FAROUK

SERENDIPITY – or how do I describe Farouk’s failed attempt at bringing down a commercial American airplane falling within my only break in med school (2 weeks)?
Farouk has suddenly become a household name the world over so I won’t be going into details of his bio data or his recent exploit.
While reading an article about his FAROUK1986 blog whose link was posted on facebook by a friend, I couldn’t help but notice how devout a muslim he was – how he didn’t want to attend his school prom because ...; how he embraced fasting when he started feeling occasional thoughts of lust and his parents wouldn’t allow him get married; how he started learning Arabic & so on. And then, he crossed the line - where, how and when I do not know but he crossed the line all the same – a real big line at that – the heresy line.
This might be news to you but suicide bombings and other similar acts of terrorism are a no-no in Islaam. “How can suicide; killing of fellow Muslims & those under protection by agreement amongst non-Muslims; terrorising those living in safety; turning women into widows and children into orphans; and the destruction of buildings(airplanes etc) along with whatever is inside them be called Jihaad?!!”(Sheikh AbdulMuhsin Al-Abbaad, Saudi Arabia). . All these are grievous sins with severe punishments.
Suicide is the act of taking one’s life intentionally by whatever means - a forbidden act which is among the major sins. Allah says in the Quran “And do not kill yourselves. Surely Allah is most merciful to you.”(Quraan 3:29).
It is also stated in the Quran that “And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is hell to abide therein & the wrath & the curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared.” (Quraan 4:93)
Likewise, the killing of non-Muslims is unlawful. The prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said “whoever kills a person who was under agreement (whoever has a treaty with the Muslims e.g. non-muslim workers, tourists, diplomats in Muslim lands; non-Muslims in their own lands), he will not be able to smell the fragrance of paradise, even though the fragrance can be smelt from the walking distance of 40 yrs”.
All these point to the fact that Islaam does not in any way support terrorism and these events are merely due to Shaytan (Satan) beautifying these acts for those that carry them out as ‘Jihad’.
Though moved to tears initially, I am indeed happy for Farouk that his device did not go off as planned or how would he have been able to defend himself on that day after having committed such grievous sins. All he has to do now is to purge himself of his extreme beliefs; repent sincerely and return to pristine Islaam.
Like one of my classmates once said- ‘Terrorism, even with the noblest of objectives is incompatible with the teachings of Islaam’.