8/12/2019 The Sunday Tribune - Spectrum - Special Issue_ Countering Terrorism

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Special IssueCountering terrorism

Views of eminent experts andthinkers on countering

terrorism

Hari Jaisingh

Kanti Bajpai

Asghar A li Engineer

Owen Bennett Jones

Shelley Walia

G. Parthasarthy

T. V. Rajeswar

Gen V N Sharma

Ashok K. Mehta

Prakash Singh

M. J. Akbar

Sunday, January 5, 2003 Tribune special

Fundamentalism & terrorismPolitics of religion and religion as politics

Communalism is all about political or ec onomic interests of a particular community,

while fundamentalism is enforcement of sectarianism for the political mobilisation

of a community with the aim of achieving the power-goals of its elite.

Fundamentalism invariably leads to terrorism, says Asghar Ali Engineer.

FUNDAMENTALISM and terrorism arewidely used but loosely-defined terms

in the media as well as academia. Many

people describe any thing religious as

fundamentalism and any act of killing

as terrorism. It is necessary to define

these terms properly. In fact, the term

fundamentalism is hardly applicable to

Indian religions on the one hand, and

to Islam on the other hand. It is

American media, which started using

Islamic fundamentalism when the

Islamic revolution was taking place in Iran in the late 1970s. Our media too

started using the term and very soon it was being very widely used.

The term terrorism too has its origin in American media after 9/11. We have had

violence from across the border since 1990s but never used terrorist violence for

it. We called it either extremism or militancy. But now, we call it cross-border

terrorism after 9/11. Thus, American rulers and American media set the term for

us to be used. America devises terms to reflect its own interests and not to make

any academic sense. We should resist the temptation to use the terms loosely.

Let us try to define fundamentalism. It should not certainly be confused with

fundamentals of religion. Even in America this term was not used in that sense in

the early twenties of the last century. Those who believed that every word of

the Bibleis literally a divine word were called fundamentalist. One, it did not refer

to fundamental teachings of Christianity and second, it was never used in aderogatory sense. Now the term, especially Islamic fundamentalism, is used in a

derogatory sense and since it is used in a derogatory sense, we must separate it

from religionper se.

To follow either Islam or Hinduism should not be described as fundamentalism.

Even to follow orthodox traditions of religion should not be dubbed as

fundamentalism, even though one may not agree with orthodox pract ices. There

are millions of people in every religious tradition who follow these orthodox

traditions without being a nuisance to any one in the society. Their practices

could be quite harmless.

Therefore, one must distinguish between orthodoxy and fundamentalism.

Fundamentalism in the sense in which it is being used in the media is, in fact, a

political misuse of religion in a narrow sectarian manner. In this sense, there is

not much difference between communalism and fundamentalism. Both the

phenomena are based on political interests. Still there is a subtle difference

between the two. While communalism is all about political or economic interests

of a particular community, fundamentalism is enforcement of sectarianism with allrigidity for political mobilisation of a community for the power-goals of its elite.

While c ommunalism is the exploitation of sentiments of a religion-based

community for a secular goal (i.e. political power) fundamentalism is enforcing

narrow sectarian practices for strengthening religious orthodoxy as well as

achieving political power.

While the BJP will be closer to communalism in this sense, while the VHP-Bajrang

Dal will be closer to fundamentalism. However, it must be said at the same time

that the distinction is getting more and more blurred of late as VHP is setting the

agenda for the BJP. Similarly, the pre-Partition Muslim League was closer to

communalism and the Jamat- e-Islami was closer t o fundamentalism.

Communalism is more about secular interests (mainly political) of a religion-based

community. Fundamentalism, on the other hand, is enforcement of narrow

sectarian religion by misusing political power and that too with a view to

consolidate political power.

