Nigerian Islamic Scholar Claims Terrorism Is Not Part of Islam Amid Ongoing Jihadist Attacks in the Country
- Mahamunimodi Team
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
An Islamic scholar, Dr Nurudeen Abdulkareem, has stated that acts of terrorism witnessed in some parts of the world are completely incompatible with the teachings of Islam and also contradict modern international law. He made this statement while delivering a lecture during the maiden Ramadan programme organised by the Vanguard Newspaper Muslim Ummah at the organisation’s headquarters in Lagos.
Speaking on the theme “Terrorism Not Part of Islam,” Dr. Abdulkareem emphasised that Islamic teachings impose strict ethical and legal limits on the use of force. According to him, violence is not permitted outside clearly defined moral and legal boundaries, and Islam promotes principles of justice, restraint, and accountability in situations involving conflict.
He further explained that one of the major reasons for global misunderstandings about Islam is the frequent misrepresentation of the concept of jihad as terrorism. Linguistically, the word jihad means “to strive” or “to exert effort in the path of God.” In its primary sense, it refers to spiritual and moral self-discipline rather than armed conflict.
Dr. Abdulkareem noted that Islamic scholars describe the greater jihad as the internal struggle against moral weakness, injustice, and sin. By contrast, the lesser jihad, which refers to armed struggle, is permitted only under very strict conditions. These include circumstances such as self-defence, resisting aggression, and protecting oppressed communities.
Citing Qur’an 2:190, he explained that the scripture allows fighting only against aggressors and explicitly forbids transgression. He also stressed that Islam does not grant individuals or non-state actors the authority to declare war, reinforcing the idea that acts of terrorism carried out in the name of religion contradict Islamic principles.
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