Confronting Those Declaring Muslims as Unbelievers Intellectually
By Nader Bakkar
26 Mar 2014
When incitement to
violence becomes a staunch media campaign, managed from abroad and being
persistent on people's minds night and day. When, this incitement is backed up
by aberrant Fatwas that confer religious legitimacy on burning, sabotaging and
violating the sanctity of money and honour and portray the inter-fighting
between sons of the same country as Jihad in the name of Allah. When
arbitrariness increases in order to arrest innocent people, unsubstantiated accusations
are leveled randomly on those who have nothing to do with anything and the most
basic human rights of those detained are violated. When the blood of dozens is
spilled recklessly, what will prevent a teenager or even a youth in his
twenties from dipping himself into the quagmire of declaring Muslims as
unbelievers (Takfir)?
It isn't a
prerequisite that the victim of a Takfiri thought be brought up in an
intellectually distorted environment or a socially poor milieu. Rather, it
suffices that all the previous factors accompanied with utter ignorance of the
foundations of proper Islamic belief are to create, from a pampered or poor
youth or the university student or the illiterate young man, a living substance
pulsating with fanaticism and extremism wherever it goes.
Punishing the
aggressor is an Islamic jurisprudential duty and a logical necessity in order
to rid a society of its scourges and evils. But he, who thinks that the harsh
punishment is a tool for getting rid of the phenomenon of Takfir and subsequently
being relieved of terrorism, is delusional.
Dozens of political
science professors, strategic experts, and an army of media persons,
journalists, and analysts all make the same mistake of addressing symptoms
while ignoring the incurable disease itself. When they speak about Takfir,
their talk is confined to the security framework without refuting or
invalidating the arguments of those who declare Muslims as unbelievers. Until
when shall we continue to revolve in this vicious cycle?
If Takfir is launched
from an intellectual incubator that claims it is committed to the texts of the
Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah (the teachings and normative example of the
Prophet), then intellectual confrontation should come from scholars and
credible authorities within Islam. Let this confrontation be held in our
mosques, forums, satellite channels, and even on billboards and posters.
We can start this
discussion with Sharia law (Islamic jurisprudence) scholars, Islamic studies
students, and brilliant preachers. These respected authorities within Islam
should participate in wide-scale campaigns sponsored by Al-Azhar, charity
organizations, developmental institutions and moderate-thinking Islamic action
to confront the outbreak of the cancer of Takfir among the youth of our nation,
equipped with the Sharia sciences necessary to eradicate the disease and treat
its after-effects.
When the Kharijites
group emerged during the rule of the Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, quoting texts
from the Holy Qur'an in order to support their false faith, projecting it out
of context due to ignorance and arrogance, he sent to them the renowned Islamic
jurist Abdullah ibn Abbas to argue with them. He was able to return with half
of them repentant and penitent. The argument was held clear on those who
remained before the sword fell on their necks…Shall we repeat this act now, for
maybe we will gain one tenth of them repentant and penitent?
Source:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentP/4/97459/Opinion/-Confronting-those-declaring-Muslims-as-unbeliever.aspx
URL: https://newageislam.com/the-war-within-islam/confronting-those-declaring-muslims-unbelievers/d/99683