Before You Become an Extremist by Abdulrazaq O. Hamzat

Posted by admin Abdulrazaq O. hazmat, Articles, Columnists, NNP Columnists Monday, July 6th, 2015

By Abdulrazaq O Hamzat | NNP | July 6, 2015 –

Prophet Muhammed said: (Avoid extremes in your religion: those before
you perished because they were extreme )- Nesa’ee, Ibn Majja & Ahmad

The Prophet also added that, (Those who are extreme and too strict in
their words and deeds will fail and perish) – Muslim.

Muslims should be just and moderate, as there is no room for extremism in Islam.
Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) warned Muslims against becoming
extremist in every thing they do.

The guided prophet warned that, Muslims shouldn’t be extremist in
religious, social or cultural affairs. In fact, he warned against
extremism in whatever engagements or practice.

The best among Muslims are those who are moderate in all they do.

Moderation means to follow a just right way avoiding extremes in our
life, therefore we are not extravagant nor misers, and are not
excessive in our worship but safeguard our prayers, fasting and
charity; we are not harsh or soft; we do not ask of ourselves or
others beyond what we are capable of. – BS Foad

The noble prophet maintained that, extremist will never accomplish
their mission, they will perish with their extremism.

Ibn Abbas related that Allah’s messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
(Avoid extremes in your religion: those before you perished because
they were extreme )- Nesa’ee, Ibn Majja & Ahmad

Again, Ibn Masoud related that Allah’s messenger ( PBUH ) said :
(Those who are extreme and too strict in their words and deeds will
fail and perish) – Muslim

This brings us to the question, why do some people follow extreme
measures or become so strict?

According to findings, there are many factors responsible for
extremism, some of those identified by BS Foad (2007) in his article
titled moderation in Islam include:

•Lack of proper knowledge and understanding, and in their zeal they
believe they are doing the right thing.

•Not willing to listen to opposing points of view
•Poverty, lack of work and despair
•Oppression and no freedom to speak or express themselves

If the above and many more are factors responsible for extremism, we
must device means to moderate their extreme view through constant
engagement with textual facts. However, It should be noted that,
putting them in jail does not help nuetralize their extremism, that is
more like runnng away from the problem, for it only reinforces their
hatred and determination to strike back. But on a temporal means, it
helps to take them away from the larger society. Government must
therefore put in more efforts in providing platforms for true
knowledge to be shared to neutralize extreme ideas that is capable of
leading to something more.

Oppression causes their wrong thinking to get more extreme like a boil
that festers.
The only way is to contrast their wrong ideas to the truth and
Improving economic conditions.

Also, We should be willing to listen to opposing points of view, as no
one knows everything or is correct all the time. We should learn from
different prospective, as there is more than one correct way to the
truth. Arrogance leads to error, while humility leads to guidance and
righteousness. BS Foad.

I recall that last month, during the wedding ceremony of Edo State
Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole. The then president elect, now
President of the federal republic of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari
exchange hand shake with the bride of the governor, just as every
world leader after a successful discussion or programmes do greet
their friendly partner.

A young Muslim brother, who himself was pictured in different club
house abroad, holding, pecking and dancing with women started a trend
online, condemning president Buhari for exchanging hand shake with
Oshiomole’s bride, saying exchanging hand shake with opposite sex was
unislmaic.

While such opinion is indeed partially factual and genuine and shared
by some sections of the Muslim scholars, majority of scholars gave
conditions that may permit one to shake opposite sex and President
Buhari clearly falls within that condition.

As usual, the bandwagon effect took place, as many Muslims that seems
to be either ignorant of the matter or share the extreme view argument
jump into the discuss, condemning President Buhari and bullying many
others who didn’t know much about the subject into submission.

Anyone that shared another view get attacked, ridiculed, insulted,
abused and some times threatened. Some were called so many unprintable
names for doing nothing, other than expressing their view about an
issue that concerns them and their religion.

