It’s Not Jihad, It’s Just Terror
Pakistan is becoming more entangled than ever in history. People in Pakistan are highly vulnerable to terrorism, especially those living in the tribal belt and conflict ridden areas of Pakistan. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which is a terrorist group claims that they are fighting for Islam. They throw around gigantic religious terminologies like “jihad,” “shariah,” and “Islamic rule.” But here’s the truth that more people are realizing: TTP is not fighting for Islam. They are just spreading terror.
Their version of “jihad” is nowhere near what our religion teaches. It’s just violence wrapped in religious language. They justify killing innocent people children, women, elders, even religious scholars in the name of Islam. So, did Islam ever allow killing innocent people?
The Prophet Warned Us About People Like Them
This is not only a modern-day opinion. Even the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) warned us about extremist groups like the TTP, who justify their killings and atrocities in the name of God. The group in those days was called the Khawarij. They were extreme, self-righteous, and more violent. They thought they were the only true Muslims and called everyone else non-Muslim, similarly to what TTP is doing in modern days.
The Prophet (PBUH) said about the Khawarij that they would recite the Quran, but it wouldn’t go past their throats, meaning they had no real understanding of the religion. Just like the terrorist group TTP, they exploit Islamic teachings for their own purposes. Today, scholars across Pakistan agree: TTP is the modern-day Khawarij, condemned in Islam.
Islam Is About Peace, Not Bloodshed
Let’s get one thing straight Islam is a religion of peace, justice, and protection of life. It’s not about killing people to establish some fantasy Islamic state. The TTP wants to impose its version of Islam by force, but that’s not how it works. Real Islamic rule can’t be built on the bodies of innocent people. It must be built on the values the Prophet ﷺ taught mercy, justice, education, patience, and respect for life.
Prophet PBUH never taught violence and destruction of innocents, but love and peace.
The Quran says:
“Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 32)
Source
What part of this gives anyone the right to bomb schools or shoot unarmed people in bazaars?
TTP Is Not the Voice of Pashtuns
Another thing the TTP tries to do is mix its violent ideology with Pashtun culture. To defend Pashtun culture and traditions, they took the approach of violence, which is opposite to the Pashtun culture, and killed innocents to defend themselves.
Pashtunwali is the traditional Pashtun code which protects the weak and ensures justice. What does TTP do? They bomb schools, target peace committees, kidnap locals, and terrorize entire communities. That’s not Pashtunwali. That’s betrayal.
And the worst part is that they eliminate those people who talk about peace and equality. Brave leaders, poets, journalists, and activists who have the courage to speak out against them are labeled as “agents” or “traitors.” But real traitors are the ones who worsened the situation in the Homeland.
Scholars Have Spoken: TTP Has No Place in Islam
Let’s not forget the Paigham-e-Pakistan, a fatwa signed by over 1,800 scholars from all sects of Islam in Pakistan. It clearly declared groups like TTP as rebels and Khawarij. These scholars didn’t stay silent. They openly exposed the so-called Jihadis who are using Islam for their personal interest.
It’s a huge contribution. Because it means that anyone supporting or joining the TTP is going against the consensus of Islamic scholars. They’re not defending Islam. They’re attacking it from within.
Real Jihad: Living with Purpose, Not Dying in Hate
Let’s especially talk to the youth here. TTP targets young people. They know how to use emotional and religious language to brainwash boys who are frustrated with life or struggling with poverty and lack of education. They make them believe that dying in an explosion is “martyrdom.”
But Islam tells us the opposite. The real jihad is to live with purpose, not to die in hate. The Prophet ﷺ said that “The best form of Jihad is to speak a word of truth to an oppressive ruler.”
That’s how we rise. Not by destroying, but by building. Not by taking other people’s lives but by saving them.
Promotion of Awareness is Important
TTP wants to exploit people. They want to confuse the youth, divide communities, and weaken the country. But we’ve come too far to fall for their lies again.
Let’s call a spade a spade: TTP is not Islamic. It is not Pashtun. It is not noble. It is pure terrorism.
And we all have a role to play. Speak out. Educate. Share the truth as it will guide the people and prevents them from misguiding.
Therefore, the life of the Holy Prophet PBUH is an example. It teaches us to stand against injustice and spread peace and stability in the world. So, TTP is the opposite of everything he taught. It misuses the ideas of Islam, which are core to peace. The real followers of the Prophet ﷺ don’t kill the innocent they protect them. They don’t spread fear, they spread mercy.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are exclusively those of the author and do not reflect the official stance, policies, or perspectives of the Platform.
