RESEARCH METHODOLGY

The research methodology used in this project is analytical and descriptive. Data has been
collected from various books, materials, papers and web sources. This project is based on Non-
Doctrinal method of research. This project has been done after thorough research based on
intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of project.
 Islamic Terrorism A Critical Study And Its Impact On World Peace

Introduction

Islamic terrorism or radical Islamic terrorism is defined as any terrorist act or set of acts or
campaign committed by individuals who profess Islam or Islamic motivations1. The terrorism in
Islam origins, through the misinterpretation of the Quran. The most affected areas due to Islamic
terrorism are Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Nigeria. These attacks were mainly carried
out by four groups namely Islamic state, Syria, Taliban, Al-Qaida, Boko haram. In the past few
years these incidents have not only affected Muslim populated countries mainly situated in Asia
and Africa but they had far-reaching consequences. This included many of the European States
especially France, U.K, Belgium etc2.

Terminology

The use of the word Islamic Terrorism is been criticized by many of the Islamic political leaders,
They say it’s a propaganda to bring bad name to Islamic faith.

1Causality between terrorism and economic growth

Author(s): Daniel Meierrieks and Thomas Gries
Source: Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 50, No. 1 (january 2013), pp. 91-104

2Chapter Title: Terrorism

Book Title: The Muslim Question in Europe
Book Subtitle: Political Controversies and Public Philosophies
Book Author(s): Peter O’Brien
Published by: Temple University Press. (2016)
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1kft8dx.9
History

Majority of the Muslim scholars were of the opinion that the concept of extremism in islam dates
back to 7th century and especially relates to Kharijites3. The doctrine has gone through many
changes and evolved itself into something as we know today.

The Kharjites were known for adopting a radical part of takfir using this they propounded that
Muslims to be unbelievers and therefore deemed them worth of death. The failure of post
colonised world to form and create a separate Jewish state and the continuous opposition of the
Muslim to both Marxist and the western propagandas have contributed immensely to the growth
of the concept of Islamic Terrorism4. This ultimately resulted in many movements which is
spread across all over the Arab world, This contributed to the raise in nationalism among Arab
countries. But these moments at the end led to the glorification of the concept of Islamic
Terrorism as this moments were primarily based on Islamic fundamental ideas 5. These examples
can be found in Palestine during the 1960’s in moments like Al Fatah and the Popular Front for
the Liberation Of Palestine (PFLP), Which began to attack people who are from other
destinations, This was in retaliation to the defeat of the Arabs in 1967 war6 .

The radical Muslim scholars were beginning to question the Arab world’s inability to cope with
the military might of the Israelis during the war. The continuous support of western countries
like the U.S tom Palestine during the conflict unfortunately speeded the radical message across
borders to The West and its Muslim population. The year 1979 marked a new beginning in the
chapter of Islamic Terrorism as the whole Arabic World and The West were unaware of the
revolution of Shia Islam clerics most notably in Iran to add to that The Soviet Afghan war and

3 Terrorism: Radical Islamic Terrorism Author(s): Amir Fereidoun Source: Harvard International Review, Vol. 7, No. 6
(May/June 1985), pp. 45-46 Published by: Harvard International Review Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/42765357
Accessed: 22-09-2018 07:40 UTC

4 Mixed Logit Estimation of Radical Islamic Terrorism in Europe and North America: A Comparative Study Author(s): Carlos
Pestana Barros and Isabel Proença Source: The Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 49, No. 2, The Political Economy of
Transnational Terrorism (Apr., 2005), pp. 298-314 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/30045113 Accessed: 22-09-2018 07:51 UTC.
5 Ibid.
6 ANTI-AMERICAN ISLAMIC TERRORISM AND WAR OF SELF-DEFENCE Author(s): M.V. Naidu Source: Peace

Research, Vol. 33, No. 2 (NOVEMBER 2001), pp. 1-33 Published by: Canadian Mennonite University Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23608067 Accessed: 22-09-2018 08:00 UTC .
the events that followed contributed the raise of Taliban in Afghanistan7 borders which included
Pakistan. The americans at that time were left with no choice but to support the groups like
Taliban in order to stop the spread of soviet influence throughout the world following the
withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistan, The Taliban gained its support from the
indigenous tribes and they began to treat groups like Talibans, Were treated like Martyrs8. In
course of time this reverence turned into a separate political entity with an anti-west propaganda
this eventually culminated in the 9/11 attacks9.

