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07/27/2006

Defeating the Extremists

I was going through a folder the other day and came across an
op-ed from the Wall Street Journal, Dec. 30, 2005, that I had
printed out. After re-reading it just now, I thought I’d excerpt it
in light of recent events in the Middle East.

The piece is by Abdurrahman Wahid, the former president of
Indonesia and senior advisor to the LibForAll Foundation, an
Indonesian and U.S.-based nonprofit that works to reduce
religious extremism and discredit the use of terrorism.

---

“News organizations report that Osama bin Laden has obtained a
religious edict from a misguided Saudi cleric, justifying the use
of nuclear weapons against America and the infliction of mass
casualties. It requires great emotional strength to confront the
potential ramifications of this fact. Yet can anyone doubt that
those who joyfully incinerate the occupants of office buildings,
commuter trains, hotels and nightclubs would leap at the chance
to magnify their damage a thousandfold?

“An extreme and perverse ideology in the minds of fanatics is
what directly threatens us (specifically, Wahhabi/Salafi ideology
– a minority fundamentalist religious cult fueled by petrodollars).
Yet underlying, enabling and exacerbating this threat of religious
extremism is a global crisis of misunderstanding.

“All too many Muslims fail to grasp Islam, which teaches one to
be lenient towards others and to understand their value systems,
knowing that these are tolerated by Islam as a religion. The
essence of Islam is encapsulated in the words of the Quran, ‘For
you, your religion; for me, my religion.’ That is the essence of
tolerance. Religious fanatics – either purposely or out of
ignorance – pervert Islam into a dogma of intolerance, hatred and
bloodshed. They justify their brutality with slogans such as
‘Islam is above everything else.’ They seek to intimidate and
subdue anyone who does not share their extremist views,
regardless of nationality or religion. While a few are quick to
shed blood themselves, countless millions of others sympathize
with their violent actions, or join in the complicity of silence

“The Sunni (as opposed to Shiite) fundamentalists’ goals
generally include: claiming to restore the perfection of the early
Islam practiced by Muhammad and his companions, who are
known to Arabic as al-Salaf al-Salih, ‘the Righteous Ancestors’;
establishing a utopian society based on these Salafi principles, by
imposing their interpretation of Islamic law on all members of
society; annihilating local variants of Islam in the name of
authenticity and purity; transforming Islam from a personal faith
into an authoritarian political system; establishing a pan-Islamic
caliphate governed according to the strict tenets of Salafi Islam,
and often conceived as stretching from Morocco to Indonesia and
the Philippines; and, ultimately, bringing the entire world under
the sway of their extremist ideology.

“Fundamentalist strategy is often simple as well as brilliant.
Extremists are quick to drape themselves in the mantle of Islam
and declare their opponents kafir, or infidels, and thus smooth
the way for slaughtering nonfundamentalist Muslims .
Expansionist by nature, most fundamentalist groups constantly
probe for weakness and an opportunity to strike, at any time or
place, to further their authoritarian goals .

“The formidable strengths of this world-wide fundamentalist
movement include:

“1) An aggressive program with clear ideological and political
goals; 2) immense funding from oil-rich Wahhabi sponsors; 3)
the ability to distribute funds in impoverished areas to buy
loyalty and power; 4) a claim to and aura of religious authenticity
and Arab prestige; 5) an appeal to Islamic identity, pride and
history; 6) an ability to blend into the much larger traditionalist
masses and blur the distinction between moderate Islam and their
brand of religious extremism; 7) full-time commitment by its
agents/leadership; 8) networks of Islamic schools that propagate
extremism; 9) the absence of organized opposition in the Islamic
world; 10) a global network of fundamentalist imams who guide
their flocks to extremism; 11) a well-oiled ‘machine’ established
to translate, publish and distribute Wahhabi/Salafi propaganda
and disseminate its ideology throughout the world; 12)
scholarships for locals to study in Saudi Arabia and return with
degrees and indoctrination, to serve as future leaders; 13) the
ability to cross national and cultural borders in the name of
religion; 14) Internet communications; and 15) the reluctance of
many national governments to supervise or control this entire
process .

