Extremism?
By Brother Kyle Smith
The media often portrays Islam as an “extreme religion”. Sadly, sometimes some individuals will in fact take the religion to the extreme. However, this is true in all religions. Anyone with true knowledge about Islam knows that the religion does not accept extremism. The goal of this article is to explain how Islam strictly forbids extremism.
In Surat Al-Balad Allah (SWT) tells us “we have created mankind in difficulty” (90:4). Therefore, it is clear that life is difficult. Allah (SWT) created life and death to test mankind to see who would obey him, and who is worthy of his Jannah (paradise). If life were easy, and everyone was righteous, then why would anyone be deserving of jannah? The following verse “if it wasn’t for Allah (SWT) pushing people against each other (good vs bad, righteous vs non righteous), then the system of earth would have been ruined”.
What is the way then to the easy life?
The easy way to life is our Deen (religion).
Everything that Allah (SWT) mandated upon our life is easy: “Allah wants you to be at ease and he doesn’t want to make it difficult for you” (Quran 2-185). Allah (SWT) wants to facilitate our life. Allah (SWT) does not want to make things difficult for us: “he chose for you to be Muslims and He did not create anything to be difficult in you deen” (Quran 22-78).
Allah (SWT) tells us “We created you as a nation of the middle so you will be witnesses upon people as Prophet Muhammed (SAW) is a witness upon us” (Quran 2-143).
This means that Islam is the religion between al Ifratt (excessiveness) and Tafreett (negligence).
Excessiveness is to add or burden ourselves by making our deen harsh and difficult. This is totally opposite if what Allah (SWT) wanted for us. Allah (SWT) tells us that Islam is deenul yusr [the deen of ease] (Quran 2-185) Negligence is to disobey Allah (SWT) by committing abominations, Haram etc. An example of how Islam is the middle path is as follows: picture yourself driving on a two way street, if you drive too much to the right, you will hop the curb and can smash into a house. If you cross the double line by going too far to the left, you will get into a head on collision with another car. However, if you stay on the straight, middle path, everything is calm and easy, and you will be on your way to the ultimate prize of jannah, inshaAllah.
Both excessiveness and negligence are devastating. Prophet Muhammed (SAW) specifically warned us about at tashadud (excessiveness in the Deen). There are two common examples of this. The most famous example is bidaa, which is promoted by people who want to make themselves special by having followers. These individuals add things to the deen that Allah (SWT) never mandated upon Muslims. These things include adding prayers, nawafel, tasibeeh. When this happens, the deen becomes heavy and difficult and this results in Muslims resenting the deen. In addition, Muslims may even leave the deen altogether. The second example, is the tashadud that someone puts upon themselves when they want to get closer to Allah (SWT). The deen in itself is not difficult “Allah would not burden a soul more than it can bear” (Quran 2-286). Allah (SWT) is lenient when it comes to the deen. Here are some examples: if one cannot pray while standing, then he/she is permitted to pray while sitting down. If he/she cannot pray while sitting down, then he/she can pray while lying down. If one is sick and cannot fast, then he/she can break their fast. If one is travelling, he/she can shorten the four rakaah prayer to only two rakaahs. Here is an analogy to help understand the detriment one puts on them self when they are excessive. Allah (SWT) created the nature of mankind like a rubber band. If one pulls the rubber band too far to one extreme, it is going to snap back, and when it snaps back it does not go back to normal, it goes to the opposite side. What do I mean by the opposite side? Allah (SWT) knows the nature of mankind. If an individual adds excessive things such as extra prayers, and nawafel that burden themselves, he knows an individual would do it for a certain period of time. However, once things get too difficult, they would snap back (like the rubber band) to the other side, which is not praying or doing nawafel at all.
Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said “do not go to extremes in the deen, for when you do, Allah (SWT) would bring extreme conditions upon yourself ”. A major example, Allah (SWT) gave advice to the people of the scripture 1400 years ago in Surat al Maida “oh people of the scripture do not go to extremes in the religion, and do not claim things upon Allah (SWT) that are mandated upon people, that Allah (SWT) did not say and did not mandate”. Here are some examples of how humans went to extremes in the religion by making others do things that Allah (SWT) did not mandate. 400 years after Prophet Jesus (PBUH) was raised to Allah (SWT), people said that in order to be a righteous man one has to live in a monastery in isolation, and in harsh conditions. 1200 years after that, the people of the scriptures decided that priests should be celibate and not have families. Other changes in the scriptures include, allowing people to eat pork, use riba (interest), these changes led to what is known as the dark ages in Europe. 1300 years ago in Italy, the birthplace of the Vatican, people were praying that the Muslims would come in and occupy Italy so they could implement the fairness of the Islamic social systems. These Christians were praying for this because they were under absolute oppression from the church. The church was collecting unbelievable amounts of taxes, claiming that this was Jesus’ (PBUH) money. Therefore, it is clear that these individuals took the religion to an extreme. If we look at the results of this extremism, we find out that 84% of Europeans today do not believe in God, and a majority of the Europeans who do believe in God are Muslims. Religion is dying in Europe, specifically Christianity, and one of the main reasons for this is because they took the religion to a man made extreme.
Now we already established that Islam is the religion of the middle—so how is a person supposed to find that balance to stay on the straight path? They can do that by following the text of the Quran. This is one of the absolute mercies that Allah (SWT) had on mankind. Allah (SWT) gave us a religion that is apparent and clear. If we follow the verses, and hadeeths, we will be on the straight path. People deviate from the straight path when they change things for their own desires. The following hadith helps Muslims understand the ease of our deen. At the time of Prophet Muhammed (SAW), when two men were walking in the desert, prayer time came in and there was no water to be found. The ruling in Islam is that if one cannot find water then he/she is permitted to make tayyamun. The tayyumun replaces wudu and that person will get the exact same reward for his prayers. So both of the men made tayamun, then prayed. When the men got back to Madinah they found water, one of the men made ablution and prayed again, while the other did not. Both of the men came to the Prophet (SAW) and told him about the situation. The Prophet (SAW) told the man who prayed twice that he will get twice the reward, and then the Prophet told the other man that he has fulfilled the sunnah. Allah (SWT) made everything easy on us, so, in a situation like this, if one prays again he will get double the reward, however, it is not mandated upon him. It is actually preferred to fulfill the Sunnah instead.
The following hadith shows how the Prophet (SAW) warned against things like this. Prophet Muhammed (SAW) sent two men to open the country of Yemen to Islam Moaz Ibn Jabal and Abu Moosa Al Ashaary.The Prophet (SAW) told them “make it easy for people, and do not make it difficult, tell people about the glad tidings more than the punishment of Allah (SWT)”. The Prophet (SAW), told them to speak about hellfire, but he wanted them to speak about jannah more. The Prophet (SAW) also informed them to be cooperative and lenient towards the people of Yemen. In this hadith, Prophet Muhammed (SAW) warns about the dangers of making the deen difficult, and resentful. The Prophet (SAW), told Moaz Ibn Jabal that you are about to enter a country of people of the scriptures. Muhammed (SAW) said this because prophets have been in Yemen before. The Prophet (SAW), said invite them to say the shahadah. If they accept Islam, then tell them there are five prayers a day obligated upon them. The Prophet (SAW) then said if they accept the five prayers, then tell them that there is an obligated charity upon them for the poor. Another example is the fiqh of the caliph Omar Ibn Abdul Aziz. His son came to him and said “these new people to Islam, I do not see you applying Islamic law upon them immediately? Why is that if they already accepted Islam? They should be under the law of Islam.” Omar Ibn Abdul Aziz responded to him by saying, “they are new to Islam, and they do not know yet. I am afraid that if I impose all Islamic laws upon them that they would leave it all”. Both of these examples show the ease, and gradualness of Islam.
