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View Full Version : Islaam & The Battle Between Extremism and Neglect



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07-30-2007, 04:44 PM
By Aboo Khadeejah Abdul-Waahid

In recent times many people who call to Islaam have started discussing the matter of moderation and extremism in Islaam. Unfortunately, many of these discussions are driven by political agendas on both sides of the dividing line, that is to say that you have those Muslims who, in their desire to be seen as integrating with the host community, will label as extremist that which they see as alien to the society they are living within. An example of that is the huge debate that erupted in 2006 in the UK regarding the wearing of the face veil (or niqaab) by Muslim women. If one studies the issue of the face veil Islamically outside of the prevalent political and cultural agenda, one would find that the face veil is at the very least recommended by the Islamic legislation, and it cannot be labelled as extreme. Yet others may even regard the growing of the beard as extreme, or praying five times a day as extreme. All of these judgements based upon modern day prevalent culture and not upon study of the Qur’aan or Prophetic tradition. On the other side of the dividing line, we have the extremists who will go beyond the limits of the Islamic legislation, again driven by either cultural or political agendas, so they may take the lives of individuals by murder and terrorism and attribute that to Islaam and even claim that Islaam legislates such despicable acts. Those who carried out the seventh of July tube and bus bombings in London claimed they were guided by Islaam. But in reality they were deceived by an extremist political methodology, far removed from Islaam. Other extremists may partake in what is commonly labelled in these times as ‘honour killings’ of female members of their families, or force their daughters into marriage with one whom they do not wish to marry, and then they attribute this to Islaam! Nothing could be further from the truth. This article will discuss the Islamic concept of taking the balanced and middle path in religion.

So the middle and balanced way in Islaam is that a person does not trangress the limits set by Allaah, and likewise he does not fall short with regard to them. And this moderate and balanced way lies in adherence to the example of the life the Messenger of Allaah (may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), not going to extremes beyond following him and not falling short in following him. An example of that would be if a man was to say, “I wish to stand and pray throughout every night and not sleep because prayer is the best of worship so I love to stay awake praying continually.” Then this is extremism in the religion that opposes the truth. Something similar to this occurred in the time of the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when a three men came together and said, “I will prayer through the night and not sleep”, another one said, “I will continually fast and not break the fast,” and a third said, “I will not get married.” So the news of this discussion reached Allaah’s Messenger, so he said, “What is wrong with some of you that you say such things?! I fast and I break my fast, I stand in prayer a portion of the night and I sleep also and I marry women. So whoever opposes my way (the Sunnah) then he is not from me.” (Reported by Al-Bukhaaree). So these people went to an extreme in the religion, so the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him, reprimanded them and corrected them, because they opposed his Sunnah (i.e. his way).

As for falling short, then it is if a person was to say, “I am not in need of fulfilling the obligations that Allaah and his Messenger have placed upon me”, or he states, “I am not in need of carrying out superogatory acts of worship.” This negligence is in opposition to the balanced middle way of Islaam and the Prophetic methodology. As for the middle, moderate and balanced path, then that is to proceed upon way of Allaah’s Messenger and the way of his noble Companions.

Another example that can be mentioned here is of three men and in front of them is an open sinner. So the first states, “As for me, I will not greet this faasiq (i.e. open sinner) with the salutation of peace (i.e. the salaam), I will boycott him and be distant from him and not talk to him at all!”. The second sates, “As for me I will accompany this sinner and give him the salaam, and I will display my pleasure and happiness in front of him and I will invite him and I will accept his invitations, and I hold him to be a pious man.” The third man states, “This man is a sinner, and I dislike him due to his sin and I love him due to the imaan (faith) he has. I will not boycott or abandon him unless I see that it will rectify him, and if my boycotting him will not bring about his rectification, but rather I see that it will increase him in sin, then I will not abandon him.” So we say that the first man has gone beyond bounds and fallen into extremism, and the second man has fallen short and become negligent. As for the third, then he is one who is balanced.

So this is what we say regarding all the acts of worship as well as worldly dealings and social interactions, that people are either extreme, or negligent or balanced.

Yet another example is of a man who is married, so he is subservient to his wife and goes whichever way she directs him, and he does not correct her when she sins, and he does not ever encourage her with goodness and excellent behaviour. Rather she posseses his decision making, and she has authority over him. And on the other extreme there is a man who is overburdaning and arrogant and he has no concern for his wife or her feelings, he demeans her and treats her worse than an oppressed slave is treated. The third man is balanced and moderate with regard to his wife, just as Allaah has commanded him, “And the women have rights over their husbands similar to those of their husbands over them in that which is good.” (Qur’aan 2:228), and the Messenger of Allaah said, “Let not a believing man hate a believing woman, if he dislikes one quality in her, then he will be pleased with another.” (Reported by Imaam Muslim). So we see that the first one is negligent, the second is extreme and third is in line with the wise legislation, moderate and balanced.

From all of these examples we see that moderation and balance is decided by the teachings of the Qur’aan and Prophetic Sunnah. As Muslims we are obligated to believe that the legislation of the Qur’aan and Sunnah are just and balanced, as Allaah, the Most High, has stated, “Allaah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped except He, and the Angels and those with knowledge also bear witness. And He is established with justice, none has the right to be worshipped except Him, the All-Mighty, All- Wise.” However, those who misunderstand the texts due to their ignorance or misinterprete them due to their deviated desires, they are the ones who fall in negligence or extremism.

We find modernist muslim ‘thinkers’ and authors who claim to be re-interpreting Islaam for the ‘modern age’, stating that Allaah’s Messenger used to encourage the people with ease and taking the paths of ease, and they quote as a proof his statement, “Give good tidings and do not cause the people to flee, and make things easy and do not make things difficult.” (Reported by Muslim) and the statement of Allaah, “Allaah wishes for you ease and He does not wish for you hardship.” (Qur’aan 2:185). So they utilise the likes of these texts to justify their own shortcomings. Some modernists even claim that if a religious act is not found in the Qur’aan, then we are not obligated to act upon it. This saying of their’s is a clear violation of Qur’anic text.

More to come insha' Allah...
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