What is the Islamic stance regarding kidnappings & killings in Iraq and Russia?

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Allah Most High has told us in the Qur’an:

005.008 O you who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that you deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Aware of what you do.

005.009 Allah has promised those who believe and do good works: Theirs will be forgiveness and immense reward.

Islam is a religion that is based on Divine Revelation. This Divine Revelation is encapsulated in the Shariah that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) came with and which was preserved and interpreted in every generation by those whom the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) himself called his ‘inheritors’—the scholars of Sunni Islam.

The problem with the individuals behind actions such as the kidnappings in Iraq, or the monstrosity in Beslan is that they are motivated by their raw passions and act on ignorance. Thus, they are misguided, and act in misguided ways, while the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us that, “None of you believes until their whims are made to follow the guidance I have come with.” [Nawawi’s 40 Hadith, from Kitab al-Hujja; Nawawi said: it is rigorously authenticated (sahih)]

Those who take the law in their own hands are brigands and outlaws, and have nothing to do with the example of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), who was sent as a mercy to all humanity, a light of guidance, an exemplification of all good. Can any of us ever imagine the Beloved Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) ever doing anything like these acts? Or condoning anything like this?

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And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani