Islam and Terrorism

All Muslims are not terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims, goes the popular belief among members of other communities everywhere in the world.
There is an undeniable truth in the belief. There are extremist elements in almost every part of the world who are trying to enforce their agenda and ideology through violent means. But, Islamic terrorists are the only ones who try to spread religious faith and culture through violence.
No part of the globe is free from this menace. It is evident that, ever since the religion was founded, force has been used in Islamizing countries and peoples. It is still continuing.
Surely, those who kill and plunder in the name of Islam are not true Muslims. They are only the lunatic fringe whose atrocious killings and bombings will only tarnish the image of Islam and make the members of other communities believe that Muslims are a barbarous lot.
The most significant and unfortunate part in the unfolding drama of islamization is that majority of Muslims, who, like members of any other religious faith, are peace loving and dutiful citizens, do not denounce the atrocities being perpetrated in the name of their faith with sufficient vehemence. When a Hindu temple in India is bombed, or an international flight is hijacked and its passengers brutally murdered, the reaction from the clerics and mainstream Muslims is not vehement enough. There may be feeble statements or perfunctory denunciations. This is not sufficient.
When hundreds of Muslims were murdered in Gujarat, Muslim organizations all over the world were vociferous in blaming the government of Gujarat. But when terrorists struck in Mumbai, the commercial capital of India, and murdered hundreds of people including many Muslims, the voices of protest from the Muslims were inaudibly feeble. If a man of average intelligence arrives at the conclusion that, all Muslims, including the elite everywhere in the world, connive at this crime against humanity, he cannot be blamed.
Religious education is very important as far as any Muslim is concerned. Boys and girls are put to madrasas at a very early age when children can be easily indoctrinated. Most Muslims do not bother to evaluate the quality of the teacher to educate their children. In many cases, the teachers are a bigoted, intolerant lot with little accomplishments in this-worldly education. Their mind set is mostly that of mediaeval barbarians who despised other faiths and looked down upon women as inferior creatures. Like priests of any other religion, they believe in the visible forms, not in the underlying spirit.
When a Muslim suspects of a plot for some act of terror, what should he or she do? They should immediately inform the law enforcing agency concerned of their suspicions. This will not only save innocent people from violent deaths, but also protect fellow believers of a possible backlash. Preventing a terror act in the name of Islam will uphold the credentials of the faith as a peace loving and progressive religion.

When a bomb explodes in a place of worship or a public place in the name of Islam, the heinous act certainly kills many victims. But the damage caused to Muslims is incalculably high, especially when the reactions from Muslim organizations are muted and feeble. It is, therefore, in the interest of Muslims to
watch out plots for such acts and prevent them.