If suicide-murder is deemed legitimate by a community when attacking its “enemies” abroad, it will eventually be used as a tactic against “enemies” at home, and that is exactly what has happened in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The only effective way to stop this trend is for “the village” — the Muslim community itself — to say “no more.” When a culture and a faith community delegitimizes this kind of behavior, openly, loudly and consistently, it is more important than metal detectors or extra police. Religion and culture are the most important sources of restraint in a society.

That’s why India’s Muslims, who are the second-largest Muslim community in the world after Indonesia’s, and the one with the deepest democratic tradition, do a great service to Islam by delegitimizing suicide-murderers by refusing to bury their bodies. It won’t stop this trend overnight, but it can help over time.

“The Muslims of Bombay deserve to be congratulated in taking this important decision,” Raashid Alvi, a Muslim member of India’s Parliament from the Congress Party, said to me. “Islam says that if you commit suicide, then even after death you will be punished.”

Read it all.

Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Religion & Culture • * Economics, Politics • Terrorism • * International News & Commentary • Asia • India • Pakistan • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Faiths • Hinduism • Islam

1. Katherine wrote: This stand in India is a positive beginning.  Also positive are statements from Muslim groups in the U.S. condemning the Buffalo beheading in no uncertain terms and calling for an end to domestic violence among themselves. February 19, 12:33 am | [comment link]

2. Sick & Tired of Nuance wrote: Waiting for the fatwah against terrorism… February 19, 9:13 am | [comment link]

3. Isaac wrote: 2., A .16 second on Google yielded 156,000 results.  Is that enough? Fatwa(s) against Terorrism February 20, 7:35 am | [comment link]

4. Sick & Tired of Nuance wrote: Isaac Thank you very much!  I honestly did not know that any had been issued.  I did not even think to look on Google.  I feel like I just walked out of a cave on this issue.  Really…thank you.  (I feel like an idiot, but that will pass.)  Constantly being educated is one of the reasons I enjoy blogging. February 20, 1:55 pm | [comment link]

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