Book reference: p.101 — "Discuss the Rise of Extremism and Modern Fundamentalism; the roots and the causes."

Definition

• Extremism (Ghuluw/Tatarruf) means going beyond the bounds of moderation in religion or politics.
• Explicitly condemned in the Qur'an.

Root Causes

• Political grievances
  • Occupation, authoritarianism, denial of participation.
• Socio-economic deprivation and marginalisation.
• Weak or politicised religious education
  • Loss of a properly qualified scholarly tradition.
• Foreign intervention and proxy conflict.
• Misuse of concepts like Jihad and Takfir
  • Divorced from their strict classical juristic conditions.

Islam's Actual Position — Wasatiyyah (Moderation)

• Moderation/balance is the Ummah's defining trait.

Jihad vs Terrorism — A Key Distinction

• Classical Jihad is strictly conditioned:
  • Defensive in nature.
  • Authorised by a legitimate authority.
  • Bound by rules protecting non-combatants.
• Indiscriminate violence against civilians for political ends (Irhab/terrorism) is unequivocally condemned.

Qur'anic Evidence

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يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ

اردو: اے اہل کتاب! اپنے دین میں حد سے نہ بڑھو۔

English: "O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion."

— Surah An-Nisa 4:171

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا

اردو: اور اسی طرح ہم نے تم کو ایک معتدل امت بنایا۔

English: "And thus We have made you a just [balanced] community."

— Surah Al-Baqarah 2:143

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Hadith Evidence

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إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْغُلُوَّ فِي الدِّينِ

اردو: دین میں غلو (انتہا پسندی) سے بچو، کیونکہ تم سے پہلے لوگ دین میں غلو ہی کی وجہ سے تباہ ہوئے۔

English: "Beware of extremism (Ghuluw) in religion, for those who came before you were destroyed by extremism in religion."

— Sunan Ibn Majah 3029; Sunan an-Nasa'i 3057

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Consequences and Countering Extremism