This document examines whether Islam promotes violence and whether Muslims are responsible for most terrorist attacks. It provides a two-pronged approach to answer these questions by examining Islamic texts and data from studies conducted by Western governments and institutions. The studies show that the vast majority of terrorist attacks in Europe are from separatist/ethno-nationalist groups rather than religiously-motivated groups. The document also outlines Islamic teachings on warfare, human rights, and descriptions of violent extremist groups to argue that Islam does not promote violence or terrorism.

1. DOES ISLAM PROMOTE
VIOLENCE?
By Dr. Emad Salih
medicinehat.mosque@gmail.com
YouTube channel: LEARN ISLAM
Facebook: Islam: The Amazing Religion

2. TWO PRONG APPROACH
Islam is an inherently violent religion?
To answer this question we will be examining Islam’s teachings with regards to war and
violence.
Islam and Muslims are responsible for all the terrorist attacks in the world?
To answer this question we will be examining data analyzed by countries where terrorist
attacks perpetrated by so called “Jihadisits” took place

3. IS ISLAM AN INHERENTLY VIOLENT
RELIGION?
Through the examination of pertinent Islamic texts we will try to address the
following questions:
• Does Islam call for violence against civilians?
• Does Islam call for violation of human rights?
• Does Islam call for extremism?
• Does Islam condemn terrorism?

4. ARE MUSLIMS RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST
VIOLENCE AND TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE
WORLD?
To answer this question we will examine the following:
 EU Terrorism Situation and Trend reports over the past 10 years, prepared by Europol.
 RAND (Research And Development Corporation): financed by the U.S. government with
headquarters in Santa Monica, CA
 Gallup studies(Gallup: An American research organization based in Washington DC
providing research and strategic consulting to leaders and organizations based on data
analysis)
 Other studies and data prepared by renowned institutions

5. UNDER WHICH CIRCUMSTANCES IS
FIGHTING (WAR) JUSTIFIED
ACCORDING TO THE TEACHINGS
OF ISLAM?

6. IN SELF-DEFENSE AND ONLY AGAINST
THE FIGHTERS (NOT CIVILIANS)
“Permission to fight is given to those who have been fought against,
because they were wronged and oppressed; and indeed, God is most able
to give them victory; (they are) those who have been unjustly expelled from
their homes without right, for no reason except that they say, "Our Lord is
God.” (Quran 22:39-40)
“And fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you, and do not
transgress. Surely, Allah does not love the aggressors”
(Quran 2:190)
“And if your enemies incline towards peace, you should also incline towards peace.
And trust in God! For He is the one who hears and knows all things.” (Quran8:61)

7. FIGHTING TO FREE THE WEAK FROM
OPPRESSION & FOR FREEDOM OF
RELIGION IN GENERAL
“And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and [for]
the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, "Our Lord, take us out
of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and
appoint for us from Yourself a helper?” (Quran 4:75)
“For had it not been that Allah checks one set of people by means of
another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the
Name of Allah is mentioned much would surely have been demolished.
Verily, Allah will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allah is All-Strong,
All-Mighty)” (Quran 22:40)

8. WHAT ARE THE RULES OF
COMBAT IN ISLAM?

9. PROHIBITION OF TARGETING THE NON-
COMBATANTS, DISMEMBERMENT,
TREACHERY, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
“ Do not killed a women, children, or hired workers” (Ahmed 17158, Abu Dawood
2669)
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Umar: “ Prophet Mohammed abhorred the killing of
women and children” (Al Bukhari 3014), “Or an old man” (Al Bayhaqi Al Kubra
17934)
“Do not act treacherously, loot, dismember a body, or kill a newborn”
(Muslim 1731, Abu Dawood 2613)
Abu Bakr: “Do not cut fruitful trees, destroy homes, kill sheep or camel”

10. DEALING WITH PEOPLE FROM OTHER
FAITHS WHO LIVE IN PEACE WITH MUSLIMS
“Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not waged war against you
on account of your religion, and have not driven you out of your homes, that you
treat them with kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves those who
are Just” Quran (60:8)
• "Beware! Whoever is cruel or harsh on a non-Muslim minority; curtails their rights,
burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against
their free will; I will stand against him on the Day of Judgment” (Abu Dawood
3054)

