‘Muslims Must Stand Up To Fight Radical Islamic Ideology – From Within’

Anjum Liyaquat, a consultant with Cvoter News Services, says one cannot deny the fact that a disturbingly high number of terror acts are committed in the name of Islam. Her views:

As someone who has spent years analysing public narratives and community responses at Cvoter, I often come across one phrase repeated like a ritual: “Terrorism has no religion.” It appears in debates, in statements, in polite drawing-room conversations — a comforting line meant to keep the peace. But the more I study ground realities, data trends, and the emotional pulse of the country, the more I feel compelled to ask: Who are we fooling? And, pray, for how long!

Because every time a blast happens, every time a sleeper cell is exposed, every time a police press briefing ends, the pattern stares us in the face. We see the names. We recognise the truth but we refuse to say it aloud.

Dr. Umar, Dr. Muzzamil, Dr. Shaheen, Dr. Adeel, Dr. Mohiyuddin — educated, privileged, respected. And yet, accused of betraying the very soil that raised them. This white collar—actually white coat—terrorism should serve as a warning, from within the Muslim community.

For our own comfort, we say: It’s Pakistan… handiwork of foreign agencies… foreign-funded terror organisations.

Fine. But then answer this: why are almost all these terror organisations born with Muslim identities, Muslim symbolism, Muslim rhetoric?

I am NOT saying every Muslim is a terrorist — that is a disgusting lie. But can we deny that a disturbing number of terrorists claim to act in the name of Islam? For how long will we pretend we don’t see what is right in front of us?

For decades we said: poverty… injustice… discrimination… lack of opportunity. But if poverty is the reason for radicalisation, then tell me, why has an Adivasi NEVER blown himself up? Why has a backward-caste youth NEVER declared jihad on India?

Adivasis have been oppressed for 150 years. Dalits and backward castes have lived through humiliation for generations. Their villages lack schools, water, infrastructure. Yet they never joined global terror networks. They never picked up AK-47s funded by foreign handlers. They never hijacked religion to justify violence.

Clearly, the problem is not hardship. It is ideological radicalisation. And ideology can only be fought from within.

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Look at Vietnam. Look at Japan. Look at their pain — and their restraint. America killed 70 lakh Vietnamese, burned villages, poisoned rivers. Yet the world has NEVER seen a Vietnamese suicide bomber in New York, or a Vietnam-based revenge doctrine. Japan lost Hiroshima and Nagasaki in seconds. Generations suffered. Yet, not one Japanese terror group sought revenge through violence.

Pain does NOT produce terror. Ideology does.

So why are we silent? Why do peaceful, sensible, patriotic Indian Muslims hesitate to say: They may come from within us, but they are NOT us.

Why do we hide when extremists steal our name, our religion, our pride?

Let me say it openly: From today, any Muslim who picks the path of terror is disowned. No janaza. No honour. No justification. They betray India. They betray Islam. They betray humanity. And they betray us.

We speak loudly for Palestine — rightly so — but why are we silent when our own country bleeds?

This is not about hate. This is about healing, about saving the next generation from radical poison. If we don’t speak now, others will speak for us — and we may not like what they say.

This is our last chance to reclaim our name, our faith, our future. Not tomorrow. Today. Right now.

As told to Deepti Sharma