Motives behind the rise of Islamic Terrorism

There are many factors which influence the rise of Islamic Terrorism throughout the world I
have tried to discuss few of the factors below.

1. Citizenship

After Second World War Muslims started immigrating to the western countries on a huge scale.
This is because countries which are predominantly Muslim do not provide with naturalised
citizenship. In the world there are about 57 Muslim majority populated countries out of which
only 2 provide naturalised citizenship, This countries are Turkey and Malaysia even Saudi
Arabia which is one of the richest Muslim country in the world does not provide with
naturalised citizenship. This is evident from the statement made by Cliph Abu Bakr al-
Baghadi10, Who propounded for a Islamic state which included all the Arab states at the outset
the idea may seem impossible but if we analyse closely enough we can conclude that the people
of the Muslim states should have been given the option of naturalised citizenship in their domain,

7 Rethink Needed Author(s): Benoît Gomis Source: The World Today, Vol. 67, No. 8/9 (August/September 2011), pp. 13-15
Published by: Royal Institute of International Affairs Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41962688 Accessed: 22-09-2018
08:25 UTC

8 Review: September 11, 2001: Eric Voegelin in Manhattan? Reviewed Work(s): New Political Religions, or an Analysis of

Modern Terrorism by Barry Cooper Review by: Scott M. Thomas Source: The Review of Politics, Vol. 67, No. 3 (Summer,
2005), pp. 567-570 Published by: Cambridge University Press for the University of Notre Dame du lac on behalf of Review of
Politics Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25046454 Accessed: 22-09-2018 08:49 UTC

9
Ibid.,
10 Chapter Title: Islamic State of Iraq Compensation Book Title: Foundations of the Islamic State Book Subtitle: Management,
Money, and Terror in Iraq, 2005-2010 Book Author(s): Patrick B. Johnston, Jacob N. Shapiro, Howard J. Shatz, Benjamin
Bahney, Danielle F. Jung, Patrick K. Ryan and Jonathan Wallace Published by: RAND Corporation. (2016) Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7249/j.ctt1cd0kpz.12
i.e. heavily Muslim populated states because the researcher believes that one of the main causes
for the rise in Islamic Terrorism is that, The inability of the Muslim population to integrate with
western values11.

2. Economic Motives

One of the main motives for the rise in Islamic terrorism is the economic situation of the Muslim
majority nations it had been pointed out by Barack Obama, That excluding the crude oil revenue
the income of the Middle East is very low and as most of the Middle East states are controlled
by dictatorial regimes the money or the economic necessity does not reach its common people.
As wealth is a highly centralized phenomena in this part of the world, Mostly controlled within a
family or groups of families. This can be found in Syria and Libya which ultimately let it to the
downfall of Mohammed Gadafi and is one of the primary causes of the Arab spring12.

Ideological Difference

The modern concept of Islamic Terror is built around a foundation that revolves around hatred
for the west. Particularly against the U.S and its allies. Although it seems the West is not at fault
in this issue if we analyse closely the West too has contributed to the rise of this
presumption13.For example we can sight the burn on pardhas in France, This is one such example
where west has misunderstood the concept and tried to mix it with Western values of freedom of
speech and expression, This action may seem to traditional Muslims as the West trying to
supress the feeling of their faith. Because in researchers opinion freedom of speech and
expression includes the right to follow and profess one’s own religion and it should not be mixed

11
Ibid.,
12 Chapter Title: Roots of the Arab Spring Book Title: The Arab Spring Five Years Later Book Subtitle: Toward Greater
Inclusiveness Book Author(s): Hafez Ghanem Published by: Brookings Institution Press. (2016) Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7864/j.ctt1657tv8.6
13 THE MUSLIM WORLD AND THE WEST: THE ROOTS OF CONFLICT Author(s): Ismael Hossein-Zadeh Source: Arab

Studies Quarterly, Vol. 27, No. 3 (Summer 2005), pp. 1-20 Published by: Pluto Journals Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41858506 Accessed: 22-09-2018 11:16 UTC
with Western values, The lack of understanding of the West about the Islamic religion and vice
versa has contributed to the rise of Islamic Terror immensely14.

