Mufti of the Republic: Extremism is not limited to religion only, but rather it exceeds the limit in thought
His Eminence Dr. Nazir Ayyad, Mufti of the Republic and Head of the General Secretariat of Fatwa Houses and Bodies in the World, said that extremism is not limited to religion only, but rather it is exceeding the limit in thought, whether through extremism or exaggerated liberalism, as some call for diluting religion and truncating texts, explaining that Excessive adherence to matters outside the norm is a form of extremism that must be warned against Including.
The Mufti added – in a lecture entitled “Extremism and its impact on society” At Ain Shams University, within an educational symposium held by the university in the presence of a group of academic and student leaders, talking about extremism is not a matter of luxury, but rather one of the things that institutions should follow, especially in light of religious institutions facing false accusations linking them to terrorism.< /span>
He continued that when we talk about extremism, a distinction must be made between the religion itself and its followers, as judging religion based on the actions of its members is clearly unfair, explaining that religion came to achieve a set of goals, and if these goals are attacked, this is clear intellectual extremism, as the overall goals of religion are If it is absent, this will lead to corruption of the world and religion Together.
He pointed out that there are some with different agendas who seek to distort the image of religion, reduce the value of reason, and disdain blood, stressing that religion, in its essence, is a reformist message that achieves righteousness in this world and success in the afterlife, and sets a framework for the relationship between man and his God. He added that this great religion did not leave even human relations without precise controls that regulate them, but rather established frameworks for dealing with everyone.
He stressed that it is a big mistake to attach extremism to religion, explaining that the causes of extremism are far from the essence of religion, explaining that the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, was sent with the tolerant Hanifism that takes into account the rights of God, the universe, the country, and the servants without excess or negligence. His Eminence expressed his thanks to the educational institutions and universities that care about such matters. These are important issues, because these institutions are among the most important places that should be concerned with shaping the awareness of generations To confront extremism.
The Mufti added that extremism is not a modern phenomenon, but rather the product of social, cultural, educational, political and economic accumulations. There may be religious reasons, but they are not the most influential in the emergence and spread of extremism, so confronting this phenomenon requires the solidarity of all institutions to work according to a clear and comprehensive vision.
He stressed that religion is the lifeline for nations, as we find that civilizations that flourished materially witnessed at the same time moral and behavioral decline, which reflects the importance of preserving religious and moral values.< /span>
He also pointed out that God supported creation with two revelations: the visible revelation, which is the external world that we see and contemplate, and the written revelation, which is the heavenly book. He explained that there are aspects in which science is intertwined with religion, and other aspects that are independent of each other, and reflects the complementarity between them, not the contradiction, and he stressed that man Research must be left without restrictions, but within the framework of scientific research ethics so that we do not reach the stage of “buying death.” With our own hands".
The Mufti stressed that man has conquered space, seized land and sea, and achieved great achievements and unprecedented prosperity, but he remains powerless in the face of the secret of his existence in this worldly life, pointing out that science, despite its advances, cannot explain everything, and that this confirms the limitations of science. His Eminence added, “And you have not been given of knowledge except a little.” [الإسراء: 85] It is a scientific fact that confirms that man cannot comprehend everything related to existence.
He continued, “When the mind is involved in matters that are not within its scope, this leads to fanaticism and extremism.” Therefore, educational curricula must highlight the virtues of religion, which began with the creation of man under various laws calling for coexistence, tolerance and compassion. He explained that the heavenly messages brought the Ten Commandments, which must be an integral part of the educational curricula"
He added that even though we have reached the twenty-first century, we are still facing the problem of revenge, even though the parties to the conflict may be people of knowledge and prestige, and he said that the mentality that says: {Indeed, We found our fathers upon a nation, and indeed we are following in their footsteps} [الزخرف: 23] It is still prevalent in some environments that are governed by customs or a wrong understanding of a particular culture, which may produce intellectual extremism, which confirms the role of faulty genes in the spread of extremist phenomena in society..
He also pointed out that companionship has a great influence on the formation of thought, as many of those returning from terrorist groups indicated that the companion and friend were the first gateway to extremism. Therefore, the Mufti stressed the necessity of seeking a good companion who takes his friend’s hand to the truth and sticks to it.
Speaking about the factors that lead to extremism, the Mufti mentioned that poverty, ignorance, and disease are three dangerous elements that threaten society, as many of those who joined extremist groups were victims of extreme poverty and ignorance, adding that the media may be a tool for construction or demolition, as it can It contributes to spreading negative values.
He also stressed the necessity of confronting thought with thought and machine with machine, and using media and educational content to spread the correct values, adding that educational and media institutions and social media platforms must join forces to confront electronic games that call for violence and killing and to limit the export of extremist thought, noting that some issues may be simple. But some media outlets may deliberately exaggerate it to achieve the “trend.” Without taking into account the consequences, effects and results; Which requires media professionals to exercise responsibility in publishing news.
At the conclusion of his speech, the Mufti pointed out that extremism and extremism lead to restricting life for people through infidelity and immorality, which gives justification for sabotage instead of reconstruction, stressing that science is the key to development, and one must be open to its various fields, including astronomy, to benefit from its tools. To achieve progress and advancement.
Dr. Muhammad Diaa Zein al-Abidin, President of Ain Shams University, received His Eminence the Mufti with all warmth and appreciation, pointing to the role of the Egyptian Fatwa House in promoting human values and spreading moderate religious awareness.
The university president stressed that dialogue is the best way to eliminate extremism and that cooperation between religious and academic institutions is necessary to understand and confront this phenomenon.
At the conclusion of the symposium, the President of the University thanked His Eminence and presented him with the university’s shield as a gesture of appreciation and gratitude for the efforts made by His Eminence the Mufti to spread awareness and moderate thought.
