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448chapter six(‘absolute obedience to those in power’!). And yet, for several reasons,it cannot be welcomed as a decisive turn away from the inadequaciesof traditional Islamic thought. The most important reason is thatboth Sayyid Quãb and Aim§n al-£aw§hirÊ call for the removal of anapostate ruler not because they want to restore Allah’s word by fightingfor freedom, justice and equality, but purely because of theirdesire to take over political power. Having said this, we neverthelessagree with the two ideologues in that al-isl§m is a perfect divine systemthat is understood and applied by humans’ relative, historical,and contingent knowledge which structures the activities of thosewho embrace al-isl§m in a multitude of different areas of life, amongwhich we find the area of al-qit§l. The two following verses, forexample, express two fundamental aspects of such perfect divinesystem:…[there is the law of equality]. If then any one transgresses the prohibitionagainst you, transgress you likewise against him. But fear God,and know that God is with those who restrain themselves. ( Al-Baqara2:194)Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another’s burdens if one heavilyladen should call another to (bear) his load. Not the least portion of itcan be carried (by the other). Even though he be nearly related…( Al-F§ãir 35:18)Our ideologues have ignored the fact that the phrase ‘transgress youlikewise against him’ (i.e., an oppressor) does not mean to becomeand act like an oppressor but rather asks us to fight against injusticeand oppression. How could they ever define ‘fight in God’s way’ asthe assassination of politicians and attacks on the security forces, thedestruction of public buildings and explosions in overcrowded markets,when the Book rejects al-qit§l as a clash or conflict involving onlyone side and prohibits punishing people for the guilt of others?It would have been easier for us and every sound-minded personto support the cause of the Islamist groups had they called, at homeand abroad, for a full restoration of God’s word in freedom, justice,and equality for all people regardless of their religious or ethnicalaffiliations. Instead, they called for an immediate seizure of power.We would even have considered joining their ranks and participatingin their activities had they been truthful and sincere in what theypropounded. Instead, they not only committed the cold-bloodedmurder of politicians, civil servants, and soldiers, but also ruthlesslycut each other’s throats. One of the most shocking examples was the