The Call of Islam: Peace and Moderation, Not Intolerance and Extremism

Islam is salaam (peace) and tasleem (submission to the Divine). In Islam Peace is the standard, it is the principle, and each person of faith has the moral obligation to maintain peace, without compromising on justice and truth. Islam invites to the subul as-salaam (pathway of peace); peace of mind, peace of conscience, peace in the family and society, peace with one's Creator and His creation. One of the attributes of the Divine is As-Salaam (The Source of Peace) and Muslim greeting universally, upon meeting and departing, is as-salamu 'alaykum or "peace be unto you". The final and ultimate reward for human endeavor is Paradise, referred to in the Qur'an as Dar-us-Salaam (Abode of Peace)

The Believers were intended to be an ummah (community) that serves as a standard/model for others; what the Qur'an describes ."...And we have made you (ummatan wasata) a median community / a people of moderation/ a balanced medium in order that you may be a testimony or model for humanity." [Qur'an 2:143] It is the absence of the balance provided by wasatiyyah (moderation) that extremism creeps in. Wasatiyyah is an antidote to ... ghuluww (excessiveness), tanattu' (harshness), tashaddud (severity), tatarruf (extremism) ... in all its forms.

Intolerance Whence?

Zealots are a plague upon religion

Radical extremists differ only in that they will use violence to further their cause and that the end justifies the means. They see any act as acceptable if it will further their 'cause.' This is blatantly anti-Islamic. In Islam the means must reflect its noble ends. Any means that does not embody the core truths and ethics of Islam is not from Islam and thus denounced as aberration. Islam is not a secret society of conspirators who no one knows what they are planning. Islam declares openly its aims and objectives and these are recognized by good people everywhere as pure and congruent with their own wisdom and traditions. Islam never allows a Muslim to kill the innocent and the helpless

Labeling something Islamic does not make it justifiable

According to the Qur'an [5:32]; Muslims have inherited the command from that prescribed to the Children of Israel "whoever takes a single life without justification is as if he has killed the entire humanity." Furthermore we are reminded, If Allah had not repelled some people through others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques; all in which Allah's name is much celebrated, would have been destroyed. Allah will certainly help those who help His cause and surely, Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty' [Qur'an, 22:40]

If we do not abide by these principles established in the Qur'an, then we are undermining the very spirit of our Deen. We must heed the Qur'anic warning against extremism in religion. ... do not be extreme in your religion [Qur'an 4:171] The Prophet further warned, My intercession will not be availed two categories of my community; an oppressive/unjust ruler and a rebellious extremist [Tibrani] I warn you regarding extremism, because communities before you were destroyed due to extremism [Nisa'i]

Injustice of the self-righteous

Remember the words of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):"A Muslim (one who proclaims faith) is that person from whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe; A Mu'min (one who manifests faith) is that person in whom humanity find safety and security regarding their lives, property and honor." [Baihaqi] The Prophet (pbuh) further advised ...Allah is kind and loves kindness in every matter, and kindness has been granted capacity which violence could never attain. [Sahih Muslim]

May Allah protect the innocent from the injustices of the self-righteous.

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