11. SANCTITY OF NON-MUSLIMS
“Whosesoever kills a non-Muslim living peacefully amongst Muslims will not
smell the scent of the heavens (shall be barred from entering the heavens)”
(Al Nasaa’ii 4749, Ahmed 18097)
“And do not argue with the people of the scriptures (Jews and Christians)
except in a way that is best” (Quran 29:46)

12. HUMAN RIGHTS IN
ISLAM

13. FREEDOM OF RELIGION
“Let there be no compulsion in religion” (Quran 2:256)
“To you is your religion, and to me is mine”(Quran 109:6)
“And say, "The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills - let him believe; and
whoever wills - let him disbelieve” (Quran 18:29)

14. EQUALITY AND KINDNESS TOWARDS
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY
”Oh people, certainly your Lord is one and your father is one, No Arab has any
superiority over a non Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an
Arab. Nor does a white man have any superiority over a black man, or the black
man have any superiority over the white man except in piety” (Ahmed 22978)
“Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and be kind to you parents, and
to relatives, orphans, the needy, neighbors near and far, your friend who is by your
side,……” (Quran 4:36)
”By Allah he is not a believer, by Allah he is not a believer, by Allah he is not a
believer, the one whose neighbor does not feel safe because of him” (Al Bukhari
6016)

15. MERCY AND COMPASSION
“Who does not show mercy to others will not be shown mercy by Allah” (Al
Bukhari 5674)
“And I (Allah) have not sent you but as mercy to all mankind” (Quran 48:29)
One time a funeral of man passed in front of the prophet and he stood in respect,
he was then told that it was a funeral of a Jewish man he then replied “ Is it not a
human soul” (Al Bukhari 1250)

16. FAMILY VALUES
• “And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be
dutiful to your parents” (Quran 17:23)
“Each of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. The man is the
shepherd of his family and he is responsible for his flock. The woman is the
shepherd of her husband’s household and is responsible for her flock” (Abu
Dawood 2928

17. RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN ISLAM
“Women are the twin halves of men” (Ahmed 5869)
“The best of you are those who are best to their wives” (Ibn Majah 1977)
“I will accept no excuse if you violate the rights of the two weak ones; women and
and orphans” (Ibn Majah 3678)
In his last sermon “Take my advice on treating women, treat them in the best way”
(Al Tirmithi 1163)

18. ISLAM CALLS FOR MODERATION
“Allah is gentle and loves gentleness in all affairs and he rewards for being gentle
rather than being harsh” (Muslim 2593)
“Beware of extremism in religion for extremist tendencies in religion has destroyed
the nations before you” (Ibn Maja 3029)
“The most beloved attitude in religion is the gentle and moderate way” (Al
Tabarani 7351)
“The extremists shall perish” He said it 3 tines (Muslim 2670).

19. ISLAM DESCRIBES
VIOLENT EXTREMISTS
IN THE WORST
POSSIBLE TERMS

20. WHO ARE THE KHAWARIJ?
Who are the Khawarij (Literally: Those who went out)?
The first group to exhibit extremist tendencies and the first sect to split out of Islam
in the late 7th century.
Developed extreme doctrines that set them apart from mainstream Islam and
Muslims.
Have fought against Muslim governments and shed the blood of Muslims
generation after generation.

21. THEY WERE PROPHESIZED BY
PROPHET MOHAMED
“There will come towards the end of time a group of people, young men with irrational
thinking and lack of wisdom, they utter some of the most dazzling speeches but they will
leave Islam like an arrow leaves its prey” (Muslim 1066)
Sahl Ibn Haneef said: "I heard the prophet say while pointing his hand towards Iraq: "There
will appear some people who will recite the Quran but it will not go beyond their throats,
and they will go out from the fold of Islam as an arrow darts through the game's body”
(Muslim 1068)
• “There will be internal strife and fighting in this nation of mine. And there will appear a
certain group, their talk is sweet but their actions are awful, they recite the Quran but it
does not go past their throat. They are worst of mankind and the whole creation” (Muslim
1067)

