Citation

Burki SK. Terrorism Polit. Violence 2011; 23(4): 582-601.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/09546553.2011.578185

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Suicide attacks are an important, and effective, terror tactic in Al Qaeda and other Islamist Movements' (AQOIM) tool kit as they wage jihad al saghir (lesser jihad) against the kuffar (infidels). The successful 9/11 terrorist attacks on American soil would not have been possible without the willingness of 19 young Arab men to commit intihar (suicide). AQOIM's "marketing" of suicide attacks in their propaganda campaigns as "martyrdom operations," leads one to ask: Is the use of suicide as a military tactic in war against the kuffar sanctioned in Islam both scripturally and/or by the interpretations/opinions of Muslim scholars and religious figures, as well as by the Muslim public? This article explores the ongoing jihad (struggle) within Islam on what does and does not constitute "martyrdom operations." It does so by exploring the legality of such acts through the lens of Islamic doctrine (Quran and Hadith), as well as studying the interpretations of respected ulema (scholars) on whether or not suicide attacks are indeed "martyrdom operations" to be praised as "halal," or to be condemned as "haram" (forbidden).

Language: en

Keywords

Al Qaeda; Hizballah; ijtihad; Islamists; jihad; jihad al saghir; martyrdom operations; suicide attacks; terrorism