Middle East Work Group

INTERFAITH RELATIONS – William G. Gepford, American-Arab Relations
A Reflection on Terrorism within Islam

Many people have asked me, “Why has Islam been so identified with some terrorist activities in the current historical context?” What follows are excerpts from a lecture I gave at Mercy College in November, 2001 to attempt to address this question.

First, terrorism is the result when an individual or a group seeks to frighten or coerce, or intimidate an individual or a population through some act of violence, by a variety of means, usually based on their belief that their perception of reality is the true one. An example of this, in America, is when a Timothy McVeigh blows up a government building.

Second, most scholars consider terrorism a-religious, meaning it is not intrinsically religious. Its roots are to be found elsewhere. Whenever it strikes it usually is an act of frustration, anger or a desire to seek revenge caused by long- standing inequities.

Third, all religions of the world, without exception, were founded for the purpose of establishing justice, peace, mercy and reconciliation, Including Islam. If one examines the origin of religions, it is often from within the context of an unjust oppressive culture.

The best example of this is the story told by Robin Wright in her book, “Sacred Rage” (1985) where she examined the context in which hatred is likely to be found. In 1975, at age 21, Hamza (not his real name) of the Shi’ite branch of Islam, wanted to become a doctor or engineer and planned to come to the United States or Canada to pursue his studies. He did not hate Americans and strongly supported our values of freedom, democracy and equal opportunity for all.

On the verge of sending his application abroad, the Lebanese civil war broke out, making it impossible for him to leave. The war at that time, between Christians and Muslims, was over reforms that would even the balance of power in the Government. The Lebanese society had been dominated by a minority Christian group in a country which had now become majority Muslim. So, instead of starting his college career in America, he felt called to put his energies into the struggle against Christian dominance. He said, “We must fight together to help the poor in the world…and must fight for equality.”

It was a very small step from fighting injustice in this context to viewing it as a larger rhetorical call to struggle against those considered to be “the enemies of God.” Hamza played a significant part in this transition. An unjust social environment, left unattended by the dominant authority, over many years, becomes the incubator of terrorism.

The prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures, reaffirmed by Jesus, spoke out against neglect of the poor, widows and the physical, ethnic and “immigrant” marginalized. Such folk are still with us. As Christians, our call to mission is not to forget, but to remember this long prophetic history of which we are a part.