Religious Motivation

Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon pointed out in the book The Age Of Sacred Terror that the
concept of Islamic Terrorism is fundamentally built around religion and the glorification of
faith15. Couple of studies conducted about the starting point of Islamic Terrorism in U.K and
another one in France have stressed this fact.

Interpretation Of The Quran and Hadith

Donald Holbrook, a scholar at centre for Study of Terrorism and Political Violence concluded in
his study of sample conducted among 30 workers that they have found inspiration about Jihad
from An-Nisa(4:74-75) and other passages include At-Taubah(9:13-15,38-39,111) and Al-
Baqarah(2:190-191,216)16.

Holbrook further states that there is a misunderstanding even among the muslims as how to
interpret these controversial lines as it is difficult now to understand the contest at which it was
said.

Foreign Policy Of The West

According to a data released by U.S state department of terrorism attacks shows that the attacks
in the name of Islam have increased after the U.S intervention in Afghanistan 17 in 2001 as often
radical preachers would interpret this attacks as a direct attack on Islam and creates an illusion
that West wants to destroy the religion of Islam. The U.S in the name of promoting democracy in
these countries have given an opening to Terrorists to justify their action by its foreign policy, As

14 ISLAM AND THE WEST: NARRATIVES OF CONFLICT AND CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION Author(s): Nathan C.
Funk and Abdul Aziz Said Source: International Journal of Peace Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring/Summer 2004), pp. 1- 28
Published by: International Peace Research Association (IPRA) Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41852908 Accessed:
22-09-2018 11:28 UTC
15 PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIAN RELIGION IN THE QUR'AN Author(s): W. MONTGOMERY WATT Source: Islamic Studies,

Vol. 15, No. 2 (SUMMER 1976), pp. 73-79 Published by: Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Islamabad
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20846986 Accessed: 22-09-2018 11:50 UTC
16 Ibid.,
17
A Tale of Two Wars: Public Opinion on the U.S. Military Interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq Author(s): GARY C.
JACOBSON Source: Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 40, No. 4 (December 2010), pp. 585-610 Published by: Wiley on behalf
of the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23044842 Accessed: 22-09-
2018 12:16 UTC
it has shown in Sadam Husain’s case there is no evidence that clearly shows that he tried to
manufacture chemical weapons18.

The Opinion Of Muslims On Islamic Terrorism

Muslims majority opinion on the subjects of killing of innocent citizens by Islamic radical
elements is that its against Islamic religion, It had been established through a study conducted by
Fred Halliday. People even the hard-core Muslim countries in the Middle East do not agree with
these actions19. Muslims in the U.S have out rightly contempt these acts by Islamic Terrorists.

Opinion Of Islamic Commentators On Islamic Terrorism

Charles Kurzman and other writers have examined the Islamic commentators’ opinion on this.
Even though most of the times we doubt the Salafis, These people have continued to voice their
opinion against the abuse of their religion by few people who have misinterpreted its scriptures,
Following the September 11 attacks, Abdul-Azeez Aal-Ash Shaikh, The grand mukti of U.K and
the grand mukti of Saudi Arabia contempted and stated that Islam would never encourage such
actions, These violence go against the principle of Islamic Quran20.

Even Saudi Arabia, one of the conservative Muslim countries in the world have also raised their
voice against Islamic terrorism21.

Result Of The Survey Conducted Amongst Muslims

Gallup held interviews with more than thousand Muslims, In 35 Muslim majority countries
period extending from 2001 to 2007. He concluded that more than 90 percentage of the people
he interviewed were in support of the victims who lost their lives in these attacks and dismissed
the version of the terrorists22.

