Before You Become An Extremist By Abdulrazaq O Hamzat

Prophet Muhammed said: (Avoid extremes in your religion: those before you perished because they were extreme )- Nesa’ee, Ibn Majja & Ahmad The Prophet also added that, (Those who are extreme and too strict in their words and deeds will fail and perish) – Muslim. Muslims should be just and moderate, as there is no room for extremism in Islam. Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) warned Muslims against becoming extremist in every thing they do. The guided prophet warned that, Muslims shouldn’t be extremist in religious, social or cultural affairs. In fact, he warned against extremism in whatever engagements or practice. The best among Muslims are those who are moderate in all they do. Moderation means to follow a just right way avoiding extremes in our life, therefore we are not extravagant nor misers, and are not excessive in our worship but safeguard our prayers, fasting and charity; we are not harsh or soft; we do not ask of ourselves or others beyond what we are capable of. – BS Foad The noble prophet maintained that, extremist will never accomplish their mission, they will perish with their extremism. Ibn Abbas related that Allah’s messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) said: (Avoid extremes in your religion: those before you perished because they were extreme )- Nesa’ee, Ibn Majja & Ahmad Again, Ibn Masoud related that Allah’s messenger ( PBUH ) said : (Those who are extreme and too strict in their words and deeds will fail and perish) – Muslim This brings us to the question, why do some people follow extreme measures or become so strict? According to findings, there are many factors responsible for extremism, some of those identified by BS Foad (2007) in his article titled moderation in Islam include: •Lack of proper knowledge and understanding, and in their zeal they believe they are doing the right thing. •Not willing to listen to opposing points of view •Poverty, lack of work and despair •Oppression and no freedom to speak or express themselves If the above and many more are factors responsible for extremism, we must device means to moderate their extreme view through constant engagement with textual facts. However, It should be noted that, putting them in jail does not help nuetralize their extremism, that is more like runnng away from the problem, for it only reinforces their hatred and determination to strike back. But on a temporal means, it helps to take them away from the larger society. Government must therefore put in more efforts in providing platforms for true knowledge to be shared to neutralize extreme ideas that is capable of leading to something more. Oppression causes their wrong thinking to get more extreme like a boil that festers. The only way is to contrast their wrong ideas to the truth and Improving economic conditions. Also, We should be willing to listen to opposing points of view, as no one knows everything or is correct all the time. We should learn from different prospective, as there is more than one correct way to the truth. Arrogance leads to error, while humility leads to guidance and righteousness. BS Foad. I recall that last month, during the wedding ceremony of Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole. The then president elect, now President of the federal republic of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari exchange hand shake with the bride of the governor, just as every world leader after a successful discussion or programmes do greet their friendly partner. A young Muslim brother, who himself was pictured in different club house abroad, holding, pecking and dancing with women started a trend online, condemning president Buhari for exchanging hand shake with Oshiomole’s bride, saying exchanging hand shake with opposite sex was unislmaic. While such opinion is indeed partially factual and genuine and shared by some sections of the Muslim scholars, majority of scholars gave conditions that may permit one to shake opposite sex and President Buhari clearly falls within that condition. As usual, the bandwagon effect took place, as many Muslims that seems to be either ignorant of the matter or share the extreme view argument jump into the discuss, condemning President Buhari and bullying many others who didn’t know much about the subject into submission. Anyone that shared another view get attacked, ridiculed, insulted, abused and some times threatened. Some were called so many unprintable names for doing nothing, other than expressing their view about an issue that concerns them and their religion. In an effort to shed light on the subject matter, especially to the teeming uninformed public, bringing fourth all views as expressed by numerous scholars, I wrote an article titled, Buhari is free to shake opposite sex if need be. The article clearly outline the points raised by all sides and their proves. And from all arguments by the respected scholars as presented in the article, I supported the arguement I considered to be more moderate, more logical, more convincing and more substantiated. After the publication, a lot of people were clearly exposed to all facts of the subject. Many Muslims that were initially confused about the issue were well educated. Some respected friends in Islam also shared their view, probing me further on some points raised and at the end, most agreed with me, while others disagree based on their own understanding. Some of those that had not decided on which of the argument to agree with also have a more broader perspective to tap from, and some none Muslims interested in the discuss also gained from that presentation. We are all still learning. But as usual, there are some few elements that always feel the extreme, disputed and none substantiated view should reign supreme. They try, through what ever means to bully others into silence. They claim to know all, claim to be more pious, sometimes claiming to be the true believers,while every other person who didn’t share their extreme view has compromise. While they publicly proclaim those extreme views to cause confusion and division among the Muslim Ummah, in their daily lives, they act otherwise, doing in secret, what they publicly condemned and are ready to crucify others for. For example, while former Governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima introduced a self guided political Shariah to trail the poor citizens wrongly, he himself was charged with massive corruption after his tenure and he was never trialed by the same political shariah. This tells us that, he knows what he introduced in that state was not Shariah as guided by Islam, but many poor citizens had to suffer from his political shariah. As a result of my publication, I received a lot of friendly messages from those that were inspired and educated by the article, I equally received insult and threats, from those with extreme views, threatening to do all sort should I not be silent. But by Allah, I fear no threat, I cannot be silent, neither will I ever stop spreading the true message of Islam as I understood. Prophet of Allah urge Muslims to Make things easy, not difficult. Abi Musa related that Allah’s messenger ( Peace Be Upon Him ) said: (Give glad tidings, and do not make others hate you or run away from you; and make things easy and not difficult) Bokhari & Muslim The prophet also advised Muslims to avoid extremes in worship. Abdullah Bin Amrou Bin A’as said: Allah’s messenger told me : ( I was told that you pray all night and you fast by day ) I said: Yes o messenger of Allah. He said: ( Do not do that, fast but not every day; pray at night but not all night: for your body has rights over you, and your eyes have rights over you, and your wife has rights over you, and your visitor has rights over you. IT is enough to fast three days each month, for a good deed is rewarded ten times, therefore this way you are considered fasting all the time ) Bokhari & Muslim It is important to note that, Muslims are not expected to be moderate only in religion, we are expected to be moderate in spending“ Make not your hand tied to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that you become blameworthy and destitute “ Al-Isra’a 17 : 29 Moderate in the ways of living,“Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just balance between these two extremes“Al-Furqan 25 : 67 The religion of Islam is not supposed to be difficult or strict, as Abou Horaira related that Allah’s messenger ( PBUH ) said: (This religion is one of ease and not restrictions; no one tries to make it strict or difficult on others, but will be overcome; therefore do what is right, and do what you are capable of, and be happy, and seek help in prayers ) Bokhari Finally, Prophet Muhammed advice Muslims to avoid extremes and seek help in prayers. Aesha related that Allah’s messenger ( PBUH ) said: (None of you will be saved by his deeds alone ). He was asked : Not even you O messenger of Allah ? He said: ( Not even me unless Allah’s mercy encompass me: therefore do what is right, and do what you are capable of, and seek help in prayers, and be sincere in your intentions) Bokhari. In conclusion, as we seek Allah’s mercy in this holy month of ramadan, I therefore urge all Muslim brothers and sisters to seek true knowledge of Islam, be open to opposing views and avoid extreme in your religion and every other engagement whatsoever. As prophet Muhammed said, avoid extremes in your religion: those before you perished because they were extreme. He also added that, Those who are extreme and too strict in their words and deeds will fail and perish. Have a wonderful day. Salam.