Is Rejoicing over the Death of Extremists Okay?

Image from the front page of the New York Times

For the past few days, many young Afghans have been rejoicing over the death of some religious scholars (ulama) who died in a powerful blast in a venue near Kabul international airport. The incident occurred in a wedding hall where Muhammad's birthday celebration was held. It is estimated that the explosion killed 55 and injured around 100 individuals. I am not sure if these ulama were the same people who gathered a while ago in Kabul to mull over whether the suicide bombing is mentioned or justified in the Qur'an. I wrote a short blog post about it. These religious scholars self-rightously see themselves as authorities on religious texts and traditions, with an ultimate monopoly over people's beliefs. So far, it has never occurred to them to think that one day they might be the target of their extreme and fanatic thoughts as well. As the Biblical phrase goes, as you sow, so shall you reap. This is due to their way of thinking, which is close to that of the Taliban and ISIS. It seems they couldn't escape the karma dictated by their actions.

Now, the question we need to ask ourselves is whether it is justifiable to rejoice in the death of these religious scholars who might have been wicked in thought and behavior. It is a difficult question that poses an ethical dilemma for us and our core values. I personally don't see these people as applicable, but that doesn't mean they deserve death. They might not be very useful, but it is unfair to assume their presence in society is baleful. They are not physicians to prevent and cure disease, they are not engineers to build roads and buildings; they are rather experts in one thing: how to contaminate the minds of people through Islamic teachings. But still that is neither convincing nor reasonable for us to conclude that it is fine to celebrate the death of a wicked. One thing we can do instead of celebrating their death is to reflect on their actions and responsibilities.

For the past 17 years, every time a suicide attack ripped through a crowd of civilians, killing dozens and leaving hundreds wounded, these religious scholars failed to condemn the attacks. Their silence would mean they are tacitly approving of the suicide attacks. Until now, they have been spectators; they may not have felt the pain and suffering of others, but now they should. Though this does not mean we should be happy over their death despite their evil-mindedness. Wishing their demise or rejoicing over their death itself indicates a malevolent nature. Ultimately, it shows our weakness and our willingness to submit to bigotry and hatred, which is nothing different from what fanatic Islamists do. But there is a better way to defeat them, and that's not through lowering ourselves to their standard. We can defeat these evil-minded and religious bigots by reasoning and challenging their stone-age beliefs and by teaching them modern values.