22. THEY WERE PROPHESIZED BY
PROPHET MOHAMED
“They think the Quran is on their side but, in fact, it is against them” (Muslim1566)
“Whenever a group of them rises it will be eradicated until the false messiah rises amongst
them” (Ibn Majah 144)
“They are boastful about themselves and some people are amazed by them, they depart
from Islam just like an arrow penetrates a prey” (Al Fatawa 28/528)
“They call to the book of Allah while they are the most the distant of it” (Abu Dawood
4765)

23. DESCRIBED IN DETAIL BY THE
PROPHET MOHAMED
“What I dread the most on you is a man who reads the Quran and is enlightened
by it and becomes as asset of Islam and Muslims. He then disregards it and throws
it behind his back and misinterprets it. He then picks up his sword and attacks his
own neighbor and brands his neighbor with polytheism ”Huzaifah asks the
Prophet: “Who is the real polytheist in this situation the assailant or the victim” The
Prophet replies “The assailant” (Ibn Hibban 81, Al Bazzar 2793)
“They will kill Muslims” (Ahmed 12972)
”Fight against them wherever you find them” (Muslim 1066)
“The best of martyrs the one who is killed fighting them” (Al Tirmithi 3000)

24. NOVEMBER 2014 DEATHS

25. DO STUDIES CONDUCTED BY
WESTERN GOVERNMENTS
SUPPORT THE CLAIM THAT
MUSLIMS ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR MOST TERRORIST
ATTACKS?

26. EUROPEAN UNION TERRORISM
SITUATION AND TREND REPORT
2018 Report: Starts with “Jihadist” attacks 33 foiled, failed and completed jihadist
terrorist attacks in 2017, more than double
the figure of 2016
Despite stating clearly “Ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorist attacks (137 out of
205) continue to far outnumber attacks carried out by violent extremists inspired
by any other ideologies or motivations.
• Most terrorist attacks carried out in the EU in 2017 were specified as separatist
attacks (137 out of 205). France counted 42 attacks, Spain experienced 7 attacks.
There were 88 security-related incidents in Northern Ireland, of which 58 were
shooting and 30 were bombing incidents.
• The number of attacks carried out by left-wing and anarchist terrorist groups and
individuals (24) decreased slightly in 2017 (27 in 2016). Left-wing and anarchist
terrorist activity occurs almost exclusively in Greece, Italy and Spain

27. CONT. 2018 TESAT REPORT
Five foiled, failed or completed terrorist attacks attributed to right- wing extremists
(RWE) were reported for 2017: all of them by the UK.
A total number of 705 persons were arrested on suspicion of offences related to
jihadist terrorism, similarly to 2016 (718) and 2015 (687). Most arrests occurred in
France (373), Spain (78) and Germany (52).
Arrests for jihadist terrorism continued to represent the largest proportion of the
total arrests for terrorism-related offences in the EU.

28. CONT. 2018 TESAT REPORT
EU Member State authorities arrested 36 people related to left-wing and anarchist
terrorism in 2017 (54 in 2014, 67 in 2015, 31 in 2016), most of them in France,
Greece and Italy.
The number of individuals arrested in relation to right- wing terrorist offences
almost doubled in 2017 (from 11 in 2015 and 12 in 2016 to 20 in 2017).

29. 2017 TESAT REPORT
In 2016, a total of 142 failed, foiled and completed attacks were reported.
This is a continuation of a downward trend that started in 2014 when there were
226 attacks, followed by 211 in 2015.
Ethno-nationalist and separatist extremists 99 attacks.
Attacks carried out by left-wing violent extremists have been on the rise since
2014; they reached a total of 27 in 2016.

30. CONT. 2017 TESAT REPORT
The number of jihadist terrorist attacks decreased from 17 in 2015 to 13 in 2016, of
which 6 were linked to the so-called Islamic State.
The number of arrests for terrorist offences in 2016 (1002) is lower than that of
2015 (1077). Most arrests were related to jihadist terrorism, for which the numbers
rose for the third consecutive year: 395 in 2014, 687 in 2015 and 718 in 2016.
Numbers of arrests for left-wing and separatist terrorist offences dropped to half
of what they were in 2015 (from67 and 168 in 2015 to 31 and 84 in 2016
respectively).
Numbers of arrests for right- wing terrorism remained low at 12 in 2016 compared
to 11 in 2015.