Now let us define terrorism. One must admit, while defining terrorism that it isvery difficult to reach any consensus about it. Even the UNO failed to evolve one

despite great deal of debates. It is often said, and rightly so, that ones terrorist

is the others freedom fighter. Those who are freedom fighters for the Palestinians

are terrorists to be killed and eliminated for the Israelis. In Kashmir, those who

are terrorists for us are freedom fighters for Pakistanis and even for some

Kashmiris,

Even though it is difficult to define terrorism, those who kill innocent and non-

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8/12/2019 The Sunday Tribune - Spectrum - Special Issue_ Countering Terrorism

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.

Many Pakistan-based organisations like Lashkar-e-Toiba who kill innocent citizens

not only in J&K but also in other cities of India are terrorists.

Let us see whether fundamentalism necessarily leads to terrorism and what is the

link between the two. Though logically fundamentalism should not necessarily and

inevitably lead to terrorism, it often does. Fundamentalism involves enforcement

of narrow sectarian practices using political power. In order to consolidate

political power, extreme coercion becomes necessary and extreme coercion

involves violence.

People do not easily accept such enforcement willingly (except a few) while the

authoritarian forces use violence. Also, when it involves political power, political

rivalries and secessionist movements, violence is inevitably used since democratic

alternatives take far too long and test out patience. It should also be noted that

all terrorist movements are not fundamentalist in nature though fundamentalismmay also lead to terrorism. For example, the LTTE movement is a terrorist one but

not a fundamentalist one.

Another important thing to be noted is that terrorists may use religion or religious

terminology like jihad or Dharma yuddhor holy war but their objective may have

nothing to do with religious teachings as such. It would, therefore, be wrong to

describe a terrorist act as religious terrorism just because of religion of a terrorist

and his use of religious terminology. Thus, Osama bin Ladens being a Muslim and

his attack on the WTC twin towers, New York, does not become an act of

Islamic terrorism.

Osama bin Laden has his own agenda and his acts by no means represent Islamic

teac hings. No religion in the world, much less Islam, t eaches terrorism or inspires

any one to kill innocent people. Though some Muslims may have expressed

sympathy for Osama, so did some non-Muslims who resent Americas policies and

its pro-Israeli stance. Osama never had any official sanction from any Islamic

establishment. There is no priesthood or church in Islam and no fatwa, howsoever

eminent the institution issuing fatwabe, cannot be binding on any Muslim.

And in case of Osama no such institution has issued any such fatwasupporting

his act of terrorism. It is, therefore, not justified at all to describe 9/11 attack by

Osamas men as an act of Islamic terrorism. Even if any eminent Mufti(one who

issues fatwa) had issued such an opinion, it would not have been binding on all

Muslims. And in this case no one issued such a fatwa

Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaida organisation does not pretend to have any

mass base. No terrorist organisation, as a matter of fact, has a mass base

anywhere in the world. It would otherwise seem to be a terrorist organisation.

Osama does use Islamic t erminology to gain the sympathy of Muslim masses but

use of such a terminology does not make it an Islamic organisation. It remains

basically a terrorist organisation. The religion practised by masses of Muslims is

more spiritual than political and religion practised by likes of Osama is more

politica l than spiritual.

TheKoranclearly lays down that killing any person without a just cause amounts

to killing whole humanity and saving one persons life amounts to saving entire

humanity. This is truly humanistic and spiritual dimension of Islam and of anyreligion for that matter. Killing hundreds of innocent people can not qualify for

being a religious act by any stretch of imagination.

In fact whether fundamentalism and terrorism m (in the sense in which they have

been defined above) are linked together or not both are curses for humanity. No

truly religious person should approve of suc h a gross misuse of religion. A religious

attitude has to be of humility, distance from political power and of non-violence.

The Sufi Islam which was truly spiritual Islam always maintained its distance from

power centres and believed in the doctrine of what is called sulh-i-kuli.e. peace

with all. True religion is one, which does not get politicised. Political Islam or

political Hinduism became a great danger for peace and tranquillity in the society.

It is political Hinduism (Hindutva) which caused havoc in Gujarat and many other

places and it is political Islam which has resulted in bloodshed in New York or in

Kashmir or in Algeria, for that matter. Muslims and Hindus should fight against

politicisation of their respective religions.

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