many parts of western world. This type of attack would encourage, motivate and urge far right extremist groups to attack innocent Muslims in many parts of European countries. Mosques, Muslim shops, Muslim properties and even innocent Muslims may become targets of racial attacks in Europe. Particularly, ladies with scarfs will be prime target of anti- Muslim extremists in Europe and they would fear to go out on the streets in many parts of European cities. This type of attack would no doubt increase anti-Muslim trends in many parts of Europe. Innocent Muslims will be victims of these types of Barbarism.
- Anti-Muslim immigration policies would be introduced.
Donald Trump has been trying to introduce some strict measures to control immigration into US from some Muslim countries. With this incident, he could easily convince US law makers and congressmen that what he is doing is a right thing to do and he may get support of public and law makers to control immigration in US. He has already banned people entering US from 7 Muslim countries. He has imposed a ban on some electronic items to take on board in US flights. This type of attack may justify his claim. Many EU countries will follow US in their immigration policies if they feel immigration increase is a threat for their national security. This type of barbaric attack would persuade politicians in Europe to make some dramatic policy changes in immigration and settlement visa for foreign nationals. Europe has been welcoming refugees, students, holiday makers, and skilled workers for many decades, many European countries may review their immigration policies with rapid increase in these types of barbaric attacks on innocent people. I think that this type of attack will have far reaching impacts on migrant communities in many European countries in coming years.
- This attack gives a bad name for Islam and Muslims
This attack is carried out by a single Muslim person who was converted into Islam some time ago and yet, this attack would give a bad name for Muslims and peaceful religion of Islam. We cannot generalise this, to say that 1. 5 billion Muslims support this type of fanaticism. No good Muslim would support such attack and yet, some media may take this incident out of context and may use this incident to tarnish good names of millions of peace loving Muslims. Terrorism has no religion or faith. Terrorism is wrong whoever does it. No religion on earth would concur that killing innocent people is acceptable. Islam strongly condemns killings any innocent people. Peaceful message of Islam, its compassion, its kindness to humanity and its pluralistic vision to humanity all have been hijacked and blackmailed by this sort of brutal attack on innocent people. These radicals give a bad perception about Islam and Muslim community.
- Victimization of innocent people:
It is reported that IS has claimed the responsibility for this attack. IS has claimed that one of their soldiers has carried out this barbaric attack. If it is true, UK government along with its allies would take all measures to wipe out IS supporters from many Muslim countries. UK will intensify drone attacks on IS targets. Thousands of innocent people would become victims of drone attacks. It has been reported that US war on terror has killed thousands of innocent people across Muslim world. Children in schools, people in mosques, wedding halls, markets, and in the houses, have been killed in thousands since US declared war on terror and deployed drones across Muslim world. This vicious circles of violence would continue for many years if IS does not stop this type of brutal attacks on innocent people. Eventually, it is innocent people who pay the price for this type atrocity. They have nothing to do with Western government or radical groups and yet, they become victims for the faults of someone else. This type of innocent killing is not acceptable in Islam at all. Qur’an is very much clear about this:
“If anyone kills a person unless in retribution for murder or spreading corruption in the land- it is as if he kills all mankind, while if any saves a life it is as if he saves he lives of all mankind” (Qur’an: 6: 32). Moreover, Islam prescribes severe punishment for those who kills innocent people for no reason. This type of killing of innocent people has no justification whatsoever in Islam. This type of attack is a ruthless act of terrorism in Islam and the entire humanity should come hand in hand to wipe of this barbarism.
This man was brained washed with a radical ideology that has no place in Islam. It is unfortunate that this virus of Islamic radicalism has spoiled the minds of thousands of Muslim youths today. Islamic world has utterly failed to deradicalize Muslim youths. Muslim world has not yet developed any concrete mechanism to meet the challenges of radicalism. Radicalism is a universal problem today. It is a problem of humanity today. It is the responsibility of entire humanity to address this issue and find an everlasting solution to this problem. I think that Muslim politicians, Muslim clerics and Muslim scholarship should take some possible steps to deradicalize Muslim minds from childhood. It is the responsibility of Muslim scholarship to address the roots cause of Muslim extremism. I think that literal reading into sacred texts of the Qur’an and Muslim tradition has greatly contributed to the growth of Muslim extremism in many ways.
Some moderate Muslim groups have been trying to wipe out extremism from Muslim communities in Europe and yet, I think that they need to take some strategic measures to reduce the challenges of Muslim extremism. I think that such measures should be taken from their homes, schools, mosques, and Arabic colleges. Muslim communities should teach their children about the danger of extremism in their homes, mosques, schools and college. I think that some collaborative measures are needed between these institutes to counter Muslim extremism.