31. 2016 TESAT REPORT
A total of 211 failed, foiled or completed attacks were reported by six Member
States, and almost half of them (103) by the UK.
17 ”Jihadist”, 65 Ethno-nationalist & separatist attacks, 9 right-wing, 13 left-wing
and anarchist.
In 2015, the majority of verdicts pronounced were in relation to jihadist terrorism.
687 Jihadists arrests, 168 separatists arrests

32. 2015 TESAT REPORT
The number of attacks increased in 2014, contrary to the trend in past years. A
total of 201 failed, foiled or completed terrorist attacks were reported by seven EU
Member States, more than half of them by the UK.
Only 2 attacks were religiously motivated, 67 separatist attacks, 13 left wing attacks,
116 non-specified.
Total of 774 individuals were arrested for terrorism- related offences.
395 “Jihadist” arrests, 34 right-wing, 54 left wing arrests, 154 separatists arrests.
Total number of verdicts pronounced for terrorism-related offences in 2014
amounts to 452.

33. 2014 TESAT REPORT
A total of 152 terrorist attacks occurred in five EU Member States.
As in previous years, the majority of attacks can be attributed to separatist
terrorism.
No religiously motivated attacks, 84 separatist attacks, 24 left wing, 44
unspecified..

34. CONT. 2014 TESAT REPORT
A continuous increase in the number of arrests for religiously inspired terrorism
has been observed since 2011, whereas arrests for separatist terrorism have
significantly decreased.
In 2013 arrests for religiously inspired terrorism represented the largest proportion
of arrests in the EU. The number has continuously increased from 122 (2011), to 159
(2012), to 216 (2013).

35. TESAT REPORT 2013-2011
In 2013, there were 152 terrorist attacks in the EU. None were “religiously
motivated.”
In 2012, there were 219 terrorist attacks in EU countries, six of them were
“religiously motivated”.
In 2011, there were 174 terrorist attacks in EU countries none were “affiliated or
inspired” by religious terrorist organizations

36. TESAT REPORTS 2009 AND 2010
2010, 249 terrorist attacks, three of them were considered by Europol to be
“Islamist”
In 2009, of 294 terrorist attacks, only one was related to Islamist militancy.
Europol added the caveat, “Islamist terrorists still aim to cause mass casualties.”

39. IS THE SITUATION ANY
DIFFERENT IN THE US?

40. MASS SHOOTINGS IN THE US
In December 2015, The Washington Post reported that there had been 355 mass
shootings in the United States so far that year.
In August 2015, The Washington Post reported that the United States was
averaging one mass shooting per day.
PBS NewsHour. October 2, 2015: 2015 alone, there had been 294 mass shootings
that killed or injured 1,464 people.
Attackers mostly white males.

41. US NATIONAL VIOLENT DEATH
REPORTING SYSTEM (NVDRS)
NVDRS: In the United States, seven people per hour die a violent death. More than
19,000 people were victims of homicide and almost 45,000 people died by suicide
in 2016 alone.
More than 30,000 men, women, and children are killed with guns each year in the
United States.
Among high-income countries, the United States accounts for 80 percent of all
gun deaths in the world, 86 percent of all women killed by guns, and 87 percent of
all children younger than 14 who are killed by guns.

42. TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE US
According to a 2017 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, "of the
85 violent extremist incidents that resulted in death since September 12, 2001,
far right wing violent extremist groups were responsible for 62 (73 percent) while
radical Islamist violent extremists were responsible for 23 (27 percent).
In 2018, every single ideologically motivated murder was linked to right-wing
extremism.

