Bahrainis from all segments of the social spectrum have rightly spoken out in condemnation of ISIS’s atrocity against a mosque in Kuwait, following soon after two attacks in eastern Saudi Arabia. These attacks resulted in the deaths of dozens of innocent worshippers.
The brutal killings of innocent Muslims and non-Muslims in countless incidents show Daish to be the enemy of humanity and Islam. Our thoughts are with the families of those who have lost loved ones in this attack, as well as the many people who were gravely injured.
It greatly saddens us to see fellow GCC states subjected to terrorist attacks. The transparent aim of these attacks was to stir up sectarian tensions in a region where tensions are already dangerously volatile. We should thus unite against the actions of these extremists. It does not matter what sect they are targeting, such attacks by Daish on mosques against innocent people at prayer is an attack against us all.
We should take inspiration from the images of Kuwaiti Sunnis and Shia praying together just hours after the latest attack. This is the message that ISIS must hear again and again: Such brutality will only unite us. ISIS does not represent Sunni Islam or any other brand of Islam. They are simply terrorists.
The attack on the Tunisian beach which killed nearly 40 people is similarly shocking and Muslims should be no less vocal in condemning such attacks against innocent tourists.
ISIS wants to make it impossible for different sects, faiths and peoples to live together. They want to destroy the patterns of coexistence and tolerance which constitute our societies.
The Islam we subscribe to bears a message of peace and tolerance. We are good Muslims by setting an example to humanity in the way we live our lives. According to this logic, ISIS is the enemy of Islam. ISIS has discredited Islam and made the world see our beautiful faith as a religion of violence and senseless atrocities.
Because we love our religion and want to defend our religion, we have an obligation to speak out against these terrorists and call for action against those who have brought our faith into disrepute.
Through senseless acts of terrorism ISIS wants to divide us. Thus, our best response is in our unity in condemning their acts and rejecting their warped interpretation of Islam.