Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan
Gospel of terrorism is now changed. Its various deadly incidents across the world i.e. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkey and France produced shock & awe among the different faiths, sects, communities and countries.
Everyone is now badly hurt and worried. No one is saved. Canvass of power politics has already polluted the elements of pure humanity, togetherness, peace and the last but not the least harmony in the world. Now even, holy places are under sever threats and attacks. It seems that verses have lost its meanings. Humanity is at its lowest ebb. Respect of holy places and personalities must be protected at any cost.
The series of terrorist attacks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and especially in the parking of holy shrine, of last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), one of the holiest sanctuaries of Islam made Muslims very angry and disturbed. There are no words that could describe the horrific impact this attack had it been successful both in terms of symbolic significance and the potential number of casualties. There are no more red lines left for terrorists to cross. To attack it is just a sign that ISIS is attacking Muslims as a whole and the Muslim community as a whole and Islam as a religion.
It was attack on faith and soul which broke unlimited hearts in the Muslim world. It is one of the holiest sites in Islam, and for such an attack to take place there, during Ramadan, can be considered a direct attack on Muslims all across the world It is an attack on the religion itself.
Common Muslims from around the world used social media to express their anger, disappointment and grief, as “ISIS desecrates the Prophet’s mosque and his grave. ”Every terror attack is horrific and heartbreaking, but an attack on Medina is an attack on the soul of the Muslim world.” The attack will only intensify widespread anger at ISIS, which has already killed thousands of Muslims and displaced millions of people in Iraq and Syria. “Today’s attack in Medina is a sign of the end of ISIS”. Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry described the triple bombings as “despicable acts that did not respect the sanctity of place, time and innocent people”.
Holy shire of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the only source of inspiration, unity, blessings and above all universal brotherhood which must not be attacked. Muslim leaders worldwide denounced deadly attack near Prophet Muhammad’s tomb in Saudi Arabia’s Medina.
The Muslim world has united to condemn a deadly attack at one of Islam’s holiest sites the Prophet’s Mosque. Setting aside differences, world leaders, politicians, groups and activists expressed their outrage a day after a suicide bomber killed at least four guards within striking distance of the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb.
Worldwide condemnation may be first step but not the last to fight against global menace of terrorism. Sincere joint efforts and collaboration is urgently desired to defeat and marginalized looming threat of terrorism. ISIS has committed an unbearable crime which must be dealt with iron hands. In the recent past, ISIS claimed responsibility for horrendous attacks in Baghdad, Istanbul and Dhaka looking beyond its strongholds in northern Iraq and Syria following repeated defeats on the battlefield. The group has urged attacks against the Saudi government on many occasions in the past.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was rocked by three separate, but apparently coordinated, acts of terrorism. In other incidents, a Shia mosque in the eastern town of Qatif was targeted. Deadly terrorist attacks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia killed many innocents’ people and injured so many in the different parts of the country. The three bombings with the Madina attack invoking particular revulsion showed that the militants can strike with relative ease across the kingdom.
The king of Saudi Arabia warned his country would strike with an “iron hand” against people who preyed on youth vulnerable to religious extremism, a day after suicide bombers struck three cities in an apparently coordinated campaign of attacks.
King Salman said a major challenge facing Saudi Arabia was preserving hope for youth who faced the risk of radicalization. “We will strike with an iron hand those who target the minds and thoughts of our dear youth,” he added.
According to Saudi Arabian interior ministry there have been 26 deadly attacks in the different parts of kingdom that have killed more than 200 people since the start of 2015, and Saudi security forces have arrested 2,800 suspects in that time period. The attacks, attributed to ISIS and its rival terror group, al-Qaeda, often targeted Saudi Arabia’s Shiite minority.
The U.N. human rights chief described the bombing outside the Prophet Mohammed’s Mosque in Medina as “an attack on Islam itself” and many Muslims expressed shock that their second holiest site had been targeted.
Muslims from around the world took to social media to express their grief, using an Arabic hashtag that translates as “ISIS desecrates the Prophet’s mosque and his grave.” One woman tweeted, “Every terror attack is horrific and heartbreaking, but an attack on #Medina is an attack on the soul of the Muslim world.”
The attack will only intensify widespread anger at ISIS, which has already killed thousands of Muslims and displaced millions of people in Iraq and Syria. “Today’s attack in Medina is a sign of the end of ISIS”.
Integrated gigantic anti-terrorist policies, laws, policies and of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has exposed bad designs of ISIS which is not a disturbed Muslim terrorist, or even a radical Islamist, movement, but an active anti-Muslim terror movement. ISIS kills more Muslims than any other religious followers, bombs Muslim-majority cities, fights against every known Islamic principle, destroys the heritage of centuries that was not harmed by earlier Muslims, and it actively pervert the peaceful month of Ramadan.
