Reject Extremism

While addressing the 8th Annual Peace Symposium on March 26th, 2011, His Holiness Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad ^{(may Allah be his helper)}, the fifth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, commented that curing extremism today requires accurately, objectively portraying the truth.

To begin, His Holiness reasoned that Prophet Muhammad’s ^{(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)} entire life demonstrates that Islam and extremism are incompatible. During his lifetime, he and his followers were beaten, starved, tortured, some even killed. After 12 years of peacefully enduring such persecution, instead of fighting, the Muslims migrated from Mecca to Medina. Even after migration, the Meccans constantly declared war on the Muslims, compelling the Muslims to defend themselves. Per the Holy Qur’an (22:40-42), the Muslims waged a defensive jihad to not only protect their very existence but to protect all religions from annihilation – not just Islam. And after two decades of such persecution, when Prophet Muhammad ^{(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)} conquered Mecca, the Meccans were forgiven. His Holiness further noted that Islam spread to South Asia and the Far East without any violence. How could a religion win over much of the Eastern world without force while allegedly forcing others into its fold?

His Holiness also presented the research of a terrorism expert indicating that the first suicide bombings were conducted in the 1980s. He asked if Islam permitted such attacks, why did they not taking place centuries earlier? In fact, the Holy Qur’an (5:33) declares the loss of one innocent life akin to the loss of all mankind. Moreover, non-Muslim countries involved in these wars never declared the wars to be religious in nature, helping both warring Muslim sides with weaponry and funding. So it is wrong to say these wars are in any fashion Islamic.

His Holiness methodically rebutted accusations that Islam engenders extremism. His Holiness rejected the allegation that Islam punishes apostasy. For, if Islam sanctioned death for apostasy, why does the Holy Qur’an (2:218; 3:21, 3:73, 3:87-92, 3:150; 4:138; 5:55, 5:62, 5:93, 5:100; 9:3, 9:66-68, 9:74; 16:107; 47:26-27; 63:2-7) address—but never sanction—worldly punishment for the apostate who repeatedly believes and disbelieves? His Holiness also reasoned that when the Holy Qur’an only granted Prophet Muhammad ^{(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)} the ability to preach the message, how could any lesser Muslim compel anyone into belief? Addressing blasphemy, His Holiness reminded the public that the Holy Qur’an (4:64; 6:70-71; 10:109; 11:47; 50:46; 88:22-23) only permits Muslims to admonish – but never punish – a blasphemer. His Holiness quoted the Holy Qur’an (2:157, 10:100, 25:58, 18:30, 28:57) to prove that Islam recognizes and defends the freedom of conscience and religion; in fact, the Holy Qur’an addresses disbelief more than 150 times, yet never allows man to punish the nonbeliever.

But while Islam does not punish blasphemy, it calls for restraint in speech because peace demands it. In this regard, His Holiness cited the Holy Qur’an (6:109) and presented the wise counsel of Prophet Muhammad ^{(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)}: “It is one of the gravest sins to abuse one’s parents.” It was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, can a man abuse his own parents?” Prophet Muhammad ^{(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)} replied, “He abuses the father of somebody who, in return, abuses the former’s father; he then abuses the mother of somebody who, in return, abuses his mother” (Bukhari). His Holiness also mentioned how, on one occasion, a Jew complained to Prophet Muhammad ^{(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)} that a Muslim had slapped him because the Jew claimed Prophet Moses ^{(peace be upon him)} was superior in rank to Prophet Muhammad ^{(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)}. Upon hearing this news, Prophet Muhammad ^{(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)} sharply rebuked the Muslim as it had hurt the Jew’s feelings (Bukhari). “See how beautifully,” His Holiness commented, “[the] limits of freedom of speech and respecting honor have been laid down.”

His Holiness also explained that political leaders and the news media, by conflating Islam with a tiny minority of extremists, commit “an injustice that is sowing the seeds of further division and conflict.” Instead, if such commentary was unbiased and covered acts of goodness instead of evil, terrorism would decrease. Unfortunately, such bias has led the public to tolerate extreme prejudice. His Holiness asked why Europe was so concerned with women wearing a hijab while accepting the headdress of nuns? And if, by wearing a hijab, states deny education to Muslim women, do they not realize that the country itself suffers because the talent pool shrinks? He further stated that if any mosque was the source of an anti-government conspiracy, the government must take “immediate action,” but alleging this happens only or always in mosques is wrong and creates unrest. Unjustly attacking Islam for the behavior of rogue Muslims only intensifies division, which extremists use as a wedge strategy.

His Holiness further cited examples such as Brexit, the global arms trade, proxy wars, tensions between Europe and Russia, the admissions of a prominent diplomat that the invasion of Muslim countries was based on lies, and a potentially emerging cold war between America and China as proof that non-Muslims have also significantly contributed to today’s unrest. A prominent diplomat even claimed the major powers were working towards a “new world disorder.” Supporting insurgencies and toppling regimes creates power vacuums that extremists can exploit; rebel groups allied with major powers can even sell weapons to extremists. Instead, His Holiness advised major powers to help weaker governments combat extremism contingent on these governments respecting their citizens’ rights. He also noted the hypocrisy and danger of far-right groups falsely blaming immigrants for economic crises, “They too are extremists, who seek to poison Western society, by inciting the masses against those who have a different color of skin or who hold different beliefs.”

As the world has become increasingly connected, unrest anywhere can create unrest everywhere. Thus, rejecting extremism in all its forms is of paramount importance. “Steer clear of all forms of disorder,” His Holiness advised, “[T]his is the conduct that one day will not only save the world from anarchy, in fact it will be the guarantor for world peace.”