Absolutely not! Unfortunately, the image of Islam has been tarnished and distorted due to the acts of some who do not practice Islam in the correct way. The killing of innocent people, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, is prohibited in Islam. For example, Prophet Muhammad said: "Whoever kills one who is under a treaty or agreement of protection [with the Muslims] will not smell the fragrance of Paradise, even though it's fragrance can be smelled from the distance of forty years." [Collected by Ahmad, al-Bukhaaree, and others] So these acts of terror and mayhem are clearly forbidden and not from Islam. Rather, these acts are perpetrated by those who are ignorant of Islam and do not follow the correct practice and understanding of the religion, the way of Prophet Muhammad and his Companions. This destructive ideology of terror, followed by the likes of Usaamah bin Ladin and his supporters, is similar to the ideology of the Khawaarij , a deviant sect which has continued to shed the blood of innocent Muslims for centuries. Just as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned against the Khawaarij, it is upon the Muslims today to warn against those who follow their way.
