If suicide-murder is deemed legitimate by a community when attacking its \u201cenemies\u201d\u009d abroad, it will eventually be used as a tactic against \u201cenemies\u201d\u009d at home, and that is exactly what has happened in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.<\/p>\n
The only effective way to stop this trend is for \u201cthe village\u201d\u009d \u201d\u201d the Muslim community itself \u201d\u201d to say \u201cno more.\u201d\u009d When a culture and a faith community delegitimizes this kind of behavior, openly, loudly and consistently, it is more important than metal detectors or extra police. Religion and culture are the most important sources of restraint in a society.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why India\u2019s Muslims, who are the second-largest Muslim community in the world after Indonesia\u2019s, and the one with the deepest democratic tradition, do a great service to Islam by delegitimizing suicide-murderers by refusing to bury their bodies. It won\u2019t stop this trend overnight, but it can help over time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Muslims of Bombay deserve to be congratulated in taking this important decision,\u201d\u009d Raashid Alvi, a Muslim member of India\u2019s Parliament from the Congress Party, said to me. \u201cIslam says that if you commit suicide, then even after death you will be punished.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n