Terrorist acts by groups individuals who profess Islamic motivations or goals
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Since at least the 1990s, these terrorist incidents have occurred on a global scale, affecting not only Muslim-majority countries in Africa and Asia, but also Russia, Australia, Canada, Israel, India, the United States, China, the Philippines, Thailand, and countries within Europe. Such attacks have targeted both Muslims and non-Muslims,[8] with one study finding 80% of terrorist victims to be Muslims.[9][10] Another study finds 90% of terrorist victims to be of the Muslim faith.[11] In a number of the worst-affected Muslim-majority regions, these terrorists have been met by armed, independent resistance groups,[12] state actors and their proxies, and elsewhere by condemnation by prominent Islamic figures.[13][14][15] Journalists have also become targets of Islamic terrorism, particularly for the depiction of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, with the Charlie Hebdo shooting being protested by millions in France.
Justifications given for attacks on civilians by Islamic extremist groups come from their interpretations of the Quran,[3] the hadith,[16][17] and sharia law.[3] These include retribution by armed jihad for the perceived injustices of unbelievers against Muslims;[18] the belief that the killing of many self-proclaimed Muslims is required because they have violated Islamic law and are disbelievers (takfir);[19] the overriding necessity of restoring and purifying Islam by establishing sharia law, especially by restoring the Caliphate as a pan-Islamic state (especially ISIS);[20] the glory and heavenly rewards of martyrdom;[17] the supremacy of Islam over all other religions.[Note 1]
The use of the phrase "Islamic terrorism" is disputed. In Western political speech, it has variously been called "counter-productive", "highly politicized, intellectually contestable" and "damaging to community relations", by those who disapprove of the characterization 'Islamic'.[23][24][25] It has been argued that "Islamic terrorism" is a misnomer for what should be called "Islamist terrorism".[26]
^Global Terrorism Index 2016(PDF). Institute for Economics and Peace. 2016. p. 4. Archived from the original(PDF) on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
^The study was conducted by a French non-governmental organization. Ritchie, Hannah; Hasell, Joe; Appel, Cameron; Roser, Max (28 July 2013). "Terrorism". Our World in Data.
^Yohanan, Friedmann (2003). Morgan, David (ed.). Tolerance and Coercion in Islam: Interfaith Relations in the Muslim tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-82703-4. OCLC57256339.
^Cite error: The named reference islamism was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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