Suicide Bombing, Is it an Islamic way?

Suicide Bombing,
Is it an Islamic way?


We read and hear about suicide bombing in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Palestine almost everyday on the news and newspaper. The first thing that comes to my mind when I talk about suicide bombing is being confused, sad, frustrated, and challenged to think about.

As a Moslem, I do not agree with violence as a fight to achieve our goal or to solve our problem. Something that I understand that suicide is forbidden in Islam but those people acknowledge themselves that they do that based on Islam values. Some Moslems consider what they are doing is “syahid.”

As long as I understand from the Islamic history, I never hear that our prophet using suicide bombing as a way to defend from his enemies. It will be so scary if people have a justification to do what they think right based on the understanding from their religion.

“There is no Islamic justification for suicide bombing. In 7th century Arabia, Prophet Muhammad's people were humiliated and persecuted mercilessly by the pagan Quraysh, yet never did he ask his followers to kill innocent men, women, and children or to commit suicide in the name of Islam.” (http://www.intentblog.com/archives/2007/08/jihad_and_suici.html)

''Suicide is a major sin in Islam,'' Maher Hathout, imam of the Islamic Center in Los Angeles.

[Do not] kill yourselves, for truly Allah has been to you Most Merciful. If any do that in rancor and injustice, soon shall We cast him into the Fire...” (Qur'an 4:29-30).

“The Koran does tell Muslims, ''Do not kill yourselves'' and warns that those who disobey will be ''cast into the fire.’’ The Prophet Mohammed is reported to have said that a suicide cannot go to paradise.” (http://www.apologeticsindex.org/s37.html)

It becomes an interesting topic when nowadays some Moslems interpreted “suicide bombing” from “haram” (a major sin) to be “halal” (allowed). If we refer to the definition of suicide, it mentions that suicide is the act or an instance of intentionally killing oneself (www.answers.com) I do not want to judge which one of two opposite opinions is right. However, Moslem majority believe that “suicide” is against Islamic values.

I talked with my friend about it. In his opinion, why people committed suicide bombing is because they did not find any other way. When the media does not give opportunity to them to voice their suffering, their opponents are too strong to destroy and then they become frustrated; suicide bombing is one of the ways for that. I believe we need to think the causes of suicide bombing and it is time for us to be aware with their problems.

I found a good article about the reason why people in Palestine tend to commit suicide bombing; http://www.missionislam.com/conissues/palestine.htm