A group of doctors is being investigated for their alleged role in the recent terror attack in Delhi. A Pune-based software engineer and a teacher have also been arrested for alleged links with Al Qaeda and other banned terror groups. This raises a crucial question: What drives educated individuals to embrace terrorism and murder in the name of religion? Is there a single cause or identifiable profile that explains such a shift toward violent theological ideologies?
Complex Mix of Social, Political and Ideological Factors
Experts say there are complex reasons behind radicalisation, including political, social, economic and ideological factors. Irfan Engineer of the Centre for the Study of Society and Secularism said two main forces often fuel violence in the name of religion: victimhood and propaganda.
Victimhood Narratives Encourage Radicalisation
“Somebody is reinforcing this ISIS–Jihadi ideology. In that sense, the perpetrators of this violence are victims of propaganda. This is not the first time educated people have taken up violence. Somebody is creating this sense of victimhood. The perpetrators feel that they need to do something. So I was really sad to hear about the terror attack, but not at all surprised,” said Engineer.
He added that emotional politics and engineered grievance further deepen this victimhood, though he stressed that this does not justify violence.
Political Islam and Distortion of Religious Teachings
Mansoor Khan, president of the Sufi Islamic Board, which advocates a less fundamentalist interpretation of Islam, said violent propaganda can be traced to the birth of political Islam after Prophet Muhammad’s death.
“Prophet Muhammad had a Christian slave who served the family for generations after the prophet’s passing and remained a Christian until his death. If forced conversion were common in the prophet’s time, would the slave have remained a Christian?” asked Khan.
He argued that the essence of Islam derived from a word meaning peace has been overshadowed by political forces. “Even the educated believe they will go to heaven and meet the hoors if they die for the religion. The reason is the indoctrination in mosques where they listen to an illiterate man giving sermons,” said Khan. He added that in India, this ideology manifests through those who believe in Ghazwa-e-Hind.
Call for Religious Leadership to Promote Peace
Zeenat Shaukat Ali, author, former professor and director general of Wisdom Foundation, said Muslim leaders must correct distorted interpretations of Islam. “Imams have such a lot of influence. Religious sermons are fine, but they also have a responsibility to talk about peace and harmony,” she said, stressing the need for a positive educational curriculum that promotes coexistence.
Education System Lacks Moral Foundation, Say Experts
Engineer agreed that India’s current education system does not focus on character building. “It is all about professional knowledge. When there is moral education in schools, it is taught from the perspective of a particular religion,” he said.
Reacting to reports of doctors being involved, he added: “A doctor is trained to save lives, even that of an enemy. I find it abominable that doctors can internalise this violence.”
Violence Harms the Community and Faith, Experts Warn
Ali said terrorists have only succeeded in giving their own community a bad name. “Issues have never been solved by violence. Everybody comes under suspicion. What is a doctor supposed to do? Heal the sick. Terrorism is a sickness of the mind. The incidents are deplorable and un-Islamic,” she said.
Need for Strong Systems and Fair Justice
According to Engineer, the way to combat hatred is through a just system. “We need a thorough judicial framework. Nothing justifies violence,” he said.
Ali added, “The investigation agencies are working on the cases. Conjecture is one thing, but results are important. Pinning down the guilty and showing them no mercy is imperative.”
