 To defeat terrorism, its spiritual roots should be considered. The argument that religion is a major cause of war, though somewhat simplistic, has some validity. Judaism, Christianity and Islam prohibit killing without justification or provocation, sadly all three have been connected with "holy war" and atrocities in the name of their beliefs. How does religion, the outward expression of faith in a benevolent, loving God could become so perverted?
If we look at most of the so-called "holy wars," at the root of the turmoil we find man-made teachings not based upon faith in a loving God but in the sin of idolatry. When religion itself is substituted for God, the resulting religion is false, destructive and potentially lethal.If the fruits of a religion are genocide, hatred, death, destruction, perversion and division, it is idolatrous and false.
Religion is intended to promote practices that strengthen one's faith and relationship with God. It is all too easy for religion to be confused with faith in God; itself becomes the idol: the elevation of some group, political faction or man-made doctrine to sacred status, such that all its opponents must be eradicated or at least defeated. Rites and man-made doctrines can take the place of God.
Christians are warned by their scripture to "Watch for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?" Matthew 7:15-16 The dangers of false prophets are in the idolatry of the religion they teach.
 Islamic extremists promote a deadly version of this deception. Islamist ideologies, such as that of the Wahhabis, teach that salvation is to be achieved by killing "infidels" and by martyrdom for Islam. This has little connection to faith or God, but is simply a cover for a political agenda. It provides justification for the desire to eliminate Christians and Jews and keep Western influences at a distance.
In the Arab world in particular, the number of Muslims who see terrorism as a protest against globalization and modernity is not negligible. They use religion as a cover up for this protest and terrorism.
 For Al-Qaeda, ideology has become more important than the organization itself. The spiritual values that traditionally infused Muslim culture have been eclipsed in Islamist ideology. Religious formalism, masquerading as piety, lies at the root of the process by which Islam is being reduced to being the pretext for hate and violence. The Arabic word for this is tajhil - idolatry.
If martyrdom is holy, why do the leaders of terrorist organizations not first avail themselves of the opportunity to sit at the right hand of Allah, instead reserving that honor for their followers? Its proponents are following a false god, taking gullible followers down the path of idolatry and destruction that the First Commandment warns against.
For Islam, the killing of another person is equal to qufr [unbelief or denial], or, "No one can be a suicide commando," or, "Individuals cannot declare war" -murderers lose their religion. One who commits suicide or kills another person without extreme provocation cannot be a Muslim. Islam considers idolatry to be the most heinous religious sin and to be fought with all the force and sanctions at the true believers' disposal. Islamist terrorism can be defeated, but The West cannot do it alone. The initiative has to come from the Islamic world. Muslims. like all other peoples, should pursue good deeds in the name of Allah and refrain from evil.
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