RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM: CAUSES AND REMEDIES
Prof. Ghulam Mustafa*
INTRODUCTION
Religious extremism does not originate haphazardly. It must
indeed have causes and motivation. Like living organism,
events and actions do not come out of the blue and cannot
germinate without seeds. Rather, they are governed by the
law of cause and effect. Knowledge of the causes in this
respect is essential to enable us to define the remedy which
must always be preceded by diagnosis. But diagnosis is
impossible- at least extremely difficult when causes are not
known. With this in mind, an effort has been made to examine
the causes and the motives which have generated religious
extremism in the Muslim world.
We
must realize at the outset that no single cause is wholly
responsible for the spread of extremism. It is a complex
phenomenon with numerous interrelated causes. While the
common Muslim holds western dominant powers responsible, the
picture is incomplete if we were to ignore another equally
important source of the problem—the Muslims themselves.
Hence both these sources have to be duly considered and
assessed to have a better appreciation of the issue at hand.
The Problem and Its Causes
Religious extremism exists in Muslim world and has
influenced the world as well as local politics. This has
become an important issue of the time. The adherents of
religious extremism do not tolerate those who differ with
their viewpoint. They try to impose their own ideas through
force and coercion. Those who do not follow their dictates
have to bear the brunt of their anger. Sectarian and
religious differences lead them to extremism which
ultimately results in violence. Extremism is intolerable in
all its manifestations and shades i.e. religious, political,
economic etc.
Muslim
extremists can be divided into three categories. Firstly,
those who are at war with the sects of the same religion.
They consider themselves on the true path while the other
sects are declared astray or heretic. Abusive language is
used against the opponents which leads to violence and
unrest. Mosques are attacked, bombs are exploded and murders
are committed in which innocent people lose their precious
lives.
Secondly, those who are at war with their respective
governments for political reasons. They promote violence and
create law and order situation. In this conflict also
victims are the innocent people. Algeria is one of those
Muslim countries that have experienced such type of
religious extremism. Thousands of innocent people have lost
their lives in this conflict.
Thirdly, those who target the followers of other religions
for certain reasons and interests. This intolerance and
extremism has made the world a difficult place to live in.
Whether extremism is inter-religious or intra-religious, it
has made the lives of many miserable and has got the
potential to disturb world peace.
The net result of religious extremism is that it has
tarnished the true picture of Islam, destroyed unity of
Muslim Ummah, and provided excuses to western imperialism to
colonize one Muslim state after the other and increased
problems for the Muslims living in the West who would
experience an increase in prejudice and discrimination due
to a small minority of religious extremists terrorizing
people around the world.
Now the question arises who is responsible for this
chaos—Islamic teachings or political environment? So far as
religious teachings of Islam are concerned we do not find
any evidence in its teachings which support religious
extremism. Islam is the religion of peace, tolerance and
brotherhood. Islam does not allow intolerance and violence.
According to its teachings “all Muslims are brothers”,
“there is no coercion in religion” and “murder of one man is
the murder of humanity”.
In spite of its explicit teachings most of its concepts and
dictates are misunderstood and misinterpreted in the Muslim
world in general and the western world in particular, due to
which distorted picture of Islam is appearing in the minds
of people. The causes which lead certain elements to
extremism in the Muslim society include the following:
1-
Failure of governments to promote good
governance, and economic advancement in most Muslim
countries.
2-
Breakdown of the established institution of “ijtihad”.
3-
Political disputes which led to antagonism in
the Muslim masses.
4-
Western imperialism and western dominated
international politics.
Given
the extent and intensity of problem confronting the Muslims,
and the need to make some broad identification of the
sources of this problem, it seems unavoidable to posit
certain generalizations whose value may be limited in some
cases. In the following pages, we shall deliberate on the
above causes of religious extremism.
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