“An effective counterstrategy must be based upon a realistic
assessment of our own strengths and weaknesses in the face of
religious extremism and terror. Disunity, of course, has proved
fatal to countless human societies faced with a similar existential
threat. A lack of seriousness in confronting the imminent danger
is likewise often fatal. Those who seek to promote a peaceful
and tolerant understanding of Islam must overcome the
paralyzing effects of inertia, and harness a number of actual or
potential strengths, which can play a key role in neutralizing
fundamentalist ideology. These strengths not only are assets in
the struggle with religious extremism, but in their mirror form
they point to the weakness at the heart of fundamentalist
ideology. They are:

“1) Human dignity, which demands freedom of conscience and
rejects the forced imposition of religious views; 2) the ability to
mobilize immense resources to bring to bear on this problem,
once it is identified and a global commitment is made to solve it;
3) the ability to leverage resources by supporting individuals and
organizations that truly embrace a peaceful and tolerant Islam; 4)
nearly 1,400 years of Islamic traditions and spirituality, which
are inimical to fundamentalist ideology; 5) appeals to local and
national – as well as Islamic – culture/traditions/pride; 6) the
power of the feminine spirit, and the fact that half of humanity
consists of women, who have an inherent stake in the outcome of
this struggle; 7) traditional and Sufi leadership and masses, who
are not yet radicalized (strong numeric advantage: 85% to 90%
of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims); 8) the ability to harness
networks of Islamic schools to propagate a peaceful and tolerant
Islam; 9) the natural tendency of like-minded people to work
together when alerted to a common danger; 10) the ability to
form a global network of like-minded individuals, organizations
and opinion leaders to promote moderate and progressive ideas
throughout the Muslim world; 11) the existence of a
counterideology, in the form of traditional, Sufi and modern
Islamic teachings, and the ability to translate such works into key
languages; 12) the benefits of modernity, for all its flaws, and the
widespread appeal of popular culture; 13) the ability to cross
national and cultural borders in the name of religion; 14) Internet
communications, to disseminate progressive views – linking and
inspiring like-minded individuals and organizations throughout
the world; 15) the nation-state; and 16) the universal human
desire for freedom, justice and a better life for oneself and loved
ones ..

“Muslims themselves can and must propagate an understanding
of the ‘right’ Islam, and thereby discredit extremist ideology .
Our goal must be to illuminate the hearts and minds of humanity,
and offer a compelling alternate vision of Islam, one that
banishes the fanatical ideology of hatred to the darkness from
which it emerged.”

---

What’s so depressing to the rest of us is there is absolutely no
sign Mr. Wahid’s cries are being answered. The moderate,
peace-loving Islamists are hiding, scared to death of the bullies in
their midst, and no titanic figure is standing up, saying
“Enough!”

Hott Spotts will return next week.

Brian Trumbore



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Hot Spots

07/27/2006

Defeating the Extremists

I was going through a folder the other day and came across an
op-ed from the Wall Street Journal, Dec. 30, 2005, that I had
printed out. After re-reading it just now, I thought I’d excerpt it
in light of recent events in the Middle East.

The piece is by Abdurrahman Wahid, the former president of
Indonesia and senior advisor to the LibForAll Foundation, an
Indonesian and U.S.-based nonprofit that works to reduce
religious extremism and discredit the use of terrorism.

---

“News organizations report that Osama bin Laden has obtained a
religious edict from a misguided Saudi cleric, justifying the use
of nuclear weapons against America and the infliction of mass
casualties. It requires great emotional strength to confront the
potential ramifications of this fact. Yet can anyone doubt that
those who joyfully incinerate the occupants of office buildings,
commuter trains, hotels and nightclubs would leap at the chance
to magnify their damage a thousandfold?

“An extreme and perverse ideology in the minds of fanatics is
what directly threatens us (specifically, Wahhabi/Salafi ideology
– a minority fundamentalist religious cult fueled by petrodollars).
Yet underlying, enabling and exacerbating this threat of religious
extremism is a global crisis of misunderstanding.

“All too many Muslims fail to grasp Islam, which teaches one to
be lenient towards others and to understand their value systems,
knowing that these are tolerated by Islam as a religion. The
essence of Islam is encapsulated in the words of the Quran, ‘For
you, your religion; for me, my religion.’ That is the essence of
tolerance. Religious fanatics – either purposely or out of
ignorance – pervert Islam into a dogma of intolerance, hatred and
bloodshed. They justify their brutality with slogans such as
‘Islam is above everything else.’ They seek to intimidate and
subdue anyone who does not share their extremist views,
regardless of nationality or religion. While a few are quick to
shed blood themselves, countless millions of others sympathize
with their violent actions, or join in the complicity of silence

“The Sunni (as opposed to Shiite) fundamentalists’ goals
generally include: claiming to restore the perfection of the early
Islam practiced by Muhammad and his companions, who are
known to Arabic as al-Salaf al-Salih, ‘the Righteous Ancestors’;
establishing a utopian society based on these Salafi principles, by
imposing their interpretation of Islamic law on all members of
society; annihilating local variants of Islam in the name of
authenticity and purity; transforming Islam from a personal faith
into an authoritarian political system; establishing a pan-Islamic
caliphate governed according to the strict tenets of Salafi Islam,
and often conceived as stretching from Morocco to Indonesia and
the Philippines; and, ultimately, bringing the entire world under
the sway of their extremist ideology.

