Laxity Moderation amp Extremism in Islam

Introduction This is a very important issue for us to address in the Muslim world today. Paradoxically, though, it is an issue we seldom address. Why is it so important, and why do we seldom address it? It is important because it affects our relationship with one another as well as with non-Muslims, and thus the spread of Islam-all crucial concerns for the future of the Ummah. Why then do we seldom speak about it? Because to do so is to run the risk of being abused, misunderstood and quoted out of context by people who cannot tolerate any opinion other than their own, even if that other opinion has a sound basis in Islamic teachings. For much of what follows I am deeply indebted to the celebrated scholar and writer Shaikh Yusuf al Qaradawi, most particularly in his Islamic Awakening between Rejection and Extremism’. This book has effectively covered the topic and brought to light many useful references from the Qur’an, the Hadith and other historical sources. A lot of my paper is summary and quotation from al Qaradawi’s book. However, I have endeavored to bring to the topic some insights gained from my experience in Nigeria and other Muslim countries, though I have no intention to relate my argument consistently to any specific locality or group. Rather, I hope to make my observations general enough to be pertinent to as wide a context as possible, while recognizing the need to address individual communities with individual prognoses and