The solution is the spreading of a Muslim model that adopts concepts required by the Qur’ans moral values, such as human rights, democracy, liberty, moral virtue, art, science and beauty, and that offers happiness and the joy of living to all mankind.

By Sinem Tezyapar

Following the attack on September 11^th that caused the deaths of thousands of innocent people and the injury of many more, the United States of America initiated a wide ranging fight against terror. A large part of its resources were, and are, occupied with monitoring organizations that resort to terror and taking precautions against their activities. But has this struggle really been effective? Or has enmity toward America spread over a wider base? How much longer will the campaign go on? Can talk and measures that turn Americans into a fearful society really provide a solution to terror? And can problems really be resolved in direct proportion to the amount of force used? These are just a few of the questions the U.S. government needs to ask itself.

Indiscriminate killing is creating more hatred

It is of course obvious that all those who perpetrate and support acts of terror must be punished within the bounds of international law and justice. What is even more important is the adoption of a policy that will totally resolve this problem. The USA has thus far largely relied on military and security measures in this struggle against terror and all those elements that support terror. However, we have now reached a point where it is clear that this campaign cannot produce a definitive solution.

One of the main reasons for this is that the U.S. war on terror has – largely – been shaped in the framework of military measures and that the requisite supplementary measures to support that campaign in the educational and cultural spheres have not been undertaken. However, it is wrong to seek to solve terror, a socio-psychological and ideological problem, through military means alone. This both leads to the loss of innocent lives and further nourishes radicalism, and by extension, terrorism. Terrorism can only be completely eliminated through an intellectual campaign that neutralizes the propaganda or terrorist groups, and the military campaign can only be of limited use.

Of course the Western world, and in particular the USA, must take deterrent precautions against terrorism, and is justified in doing so. However, it must make it clear that in the same way that these are not aimed at any faith and its members, that they are not aimed against Islam and Muslims, and that on the contrary, these measures are in Islam’s interests.

The origin of terror to a large extent lies in ignorance and fanaticism, and the solution to it is education.

Some ideologues and strategists who make the mistake of regarding Islam as a faith and civilization that is completely “hostile” and who literally encourage a bloody war between the Western and Islamic worlds are in fact simply creating more enemies of the U.S. government. The U.S. government needs to issue rational statements rejecting the scenarios of war between the “West and Islam” in such a way that these are made clear to world public opinion, against those circles who insist on portraying the war on terror as a fight against Islam.

In addition, it is utterly essential that the fight against terrorism be waged within the rules and norms of international law and using as peaceable means as possible. It must not be forgotten that all actions that ignore the law and basic human rights and lead to the loss of civilian lives cast a shadow over this campaign that was initiated on legitimate grounds.

On the other hand, making sure that the moral values of Islam are properly understood and that those who misunderstand Islam and implement it wrongly are forbidden from doing so is actually something that can and must be done by Muslims. The policy that the USA needs to adopt on that issue is to support and facilitate a solution that emerges from inside the Islamic world.

The development of a “True Islam,” a religion of love, friendship, peace and brotherhood, and the proper understanding of Islamic societies need to be supported. The solution to be applied against radical groups in Islamic countries is not “enforced secularization.” On the contrary, such a policy will just cause greater mass reactions. The solution is for the true meaning of Islam to be properly understood. In other words, the spreading of a Muslim model that adopts concepts required by the Qur’ans moral values, such as human rights, democracy, liberty, moral virtue, art, science and beauty, and that offers happiness and the joy of living to all mankind.

The origin of terror to a large extent lies in ignorance and fanaticism, and the solution to it is education. Those who feel sympathy for terrorism need to be told that this is a complete violation of Islam and that, on the contrary, they are actually harming Islam, Muslims and all mankind in this way, and these people need to be educated so as to rid them of their barbarism. U.S. support for such a policy of education will lead to highly positive outcomes.

Long-term cultural solutions must also be developed against the terror that stems from communist, fascist, racist and other ideologies. Materialist and Darwinist thinking today constitutes the basis of education in countries all over the world. A mindset that regards man as an animal in a constant state of conflict and that believes he can only progress through conflict and war, represents the basis of all forms of terrorism.

In addition to judicial and police measures to be adopted in the fight against terror, a major educational mobilization needs to be commenced across the world as a whole. One hopes that such measures will help in liberating the world from terror and other harsh, savage and bigoted activities because America, with the Judeo-Christian culture it represents, is really the friend of the Muslim world.

About the author:

Sinem Tezyapar is an Executive Producer at A9 TV, broadcasting from Turkey, Istanbul. She is a political analyst, peace activist and is the spokesperson of a prominent international interfaith organization, as well as its coordinator for international relations with political and religious leaders. She is working with interparlimentary and non governmental organizations for the establishment of the United Nations Permanent Forum for a Culture of Peace and Global Ethics. She has been influential in setting up many meetings and conferences between religious and political leaders of Turkey and Israel including Interior Minister Eli Yishai, Deputy Minister Yitzhak Cohen, Deputy Minister Ayoob Kara, Knesset Member Nissim Zeev, Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, Chief Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar and others. She is a personal friend of many Israelis such as advisors, experts, academicians, religious leaders and politicians.

More posts by the Author »

View original Opinion Maker publication at: http://www.opinion-maker.org/2013/01/america-needs-muslims-to-combat-terrorism/