The Westgate Mall Attack: Islam is not Terrorism and Terrorism is Not Islam

Moments after the terror attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, I got into a heated debate with one of my followers in Twitter who blamed Islam for the terror attacks across the world and only went short of calling damnation on all Muslims. Looking back, I think he had a point. Why is it that all terror attacks are orchestrated by terrorists professing the Islamic faith?

The answer to the above question holds the key to understanding the relationship between Islam and terrorism. I personally believe that no religion advocates for the killing of innocent people? But is this really the case? My friend went to the extent of quoting verses from the Holy Quoran which, if taken literally, advice Muslims to kill all kufaars…

[alert type=“info”]kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent… (then) let them go on their way…Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the last day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and his messenger (Mohammed) have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth (Islam)[/alert]

The above verse is taken from the

Islam do prohibit the killing of innocent people, but then the term innocent is relative.