18 Ibid.,
19 Islam, "War on Terror" and the Future of Muslim Minorities in the United Kingdom: Dilemmas of Multiculturalism in the
Aftermath of the London Bombings Author(s): Javaid Rehman Source: Human Rights Quarterly, Vol. 29, No. 4 (Nov., 2007), pp.
831-878 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20072829 Accessed: 22-
09-2018 12:24 UTC
20 Exploring Support for Terrorism Among Muslims Author(s): Adrian Cherney and Jenny Povey Source: Perspectives on

Terrorism, Vol. 7, No. 3 (June 2013), pp. 5-16 Published by: Terrorism Research Institute Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/26296936 Accessed: 22-09-2018 12:37 UTC
21
Ibid.,
22Stereotypes of Muslims and Support for the War on Terror Author(s): John Sides and Kimberly Gross Source: The Journal of
Politics, Vol. 75, No. 3 (May. 29, 2013), pp. 583-598 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the Southern
John Esposito, had taken the data from Gallup and had analysed and pointed out that Muslims
and America23 were of the same opinion when it comes to Islamic Terrorism and Muslims are
heartbroken that their religion was used as a missionary to promote violence. Following this
Gallup released in 2011, Concluded that the terrorism based on religious denominations and
devotion have done nothing to the understanding of western values by the Muslims. In an other
opinion survey conducted by Fafo Foundation, 65%24 of the people were in disagreement with
the terrorists on their actions relating to 9/11. In Pakistan which is widely regarded as one of the
safe havens for Islamic terrorists. A pole was held by terror free tomorrow the results were
shocking enough. In 2007 the survey states that the support of Bin Laden was 38% in August and
it has dropped from 38% to just 18% in January 200825.

Modes Of Attack Used By These Organizations

Most of the terrorist organization use suicide bombings as the method of attack as it according to
them glorifies their actions and a better life is preserved for them in heavens, These people
regard life on earth valueless when compared to life on heaven 26, In Afghanistan almost one
quarter of suicide bombers were children under the age of 14, These children mostly come from
poor backgrounds which largely rely upon drugs trade to make their ends meet27.

Hijackings

The Islamic Terrorists also use Hijackings of Planes as a weapon of attack in pursuit of their
goals. Most notably being the 9/1128 terrorist attack and the hijack of Indian airlines flight. In
9/1129 attacks 3,000 people were killed.

Political Science Association Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1017/s0022381613000388 Accessed: 22-09-2018

12:46 UTC
23
Ibid.,
24 Ibid.,
25 Ibid.,
26 Chapter Title: Power, Orthodoxy, and Salvation in Classical Islamic Theology Chapter Author(s): Christian Lange Book Title:

Islamic Studies in the Twenty-First Century Book Subtitle: Transformations and Continuities Book Editor(s): Léon Buskens,
Annemarie van Sandwijk Published by: Amsterdam University Press. (2016) Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1zxsk97.10
27 The Alchemy of Martyrdom: Jihadi Salafism and Debates over Suicide Bombings in the Muslim World Author(s): Mohammed

M. Hafez Source: Asian Journal of Social Science, Vol. 38, No. 3 (2010), pp. 364-378 Published by: Brill Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23677869 Accessed: 22-09-2018 13:08 UTC
28
Ibid.,
299/11 Author(s): Neil Leach Source: Diacritics, Vol. 33, No. 3/4, New Coordinates: Spatial Mappings, National Trajectories
(Autumn - Winter, 2003), pp. 75-92 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3805805 Accessed: 22-09-2018 14:16 UTC
Kidnapping and Execution

Besides suicide bombing the terrorists use kidnaping and execution as a method of retaliation
against their opponents particularly the West. During the on-going conflict in Syria a number of
western journalists were kidnapped and killed by the Islamic terrorists and they used these
kidnappings to earn ransom money from the West but U.S has this policy where it refuses to pay
ransom amounts to recover its citizens from the militants30.

Impact Of Islamic Terrorists On World Peace

In general if we analyse closely the most affected people due to Islamic Terrorism are Muslims
themselves, This example can be traced in U.K’s exit from the European Union31 and President
Trumps immigration policy32. If we travel in this line even further we can understand that the
growth of Right wing politics in the past few decades in European Soil is contributed to some
extent by Islamic Terrorism and the radicalization of Islamic youth who were settled in Europe
but originates from the sub continents. Due to Islamic terrorism the west were forced to be
suspicious of the Islamic population and is one of the factors that influenced the election victory
of President Donald J. Trump in my opinion.

