HARIZ BIN MOHD HANAFIAH

In recent years, terrorist attacks occurred frequently around the world, and the terrorist organizations are increasing at the same time, which has negatively affected world peace and development. As a scholar of Islamic culture in Malaysia, I pay close attention to and also study the development situation of world terrorist organizations, especially the terrible impact of terrorist attacks by terrorist organizations in Southeast Asia and Central Asia on the local government and people.

Recently, despite the repeated opposition of the Chinese government, the US House of Representatives passed the so-called Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 to deliberately discredit the human rights situation in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, discredit China’s ethnic and religious policies, and grossly discredit China’s efforts to eradicate extremism and combat terrorism.

The malicious attack on the Chinese government’s territorial policy and brutal interference in China’s internal affairs is a flagrant violation of the basic norms of international relations, international law, and the UN Charter, exposing the United States’ double standards on counter-terrorism and its ugly logic of hegemony. The reason why I think so is that as a visiting scholar, I have visited China many times for academic exchanges. I have conducted in-depth discussions and studies with experts and scholars studying Islamic culture and terrorism in Chinese universities.

They have specifically invited me to do field research activities, which gave me a personal experience of the development situation of Muslims in China, being helpful for a deeper understanding and research of terrorism and extremism in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

But the reason why I am firmly convinced that the U.S’s slander on the Chinese government by the Xinjiang issue is a typical hegemonic manifestation of the U.S’s wanton interference in other states’ powers is that I have watched the English documentary Fighting Terrorism in Xinjiang launched by China CGTN. The documentary truly shows the pain caused by violent terrorism and religious extremism in Xinjiang, systematically expounds China’s anti-terrorism strategy to govern Xinjiang, and its determination and confidence to resolutely combat Xinjiang terrorism and extremism.

The cruel methods used by the terrorists in the documentary caused bloody scenes, which made me very angry at the behavior of those extreme terrorists. Terrorists’ cruelty totally violated the peace-loving doctrine of our Allah. I believe that the Muslim brothers living in Xinjiang, China must have been brainwashed and used by some terrorist organizations abroad to do doing such extreme behavior. The release of this documentary is very timely and appropriate.

It not only enables the people all over the world to truly realize that the cruel behavior of Xinjiang terrorists endangers China’s social stability and people’s lives, but also exposes the U.S’s slander and interference in the Chinese regime and its double standard on treatment of terrorism and its ugly face and conspiracy.

As a Muslim, I am firmly resolute against certain Muslims who use terrorist slogans to launch terrorist attacks to achieve their insidious conspiracy, and the cruelty behavior is extremely wrong, stupid, and extremely ignores human life. The peaceful development of humankind has been adversely affected. The brutality of Xinjiang’s terrorists and extremists are totally at odds with the Islamic teachings proclaimed by Allah Mohammed, and they are bound to be resisted and opposed by all Muslim brothers in the world.

First, Islam is a religion that advocates peace. Allah says in the Qur’an, “People who believe! You should be all in peace teaching. Don’t follow the steps of the devil. He is indeed your enemy.” “If they retreat from you without attacking you, and surrender you, then, Allah will never allow you to attack them.” “If they are inclined to peace, you must also be inclined to peace.”

The above teachings teach us Muslims: Islam is about peace, and Muslims should love peace and pursue peace in practical terms, act to maintain peace and oppose all acts of violence and terror. The pursuit of peace is one of the basic tenets of Islam. Muslims are “obedient people” and “peace-loving people”. They are people who obey God and seek peace. The inhumane crimes of the terrorists in Xinjiang are to undermine China’s social stability and the peaceful development of the world, and they must be resisted.

    Second, Islam is a religion that advocates solidarity and rejects division. Muhammad said, “Servants of Allah! Don’t hate each other,  don’t be jealous, and don’t quarrel, you must get along like brothers.” “Allah will punish those who persecute the world.” As Muslims, we must keep in mind the teachings of Allah. “Hold on to the ropes of Allah, and don’t split.”

Being peace-loving has always been a fine tradition of Islam, which is reflected in freedom of belief, harmony with other religions, normal interaction with non-Muslims, respect for the habits of people of different faiths, opposition to war violence, and indiscriminate killing of innocent people. Therefore, the terrorist acts of Xinjiang terrorists and extremists violate the teachings of peace and anti-violent war advocated by Allah.

Third, the Chinese government's policy of freedom of religious belief and the promotion of Xinjiang’s economic development have enabled Xinjiang’s Muslim brothers to live a happy life. As Muslims, we must not only strictly abide by the Hadith of the Qur’an, but also cherish the opportunity to live in peaceful development, carry forward the fine tradition of Islamic peace and tolerance, resist the infiltration of religious extreme ideas, and stand firmly against all acts of violence and terrorism, as well as resolutely fight against cruelty behavior that runs counter to the spirit of Islam.

As a Muslim in Malaysia, I am very supportive of the Chinese government’s measures to combat extreme terrorists in Xinjiang. Based on my understanding of China’s policy on freedom of religious belief and research on the brutal behavior of Xinjiang’s extreme terrorists, especially the English documentary Fighting Terrorism in Xinjiang released by the Chinese government made me deeply realize that extreme terrorism in Xinjiang not only endangers China’s social stability and the safety of people’s lives, but also disobey what Allah said in the Qur’an: “People who believe in Ah! You should obey Allah, and you should obey the messengers of Islam and the principals of you.

Patriotic is part of the faith,.You should love the motherland like a bird’s being nostalgic for its nest.” Therefore, all peace-loving Muslim brothers all over the world should resolutely resist and oppose those acts that violate the teachings and create violent terrorist attacks.

Let us Muslim brothers take action to maintain world peace!

HARIZ BIN MOHD HANAFIAH

(visiting scholar at Xinjiang Normal University)