Some individuals believe that if they make their deen difficult, and harsh upon themselves that they will get more of a reward from Allah (SWT). This is absolutely wrong, as in Islam an individual gets the same reward from Allah (SWT) from obeying him in the easy obligations, and the difficult ones. Some individuals also believe that Allah (SWT) values the word haram more than the word halal. This is also a false statement. If someone tells someone else that milk is haram, it is just as sinful and punishable as saying drinking alcohol is halal. The obedience of Allah (SWT) is what matters. It does not matter how easy, or difficult a ruling is.
Aisha (RA) came to prophet Muhammed (SAW), and told him that a woman named al Howla Bint Tuwait, stands up all night praying to Allah (SWT). Muhammed (SAW) was surprised upon hearing this, as this was something that he himself did not do. So, Muhammed (SAW) ordered all Muslims to “take from your religion what you can bear”. This means that as long is one is praying and fasting when they can, Allah (SWT) will keep rewarding them for their good deeds. However, these extra prayers and fasts are not to be too harsh and exhausting upon a worshiper for Allah (SWT) left it to us as to when to stop. The wife of a pious Muslim, Abdullah Ibn Amr ibn Alaas came to the Prophet (SAW) and complained. She said that her husband was wearing himself down, as he used to fast everyday, then stay up all night praying. So, the Prophet (SAW) came to him and asked if this was true. Abdullah said yes. The Prophet (SAW) told him “do not do that. Fast some days, and break your fast some days. Pray parts of the night, and sleep parts of the night. For your body has a right upon you, you’re your eyes have a right upon you and your wife has a right upon you”. This means that Allah (SWT) gave you that body to do righteous deeds, Allah (SWT) did not give you that precious eyesight so you can wear it down by reading Quran all night. Allah (SWT) blessed you with a good wife, and she has a right upon you that you should interact with her and fulfill her rights.
These are two examples of excessiveness that people brought upon themselves, that was not mandated. As Muslims, we should do as much additional good deeds as we can, as long as it is not too much of a burden upon ourselves.
One of the days of Eid-al-Adha, people came to Muhammed (SAW), and as we know, hajj is a sequence of actions. They then said that they performed some of the actions out of sequence. The Prophet (SAW) told every one of them that who did it out of sequence, that inshaAllah it will be accepted. This shows that Islam is the deen of Yusr and ease.
The prophet (SAW) used to tell everyone who was in charge of a certain group of people (i.e. their family, or their business) that they are responsible for these people before Allah (SWT). The Prophet (SAW) used to supplicate to Allah (SWT) “oh Allah by your power whoever had the responsibility of any part or any group of people in my nation, and made things difficult upon them, then make it difficult for that person” In this supplication, the Prophet (SAW) is asking Allah (SWT) that if anyone makes things difficult on a group of people (I.E. telling them that extra prayers are mandated, when Allah SWT did not mandate them himself.) then Allah should make things difficult for the person who did that. In this same supplication, the prophet (SAW) said “and whoever had the same responsibility upon people in my nation, and was gentle, and kind with them, Oh Allah (SWT) I am asking you to be kind and gentle with him on judgment day.” This supplication helps us in understanding the importance of not being extreme upon people. It also helps us to understand the importance of being kind and gentle with people. The following hadith also stresses the importance of kindness and gentleness in Islam “Allah (SWT) is gentle and kind, and he likes gentleness and kindness in all matters” An additional hadith shows how Islam is a religion of kindness, and strictly forbids violence and extremism. “Allah (SWT) rewards for mercy, kindness, and gentleness, what he does not reward for violence.”
If one were to study the Seerah, and hadiths of Prophet Muhammed (SAW), they would find out that everything is a pursuit of mercy and spreading peace. The following hadith backs this statement up: “you will never get into jannah unless you believe in Allah (SWT), and you will not be believers until you love each other. Should I tell you about that one thing that if you do, you would have that love amongst yourselves” All of the companions said yes, oh prophet of Allah tell us. So the Prophet (SAW) said “spread peace amongst yourselves”.