“Fundamentalist strategy is often simple as well as brilliant.
Extremists are quick to drape themselves in the mantle of Islam
and declare their opponents kafir, or infidels, and thus smooth
the way for slaughtering nonfundamentalist Muslims .
Expansionist by nature, most fundamentalist groups constantly
probe for weakness and an opportunity to strike, at any time or
place, to further their authoritarian goals .

“The formidable strengths of this world-wide fundamentalist
movement include:

“1) An aggressive program with clear ideological and political
goals; 2) immense funding from oil-rich Wahhabi sponsors; 3)
the ability to distribute funds in impoverished areas to buy
loyalty and power; 4) a claim to and aura of religious authenticity
and Arab prestige; 5) an appeal to Islamic identity, pride and
history; 6) an ability to blend into the much larger traditionalist
masses and blur the distinction between moderate Islam and their
brand of religious extremism; 7) full-time commitment by its
agents/leadership; 8) networks of Islamic schools that propagate
extremism; 9) the absence of organized opposition in the Islamic
world; 10) a global network of fundamentalist imams who guide
their flocks to extremism; 11) a well-oiled ‘machine’ established
to translate, publish and distribute Wahhabi/Salafi propaganda
and disseminate its ideology throughout the world; 12)
scholarships for locals to study in Saudi Arabia and return with
degrees and indoctrination, to serve as future leaders; 13) the
ability to cross national and cultural borders in the name of
religion; 14) Internet communications; and 15) the reluctance of
many national governments to supervise or control this entire
process .

“An effective counterstrategy must be based upon a realistic
assessment of our own strengths and weaknesses in the face of
religious extremism and terror. Disunity, of course, has proved
fatal to countless human societies faced with a similar existential
threat. A lack of seriousness in confronting the imminent danger
is likewise often fatal. Those who seek to promote a peaceful
and tolerant understanding of Islam must overcome the
paralyzing effects of inertia, and harness a number of actual or
potential strengths, which can play a key role in neutralizing
fundamentalist ideology. These strengths not only are assets in
the struggle with religious extremism, but in their mirror form
they point to the weakness at the heart of fundamentalist
ideology. They are:

“1) Human dignity, which demands freedom of conscience and
rejects the forced imposition of religious views; 2) the ability to
mobilize immense resources to bring to bear on this problem,
once it is identified and a global commitment is made to solve it;
3) the ability to leverage resources by supporting individuals and
organizations that truly embrace a peaceful and tolerant Islam; 4)
nearly 1,400 years of Islamic traditions and spirituality, which
are inimical to fundamentalist ideology; 5) appeals to local and
national – as well as Islamic – culture/traditions/pride; 6) the
power of the feminine spirit, and the fact that half of humanity
consists of women, who have an inherent stake in the outcome of
this struggle; 7) traditional and Sufi leadership and masses, who
are not yet radicalized (strong numeric advantage: 85% to 90%
of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims); 8) the ability to harness
networks of Islamic schools to propagate a peaceful and tolerant
Islam; 9) the natural tendency of like-minded people to work
together when alerted to a common danger; 10) the ability to
form a global network of like-minded individuals, organizations
and opinion leaders to promote moderate and progressive ideas
throughout the Muslim world; 11) the existence of a
counterideology, in the form of traditional, Sufi and modern
Islamic teachings, and the ability to translate such works into key
languages; 12) the benefits of modernity, for all its flaws, and the
widespread appeal of popular culture; 13) the ability to cross
national and cultural borders in the name of religion; 14) Internet
communications, to disseminate progressive views – linking and
inspiring like-minded individuals and organizations throughout
the world; 15) the nation-state; and 16) the universal human
desire for freedom, justice and a better life for oneself and loved
ones ..

“Muslims themselves can and must propagate an understanding
of the ‘right’ Islam, and thereby discredit extremist ideology .
Our goal must be to illuminate the hearts and minds of humanity,
and offer a compelling alternate vision of Islam, one that
banishes the fanatical ideology of hatred to the darkness from
which it emerged.”

---

What’s so depressing to the rest of us is there is absolutely no
sign Mr. Wahid’s cries are being answered. The moderate,
peace-loving Islamists are hiding, scared to death of the bullies in
their midst, and no titanic figure is standing up, saying
“Enough!”

Hott Spotts will return next week.

Brian Trumbore