In Canada stricter immigration policies were put in place to counter the immigration of Islamic
people from Islam dominated countries because they were afraid of the fact that Islamic
migration would lead to a conflict in the future which may bring unpleasant endings, Recently
Canada government passed a bill in the parliament making tighter immigration policies33.

30
Painful Lessons: Hostage-taking and US Foreign Policy Author(s): TERRY ANDERSON Source: Harvard International
Review, Vol. 20, No. 4 (FALL 1998), pp. 62-65 Published by: Harvard International Review Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/42763946 Accessed: 22-09-2018 14:25 UTC
31 Her Majesty's Secret Service Author(s): Steven Simon and Jonathan Stevenson Source: The National Interest, No. 82 (Winter

2005/06), pp. 48-54 Published by: Center for the National Interest Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/42895808 Accessed:
22-09-2018 14:31 UTC
32 Does the Cure Address the Problem? Examining the Trump Administration’s Executive Order on Immigration from Muslim-

majority Countries Using Publicly Available Data on Terrorism Author(s): Daniel Milton Source: Perspectives on Terrorism,
Vol. 11, No. 4 (August 2017), pp. 87-94 Published by: Terrorism Research Institute Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/26297898 Accessed: 22-09-2018 14:35 UTC
33 Race, Religion, and the Social Integration of New Immigrant Minorities in Canada Author(s): Jeffrey G. Reitz, Rupa Banerjee,

Mai Phan and Jordan Thompson Source: The International Migration Review, Vol. 43, No. 4 (Winter 2009), pp. 695-726
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of the Center for Migration Studies of New York, Inc. Stable URL:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/20681729 Accessed: 22-09-2018 14:50 UTC
In Iraq and Syria there is fight within Islamic groups themselves to gain supremacy over each
other34. These groups have taken their fight to the next level by attacking minority non-muslim
population. Especially to the ezidis community, To add to that there is a rapid increase in human
traffcing and drug trafficking across the border ever since the conflict began. It is been reported
by reliable media sources that Islamic state were taking ezidis woman as hostage and marrying
them and forcefully converting them to Islam. Ezidis community remains to be the one of the
most affected communities in the world due to Islamic Terrorism35. These terrorists are trying to
destroy the ethinic identities of yezidis.

Conclusion

Islamic terrorism in modern era has taken a violent turn which was for more different and far
apart from the concept of Jihad intended in the Quran36, as we stand Islamic Terrorism is a great
threat to world peace and security but the whole blame on the rise of Islamic terrorism cannot be
placed only upon Islamic fundamentalism but few activities by the West particularly the U.S37.

One must not at the same time forget the influence the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the
Cold Wars affects on the growth and development of these organizations instead of putting
blame on each other the U.S and the so-called peace organizations like the U.N.O should try to
resolve the conflict by peaceful means even if it means talking with these groups and the U.N
should take a neutral stand on this issue, rather than supporting the West as a whole. It is okay to
invite groups like this to a negotiation table if it brings peaceful resolution for the world in
general.

34 An Overview of the Syrian Conflict Author(s): Syed Huzaifah Bin Othman Alkaff and NurulHuda Binte Yussof Source:
Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses, Vol. 8, No. 8 (August 2016), pp. 8-11 Published by: International Centre for Political
Violence and Terrorism Research Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26351442 Accessed: 22-09-2018 14:56 UTC
35 Notes from the Field: Yezidism: A New Voice and an Evolving Culture in Every Setting Author(s): AMED GÖKÇEN and

CAROLINE TEE Source: British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 37, No. 3, Heterodox Movements in the Contemporary
Islamic World: Alevis, Yezidis and Ahmadis (DECEMBER 2010), pp. 405- 427 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. Stable
URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23077035 Accessed: 22-09-2018 15:05 UTC
36 Terrorism and Jihad Differences and Similarities Author(s): Philipp Holtmann Source: Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol. 8, No.

3 (June 2014), pp. 140-143 Published by: Terrorism Research Institute Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26297185
Accessed: 22-09-2018 15:12 UTC
37 Afghanistan: From Conflict to Conflict Author(s): Omar Farooq Zain Source: Pakistan Horizon, Vol. 59, No. 1 (January 2006),

pp. 79-86 Published by: Pakistan Institute of International Affairs Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41394382 Accessed:
22-09-2018 15:16 UTC