Suicide Killings - The Path to Spiritual Heavenly Bliss or Road to Eternal Damnation ? (Part 2)

As I drive this morning, thinking and trying to understand this phenomenon of suicide bombing in exchange of martyrdom, I was struck by a sufic story. The story goes like this.

Once in a village, there lived a peaceful group of people. They were God-fearing men and women among them. Then one day the village was struck by a mysterious infectious disease. Those who were struck by this disease suffered great pain. The disease was so severe and debilitating that some infected villagers would eventually die from it.

To add to the villagers' misery, they were unable to get access to modern health services to treat them. Therefore, they had to rely on traditional medicine and naturally look to the village's medicine man for help. The medicine man, who has some knowledge on the use of herbs to treat sickness, could not find a remedy to cure this disease. As days past by, more and more villagers were struck by the disease and some fatally succumbed to it.

Then one day one of the villagers heard that a similar disease had struck another village. In that village, what eventually happened was that one of the villagers had decided to eat a posionous herb thinking that it could relieve, if not cure him, of the disease. It appeared that the poisonous herb managed to aleviate the pain and suffering but the man later died because of the poison. Upon his death, one of the village folk then hailed the man as someone who had sacrifice himself and done a "great deed for the village". This is because besides relieving his pain and suffering from the disease, he also prevented further spread of the disease to others by killing himself.

After hearing this story, the man told some of his village people. A debate occured among some of them. There were those who questioned whether they were allowed to carry out such self-sacrifice act just to end the suffering. Others decided that circumstances left them with no other choice. Finally, to resolve the matter, they decide to seek the opinion of the medicine man.

The medicine man said,"The question is why do we seek to ape the actions of others even if it provide temporary relief from our suffering but brings certain death to us and others. Are we not to seek patience with God for all trials and tribulations ? Yes, we must continue to struggle to seek a cure for this sickness for all diseases has a remedy. But should we, in our haste, look for one that will cause destruction to ourselves or others ?."

Suicide Killings - The Path to Spiritual Heavenly Bliss or Road to Eternal Damnation ? (Part 1)

This is my first write-up in this blog after almost two months. Since then many things have happened - my wife had her miscarriage, my whole office nearly got moved out of it present premises, later this week I will begin to shift into a new house and London was bombed by terrorists.

This piece of writing first developed after I heard over BBC radio a documentary on the London bombings last July. In that radio broadcast, survivors of the bombings described their horrific experiences of that tragic day. One of them spoke of how the entire thing happened so fast. First, they heard a loud thunderous bang. Then darkness descended the whole carriage. Dust and smell of engine smoke filled the air. It was all so surreal. Another spoke about it like "a baby who has just fallen". Everyone was stunned and silent before the cries and shoutings started moments later.

I was trying to imagine the whole scene. A deep sense of fear and helplessness crept through my veins and bones. The chaotic atmosphere and panic-strickened people flashed across my mind. I was trying to remember similar scenes captured many times on TV of suicide killings in the Middle-East. Once again the lowest, most base and savage of humanity has descended upon us in the worst form of tragedy - an act of babarism that is so revolting and reviling that human reason fails to comprehend.

For me what is most disheartening was when it was alleged that the suicide bombers in London were "Muslims" - radicalised by the idea that theirs were acts of martyrdom. What if they were wrong ? What if instead, their souls were burdened with a grave sin ? How can they appear before God with the sins in their hands ? Whatever it is, we the living Muslims are paying the price. We have become the centre of attention for the wrong reasons. Islam is again put in the media spotlight - from the print media to internet blogs and chatrooms. Islamic terrorists. Muslim extremist. Islam, the religion of hatred. Islam, an evil idealogy. The usual hurls of intolerant and abusive diatribes. Like after 9/11, there were reprisals against mosques and harrassments on individual Muslims. Fortunately there are still decent people out there who believe that this small minority of Muslims do not represent the entire community or "true" Islam.

Why have we crumbled into this state ? There are many arguments put forward on the reasons for the radicalism of disaffected Muslim youths among political commentators as there are many conspiracy theories among disbelieving Muslims. Islamic scholars from both divide, Sunnis and Shias alike, have indulged in theological debates or issued fatwa for or against suicide bombings. There are cries of equal justice for the numerous deaths of civilians in Afghanistan, Palestine or Iraq.

My thoughts here, may add to the whole polemical debates on suicide killings. But that is not my real intention. Like many life riddles, I just wanted to seek peace within my heart. Is the Islam I know and cherished the same as those "killers" ? Would the Prophet I love, had approved of these "acts of martyrdom" ? Would God that I worship "commanded us to kill the kafirs(unbelievers) wherever we can find them" and grant them martyrdom for their murders ? As I pondered the answers to these intriguing questions, I began to remember the story of the creation of Prophet Adam.

Remember when your Lord said to the angels:"Verily, I am going to place mankind
generations after generations on earth. They said" "Will You place therein those who
will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks
(exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You."
Allah said: "I know that which you do not."