Speech of Dr. Aboulkhair S. Tarason, Regional Mufti- ARMM during the Regional Ulama Solidarity Summit on Peace and Security in Zamboanga City last October 13, 2017.
To my great companions, my fellow scholars, our distinguished guests, to this blessed gathering!
Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu, and greetings of peace to each and everyone
It has been observed in our contemporary situations the widespread of the creeds, practices, and behaviors which are contradicted to our plain religion, like for instance : The appearance of excessiveness, radicalism, terrorism, and the advent of the attached suspicions and misconceptions against Islam, scholars and righteous Muslims, all this I am going to present it here. And how are we going to extract and cure it? And what would be the possible solutions and accurate suggestions for it, In Shaa Allah.
First: Excessiveness and Radicalism
Excessiveness (الغلو): “This means doing something extravagantly and strictly done beyond the limit”.While, Radicalism (التطرف): This is a foreign word came into existence to the sharia terminologies, as it’s never found in the context of Qur’an and Sunna tradition of Prophet Muhammad ( S.A.W.) or even in the sharia contexts. And it is intended for those who exceeded the moderation and were not just in between and it’s synonymous to excessiveness.
And the excessiveness in the religion is considered haram (forbidden) in the Islamic sharia; the prohibition is all mentioned in the context of the Qur’an and Sunna, Allah says:
(قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا أَهْوَاءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّوا عَنْ سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ) سورة المائدة. (77)
(Oh People of the scripture Exceed not the limits in your religions (by believing( in something other than the truth, and do not follow the vain and the desires of the people who went astray in time gone by, and who misled many, And astray themselves from the right path).Al-Maidah-77
And in the Hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.):
هلكالمتنطعون) قالها ثلاثا . رواه مسلم)
“Those who do things excessively will surely perish”.
While “Terrorism” the Regional Darul-Ifta’ (RDI ARMM) has published a resolution in its 3rd meeting, which was held at Cotabato City, dated 26/01/1436H corresponding to 08/11/2015 pertaining to the matter, as follows:
“The terrorism in this context which is exercised by the individuals and groups intended for oppressing the people in their religion, suppressing them just by opposing their religious ideology, kidnapping innocent people, asking for money as ransom, shedding their blood wrongfully without respecting humanity. They are even looting people’s properties; they are as well destroying places by bombing mosques, churches and business building, houses, bridges and public transportations. Likewise power plants are being destroyed by the said groups. They are also threatening Muslims and those who were given safety are also victims of this threat. And other than that which is done by the mentioned elements who claimed their covenant to “ISIS” and those who follow their steps. The RDI ARMM has published the resolution, that those things are not called JIHAD, the truth they are called destruction and terrorism, destroying properties, and oppressing against innocence personalities, he may be a Muslim or not, those actions are extremely prohibited and discouraged in Islam”. This is the summary of the fatwa.
The causes of excessiveness and terrorism, some important factors as follow.
The researchers have agreed upon the case of radicalism and excessiveness, its causes not only ignorance in the jurisprudence of religion, some of which politically, family negligence, some of which less self-discipline, other factors are because of poverty, uncivilized and not socialized.
Sometimes, radicalism is targeting individuals some other times the groups are fallen victims, in many cases establishment and nations fell into this critical action, allegedly under the shadow of regulation system.
Second: Salafism
While “Salafism” in the Arabic language is derived from (س ل ف) it means what has gone and done by the people who came before: or those who came first. While the meaning of Righteous Salaf in Shariah : is intended for the Muslims who went first, among them are Prophets’ companions الصحابة, and those who followed them التابعون, and those who followed the followers تابعو التابعين, those who lived in the three consecutive centuries of the Islamic era, which was praised by The Prophet (SAW) in his famous Hadeeth ” خير الناس قرني ، ثم الذين يلونهم ، ثم الذين يلونهم ” رواه البخاري “The best people those who lived in my century, and those who followed them, then the successors and those who came after”. Excluding the Kharijites, Mu’tazilasm, Qadarism, Jahmism and Jabarism, and other sectors they are not included in the right Salafi.
The Salafism: Is following the manner of the Prophet (SAW) and his companions those came before us, following them is called Salafi, while taking Salafism as private manner by any individual person, and misleading those who would oppose him among the Muslims even those are on the right side, and taking the Salafism as a manner of private sect, it is no doubt really the opposite of True Salafi, on the other hand Salafism is following the right manner of creed, words, deeds, dialogue, diversity, agreement, love, harmony and mercy. Like what Prophet (SAW) has said: “The right sample of Mu’minin (Believers) in mercy, the love, and sweetness, like a single body, if any part suffers every part and organ suffer as well without sleep”. This is therefore the real Salafism, not an ideology or sect, rather it is the manner of righteous Salafism, all what they want is peace and harmony and they denounce radicalism and terrorism.
Third: Wahabism
Most of the researchers and readers are confused between the term Destructive and KharijiteWahabism, whose founder was Abdulwahab Bin Rustom and the creed of Mohammad Bin Abdulwahab the Salafi, but they do not know that there is clear difference between the two personalities, in time, methodologies and creeds.
The two different periods: Abdulwahab Bin Rustom (Death Date 205H). The latter: Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulwahab (Death Date 1206 H), their times are different, Abdulwahab bin Rustum in second century Hijri, while Mohammad bin Abdulwahab in the late twelve century.
The two different methodologies: Abdulwahab Bin Rustom, did not follow the right Salafism, did not value the revelations, he did not even understand it as prophets’ companion did. While Mohammad bin Abdul wahab he was in the method of Salafism in implementing Qur’an and authentic Prophet’s Sunna.
The two different creeds: Abdulwahab Bin Rustom, was in Kharijite’s creed, this is why he was called by the Morrocan and Nothern African’s scholars Wahabi sect during his period. While Mohammad Bin Abdilwahab was in the right salafi’s creed, and he wasn’t labeled by the people of his country nor by the Saudis as wahabism, but he was calling to follow the right path of Salafism and rectifying innovations (Bid’ah) and false creeds which later become widespread in the Saudi regions even in the world, the labeling which is attributed to Mohammad Bin Abdulwahab is wrong, and was not labeled by himself, nor by scholars of his own country where in fact the labeling came out from other countries, the people who hate his call to the right Salafism and to the right path of Islam.
