re-interpretation will not help

Submitted by Waheed (India), Feb 4, 2004 at 06:35

History may explain the question "why now?". But it cannot explain the question "why terrorism?" For that we have to open the Quran.

In the disjointed book, if there are any common themes, they are hatred for other faiths and incitement to war. It is quite natural that this should be so. In the latter part of Mohammed's career his main occupation was fighting and he had to constantly motivate his men.

Re-interpretation of the Quran will not help. At most it can temporarily hold the advance of terrorism. The danger will always remain that some future Bin Laden will re-re-interpret Quran and call for more terrorism. We will then be back in square one.

A lasting solution to the problem can only come when the majority of Muslims realize that they should not be taking too seriously this book as the word of God. Rather, they should be taking it for what it is... .

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