Page 176 - Islam Denounces Terrorism

174 Islam Denounces Terrorism

In addition to that, as explained in the Qur'an 5/178, the said next
of kin has the option to waive retaliation and ask for compensation,
which is favouring forgiveness. In another verse, God explains that for-
giving is preferable:

The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But if someone
pardons and puts things right, his reward is with God. Certainly He
does not love wrongdoers. (Qur'an, 42:40)
As is clear in the verses of the Qur'an, the best course of action is
forgiving and improving. It is explained that this is a behaviour that
God favoured even before Islam:

We prescribed for them in it [the Torah]: a life for a life, an eye for an
eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and retali-
ation for wounds. But if anyone forgoes that as a sadaqa, it will act as
expiation for him. Those who do not judge by what God has sent
down, such people are wrongdoers. (Qur'an, 5:45)

In the eyes of the Qur'an, it is wrong to respond to evil with evil

When the leaders of the terrorist organizations that abuse the reli-
gion of Islam, or some of the clergy that seek to legitimize them, are
asked why they issue fatwas allowing such massacres and suicide
bombings, they will say that it is in retaliation for attacks on Muslims.
It is true that Muslims have been massacred in various parts of the
world, wronged, oppressed and treated unfairly; nonetheless, God for-
bids responding to tyranny with tyranny. The way that forgiveness is

recommended in the commandments concerning retaliation in kind is a
reflection of this fact.

In the eyes of Islam, guilt is personal, and retaliation in kind
must not be applied out of arbitrary feelings of revenge

God forbids wickedness in the Qur'an. Furthermore, Islam states
the principle of the "individuality of crime." Bombing people, attacking
them regardless of them being innocent civilians, children, women or