The most urgent topic today among Muslims and non-Muslims alike is the “Islamic extremism” that threatens the security and safety of the world. The term is an oxymoron when taken in the context of the Holy Quran and the life of The Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). Islam has always disavowed extremism.
The Prophet’s birthday, Youman Nabi, will be celebrated tomorrow. It is a good time to reflect on the legacy he left behind by founding one of the world’s great religions, Islam, a religion that has been hijacked by terrorists, and whose teachings and texts are conveniently edited and taken out of context to justify barbaric acts.
The critics who try to prove that Islam and the Prophet Mohamed preached and taught terrorism always use carefully edited versions of Quranic texts or quotes from various hadiths whether they are about jihad, holy war, or about medieval beliefs and practices that dictate a low status for women.
Hadiths are anecdotal accounts of the words and actions of the Holy Prophet. There are hundreds of them; all compiled well over 100 years after the death of Mohammed. Just as many can be quoted to justify brutalities, there are as many more that contradict those anecdotes.
The hadiths are always subordinate to Quranic texts, but critics and terrorists alike use them liberally to bolster their arguments and actions. In fact, Islamic scholars have written books and numerous articles that debunk the myths of barbarism attached to Mohamed and Islam, but these persist because there is a ready audience who want to believe the worst about Muslims and their religion.
The continued brutalities of the terrorists also give credence to the anecdotal texts when nothing could be further from the truth if the Quran is read in context and in its entirety as was intended.
The Holy Quran is clear on permitting the use of force only in self-defence which is not dissimilar to the laws of civilised Western countries. Chapter 2 Verse 190 of the Quran states: “You may fight in the cause of God against those who attack you, but do not aggress. God does not like the aggressors.”
In Chapter 17 Verse 33, the Quran states: “You shall not kill any person – for God has made life sacred – except in the course of justice. If one is killed unjustly, then we give his heir authority to enforce justice.”
In Chapter 4 Verse 90, the Quran states: “ …. If they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then God gives you no excuse to fight them.”
The idea of Islam being a religion that sanctions a holy war to spread the religion is also debunked by the Quran itself. In Chapter 2 Verse 256, the Quran states: “There shall be no compulsion in religion …” and underlines this statement further in Chapter 18 Verse 29: “Proclaim: ‘This is the truth from your Lord’, then whoever wills let him believe, and whoever wills let him disbelieve.”
The Quran, and the life and sayings of the Holy Prophet himself are the best antidote to any argument for extremism. Mohammed’s example of compassion, and his support for universal religious freedom and education represents the best possible path to counter the terrorism which is founded on ignorance about Islam and on gross misinterpretations of the Holy Quran.
The Prophet was once heard to declare: “The cure for ignorance is to question.” The extremists do not ever question but follow corrupt clerics blindly. They can actually be viewed as an extreme group of the populism of intolerance and hate that has gripped the US, Britain and other European countries where people willingly follow political leaders who are making over intolerance and divisiveness into a message of righteous patriotism that condones attacks on immigrants, refugees, and non-whites.
In one of the most famous stories that portray the Prophet’s deep respect for the belief of others, he gave his permission for the Christian tribe of Najran, who were visiting him in Medina, to use the mosque to offer their prayers.
This is not the Prophet of extremists and as Muslims the world over celebrate the life of the Prophet Mohammed it is an opportune moment for everyone to pledge to unite against all forms of corruption and extremism and to try and counter these with education and justice, and with respect for each other.
Such a world is the goal not only of Islam but of Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and every other faith that teaches us to be the best of humankind.
