AGAINST EXTREMISM

It is reported - but Allah knows best - that the Holy Prophet - may peace be upon him - said: "Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be as near to perfection as you can and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded for it."

Neo-conservative leaders in the West have called for "moderate" Muslims to speak out against extremism. So let us robustly condemn extremism in all its forms:

 

SUICIDE BOMBS ARE EXTREMISM

Suicide bombers blowing themselves to pieces in crowded cafes and markets with the intent of killing as many innocent civilians as possible is extremism. Suicide bombings are illegal under Islamic law.

USING PASSENGER PLANES AS MISSILES IS EXTREMISM

Hijacking passenger planes and flying them into buildings, using them as missiles, is extremism. Hijackings and the slaughter of civilians are illegal under Islamic law.

PLANTING BOMBS ON TRAINS IS EXTREMISM

Planting explosive devices in passenger trains or subway systems in order to kill and mame as many civilians as possible is extremism. Bombings and extra-judicial executions are illegal under Islamic law.

 

ETHNIC CLEANSING & GENOCIDE IS EXTREMISM

Crimes committed in the name of nation states that involve imposing an ethnic or racial monoculture are a hallmark of the modern era. The Nazi ethnic cleansing of Jews from Europe - the Shoa - was extremism. Ethnic cleansing in the Balkans is extremism. Ethnic cleansing and genocide are illegal under islamic law.

 

NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE EXTREMISM

The United States of America has over 2000 nuclear weapons aimed at population centres across the globe. That is extremism. Israel has over 200 nuclear weapons aimed at targets throughout the Arab Middle East. That is extremism. The use of nuclear bombs is illegal under Islamic law.

Incinerated remains of a young boy - Nagasaki. The United States is the only nation to ever deploy nuclear weapons. Their currrent and on-going use of depleted uranium weapons constitutes low-level nuclear war, usually against under-developed nations.

THE INVASION OF IRAQ IS EXTREMISM

The illegal and immoral invasion of the sovereign state of Iraq by the United States and the "coalition of the willing" on the outright lie that Iraq possessed "weapons of mass destruction" was extremism. Invasions and lies are illegal under Islamic law.

 

TORTURE AND SECRET PRISONS IS EXTREMISM

The detention, "rendition" and torturing of prisoners in secret prisons, without their being charged or tried, is extremism. Imprisonment without due process is illegal under Islamic law. Torture is illegal under Islamic law.

CLUSTER BOMBS ARE EXTREMISM

In the Israeli demolition of Lebanon in 2006 over one million bomblets in the form of cluster bombs were deployed against a population of 650,000 civilians. That is extremism. Cluster bombs are illegal under Islamic law.

It is no accident - the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are also the five biggest arms manufacturers in the world.

THE DEHUMANISING OF THE DISPLACED PALESTINEANS IS EXTREMISM

Since the creation of the state of Israel millions of Palestians, displaced from their homeland, have lived in poverty and the squallor of refugee camps, demonized and dehumanized. That is exremism. The dehumanization of one's enemies is illegal under Islamic law.

 

THERE IS ALSO SECULAR EXTREMISM

One of the great myths of our time is that religion is the main cause of extremism. Not so. Nationalism and ethnic chauvanisdm are by far more explosive and destructive. People often commit crimes in the name of God, but not as often or as readily as they commit crimes in the name of their King and country. And atheist ideologies - not religions - are responsible for the greatest crimes of modern times. Hitler's Germany. Stalinist Russia. Mao's Cultural Revolution. Cambodia's Year Zero. Rawanda. Religion had little to do with any of these and in some cases - such as Stalin's purges - atheism itself was the villian. There is no reason to equate secularism and atheism with moderation and peace. Secular and atheist extremists are as likely as religious ones and feel as every bit as justified in their actions.

Among secularists today are people who want religion classified as a mental disease, people who want religious education classified as child abuse, people who want to eradicate all religion and make atheism compulsory. Beware extremists posing as angels of reason!

"If you don't believe in God, you'll believe in anything!" - anon.

These are all evils of our times. To think that the world falls neatly into "good guys" versus "bad guys" is a dangerous delusion. Moderate Muslims will not be able to counter extremism until the West renounces its own extremist policies. Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine - these festering sores create Muslim extremists.What is the point of moderate Muslims speaking out against extremists when the West has policies which are radicalizing more and more Muslims every day? Let us all denounce all forms of extremism whether it is committed in the name of religion or in the name of secular ideologies or just for no higher motive than plain greed.

Islam is the Abode of Peace.

Salaam!

 

It is reported - but Allah knows best - that the Prophet Muhammad - may peace be upon him - said: "Destroyed are those who are extreme." And he said it three times."

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