- This article draws upon several studies regarding which group has cost the most lives in history.
- It delves into the grotesque and deplorable misrepresentation of Islam’ portraying Muslim men as bloodthirsty warmongers.
The ongoing genocide raging in Occupied Palestine prompts us to ponder upon the bestial and barbaric nature of Zionists, who invoke the Old Testament —specifically the story of Amalek—to justify their acts of terrorism.
"Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." — 1 Samuel 15:3
William Golding shows us in his novel ‘Lord of the Flies,’ how there are animal instincts in man that cause him to subjugate others, seize someone else’s property, shed blood and indulge in many other evils. What makes him human is his consciousness of God which develops his spirit, morality, intellect and belief that his actions will have consequences. These traits manifest within him, human dignity and the necessity of human rights for every human being across the globe. In ‘Lord of the Flies,’ Jack Merridew steals Piggy’s glasses, which are essential for starting fires for the boys who are stranded on the deserted island. The act of theft symbolises the breakdown of order and morality on the island.
This scenario draws poignant parallels to the intricate dynamics commonly witnessed within the context of Israel. Cultivating a sense of God consciousness proves challenging for those seated in the Knesset, as some members are atheists while others possess a distorted perception of who their creator is.
The antithesis to this lies in the commands of Allah azza wa Jal, as delineated in the Qur’an and Sunnah and the understanding of the pious predecessors and the four schools of thought.
Islam’s moral and intellectual superiority transcends all other ideologies. This includes how it safeguards innocent civilians and non-combatants during war.
In his seminal work, Orientalism, Edward Said scrutinised the systematic demonisation of the “Muslim world” by European and American powers. Though not always overt, his analysis unveiled the profoundly gendered narratives that depicted Arab and Muslim men as the primary agents of fundamentalism, violence, and warmongering.
"The Oriental is depicted as something one judges (as in a court of law), something one studies and depicts (as in a curriculum), something one disciplines (as in a school or prison), something one illustrates (as in a zoological manual). The point is that in each of these cases the Oriental is contained and represented by dominating frameworks. In the depths of this representation, however, are two of the most important features of the imperialist vision of the non-Western world: The individual Oriental is always subordinated to the collective image, and this image is articulated to be experienced in part in his foreignness, in part in his enigmatic peculiarities, and in part in his overall insubordination. Such a collective image is a result of, and a part of, the process by which the mass of the Oriental lands and peoples is governed" (Said, Orientalism, p. 40).
As a Palestinian, Said infused his writings with a distinctive perspective, interpreting the world through the prism of his own experiences and cultural heritage.
In his book ‘Covering Islam,’ Said observed:
"Malicious generalisations about Islam have become the last acceptable form of denigration of foreign culture in the West; what is said about the Muslim mind, character or religion, or culture as a whole cannot now be said about mainstream discussions about Africans, Jews, and other Orientals.”
The depiction by mainstream media and Hollywood of the Muslim man as requiring taming and the Muslim woman as needing rescue is, of course, fallacious. Additionally, the notion that Muslims have initiated the most wars throughout history and have been involved in the most acts of terror is counteracted in its entirety by Naveed Shaikh’s study, ‘Body count: A quantitative review of political violence across world civilisations.’ Shaikh’s study found that through genocide, wars and civil wars from years 0 to 2008, a total death toll of 578’993’500 was distributed amongst civilisations as follows in ranking order:
1) Christian 30.73% (Christian civilisations have caused the greatest number of deaths due to religious and politically motivated violence).
2) Anti-Theist 21.64%
3) Sinic 18.64%
4) Buddhist 15.19%
5) Primal-Indigenous 7.87%
6) Islamic 5.52%
7) Indic 0.41%
Shaikh concluded that the inclusion of ‘Anti-Theists’ within the category of ‘atheists’, such as Hitler and Stalin, would raise this figure within Christian civilisation to 52.37%. The Chinese communists were also included in ‘Anti-Theist’ in the study.
Notably, a separate study also reveals how America dropped a staggering total of 26,171 bombs in 2016.
But here’s the sucker punch for those who wish to continue to believe the manipulated narrative. Gaza’s death toll tragically exceeds any 21st century conflict, as calculated by Oxfam.
Let’s entertain the ridiculous contention that ISIS, like Israel, has also used religious texts to justify acts of terror.
Firstly, neither the Quran nor the Hadith advocate for Muslims to kill innocent people or harm non-combatants. ISIS is a fringe group repudiated by 2 billion Muslims. Conversely, Israel is a state with an established government, military support, and backing from both the United States and the United Kingdom and continues to perpetrate genocidal acts under the nonsensical pretext of “Hamas hiding among civilians.”
The following stats ought to be considered:
- In a YouGov 2016 poll, 33% think terrorist acts that are carried out by Muslims do tell us something about the nature of Islam.
- In a Gallup World Poll in 2011, North Americans and Brits were most likely to justify military attacks on civilians, Muslim majority countries were more likely to oppose them. When asked about whether it is justifiable for the military to target and kill civilians. In the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, 85% said it is never justifiable. 50% in the USA and Canada said it is never justifiable.
- In another 2011 Gallup poll, in sharp contrast with Americans who identify themselves with other faith groups, Muslim Americans are more likely to say military attacks on civilians are never justified (78%).
- Pew Research Centre asked Muslim majority countries what they thought of Isis in 2015:In nations with significant Muslim populations, there was much disdain for ISIS.
- In 2020, Pew Research Centre asked Jewish Americans whether Israel was given to them by God: 58% agreed.
- A survey conducted between November 12 and 17 last year, received 3,744 responses from British Jews of all ages and across the religious spectrum. The survey revealed that 80% of respondents identified as Zionists and supported the occupying terrorist regime.
Through the Quran, Allah condemns not only the unlawful taking of life by another human being, but also the excessive use of force in response to violence.
“If you [believers] have to respond to an attack, make your response proportionate, but it is best to stand fast.” (Al-Nahl 126).
That being said, Islam’s concept of warfare does not depict Muslim soldiers joyfully galloping across the dunes and singing harmonious nasheeds. Instead, we are enjoined to defend ourselves as Muslims with dignity in the face of aggression.