Let us use three examples of the most fundamental part of our deen, which is Salah. One time, a bedouin heard about Islam, so he walked a very long distance and asked where the Muslims were. So, the people who he asked, pointed to the masjid, where Muhammed (SAW), and his companions were. The man had walked a very long distance and as a result, he had to urinate. The man was not a Muslim, therefore, he knew nothing about the deen. So, the most suitable place in his mind to urinate was the makam. The man went to the makam and started urinating. Everyone was shocked. The companions stood up and wanted to kill the man. They knew that obviously, he was not a Muslim, so they thought he was a kafir who came to disgrace the Muslims with the most foul of liquids were the Prophet stands to lead prayers. So what did the prophet Muhammed (SAW) do? He stopped the companions, and said “do not beat him up”. Muhammed (SAW) did not yell at the man, he didn’t ask him what are you doing? He waited for the man to finish urinating, because he knows that it would be painful for the man to stop him. Then he told the companions to get a bucket of water, which they dumped where the man urinated. Then the Prophet (SAW) sat the man down, and he spoke to the man with absolute kindness. He did not ask the man why he did that. Instead, he told him about the deen: “this is what is clean, and this is what is not clean”. Then he told him about Islam. Upon hearing about Islam, the man took shahadah. Since the companions treated the man with harshness, the man said “oh Allah have mercy upon me, and Prophet Muhammed (SAW), and do not have mercy upon anyone else”. The man said this because the Prophet (SAW) treated him with the utmost kindness, despite what he did.
A second example was during the most important prayer of the week, jummah prayer. The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) was giving a khutba. A man who wanted to learn about Islam interrupted Muhammed (SAW). The man said “I am a man from not around here, and I want to learn about my religion”. What did the prophet (SAW) do? Did he say don’t you see I am giving a speech, why don’t you wait? No, he did not. Instead, he stopped the khutba to tell the man about Islam. He sat down with the man, answered all his questions, and the man took shahadah. After the man took shahadah, Muhammed (SAW) finished the khutba. Keep in mind that at the time, this man was a non Muslim. The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) gave importance to people more than anything else, whether they were Muslim or not.
A 3rd example was when Muslims were praying. One man who was new to Islam, heard that when someone sneezes, it’s a right upon the Muslims to say yarhamakum Allah. During the prayer, the man heard someone sneeze, so he said yarhamakum Allah. The man did not know that you are not supposed to talk during prayers, because talking takes one out of salah. All of the companions looked at him harshly—but what did the Prophet (SAW) do? He finished the prayer, and then sat the man down speaking to him with the utmost kindness. He told the man “our prayers are not something where people can talk. It is only praising Allah (SWT), takbir, and reading Quran.” These three examples show how the Prophet (SAW) dealt with people in one of the most important things in the deen. Being that prayers are of the utmost significance, one would think that it is ok to yell at someone. However, the prophet did not yell, instead he treated these people with the utmost kindness and gentleness.
So what makes people harsh and extreme in the religion? History always shows that the following three things are the reason for extremism in the religion. The first thing is that people are totally ignorant of the religion. If these people knew the correct hadith, and seerah of Muhammed (SAW), they would never yell at anyone, or make things harsh upon people or themselves. The second reason is, sometimes people come from harsh environments. These harsh environments create harshness in people. The third reason is sometimes people are hard to deal with, that is just the makeup of their psychology,
Therefore, what is the solution to all of this? It is to learn the deen, and the deen is the text. We should apply the deen as it is. As stated earlier, with the example about the two men in the desert, both tayyumun and ablution are permissible. In situations like this, we should not add difficulty upon ourselves. The deen is easy. Since the deen is easy, and has a kind and caring nature, it is no wonder why Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world.
As I stated earlier, there are people in Islam who do horrendous acts in the name of Islam. I also stated that this happens in any religion. I believe that this article has made it clear that those acts are far away from the teachings of Islam, which is the text of the Quran, and Muhammeds’ (SAW) quotations. Finally, I would like to conclude with saying that when one judges a religion, they should not judge it by its people (unless the person is a prophet), but rather by the religion itself. Islam is perfect but humans are not.