In an effort to shed light on the subject matter, especially to the
teeming uninformed public, bringing fourth all views as expressed by
numerous scholars, I wrote an article titled, Buhari is free to shake
opposite sex if need be. The article clearly outline the points raised
by all sides and their proves. And from all arguments by the respected
scholars as presented in the article, I supported the arguement I
considered to be more moderate, more logical, more convincing and more
substantiated.

After the publication, a lot of people were clearly exposed to all
facts of the subject. Many Muslims that were initially confused about
the issue were well educated. Some respected friends in Islam also
shared their view, probing me further on some points raised and at the
end, most agreed with me, while others disagree based on their own
understanding.

Some of those that had not decided on which of the argument to agree
with also have a more broader perspective to tap from, and some none
Muslims interested in the discuss also gained from that presentation.
We are all still learning.

But as usual, there are some few elements that always feel the
extreme, disputed and none substantiated view should reign supreme.
They try, through what ever means to bully others into silence. They
claim to know all, claim to be more pious, sometimes claiming to be
the true believers,while every other person who didn’t share their
extreme view has compromise.

While they publicly proclaim those extreme views to cause confusion
and division among the Muslim Ummah, in their daily lives, they act
otherwise, doing in secret, what they publicly condemned and are ready
to crucify others for.

For example, while former Governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima
introduced a self guided political Shariah to trail the poor citizens
wrongly, he himself was charged with massive corruption after his
tenure and he was never trialed by the same political shariah. This
tells us that, he knows what he introduced in that state was not
Shariah as guided by Islam, but many poor citizens had to suffer from
his political shariah.

As a result of my publication, I received a lot of friendly messages
from those that were inspired and educated by the article, I equally
received insult and threats, from those with extreme views,
threatening to do all sort should I not be silent. But by Allah, I
fear no threat, I cannot be silent, neither will I ever stop spreading
the true message of Islam as I understood.

Prophet of Allah urge Muslims to Make things easy, not difficult.

Abi Musa related that Allah’s messenger ( Peace Be Upon Him ) said:
(Give glad tidings, and do not make others hate you or run away from
you; and make things easy and not difficult) Bokhari & Muslim

The prophet also advised Muslims to avoid extremes in worship.
Abdullah Bin Amrou Bin A’as said: Allah’s messenger told me : ( I was
told that you pray all night and you fast by day ) I said: Yes o
messenger of Allah. He said: ( Do not do that, fast but not every day;
pray at night but not all night: for your body has rights over you,
and your eyes have rights over you, and your wife has rights over you,
and your visitor has rights over you. IT is enough to fast three days
each month, for a good deed is rewarded ten times, therefore this way
you are considered fasting all the time ) Bokhari & Muslim

It is important to note that, Muslims are not expected to be moderate
only in religion, we are expected to be moderate in spending“ Make not
your hand tied to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach,
so that you become blameworthy and destitute “ Al-Isra’a 17 : 29

Moderate in the ways of living,“Those who, when they spend, are not
extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just balance between these
two extremes“Al-Furqan 25 : 67
The religion of Islam is not supposed to be difficult or strict, as
Abou Horaira related that Allah’s messenger ( PBUH ) said: (This
religion is one of ease and not restrictions; no one tries to make it
strict or difficult on others, but will be overcome; therefore do what
is right, and do what you are capable of, and be happy, and seek help
in prayers ) Bokhari

Finally, Prophet Muhammed advice Muslims to avoid extremes and seek
help in prayers. Aesha related that Allah’s messenger ( PBUH ) said:
(None of you will be saved by his deeds alone ). He was asked : Not
even you O messenger of Allah ? He said: ( Not even me unless Allah’s
mercy encompass me: therefore do what is right, and do what you are
capable of, and seek help in prayers, and be sincere in your
intentions) Bokhari.

In conclusion, as we seek Allah’s mercy in this holy month of ramadan,
I therefore urge all Muslim brothers and sisters to seek true
knowledge of Islam, be open to opposing views and avoid extreme in
your religion and every other engagement whatsoever.

As prophet Muhammed said, avoid extremes in your religion: those
before you perished because they were extreme.

He also added that, Those who are extreme and too strict in their
words and deeds will fail and perish.

Have a wonderful day. Salam.

Follow me on twitter @Abdool101
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