Saudi Arabia has already endorsed the Jeddah Communique, an international agreement to combat the ISIS by cutting off funding, blocking foreign fighters and repudiating the ideology that undermines extremism.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has great stride against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). It has already initiated all kinds of legal, political, economic and strategic measures to marginalize the ISIS in the region and around the globe. Its Anti-Terrorism Strategy” has been rated the best to fight against looming threat of terrorism. Its “Anti-Terror Law” has further strengthened its resolve against ISIS. Its diversified but integrated measures in the fields of banking & finance has already diminished the chances/incidents of “money laundering”. Its overall administrative and economic policies have already reduced the chances of “terror financing” in the country.
On philosophical front, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the first Islamic country to initiate “Dialogue between the Civilization” in order to reduce misconceptions and misperceptions about Islam and Muslims. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the first Islamic country which donated more than $100 million to establish a anti-counter terrorism center.
The Head of Human Rights Commission (EU) blasted Iran for its continued infiltration, conspiratorial role and series of proxy war in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), especially Bahrain, Lebanon, Libya, Kuwait and the last but not the least, Yemen.
He also blamed Iran in the off-spring of ISIS in Iraq because of its massive involvement in the government of Noor AL-Maliki. Iran dictated Noor’s government and his anti-Sunni policies which resultant mushroom growth of ISIS. Moreover, it has already been revealed in so many international journals, magazines and media that “axis of evil” i.e. Iran and Syria supported and nurtured ISIS to cleansing Sunni in the region. So far Iran did not take any appropriate military action against the onslaught of the ISIS in Iraq which reconfirms its secretive understanding and like-mindedness with them.
On the part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its strategic formation/coalition of 34-Islamic States has already proved its another bold step to cope with the widespread menace of ISIS in the region. It military alliance with Turkey to start “strategic strikes” against ISIS in Syria shows its strong political commitment to fight against ISIS. Its ongoing battel in Yemen was started to restore the legitimate government of the disposed President.
In order to curb terrorism within its soil, domestically the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia promulgated new “Counter Terrorism Law” titled the “Penal law for Terrorism crimes and financing of Terrorism” which was ratified by the then custodian of the Two Holy Mosques late King Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al Saud after being approved by the cabinet, following the initial proposal by the Interior Ministry and advisory Shura council. It was a major blow to terrorism and it marked the beginning of a new phase in the Kingdom’s counterterrorism strategy.
The law and decree were meant to curb jihadi operations on Saudi soil as well as counter non-jihadi dissidence, Its legal measures showed strong political will and determination to fight against terrorism.
The new law provided the necessary tools to control Saudis wishing to join civil wars and stem the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah and ISIS within the country. Moreover, Saudi preachers haD also been put on notice to prevent and discourage young men from going to war, which is a direct violation of the teachings of Islam.
The royal decree/new counter terrorism law “was based on protecting national security” and that extremists have had been “extremely harmful to public tranquility and the state has no choice but to seek to confront this.”
The new counter terrorism law defined terrorism and provided for tough penalties for fund givers, terrorists and related organizations. Moreover, the new law defined terrorism as any criminal act that “destabilizes the society’s security or the state’s stability or exposes its national unity to harm.” It also stated that terrorist acts included disabling the ruling system or “offending the nation’s reputation or its position.
In order to further strengthening of its strides towards a better society, judicial system, accountability, transparency, and crime control parameters, the council of ministers passed the new counter terrorism law. It further defined terrorism as any act with a criminal motive that directly or indirectly undermined public order and the state’s security and stability, or endangered national unity.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia repeatedly confirmed its rejection and condemnation of terrorism, regardless of its source, motivations or objectives. It can be seen the Kingdom’s contribution and cooperation in international efforts against terrorism, financing terrorism, and its active commitment and implementation of international resolutions issued by the un Security council with regards to combatting terrorism.
The new counter terrorism law reflected Saudi Arabia strong political commitment to fight against terrorism, extremism and fundamentalism. It provided necessary legal cover to different organs of the state against terrorism.
It outlined different guidelines against money laundry, corruption and financial scams. It upheld the importance of systematic monitoring and supervision of in & out flows of funds to charitable entities in the country, region and around the globe. It streamlined the functions of secret agencies. It expedited the judicial proceedings and upholds the rule of law.
Conclusion
The preachers of evil and darkness are engaged in destroying elements of sagacity, forbearance, intellect and courteousness from societies. Now they have tried to cross the red-line by attacking holy shrine of Prophet Muhammad.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to fight against terrorism and its franchises. The new law of Saudi Arabia is a giant leap to curb the ill designs of terrorists from within the country, the region and from the world.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the champion of anti-terrorism’s regional as well as global drives. It is now epicenter of anti-terrorism economic measures, strong political commitment, legal decrees, and the last but not the least, military operations to eliminate the evil designs and inspirations of ISIS and Iran. It has now become the hub of strategic policies, programs and alliances to cope with ISIS and all other terrorist hatcheries.