Scholarly Directives on How to Remedy the Problem of Religious Radicalism

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد

 

Shaikh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) was asked:

How do we remedy the problem of radicalism?

The Shaikh replied:

“Through education and counseling directives from the scholars, if they are aware concerning a person that he has exceeded (the bounds) and declares others to be innovators – then they should explain clearly to him.

Such as the one that declares the sinners to be disbelievers; and this is the religion of the Khawaarij. The Khawaarij – it is they who declare people to be disbelievers due to sins, and so he should be taught that moderateness is due upon him. Thus a sinner has a ruling for him and the polytheist has a ruling for him and the innovator has a ruling for him.

So he should be taught and directed towards goodness such that he should be guided aright, and such that he comes to know of the rulings of the legislation and thus he places everything in its appropriate level. So he does not place the sinner at the level of the disbeliever, nor should he place the disbeliever at the level of the sinner, the sinners – those whose sins are lesser than that of shirk such as the fornicator and the thief and the one that backbites and spreads tales and the one that consumes usury – these people have rulings for them – and they will be under the Will (of Allaah) if they die upon that.

Likewise the polytheist that worships the inhabitants of the graves and so seeks rescue from other than Allaah – from the deceased; then he has a ruling for him – and it is disbelief in Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. Likewise the one that reviles the religion or mocks the religion; then he has a ruling – and it is disbelief in Allaah.

So the people are of levels and types, they are not equal in like manner, it is essential that they are rendered according to their levels, and it is essential that they are given their rulings with insight and clear proof; not with desires and ignorance. Rather – through legislative evidences – and this is upon the scholars, so it is upon the scholars to direct the people; and to rightly guide the youth; those from whom it may be feared from them that they are radicalized or are estranged in alienation or fall short, so they should be taught and given directives, this is because their knowledge is but a little and so it is obligatory that they are directed to the truth.”

 

The Shaikh mentioned likewise regarding holding onto the justly balanced principles of the religion and of not falling into its two opposing opposites:

 

“As for the person that adheres to the well regarded principles from The Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) – then this is not a defect. Rather it is praiseworthy and a completeness, and this is that which is obligatory upon the students of knowledge as well as the callers to Allaah – that they should adhere to the principles from The Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and that which is known in the principles of Fiqh and the principles of ‘Aqeedah and the principles of the science of Hadeeth in that which one utilizes for proof and that which one relies upon from the evidences.[1]

It is a must that they should have principles upon which they rely, thus striking at the callers in that they are usooli (conformists to correctly established principles) – then this is general (vague) speech which has no reality to it except in the context of blameworthiness and defectiveness and creating deterrence (aversion). Conforming to principles is not blameworthy, it is however a praise in reality, for if the student of knowledge holds on firmly to the principles and so gives great regard to them and attends to them from The Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) – as well as that which the people of knowledge determine; then this is not a defect.

As for radicalism through innovation and going to excesses as well as extremism – then it is a defect, or radicalism along with ignorance or shortcoming – this too is a defect.[2]

So it is an obligation upon the callers that they adhere to the principles of the legislation and that they hold on firmly to being justly balanced, which Allaah has made them upon. For Allaah has made them a justly balanced Ummah (nation),[3] so it is obligatory upon the callers that they should be balanced between the extreme and the estranged, between excessive immoderation and neglect. Upon them is to be upright upon the truth and to be firm upon it with the legislative proofs – and thus there should be no excessive immoderation and extremism nor any estrangement and neglect. However; it should be justly balanced – as Allaah has commanded with.”

 

 

(Taken from: At-Tahdheer min Ghuloo wat-Tatarruf p.12-13 & p.14-15)

 

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[1] The Shaikh (rahimahullaah) said on p.7: “So the affair is upon the requisite as well as ascertainment and not being hasty in affairs, and so whatever is problematic upon the student of knowledge – if he seeks good and seeks the truth – then that which is obligatory upon him is that he presents/reviews that upon the Mighty Qur’aan and the pure Sunnah. Likewise that he seeks the assistance of the people of knowledge upon understanding the truth. He should not give precedence to his own understanding upon others; and as such he sees that he himself is correct whilst other than him is in error, and so he continues in his corrupt opinion and his misguidance. This is the very path of wretchedness; and is the path of the people of innovation.”

[2] The Shaikh said on p.8: “As for continuation upon deviated opinions and corrupt ideologies and not returning back to the proofs and gathering them; as well as not returning back to the people of knowledge who are known for guidance and steadfastness; then this is the way of the Khawaarij and the way of the people of misguidance and the way of the people of innovation, from the Jahmiyyah and the Mu’tazilah and the Raafidhah and other than them. They authorize their own opinions upon the Muslims as well as their corrupt understandings upon the Muslims – and so they withdraw from them and deviate from their way.”

[3] As He, The Most High states:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا

((And thus we have made you a justly balanced Ummah [nation])) (Al-Baqarah: 143)

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