<![CDATA[This study examines whether terrorism is intrinsically rooted in Islamic doctrine by synthesizing evidence from Islamic jurisprudence, comparative terrorism research, and the Philippine context. A PRISMA 2020-informed structured qualitative literature review and thematic synthesis of 35 peer-reviewed studies, complemented by seminal theoretical literature, were conducted. The findings indicate that religious narratives function primarily as sources of identity, symbolic legitimacy, and ideological and religious framing rather than independent drivers of terrorism. Terrorism emerges as a strategic form of political violence pursued to achieve political and organizational objectives, with religious discourse serving as a mechanism for political mobilization rather than as a doctrinal obligation. Political exclusion, weak governance, protracted conflict, historical marginalization, and institutional fragility constitute the principal structural drivers of extremist violence. Evidence from the Philippines further demonstrates that negotiated political inclusion and institutional reform address these structural conditions more effectively than approaches centered on religious profiling. The study concludes that terrorism is better explained by structural and political conditions than by religious doctrine, supporting counterterrorism policies grounded in inclusive governance, institutional reform, and conflict resolution.]]>
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