43. TERRORIST ATTACKS IN US
BETWEEN 2008-2016
A 2017 report by The Nation Institute and Center for Investigative
Reporting looked at the terrorist incidents in the US between 2008 and 2016. It
found:
115 right-wing inspired terror incidents. 35% of these were foiled (meaning no
attack happened) and 29% resulted in fatalities. These terror incidents caused 79
deaths.
63 Islamist inspired terror incidents. 76% of these were foiled (meaning no attack
happened) and 13% resulted in fatalities. These terror incidents caused 90 deaths.
19 incidents inspired by left-wing ideologies (including eco-terrorism). 20% of
these were foiled (meaning no attack happened) and 10% resulted in fatalities.
These terror incidents caused 7 deaths.
Out of 171,000 homicide death between 2008-20018, Islamist attacks accounted
for 90 deaths.

44. RAND REPORT
RAND (Research And Development Corporation): financed by the U.S. government with
headquarters in Santa Monica, CA
The report confirms that the threat of jihadist terrorism in the United States has been
heavily exaggerated. The report documents and analyzes acts of terrorism in the U.S. from
9/11 to the end of 2009.
The RAND report includes a time line of all acts of terrorism on U.S. soil committed by
jihadists using FBI data.
 Not a single civilian in the U.S. has been killed by jihadists since 9/11.
However, thirteen soldiers and one military-contracted ex-soldier were killed outside a
military recruiting site (Little Rock recruiting office shooting) and on a military base (Fort
Hood Shooting).

45. CONT. RAND REPORT
Of the 83 terrorist attacks in the United States between 9/11 and the end of 2009, only three were
clearly connected with the Jihadist cause i.e. 3.6% of all terrorist attacks on US soil.
Fifty of the 83 terrorist attacks were committed by environmental extremists and animal
rights fanatics, “which account for most of the violence.” Five civilians were killed by the
anthrax letters.
There are more than 3 million Muslims in the US, and few more than 100 have joined
jihad—about one out of every 30,000—suggesting an American Muslim population that
remains hostile to jihadist ideology and its exhortations to violence.
A mistrust of American Muslims by other Americans seems misplaced.
Many of the jihadist recruits in the United States began their journey on the Internet.

46. CONT. RAND REPORT
Many homegrown Jihadists are not-observant Muslims, but criminally
inclined. They are often attracted to Jihadist ideologies due to the sense of
adventure and thrill rather than religion or spirituality.
First line of defense to prevent terrorism are the relatives and close friends of the
newly radicalized jihadist. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain the trust of the
Muslim American community.
Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina in his most
recent report tracking Islamist militancy in America included this startling figure. “Since 9/11,
Muslim-American terrorism has claimed 37 lives in the United States, out of more than
190,000 murders during this period.”

47. MORE DATA
Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina
in his most recent report tracking Islamist militancy in America included this
startling figure. “Since 9/11, Muslim-American terrorism has claimed 37 lives
in the United States, out of more than 190,000 murders during this period.”

48. MUSLIM WORLD OFFICIAL STANCE
TOWARDS ISIS
Muslim scholars declared them as heretics, and there terrorist attacks as un-Islamic, and
evil.
Muslim scholars called on Muslims to denounce them and fight against them.
Muslim scholars called on its followers to break away from them and warned others
against joining them.
Muslim governments declared them as terrorist organization e.g. KSA, Jordan, Egypt,
Turkey, Indonesia, UAE.
Muslim countries joined fight against them

49. BASED ON THE PREVIOUSLY
QUOTED STUDIES, ONE CAN EASILY
CONCLUDE THAT THERE ARE
OTHER THINGS THAT CONSTITUTE
A FAR BIGGER THREAT TO PEOPLE
IN THE WEST THAN THE THREAT
OF “ISLAMIC TERRORISM”

50. PEANUTS, LIGHTNING STRIKERS, AND
TODDLERS, TEXTING, AND BEDS
Over 100 times as many Americans die of peanut allergies per year than from acts of
terrorism.
An American is 250 times more likely to be struck by lightning than be killed by terrorism.
In 2015: 13 toddlers have inadvertently killed themselves with firearms, 18 injured
themselves, 10 injured other people, and 2 killed other people.
In 2013, 3 Americans were killed in the Boston Bombings. In that same year, 5
Americans were killed by toddlers accidentally shooting a gun.
Texting while driving kills 6,000 annually in the US alone.
Falling out of bed kills 450 annually in the US.

51. THANK YOU