El Husseini: our vision to counter extremism is to confront who are misusing the misleading jurisprudence

El Husseini: our vision to counter extremism is to confront who are misusing the misleading jurisprudence  

The world in general and the Arab and Islamic worlds especially are facing, an increasing level of extremism and hatred that refuses the acceptance of the other. This twisted logic is anti heavenly teachings and anti humanitarian as well and it stands against all civilization meanings. It represents the largest contemporary threat facing the whole humanity and requires urgent and consolidated efforts at various levels and in more than one area in order to stave off this threat. The religious level represents the most important in this field and must be granted some exceptional importance because the most of the currents terrorist and extremist groups are based in the wrong understanding and distorting foundations and jurisprudential legitimacy. Moreover, these groups are misusing these legitimate foundations in contradictory contexts with their original frameworks.
Based on all what was mentioned above, we found that the core of our duty and the duty of all Muslims distinguished scholars as well is to address this takfirist tide that left the right path. The best tool to be used in these efforts can be seen by getting these stray people back to the true divine trail and statement standing on the real doctrinal foundations.
God Almighty said in the holy book, the Quran, while describing the Muslims (we created you as a middle Umma that you be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be the witness over you), and as said the prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, in the Hadith :( best things are the moderate ones). The forethought in the Quran verse and as well in the Hadith, shows that the wisdom is in the moderation on the base known (No over extremism and no over passing over), in the sense that the Muslim should be the symbol of moderation in religion.
The one who is trying to portray Islam as a religion of extremism and hatred, is the person who does not understand the Islam at all; Islam is mainly in the center position between religions, and this is clear in matters of Islamic attitude regarding Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him, as well as with respect to the Islamic stance regarding divorce and retribution and rewards and punishment, as well as in terms of various branches of worship. It is necessary at the moment to be brought to the attention and minds of young Muslims and as well as our beloved children, as they are at their beginning of the road, in order to avoid them to be transformed into easy victims to these stray and deviant ideas that are acting in a hostile way to Islam, although they are pretended the opposite.
Today, in the midst of the intensification of the political intellectual attack of the groups and misguided circles that try to offer narrow explanation through distorted various jurisprudence texts, we feel afraid of the potential distortion of the minds of young Muslims and of pushing them in the way in which they will be no good deeds for them and for the Umma as a whole. And therefore, this situation requires a need for an urgent launch of an awareness and extensive campaign in order to fight these misguided and deviant ideas, which take us all too deep valleys of extremism and hatred and that increase the radicalism spirit.

These stray cliques are misleading and alleging that they draw from the good ancestors and from the depths of Islamic history, however these cliques are committing the most notorious crimes for the Umma, and they are shadowing the brilliant bright side of Islamic history and heritage. Throughout the various stages and different historical eras, there were Islamic scholars and intellectuals who insisted on the spirit of tolerance and moderation our religion, it is important to refute and disprove misleading allegations of these drifted cliques. Meanwhile, we need to reveal the true pillars of our religion that do not only reject but cancel completely this radical heresy.


In this context, we note that many of the leaders and the heads of these misguided groups refer to historical incidents or religious texts that represent a controversy, especially with respect to rhetoric on the Prophet Muhammad’s hadith.
We must address these, who are blinded by their intolerance, and they are blinds who want to lead other, and they are addressing the public issues according to their fake desires, because they marched according to a short-term vision. Therefore, the duties of enlightenment and awareness come on top of things that must be taken seriously to face the states of religious extremism and fanaticism.
This faithful awareness campaign, that we call to launch it, must infiltrate to various fields and activities so that it can ensure that they reach the ears of every one and most especially the youth. On the top priority of this media awareness activities come the radio and television programs as well as dramas and movies and theater performances. Most of these activities should be aimed and moved on the basis of this campaign with a deep commitment to perform the best tasks and to reach the aims.

* Sayyed Mohmmad Ali El Husseini, secretary-general of the Arab Islamic Council in Lebanon.