It is the duty of every sane person to reject religious extremism. God has ordered people not to exceed the bounds of what is proper. Excess is known not to produce good. Likewise, it is the duty of the sane to reject calls by those seeking, under the pretext of religion, to spread misinformation and confusion. Those who spread this drivel mean to plunge society into chaos by having the family disintegrate and youth led into depravity. There are those who find no wrong in saying one thing while in fact meaning something else, cloaking truth with falsehood and right with wrong. They work on an agenda of no benefit to society, country or the larger Muslim nation, one that knows only one crooked road.
The promoters of confusion and corruption have been waiting for the extremists to strike. The moment an act of violence takes place they jump up to say: “I told you; I gave advice but nobody listened.” Looking at the so-called advice, it will immediately become clear they all speak one language and lead to one goal — the spread of corruption in society. They want people to shun good behavior, do away with decency and modesty because good behavior is an obstacle to people who want to live a modern way of life. They want people to disobey God’s law and disregard local traditions and customs.
God ordered Muslim women to wear hijab, to stay quietly in their homes, venturing outside only when necessary and when doing so, not to make worldly or vulgar displays. But those who promote corruption want women to do the opposite. Some even take pride in seeing their womenfolk strolling, without hijab, along the fashionable boulevards of foreign cities. If they were told to fear God and refrain from such behavior, their arrogance would lead them to commit even greater sins.
If we choose to reject the extremist views held by those who mix halal with haram, interpret religion so that it only suits them and who seek to force their views on others, we must also reject in the strongest manner any attempts which seek to make permissible what the Holy Qur’an and Hadeeth deem impermissible. Extremism is extremism, whether from left or right. Only those who take a middle course can hope to win and be admitted to God’s mercy and grace.
- Arab News From the Local Press22 May 2003
