Prophetic forensic interview: Critical hermeneutical study on the motives of perpetrators of terrorism

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to reveal the motives of the perpetrators based on critical hermeneutics. In Indonesia, the perpetrators of terrorism perceived that their acts as a form of jihad to fight the non-believers. Jihad as the legitimacy of religion becomes a means to pursue the blessings of Allah (swt) in the world and the hereafter. Methodology: Prophetic paradigm is generally used in accordance to the reality of religious beliefs based on the ontology of realism that life goes according to the laws of nature and the will of God. Furthermore, non-doctrinal sociological juridical approach was employed with qualitative method. Secondary data was obtained from the study of documents and books, scientific journals and internet related with terrorism. Prophetic forensic interview was used as the tool to analyze the data with interpretative phenomenology and interpretative understanding methods. Results: The results of ontological study uncovered the phenomenon of religious values (jihad) that is expressed not from religion as its entity, but rather from the actions of the believers (terrorism). Implications: Thus, based on the epistemological realm, religious legitimacy was found out as the motive of terrorism as a justification of the act against the law. Based on the axiological realm, the prophetic law was violated, since the religious teachings become the legitimacy of violence, manifested in the acts of terrorism.