How to view the Bombay blasts?

The following are some important points regarding the recent tragic bomb blasts in which many innocent lives were lost:

1. It is not clear who were behind the recent blasts. As with any crime people shouldn't lay the blame on anyone without clear evidence. Unfortunately it is common practise today especially by the media to point the finger at blame without clear proof, trial by media should not be accepted.

2. It should be clear that Islam condemns the killing of innocent civilians wherever they may be whether in Bombay, London or Madrid. Islam prohibits the targeting of civilians even during legitimate wars. This is established by clear evidences in the Islamic texts:

Ahmad narrated from Safwan bin ‘Asal who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) sent us in an expedition and said: “Travel in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight those who do not believe in Allah. Do not mutilate, deceive or kill a child.”

Al-Bukhari narrated from ibn Umar who said: “A woman was found killed in some of the battles of the Messenger of Allah (saw), so the Messenger of Allah (saw) prohibited the killing of women and children.”

Ahmad narrated from Al-Aswad bin Sar’i who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “What is wrong with the people whose killing exceeded today until they killed children? A man said: O Messenger of Allah (saw) they are merely the children of polytheists. He said: Verily the best of you are the children of polytheists.”

Abu Dawud narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Go forth in the name of Allah, with Allah and in the creed (millah) of the Messenger of Allah. Do not kill a perishing (fani) old man (shaykh), a child or a woman and do not betray. Gather together your booties and be righteous as Allah loves the righteous.”

Ahmad and Abu Dawud narrated from Rabah bin Rabi’ that he left together with the Messenger of Allah (SAW) in a battle which was fought with Khalid bin Walid at its front. Rabah and the Sahabah of the Messenger of Allah (saw) passed by a woman killed in what the front (group) had struck. They stopped to look at her and were astounded by her beauty, until the Messenger of Allah (saw) met them upon his mount so they made a place for her. The Messenger of Allah (saw) stopped over her and said: “This is not one to fight. Go meet Khalid and say to him: Do not kill children nor the hireling.” So the hadith made the reason for the prohibition of killing her that she does not fight.

3. The killing of all innocent people should be remembered and should be condemned including the civilians being killed as we speak in Gaza and Lebanon by the Israeli state, the people of Iraq, Afghanistan and all other places.

4. The causes behind acts of violence against innocent people on a wide scale in the world need to be scrutinised in an honest manner. Some of the questions that need to be asked are: What are the factors causing violence against innocents by states, groups and individuals? How do countries and their policies contribute towards this? Does occupation and state oppression lead to a backlash?

5. Even Muslims who live under oppression should realise that we must not react in a manner that contradicts the rules of Islam. It is not legitimate for even the oppressed to kill innocent people. They must speak out against the oppression and work against it according to the shariah method. Our emotions must be brought in line with Islam. The Prophet (saw) said in a well known narration, “No one of you is a true believer until his emotions are in line with what I have brought.”

We must also take heed from the words of our beloved Prophet (saw):

Hazzam bin Hakeem narrated from his uncle from the Messenger of Allah (saw) who said: “You are in a time of many jurisprudents (fuqaha), few speakers, many who give and few who ask; so action in this time is better than knowledge. There will soon come a time of few jurisprudents, many speakers, many who beg and few who give; so knowledge in this time is better than action.”