As noted by a number of observant intellectuals and analysts, such negative words as “terrorism,” “extremism,” “radicalism,” and “fanaticism” have often been abused against groups or people having or expounding different-especially fundamentally opposing-worldviews and positions.
As such, one must always be careful and vigilant not to misappropriate what should otherwise be words or terms that rightfully point to vicious traits or acts.
Similarly, positive terms in Islam like “jihad” have also been confused, wittingly or unwittingly, with such pejorative labels as “suicide bombings,” “holy wars,” etc.
It is also important for us to be aware that the various negative phenomena indicated via such unfavorable terms are not necessarily religious in nature or by origin.
Most of the times, several factors are involved-each of them mutually reinforcing the others-in giving rise to such phenomena.
Furthermore, terrorism, extremism, as well as fanaticism, as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib correctly pointed out at a meeting organized by the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) at Nottingham University’s Malaysia on 12 April 2012, could not be fought by just using military might but should also be tackled in the minds of the people.
As human acts, they all surely begin as a notion or an impression in someone’s mind which through some means and due to a number of factors eventually spreads to and dominates the minds of certain other people, leading then to such despicable acts and events.
Hence, dealing properly with them as mind-sets or mentalities is as important as, if not more important than, dealing with them as acts and events.
Since mind-set is about awareness, understanding and attitude, the primary way of dealing with mind-sets is proper inculcation and dissemination of right knowledge and attitude at all levels, involving basically continual, if not continuous, education.
Treating such negative trends as mind-sets demands that we be equally concerned with them as misunderstandings, confusion, ignorance, abuse or manipulation of what was initially true or right.
Doing so also requires us to provide their antidotes deriving from the very teachings which have been misunderstood, confused, ignored, abused or manipulated.
Insofar as extremism as the antithesis of the true teachings of Islam is concerned, its remedy cannot but involve proper inculcation and dissemination of moderation as justice, on the one hand, and jihad as primary means of enjoining what is good and beneficial as well as forbidding what is evil and harmful, on the other hand.
As we have had the occasion to briefly highlight a few basic points pertaining to the former (see IKIM Views, 27 March 2012), we shall herein focus on the latter.
Jihad basically means serious effort, arduous task, or great struggle.
As is clear from that basic meaning, the word “jihad” describes one’s act as a means of sorts more than it does one’s ultimate purpose which renders the act meaningful.
Yet, the meaning and context of jihad is actually the objective of enjoining good and forbidding evil, of obtaining what if beneficial and avoiding what is harmful.
Just as Muslims are characterized in the Qur’an as ummah wasat (verse 143 of al-Baqarah, the second chapter of the Qur’an, as well as verse 135 of al-Nisa’, the fourth chapter of the Qur’an), they are also described therein as khayr ummah (the best community) with two defining traits: one being “enjoining good and forbidding evil” while the other being “believing in Allah” (verse 110 of Al ?Imran, the third chapter of the Qur’an).
It is also well-known among Muslims that the Prophet once reminded that should a Muslim confront something objectionable then he has to object it first with his hand, if he is unable, then he should do so with his tongue, if he still can’t, then he ought to refuse it with his heart, which is the weakest form of faith.
As far as the aforementioned objective of jihad is concerned, it is hard to imagine that a person with reasonable mind will outrightly reject it.
Nor shall it be easy to think of the same person instantaneously disapproving the kind of effort involved in realizing such a sublime aim.
For both the objective and the sort of effort involved are common sense.
The challenge then is to understand such Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions in a unified and harmonious manner.
Among issues that should be considered in so doing are:
What actually is the relation between being witnesses (shuhada’) as espoused by al-Baqarah : 143, on the one hand, and the act of enjoining good and forbidding evil, as upheld in Al ?Imran : 110, on the other hand?
Or worded somewhat differently, in what way is being moderate (wasat) related to being the best (khayr)?
What good or evil is involved?
Is there hierarchy of goods and bads, as well as of ways of dealing with either?
What is actually meant by the three descending modes of forbidding wrong as reminded by the Prophet?
Does the act of forbidding wrong “by hand” apply to any Muslim?
Is there only one kind of jihad?
Or are there different forms or modes of it?
With reference to such issues, particularly the last two questions above, one needs to bear in mind verse 122 of surah Tawbah, the ninth Chapter of the Qur’an, from which several lessons can be derived:
Firstly, the Islamic teachings and the Muslim Community must be guarded not only outwardly but also inwardly, not only with physical might (at crucial and trying times, manifested as qital, the armed jihad) but also with intellectual and spiritual mastery.
Secondly, each of the two has its due importance in Islam, each complementing and reinforcing the other.
So intimately related are they that both have been consistently referred to throughout the Islamic History by the terms jihad and ijtihad, both being cognates originating from the same verbal root and indicating earnestness.
Similarly, they have also been paired together via terms that end with similar sound or syllable, viz., burhan (demonstrative proof, the highest being one’s profound understanding of the Qur’an) and sultan (legitimate power and authority).
And lastly, their underlying basis is the jihad against one’s lower self, which is the most challenging and difficult struggle.
For it is a continuous strife throughout one’s life.
Yet, even in this struggle, one shall find knowledge and awareness-particularly, of one’s true self and self-control-being of paramount significance.